bridging the gap

Our day started at a local church, singing along to unfamiliar songs
and listening to a sermon where not every word was clearly understood,
yet we connected with the global body of Christ nonetheless. The
church is located in the heart of the city and as traffic and people
hurried on outside, the inside provided a glimpse of heaven: prayer
and praise bridged cultures and languages. Most of the ladies that
worked on the sewing project the day before were also in attendance.

In the evening we were invited to play volleyball and soccer with the
youth groups of several churches and we were able to make connections
and relate through common interests. As our relationships, both within
the team and with the locals, deepen, so does our fascination with
this beautiful place and its people.

One of our team members mentioned something that peaked my interest in
conversation, regarding perceptions and expectations going into a
mission trip. I've asked him (Rick Day) to put some pen to paper to
share his thoughts, please enjoy reading them below.
"As a mental health counselor for thirty plus years, I'm in touch with
reality enough to know that cutting wire to build a foundation for
laying concrete is not my area of expertise (and I have two blisters
to prove that point). But a more important reality I've learned is
that laying a foundation that can positively impact the lives of
others for years to come changes one's perspective. An even more
profound reality is that rather than focusing on building my kingdom
on earth (which I'm guilty of) we need to realize there's only one
kingdom that's truly significant- the Kingdom of God. "



Please continue to keep us in prayer as we get back to our work
projects tomorrow. The ladies are excited to have an opportunity to
run multiple sewing rooms, while the men mix and pour concrete to
create a walkway in the institute.
We also covet your prayers for us to be intentional in meeting and
ministering to the local people of Pucallpa.