My Peruvian Experience - Part 1

Last week I was blessed with the incredible opportunity of going with Compassion International to Lima, Peru. I have been out of the country and have been on Mission Trips before but this trip affected me like no other trip I have ever been on. The poverty that these children and families are in is mind boggling. Dirt floor homes (or shacks), walls made of cardboard, no running water...the list could go on and on. The looks on their faces when they were given pencils or stickers or bubbles brought tears to my eyes. You would have thought they had received a million dollars. On this trip I cried...I laughed...I felt sorrow and my heart rejoiced. I realized that God is not a God of America. Many in our country have categorized Him as being formed in the buckle of the Bible Belt. A child's song came to mind as I walked through the trash filled streets of Lima..."He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." God is doing a great thing in Peru and around the world. I was grateful to have experienced just a small part of that. Thank you to those who prayed for us while we were on this trip.

I realize that pictures speak a thousand words, so here are a few pictures and clips from the trip.

This is outside of the window of the first church we visited. The homes on the hillside tell the story. Check out the boy at the end of it being brought to church by the other kids...physically!

On day 2 we were greeted by over 200 children at Compassion Project 444. I have no idea what they were singing, but it was wonderful!!

I also was blessed to have the opportunity of meeting a little girl whom my family will be sponsoring in the future. Later that day I had the privilege of visiting her at her home!

Well, there really was too much to try and post right now, so I'll be posting more on this trip later. Thanks for reading.

Heath