1 Corinthians 12:20 "As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. "
The human body is a beautiful creation. There is no other machine that has ever been created to do such amazing feats of nature with such efficiency. What else can do so much on as little as a ham sandwich? As we continue serving in Peru, however, it becomes very apparent that things can go quite wrong. Diseases, injuries, disabilities. Throughout the past week we have seen many challenges. Men, women, and children have come to the clinics seeking help for what plagues them. Some stories seem to end with great joy and some, despite all efforts, seem to be a tragedy. There are also many conditions that exist here in Peru that are not seen in the states and would be very preventable with proper medical care that is just not available in the surrounding area. We are learning that Arequipa is a very large city and although much of it does not appear to be very third world, their health care is minimal at best and the training of their health care professionals is highly inadequate. Patients have travelled great distances to see us for this seemingly famous annual project. Some people have carried children and adults on their backs over an hour just to come receive a wheelchair. Many others have chairs or equipment that is highly outdated and held together with wiring and bands.
We were given an opportunity to leave the hospital we have been serving at all week and drive four hours away to the a town named Aplao. The town is much smaller and has a great need for healthcare and medical equipment. We set up a clinic in a small auditorium as our home base today and treated patients there all day. We helped what felt like countless people and gave out around 20 wheelchairs along with plenty of orthotics, walkers, canes, and other accessories (none of which were easy to transport via bus and van for our long and distant trip over the mountains). So thanks to all of you who donated! Rest assured your donations were much needed.
As we continue to serve here, God is teaching us a great lesson on the body in more ways than one. Although sometimes broken, the body can be healed. Even if the body cannot heal the soul still carries on and a person with a disability can still be such a blessing to the people he or she meets. We have had such amazing chances to help others in their sufferings here in Arequipa. We have even had many chances to pray with our patients after treatments!! Through all of the patients we have treated, each and every one of them has taught us something valuable. Patience, humility, kindness, and not to mention sharpening our PT skills (as well as Spanish)! We are also learning what it means to be part of the body of Christ. More to speak on behalf of Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 12, the body has many parts but yet it is still one. We are striving to be the hands and feet of Christ as we serve on this trip. We have already seen such amazing physical and spiritual healing and we have no doubt more is to come. We pray for continued success, safety, and glory to God.
For anyone who is reading, I apologize for the lack of posts. The wifi At our hotel moves at South American speed and comes in short waves! We will keep you updated as much as possible. We have the weekend off and will be visiting a local spot called Culca canyon for some R and R. There will likely be no wifi so there will be no contact with the outside world until Sunday night. Clinic starts back up again Monday!
Thanks for your prayers and your time spent reading! I am having difficulty getting pictures onto the blog with this wifi speed but I will keep trying!
God bless,
SRUinPeru team
Friday, August 15, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
Why not?
We've hit the ground running here in Arequipa with an amazing couple of days. So much can be said about such a short amount of time but for readers sake I will keep it short.
We have loved our hotel and the hospitality shown. It has been a blessing to be shown such hospitality. Unfortunately the hotel is a bit of a oasis in Arequipa. Immediately outside the gates and walls of the hotel (as most buildings here have walls with barbed wiring or spikes) the city of Arequipa is a hustle and bustle of old and small cars, jammed packed buses, and lots of foot traffic. A lot of the buildings are run down and many are covered in graffiti. But there is still a lot of beauty to be found in the city and a breath taking horizon of mountains and the volcano named "misty.
Yesterday we were blessed with an excellent opportunity to attend a local church. The church was very small but the people made up for it in their passionate worship for God. We later had a briefing on the weeks to come and the clinic we would participate in followed by a long and hard days work moving a truck load of medical equipment from the office to the hospital. After what felt like a very long and challenging game of Tetris with wheelchairs trying to fit everything into the truck, we unloaded the equipment, cleaned it and repaired what we could in preparation for the days ahead.
Today was our first day of clinic. It was an excellent and humbling experience for all of us. All of the students were separated to be either placed with a physical therapist or in the general medicine room to assist with triage and consults. We spent the whole day problem solving for the people that have come for the two week clinic in hopes of help, some of which who have been waiting all year to be treated or receive equipment, and some of which who had rarely, if ever, been seen by a doctor before. The patients were both adults and children and all of which had an excellent warmth and willingness to meet us and receive our help (except for a couple cranky kids!) Some students were even given the chance to pray with some of the patients after treatment.
The reason this post is titled "why not" is because of the sermon we heard on Sunday. The pastor spoke about how many of us live in fear, and out of fear, we stay still and ignore Gods commands. But the truth of the matter is that God has called all of us to do something with our lives. The pastor continued by explaining that the richest place in the world is in a cemetery. The reason being that many of those people have taken some amazing ideas and talents with them to the grave. The end question comes to be that when God calls you to do something the real thought is "why not?" God calls us to amazing places and with him, we need not stay still out of fear as long as we are walking in his ways. We have all been given amazing gifts from God. As Matthew 5:14-16 says "you are the light of the world.....let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."
We hope to be a light to the people of Peru as those who are welcoming us here have been a light to us. Although this mission is an excellent opportunity to do that, we must all keep in mind that we can be a light anywhere we go. I pray that we can all do this right where we are, and right where God calls us to be.
This is in the town square (the nicer part and view of Arequipa) with the beautiful view of the mountain horizon. Unfortunately one of the few days here that are cloudy. More pictures to come soon!!
We have loved our hotel and the hospitality shown. It has been a blessing to be shown such hospitality. Unfortunately the hotel is a bit of a oasis in Arequipa. Immediately outside the gates and walls of the hotel (as most buildings here have walls with barbed wiring or spikes) the city of Arequipa is a hustle and bustle of old and small cars, jammed packed buses, and lots of foot traffic. A lot of the buildings are run down and many are covered in graffiti. But there is still a lot of beauty to be found in the city and a breath taking horizon of mountains and the volcano named "misty.
Yesterday we were blessed with an excellent opportunity to attend a local church. The church was very small but the people made up for it in their passionate worship for God. We later had a briefing on the weeks to come and the clinic we would participate in followed by a long and hard days work moving a truck load of medical equipment from the office to the hospital. After what felt like a very long and challenging game of Tetris with wheelchairs trying to fit everything into the truck, we unloaded the equipment, cleaned it and repaired what we could in preparation for the days ahead.
Today was our first day of clinic. It was an excellent and humbling experience for all of us. All of the students were separated to be either placed with a physical therapist or in the general medicine room to assist with triage and consults. We spent the whole day problem solving for the people that have come for the two week clinic in hopes of help, some of which who have been waiting all year to be treated or receive equipment, and some of which who had rarely, if ever, been seen by a doctor before. The patients were both adults and children and all of which had an excellent warmth and willingness to meet us and receive our help (except for a couple cranky kids!) Some students were even given the chance to pray with some of the patients after treatment.
The reason this post is titled "why not" is because of the sermon we heard on Sunday. The pastor spoke about how many of us live in fear, and out of fear, we stay still and ignore Gods commands. But the truth of the matter is that God has called all of us to do something with our lives. The pastor continued by explaining that the richest place in the world is in a cemetery. The reason being that many of those people have taken some amazing ideas and talents with them to the grave. The end question comes to be that when God calls you to do something the real thought is "why not?" God calls us to amazing places and with him, we need not stay still out of fear as long as we are walking in his ways. We have all been given amazing gifts from God. As Matthew 5:14-16 says "you are the light of the world.....let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."
We hope to be a light to the people of Peru as those who are welcoming us here have been a light to us. Although this mission is an excellent opportunity to do that, we must all keep in mind that we can be a light anywhere we go. I pray that we can all do this right where we are, and right where God calls us to be.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Bienvenido a Peru!
Welcome to Peru!
After a long and arduous journey, we have safely arrived to our destination of Arequipa, Peru. It is almost 11am here in Peru and we have been traveling for over 24 hours. Needless to say, it feels good to get a chance to stay put, at least for the time being. Logan, Beth, and myself (Evan) started the day yesterday with a long drive and even longer flights. Every flight we had along the way had some form of delay and Shawn and Emily (who traveled separately) unfortunately had even more flight troubles and missed a connecting flight. They were forced to catch a later flight from Lima to Arequipa but have now just safely arrived.
We have certainly had a forced opportunity to work on our Spanish throughout our travels. Even in the Washington, D.C. Airport, the primary language of the airline was Spanish. We also had some troubles with our luggage that we brought. One of our pediatric walker that we have brought with us got severely damaged along the way in the cargo hold. On top of that, our bags got soaked during a downpour in a connection in San Salvador. So after a long discussion with the airline about the walker and with some clothes hanging up to dry, all is well and we are happy to be here safely!
Among frustrations and sleepless travels, we find it so important to focus on God and remain open to whatever he has in store for the day. We have a lot of blessings to count and praises to be had. Shawn and Emily were blessed with a quick follow up flight to make it here on time and we are blessed with good company. The landscape of Peru is beautiful and the hotel is warm and welcoming (literally). We are excited to get to know the fellow students who have journeyed from Canada and Arcadia that are here with us and the great experiences ahead!
Be sure to stay posted for more!
After a long and arduous journey, we have safely arrived to our destination of Arequipa, Peru. It is almost 11am here in Peru and we have been traveling for over 24 hours. Needless to say, it feels good to get a chance to stay put, at least for the time being. Logan, Beth, and myself (Evan) started the day yesterday with a long drive and even longer flights. Every flight we had along the way had some form of delay and Shawn and Emily (who traveled separately) unfortunately had even more flight troubles and missed a connecting flight. They were forced to catch a later flight from Lima to Arequipa but have now just safely arrived.
We have certainly had a forced opportunity to work on our Spanish throughout our travels. Even in the Washington, D.C. Airport, the primary language of the airline was Spanish. We also had some troubles with our luggage that we brought. One of our pediatric walker that we have brought with us got severely damaged along the way in the cargo hold. On top of that, our bags got soaked during a downpour in a connection in San Salvador. So after a long discussion with the airline about the walker and with some clothes hanging up to dry, all is well and we are happy to be here safely!
Among frustrations and sleepless travels, we find it so important to focus on God and remain open to whatever he has in store for the day. We have a lot of blessings to count and praises to be had. Shawn and Emily were blessed with a quick follow up flight to make it here on time and we are blessed with good company. The landscape of Peru is beautiful and the hotel is warm and welcoming (literally). We are excited to get to know the fellow students who have journeyed from Canada and Arcadia that are here with us and the great experiences ahead!
Be sure to stay posted for more!
Sunday, August 3, 2014
It's the Final Countdown!
The final countdown to departure has begun! We are all set to fly out for Arequipa, Peru this Friday, August 8th leaving less than a week until we start our great adventure. We have been left to our own devices over the last few weeks with school having ended in late July and everyone parting ways to spend some time at home. It's been a much needed recovery period from the onslaught of exams, competencies, assignments, research studies, and fundraising efforts that have been the bane of our existence throughout the summer. The brief time off has also given us a chance to turn our focus to the horizon, the southern horizon that is. All of our flights and travels are booked, our equipment is gathered, and our personal packing lists are being checked off.
As we polish up the details and batten down the hatches this week before take-off, we can't help but look back at everything that everyone has done for us in preparation for this trip. Thanks again to everyone who has donated equipment, made a financial contribution, sent up some prayers for us, or helped in any way during all of our preparations! We were able to collect a van load full of equipment that was taken o the MMI warehouse to be donated in addition to the suitcases full of donation items and some medical equipment that will be traveling down with us! Thank you all so much!
With time winding down and all preparations set, it is safe to say that now is a time for the power of prayer. We pray that our trip may be abounding in love, filled with service for others, and wrapped up in a bow of safe travels. We ask you to continue praying for us in our travels. It is through God's grace alone that we are given such amazing opportunities like this and it will be through the love of Jesus Christ that we can touch the lives of others in our service.
We will be sure to continue posting on our blog throughout the two week trip, granted we have internet availability which we are told can be spotty, so please stay posted! We want to share our journey with you, especially if you contributed (if you have then this is your journey too!)
God Bless
SRU in Peru Team
As we polish up the details and batten down the hatches this week before take-off, we can't help but look back at everything that everyone has done for us in preparation for this trip. Thanks again to everyone who has donated equipment, made a financial contribution, sent up some prayers for us, or helped in any way during all of our preparations! We were able to collect a van load full of equipment that was taken o the MMI warehouse to be donated in addition to the suitcases full of donation items and some medical equipment that will be traveling down with us! Thank you all so much!
With time winding down and all preparations set, it is safe to say that now is a time for the power of prayer. We pray that our trip may be abounding in love, filled with service for others, and wrapped up in a bow of safe travels. We ask you to continue praying for us in our travels. It is through God's grace alone that we are given such amazing opportunities like this and it will be through the love of Jesus Christ that we can touch the lives of others in our service.
We will be sure to continue posting on our blog throughout the two week trip, granted we have internet availability which we are told can be spotty, so please stay posted! We want to share our journey with you, especially if you contributed (if you have then this is your journey too!)
God Bless
SRU in Peru Team
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Counting our Blessings
It has always been said that time flies when you are having fun. There is quite a bit of truth to that. The past few months of preparing for our trip has certainly brought our team a mixed package of emotions as we work towards our goal, but there certainly has been plenty of fun along the way and not a moment of regret. The time we have spent working towards the trip has been amazing as we have been able to watch so many great people come together. It has been a short few months of team collaboration and help from friends, family, organizations, and even complete strangers. It is truly a time for us to count or blessings as the pieces continue to fall into place.
We are not just 8 weeks until our departure to Arequipa! We want to take this time to thank everyone who has helped us along the way so far. With all of your prayers and donations, we have taken one step closer towards our mission. Although there is still more to be done, we are so blessed to have such great help.
If you still wish to help our cause, it is not too late! First of all, prayers are always appreciated! Please consider praying for our team as we continue to prepare for this trip. We pray for continued success in our efforts and that they may be a blessing to the people of Arequipa. Second of all, monetary donations are still appreciated. Online donations can be made here. Just put "Donation for SRU PT, Arequipa, Peru trip" under "How did you hear about MMI?"
There are also some items still needed:
Baby wipes, school supplies (crayons, markers, etc), stickers, bubbles, beanie babies, matchbox cars, playdough, beach balls. We also need rechargeable AA batteries. We have chargers and tons of toys that need batteries!
Please consider making a contribution if you are able. Once again, thank you for your continued support. Be sure to stop back here again soon to track our progress!
Feel free to contact us with questions:
eba2411@sru.edu
We are not just 8 weeks until our departure to Arequipa! We want to take this time to thank everyone who has helped us along the way so far. With all of your prayers and donations, we have taken one step closer towards our mission. Although there is still more to be done, we are so blessed to have such great help.
If you still wish to help our cause, it is not too late! First of all, prayers are always appreciated! Please consider praying for our team as we continue to prepare for this trip. We pray for continued success in our efforts and that they may be a blessing to the people of Arequipa. Second of all, monetary donations are still appreciated. Online donations can be made here. Just put "Donation for SRU PT, Arequipa, Peru trip" under "How did you hear about MMI?"
There are also some items still needed:
Baby wipes, school supplies (crayons, markers, etc), stickers, bubbles, beanie babies, matchbox cars, playdough, beach balls. We also need rechargeable AA batteries. We have chargers and tons of toys that need batteries!
Please consider making a contribution if you are able. Once again, thank you for your continued support. Be sure to stop back here again soon to track our progress!
Feel free to contact us with questions:
eba2411@sru.edu
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Meet the New Crew!
We're still very excited as we continue towards our mission! Fundraising is underway and we thank all of you who are visiting our blog. If you want any more information on our trip scroll down a couple posts. But right now we want you to meet us so here is who we are!
Left to Right: Emily Gatesman, Evan Andreyo, Shawn VanderBrook, Logan Curry, Beth White
Left to Right: Emily Gatesman, Evan Andreyo, Shawn VanderBrook, Logan Curry, Beth White
Saturday, March 22, 2014
New Mission Video
Check out our new video with a little bit from some of the members of our team about our mission! Enjoy and please spread the word!
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