HungryForLifeInternational

We've been back for a day and here's what the team members had to say about their experiences on the village trip:

Kim - "One of the highlights of going to Huanca Huanca was hanging out with all of the kids and seeing their enthusiasm."

Harry - "The thing that really struck me about Huanca Huanca is that this country is really beautiful, but the lack of hygiene and garbage everywhere is really troublesome. There is an awful lot of work to be here."

Ben - "It was a struggle, but it was worth it!"

Morgan - "My favorite part was going to the 2nd village (Rocoto) to do the kids program and seeing how happy the kids were to have us there and seeing the joy on their faces."

Josh - "The thing that stood out to me was how many doors were closed but also how many were opened. For example, we weren't able to finish working on the church building, but we did more for the kids' ministry."

John - "One cool thing was handing out the frisbees (in the 2nd village) and how happy they were with them. This trip taught me to rely on God for a lot more and to be flexible. You have to give up your plans and let God take over."

Chereena - "I loved working with the kids and I loved how they wouldn't sit and listen to the story we were telling unless I sat with them. I also liked marching around with them."

Joan - "I liked the openness of the people and the way that they were excited to see us and were waiting for us when we got there."

Rob - "The kids were good at playing soccer. The people were also good at making sandals out of tires :)"

Pastor Bill - "The people were encouraged by our visit and they are really in need of a new church building. There is great potential potential for the children and youth of Huanca Huanca. There was a great response to the services that were held."

David - "I can see that they have the opportunity to teach the Gospel in the schools and that really impacted me. The next generation could be blessed and changed because they have good opportunities and more freedom. They are learning good values for their lives and the future.

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So that is as many people as I had time to interview before we had to leave for Machu Picchu... sorry if I didn't interview you loved one!

-Kelly

PS. We are at Machu Picchu til late tomorrow night and then on Sunday we are going to church (while Pastor Bill and David are speaking via Skype back to Beach Corner Church, then roaming around the city and then out for guinea pig for dinner! Monday morning we leave to fly back home. Thanks for following our journey here and if there's time we may post again before leaving.

This is mainly going to be a picture blog, with little descriptions... a blog will be coming soon with thoughts about events in the villages... stay tuned!

The way to Huanca Huanca
























The way to Huanca Huanca blocked by a large tree...


















Don't worry, we didn't have to turn around! We just waited for about 10 minutes.


















Ladies of Huanca Huanca doing some cooking by the old Catholic church.


















The kids of Huanca Huanca having a sponsored breakfast


We worked on fixing up the current run-down church building because the people of Huanca Huanca are in the process of raising money for a new church building. This is the inside before we started. Potatoes and all.


Harry fixing the window frames and installing new glass.

Working on the church.


The church almost finished.


Pastor Bill preaching (then translated to Spanish and then into Quechua!)


Joan hanging out with a little boy.


The village of Huanca Huanca as seen while hiking above.

John working with the kids during VBS,


The team doing children's ministry also had the opportunity on the last morning to go to the neighboring village of Rocoto to do a lesson with 2 different classes.

And then we played with frisbees. The kids LOVED them.

The inauguration ceremony today went very well. Around 250 people attended (some walking for hours and then catching a bus) to celebrate the opening of the center.




















































The program was conducted in 3 languages: Quechua, Spanish and English. There were speeches from Pastors and the directors of missions organizations and of ATEK. There was live traditional music and a great lunch of pork and tamales.



































It was a great morning/afternoon of fellowship and coming together to worship the God who speaks all 3 languages and unites us together.



















There was also some random hunting.


















Tomorrow we depart early for the village of Huanca Huanca and also Rocoto. This will be the last post for a couple days (til Thursday). Keep us in your prayers as we travel, eat food we may be unsure of and work hard while trying to live our lives as an example of God's love and grace.

Thank you for being a source of encouragement! Bye for now!

So we finished yesterday off strongly - primed first side of building, floors varnished, rooms mostly re-painted and a little bit of Inca Kola.


The down-side to working so hard is that a couple people were really feeling the altitude. But today was a new day and right now everyone is feeling fine.
This morning everyone went back to work enthusiastically... by lunch the first side of the building was painted, the second side was primed and the top half had paint on it. The doors all had another coat of varnish and all but 2 walls were left to be painted in the dorm building.



All that work meant only one thing...


ice cream break!

Thanks for praying... those who were sick last night definitely benefitted from your prayers. Thanks for commenting on the blogs as well, the team loves hearing from you guys at home!

The team on the new (and in use!) building.

We made it safe and sound, without a hitch and with all our luggage!
Yesterday we spent the morning napping and trying to get acclimatized to the 10,800 ft above sea level at which Cusco is situated. Then we got started on some light work - washing walls in preparation for paint touch-ups. The ATEK staff moved their offices into the new building the day before we came, and now we will be touching up the place.




















Rebecca washing walls.

Today is a full work day and so far we've been filling holes in the old offices (soon to be dorms):


















David filling in holes.

sanding the outside of the new building in order to prime and paint it:


















Rob & Reg (Reg & Rob?) sanding.



















Morgan & Pastor Bill getting the primer ready.



















Josh & Morgan sanding.

We also sanded and varnished doors and window frames but the internet quit uploading my pictures so I'll try again tomorrow!
Thanks again for praying and all your support!

Excitement is high as the team of 13 + myself (Kelly, the HFL staff) take off for Peru bright and early Monday morning from Edmonton. Some have been there before and some are going to experience this amazing place for the first time. So much has changed since this team has been there last (in November). The first story on the Center for Training & Operations has been completed (minus some finishing touches) and work has started on the 2nd floor.
While we are there a inauguration ceremony (and celebration) will be had to commission the building for use. I'm excited that the team will be able to be a part of this ceremony after all the hard work they have put in to seeing this building come to fruition. This will be the 3rd team Beach Corner Church has sent and thousands of dollars have been raised because we know that God is and will work through the ATEK ministry and this building to train and raise up many leaders to impact many of the Quechua villages in Peru.
Please pray that team relationships remain strong (or grow to become strong) on this trip and that we work together to accomplish a common goal. Pray for strength (physically and mentally) and also safety while traveling (to and from Peru, and also while driving to villages).
Thank you all for your support.