Today was our first full day in Lima, Peru. Tomorrow we're flying to Negritos to see the church we're adopting, but let me tell you about today...

I have a new perspective of poverty and contentment. Mark Gehri from Compassion International took us to a church that was located on sandy hills, which is about 1/2 mile from the ocean. It's not what you think. There are homes that have been built on these sandy hills. Think of it as full subdivisions, without trees, tattered roofs, on sand. The homes have thatch roofs, dirt floors, and the walls are worn out wood. It's not unusual to see a home with a sole black tarp over their heads. Apparently they don't get much rain, if at all in Lima, so they don't have to worry about downpours. Hence, they can have branches for a roof or a simple black tarp.

The church we visited was a beautiful picture of the body of Christ. It had about 46 kids from birth to kinder. Compassion International focuses on building them up physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Every child is there because someone is sponsoring them. Wow. They have curriculum they use, which is from Compassion, and they have a staff that all VOLUNTEER their time. Incidentally, these staff members are not self-sufficient people. They are poor women who love kids. They devote four hours a day to this school, and then send the child home with one hour homework every day. They are serious about raising up children to be the next leaders of the country. This church/school has been so successful that they have a waiting list of kids who want to enroll. Typically, the homes closer to the main road are more expensive (keep in mind thatch roofs and dirt floor). The higher you go up the sandy hils the cheaper the cost of homes are. This school has been so successful, the properties up the hill, which are close to the church, have increased property value! Amazing ministry.

We visited a home today with a 17 year old young lady. She had a newborn baby that was only three months old. Her home was maybe all of 300 square feet, which was about two thirds the size of a standard two car garage. It had two rooms that were seperated by a tarp that acted like a wall. Her roof was a black tarp as well. Her floor was literally a dirt floor. Her walls were a mixture of differnt types of wood panels, most were not as sturdy as a standard plywood. Compassion visits this woman every week and teaches her how to raise her child, including physical therapy for the baby. The baby, whose name was "Santiago" was laying on the sofa and already picking up his head. I don't know if I've ever been in a home that had so little. She blew me away when she told me that God has been taking care of them and she does NOT LACK ANYTHING. I nearly lost it. She cried when she shared with us that her boyfriend/husband left her after Santiago was born. She is the oldest of many siblings and stays home as a single mom and takes care of her family. Her mother, all her siblings, and her, all live in this very small home. When we asked her how we can pray for her, she said they get cold at night. The black tarp and the holes in the wall just weren't keeping the cold out. I was moved by God when I heard that. Here's this young woman who loves Jesus and says she lacks nothing, and she's just praying for warmth. She knows God loves her but she just wants to be warmer. After we prayed, we walked away and I told Mark that we (ThornCreek Church) would like to buy her a roof. The roof costs $90. So ThornCreek...you just bought a roof for this family, who previously had a tarp! Rest assurred, you're making a difference already around the world!

The next home we visited was another church that was transformed into a school. This was also a Compassion International program that focused on preparing kids (K-12) for a leadership program by Compassion. When we showed up I was amazed. Apparently, they caught wind that we were visiting. There are about 260 kids here, and all are there because people sponsor them. We pulled up and stepped past their iron gates to a parade of kids along the wall, balloons, and a banner that said "Welcome Sponsors!" Apparently we represent the sponsors or "padrinos" as they called us. They wanted to say "thank you". Poor kids, who seemingly have so little, thanking us. Humbling. We had lunch there and visited each classroom and talked to the kids. Every classroom has devotionals and the word of God is taught. They do a wonderuful keeping every classroom centered on Jesus Christ. It's also impressive seeing the role of the local church from infancy to college. There's nothing as powerful as the local church!

We visited another home after this. It belonged to a little five year old girl. She escorted us up this incredibly steep hill. She makes the walk every day to church/school. It was on another sandy hill. Incidentally, when you visit these homes it requires you walking at a steep incline up a combination of sand and steps. It's more like a hike in the mountains, but with sand everywhere. I was losing my breath just getting to the top. Keep in mind, the homes at the top of the hills typically have poorer families. When we walked into the home, I quickly noticed the floor had concrete. Not the kind of concrete that you have in your garage or patio. It was uneven, cracked, and rough. This house had a thatch roof. It was about the same size as the first home we visited. The man came out and we discovered he played the harp. He played a song for us! When it was time to pray he told us that his five year old daughter has changed ever since she started going to church/school. His daughter is teaching the family about Jesus Christ. Through the mouth of babes! The husband leaves the family every few weeks to go work, which involves working on a field harvesting garlic. As he was telling us about his wife and daugther and their faith, I could see that God had been moving in his heart. I asked him if he has accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. He said "no". He then said he has been wanting to go to church, but because of work, it hasn't been possible. I then asked him if he would be willing to accept Jesus Christ right now in his living room. He said "yes", and we prayed together. A churchman, who was also with us, had been ministering to this family and was thrilled for his decision. This churchman assured me they would minister to him and make sure he stays on the right path. Glory to God.

Whew...we have so much friends. Let's keep being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Be content with what you have. If you slept in your garage you would be better off than most of these families. It's all a matter of perspective. Love your spouse, lead your family to Jesus Christ, and be obedient to God. The most powerful organization you can be a part of is your local church! Take it to another level. God is a faithful God who cares about everyone...even the seemingly forgotten. God loves you!

I can't wait for ThornCreek Church to come here in July 2012!!!