Peru, Day 6
Hebrews 13:16 – Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Today was a bittersweet day. It is our last full day in Peru as our flight leaves at 2 AM for the states. Before we leave, however, we were to distribute over 100 wheelchairs. We showed up at the distribution site and immediately started right in.
The buses and taxis would pull up to the site and drop people off. We had a team of 4 people standing outside with wheelchairs to get people out of transportation, into a wheelchair and then wheel them inside and transfer them to a stationary chair. From there, the people would wait until called. We would then pick up their stationary chair, carry it, with them on it, back to the registration table followed by the medical table followed by the “soul clinic” table followed by “chair pick up.” It was very physically intense as we had to pick up people and carry them from place to place.
As they went from station to station, the team was able to get some one-on-one time with the people receiving the chairs and some great relationships were built.
One story that touched almost all of our hearts was about one man who walked in off the streets with a woman and claimed there was no God and that God was not present in this place. As he walked around, there were a group of people laying hands on the woman in need of a chair. Afterward, she yelled out this man’s name. According to the family and the man, this woman had not said a word in years. Once that happened, he came up to me and asked me if he could get this in another town near by. We put him in touch with one of the people from CdV. GOD WAS THERE! GOD MADE THAT WOMAN SPEAK! I believe in miracles! I have seen God perform them!
After most of the people had been through the line and were waiting on their chairs, Camino de Vida asked us if we wanted to deliver some wheelchairs house to house. Of course we said yes! We were able to deliver 2 chairs to various people. The first is a woman who is clearly a miracle of God! She was in a coma for 3 months and should not have even been alive. Her tears showed us just how grateful she was.
The next man was bedridden and lived in a house that was as big as my bedroom. I am still very unclear as to how he will use the chair, but once we deliver it, it is up to the family to ensure its use.
As we were leaving, Bob remembered that our devotion today was on grace. Would grace simply tell someone where something is or show them where it is? As we were leaving the second house, Bob noticed that some men were unloading a truck filled with 100 pound bags of cement. It would have taken them most of the day, so Bob offered our services. Clearly my arms are not made for lifting 100 pound bags of cement, but God sustained us as we unloaded them into this small corner store.
We pulled back up to the distribution site and got everyone together for one final photo before we head off to dinner and then to the airport. We need to send a very special thanks to Liliana, Miguelito and Adam for showing us Christ through their hospitality. They are the true missionaries in this journey as they live and breathe this every day of their life and work countless hours, tirelessly and with joy, to make sure gringos like us are not only given an experience of a lifetime, but are also taken well care of.
We also need to thank Camino de Vida, Robert Barriger, Nick Balcombe, and all of the people who have lived in Lima for over 30 years bringing Christ to the city.
Finally, Christ is who truly led this journey. It is Christ who created the revival in the heart of the CdV team. It is Christ who created the passion in the CCF team. It is Christ who brought both teams together to perform miracles on the streets of Lima.
James 2:14-17 – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
boyradd 