Monday, August 27, 2007
Peru Earthquake Terremoto
Cody Barringer put together this video of the devastation after the Peru earthquake. Please pray for those who are hurting.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Are we still going?
Crystal and I are still planning on going to Peru. The earthquake hit where we will be living, but the worst damage was to the south. Right now Cody Barringer (Crystal's brother) is helping in those cities, and two of our good friends from Lima, Henry and Roman, are there as well.
Please pray that during this time of pain and fear, God will soften hearts to the Gospel.
Please pray that during this time of pain and fear, God will soften hearts to the Gospel.
Earthquake
With the death tole rising each hour, Peru feels more than ground shaking aftershocks. The recent earthquake has devasted the country, and raised questions. After a man found his wife and children among the dead after the collapse of a Catholic church during Mass, he was heard shouting ''Why did you go? Why?''
He is not the only one asking "Why?" I am confident that millions across Peru, South America, and the world are asking the same question. Each one of us ask the same questions when it seems like God has stepped out for a minute, and things just don't go right. Why the bridge? Why the hurricane? Why the earthquake? Why the young girl murdered? Or maybe on a much smaller scale. Why MY job? Why my house? Why my family? We each ask the question when our security blankets of money, comfort and stability seem to deteriorate despite our frantic attempts to hold them together.
It is in these times that our faith is tested. Can we really say, "God is in control"? Can we arrive at church with a painted smile and respond to others with a quick comment as "God is good," or "I am blessed." Should we really say it if we aren't so sure? What are we supposed to think when the bad times come?
These catastrophes do not point to the absence of God, as some would like to convince us, but rather to a creation that is hurting. A creation, that because of sin, is groaning, ready for it's Redeemer. Romans 8 not only includes the commonly quote antidote for problems, "All things work together for good..." but also "the whole creation groans..." This world is deteriorating because of sin.
What can we say then? In light of these difficult times, what do we tell them? "Where was God?" "Why is this happening?" "How can you say God is loving?" Should we even respond?
I believe that even though bad things happen, it does not mean God is not in control. He is in control. These catstrophes point us to the fact that we are sinners living on a sin cursed planet, in a sin cursed universe. These times should not force believers to accept the idea that God doesn't care, but encourage us to run to the cross telling us He does. Despite our sin, He loved us. While we were enemies, He still died for us. These times, thought difficult and painful can strengthen our faith in our loving and caring God. We may not have all the answers, but we know He does.
He is not the only one asking "Why?" I am confident that millions across Peru, South America, and the world are asking the same question. Each one of us ask the same questions when it seems like God has stepped out for a minute, and things just don't go right. Why the bridge? Why the hurricane? Why the earthquake? Why the young girl murdered? Or maybe on a much smaller scale. Why MY job? Why my house? Why my family? We each ask the question when our security blankets of money, comfort and stability seem to deteriorate despite our frantic attempts to hold them together.
It is in these times that our faith is tested. Can we really say, "God is in control"? Can we arrive at church with a painted smile and respond to others with a quick comment as "God is good," or "I am blessed." Should we really say it if we aren't so sure? What are we supposed to think when the bad times come?
These catastrophes do not point to the absence of God, as some would like to convince us, but rather to a creation that is hurting. A creation, that because of sin, is groaning, ready for it's Redeemer. Romans 8 not only includes the commonly quote antidote for problems, "All things work together for good..." but also "the whole creation groans..." This world is deteriorating because of sin.
What can we say then? In light of these difficult times, what do we tell them? "Where was God?" "Why is this happening?" "How can you say God is loving?" Should we even respond?
I believe that even though bad things happen, it does not mean God is not in control. He is in control. These catstrophes point us to the fact that we are sinners living on a sin cursed planet, in a sin cursed universe. These times should not force believers to accept the idea that God doesn't care, but encourage us to run to the cross telling us He does. Despite our sin, He loved us. While we were enemies, He still died for us. These times, thought difficult and painful can strengthen our faith in our loving and caring God. We may not have all the answers, but we know He does.
Explanation Article
Pillsbury wrote an article about our upcoming trip, and can be viewed at http://www.pillsbury.edu/About/pdf/echoesvol18.pdf
If you have any questions about our upcoming trip, this may shed some light on those.
If you have any questions about our upcoming trip, this may shed some light on those.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Peru Update
Support Level - Praise God we are up to 95%! God has blessed us greatly through the support of His children. He also continues to open doors to share our hearts with others, and us this trip as a witnessing opportunity.
Travel Status - We have our tickets, and we are flying out the 5th of September. The Lord even provided cheaper tickets than what we were expecting.
Future Schedule - We have several more churches to visit in the weeks to come, moving out of our apartment, and all the packing! Please pray that our apartment will be rented out quickly so we don't have to pay for an extra month.
We spoke with Pastor Evelio, the peruvian pastor with whom we will be working, this past Saturday, and he has multiple trips lined up for October. We are going to have great opportunities!
The Peru Side - In the light of the Minneapolis bridge tragedy, some facts about Peruvian bridges may be of interest. The mortar of one bridge in Lima was not mixed with water, but with the whites of 10,000 eggs. It is appropriately called "The Bridge of Eggs." It is still standing. Also, the original inhabitants of Peru, the Incans, built lengthy rope bridges crossing valleys and chasms in the Andes mountains. They were so sacred that vandalizing one was punishable by death. The ropes were made from grass woven together into cables as thick as a man's body. The bridges spanned up to 175 feet, and it took as many as 1000 people to build one bridge. For more on Incan bridges see http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/science/08bridg.html?_r=2&em&ex=1178769600&en=77dd0177c75e9c9d&ei=5087%20&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Travel Status - We have our tickets, and we are flying out the 5th of September. The Lord even provided cheaper tickets than what we were expecting.
Future Schedule - We have several more churches to visit in the weeks to come, moving out of our apartment, and all the packing! Please pray that our apartment will be rented out quickly so we don't have to pay for an extra month.
We spoke with Pastor Evelio, the peruvian pastor with whom we will be working, this past Saturday, and he has multiple trips lined up for October. We are going to have great opportunities!
The Peru Side - In the light of the Minneapolis bridge tragedy, some facts about Peruvian bridges may be of interest. The mortar of one bridge in Lima was not mixed with water, but with the whites of 10,000 eggs. It is appropriately called "The Bridge of Eggs." It is still standing. Also, the original inhabitants of Peru, the Incans, built lengthy rope bridges crossing valleys and chasms in the Andes mountains. They were so sacred that vandalizing one was punishable by death. The ropes were made from grass woven together into cables as thick as a man's body. The bridges spanned up to 175 feet, and it took as many as 1000 people to build one bridge. For more on Incan bridges see http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/science/08bridg.html?_r=2&em&ex=1178769600&en=77dd0177c75e9c9d&ei=5087%20&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Peru Update
Support Level - We are getting close to 90% of our goal! God is blessing in great ways. We still have six more churches to visit, and are looking forward to making more contacts.
Passport Status - It arrived! After three months of checking on it and trying to get it changed, we got it back on July 28th. Praise the Lord! The problem was, before it got better, it got worse. Earlier in the week we found out they not only messed up her name, but also had her birthday wrong and our address wrong! A lady we met at one of the churches we presented our ministry in, talked to us, got our information and was able to make the correct changes and get our passport to our doorstep in less than 20 hours. Pretty remarkable seeing that it was in New Hampshire! We also found out we can bypass the visa issue. If we leave the country after three months we can renew our three month visa. We are planning on visiting Ecuador and Bolivia, so that works out great!
Future Schedule - We are planning on buying our tickets for Peru in the next few days. September 5th is the tentative departure date. Lord willing we can get them at a lower rate.
The Peru Side - Did you know that the potato was first cultivated in Southern Peru, and now they have over 3000 different varieties (give or take a spud or two).
Passport Status - It arrived! After three months of checking on it and trying to get it changed, we got it back on July 28th. Praise the Lord! The problem was, before it got better, it got worse. Earlier in the week we found out they not only messed up her name, but also had her birthday wrong and our address wrong! A lady we met at one of the churches we presented our ministry in, talked to us, got our information and was able to make the correct changes and get our passport to our doorstep in less than 20 hours. Pretty remarkable seeing that it was in New Hampshire! We also found out we can bypass the visa issue. If we leave the country after three months we can renew our three month visa. We are planning on visiting Ecuador and Bolivia, so that works out great!
Future Schedule - We are planning on buying our tickets for Peru in the next few days. September 5th is the tentative departure date. Lord willing we can get them at a lower rate.
The Peru Side - Did you know that the potato was first cultivated in Southern Peru, and now they have over 3000 different varieties (give or take a spud or two).
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