Peru 2014 Ayacucho, Cusco and Andes Mountains

Ayacucho, Cusco and Andes Mountains Peru 2014

In July 2014, Gail and I traveled to Peru to teach English and The Purpose Driven Life and to minister to whoever God would bring to us. We were invited to teach there by a former YWAM Virginia English School student, Pastor Samuel. He assured us that he had 15 beginner and 15 intermediate pastors for us to teach English to.

   We flew to Lima, Peru and stayed the night with one of his brothers and then rode on a 13 hour bus ride  along the coast and then high into the Andes to the city of Ayacucho.

Fortunately the road was blocked by a landslide so we got out of the bus.

 It is a state capital and has a large majority of Incans. The principal language is Quechua and Spanish is also spoken. Many Incans still dress in traditional clothing.    

   We stayed in the home of Pastor Samuel and his sister, Rebeca who is an obstetrician at a hospital that she would walk to.

 
 As most people in the cities, they did not own a car with taxis and the small three wheeled motocar (a flimsy cover over a motorcycle base) were cheap and available.       
  

  We often walked to the large central square which was about five blocks away. Not far but the sidewalks are not even and at night Gail had to have someone holding her hand each trip. We ate in a restaurant in the square. Lunches were huge with a large bowl of soup and a large helping of usually chicken and vegetables.

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Gail eating wawa bread.

Great food and we loved the natural juices.

Many statues and old churches and public buildings.

In Ayacucho and in Cusco they are always having parades. School children in school uniforms and armed forces are continually marching around city squares.  

You will notice all the coats people are wearing, it was their winter and temps were 70 at noon often to 38 degrees morning and night. Not even hospitals in South America have heat so for us to go to the bathroom we had to walk out doors. It's just normal for them but we were cold much of the time. Only a few children showed up for the English school and only for a few days so we had a lot of free time on our hands. The 30 promised pastors had a misunderstanding about who would pay for their room and board (the pastor provided the school and materials free for them). When it was obvious that they would not be coming and when others also refused to attend and we did not chide the pastor, he looked at me and said, "Jim you really are my friend". Maybe that is why we went there. Only God knows. It's not really any of our business. The only place for us to get warm was on the roof, so we were there at noon most days. The sunsets are pretty there and we played cards there as well. 

At the parade on Gail's birthday in Cusco she met some friends. The lady just sat beside Gail and enjoyed some of our candy. We bought all we could from the lady with the baby.

The pastor was on live TV on the weekday mornings and twice at night and he would speak at universities and meetings for public officials.  We also viewed The 700 Club Peru on TV. We attended a small church with violinists. Gail and I attended a meeting of 50 mayors in the state and whenever you are seated in the front, expect to be called upon to speak so I challenged them to be Godly examples for their people and prayed for them. They really appreciated it.

We visited a small village above Ayacucho and saw where much of the hand made pottery was made

 and an Obelisk recognizing all democracies in the Americas. The United States name is on it. The view is spectacular.

Brasil 2014 Beach

Brasil 2014 Beach.

The school was over on 8 Feb 2014 and a couple of days later Cris, Carmen, Gail and myself left for the beach. I had been thinking for over a year that we would finally be going to Florianopolis, Brasil. We were certainly surprised that we would be going to Caioba beach. Cris had gotten a free beach house for us in Parana. It really was a blessing and we are so thankful for being there.

The house was beautiful with flowers and a hammock in which I spent much time relaxing.

There were two beaches within easy walking distance. The "Calm Beach" that all the women liked best was exactly that.

Beautiful buildings and a great beach for children. But for me, the "Brave Beach" was more my style. There were tons of starfish and mussels at the ocean's break but I could body surf in and get knocked around a good bit. There were lifeguards and vendors always selling their goods and foods.

Quaint little town with it's shops and internet cafe (only the expensive hotels furnished WIFI to their guests).

In Brasil the dogs say "Au Au" not "Bow Wow", so here is a hotdog shop.

The highway to the beach had beautiful yellow and purple flowering trees. I did not get very good pictures of them.

Our last night in Brasil I was asked to preach in Cris's small church. Only about 20-25 people showed up, it was cold and rainy. I am supprised at how much I enjoy preaching like that. Cris interpreted and Gail had a word for the church and each person who came forward. A mother with her three children came, three pastors came, church leaders came and a 30ish young man came. Gail thinks that several people were saved but for sure the young man was trembling when I hugged him and told us as he was leaving the front that he had been away from God for 14 years and "now he was back". God's Word never returns void.
     The pastor and wife and other members. Cris's good friend Pastoria Maria was there (she recently retired from that church that she had founded) who we had spent a good bite of time with on other trips and even had a picture of us on a beach during a prior year.

The temperature varied from 95-104 for almost the entire month that we were there to 59 the night before we left. God is so faithful to His Word and His people. Praise His Name.