Heading
Road trip to Sahuay village, with stops in Accobamba and Patanmarca along the way.
We left at 5:45am.
By 7:15, breakfast was served, off the back of a pickup truck, parked on the side of the road. Fresh, locally made bread filled with manjar (a sweet, caramel-like spread) never tasted so good.
Arrived @ 7:45
We stopped at a pre-Inca burial site dating back roughly from 3000 BC to 500 AD. These people believed in reincarnation, so they buried their dead in small tombs, placed in a fetal position, with an opening left so they could “come out again.” Standing there, you couldn’t help but feel the weight of history.
We arrived in KH’urpo @ 9:40 after a hair-raising drive along narrow mountain roads climbing over 12,000 feet. Think steep cliffs, no guardrails, and drop-offs that make you instinctively lean inward. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
There we met Nicolas, a local pastor. This village is where we distributed school supplies to 27 children, items we had purchased the day before. We also helped with church renovations, specifically installing a ceiling. In between, we spent time with the kids. Steve brought along a Polaroid camera and took individual photos of each child, an absolute highlight for them.
Lunch was simple and perfect: chicken with avocado salad. We left at 12:50.
Next stop: Accobamba, at the Maranatha church where we arrived @ 2:25. We met several pastors and a woman who works part-time for Atak. We gathered in the very church we had helped complete. There were heartfelt speeches thanking us and above all, thanking the Lord for moving our hearts to come and serve. A couple of the ladies sang for us, which made the moment even more special.
We handed out school supplies to about 30 children here before leaving at 3:50.
Throughout the day, elevation ranged from 8,000 to 14,000 feet, a constant reminder of just how high up we were.
We arrived in Sahuay village @ 6:30
The drive leading in was nothing short of awe inspiring. Lush green mountains, wildflowers everywhere, waterfalls spilling down the slopes, it felt untouched and alive. The same steep, rugged terrain that made the journey nerve wracking also made it incredibly beautiful. Honestly, it gives the Fraser Valley a run for its money.
Homes were scattered across the mountainsides, each surrounded by small agricultural plots. Life here is simple and deeply connected to the land.
When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by about 80 locals, along with visitors from nearby villages who had come for the evening church service.
After a delicious spaghetti dinner, we joined the service. Mila translated for us, allowing us to fully take in what was being shared. It was powerful to witness people in such a remote place gathering together, united in their faith and their need for the Lord Jesus as their Savior for all their and our sins.
By the end of this full and meaningful day, we laid out our mattresses in a shared upstairs room of a barn like building and quickly fell asleep.
To wrap it all up, it was an amazing day and I think I speak for everyone when I say that the wish “traveling mercies” took on a much deeper meaning for today’s journey..
