Progress on the Ministry Center

Hey all,

Sorry i haven't been blogging much. here are some pics of the progress on the ministry center. The demolition is finally done! WAHOO! So now we are going to have a big backyard, we can start putting in grass and flowers and a small vegetable garden and who knows what else (swings? a soccer goal? any other ideas?)

This is what the back area looked like before:

and this is what the back area looks like now:


The hope is still that we would build a larger building in this back area, shrinking the garden area, but growing our usable space, including a classroom, showers for the youth to use, perhaps a clinic space, and a large meeting room. But for now we're gonna have a huge backyard! Wanna come over for a BBQ?

Randomness

Here are a few random things that you might (or not) be interested in:

1. Word Made Flesh got a new "visual identity." So check out the new website: www.wordmadeflesh.org and you can see the new logo. Don't be confused when you get mail from Word Made Flesh (ie my prayer letters), they will look different. The Cry goes out this week too and it has a new look, but its as good as ever. I promise.

2. Follow this link to see some pictures of our new office:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2037322&id=179202568&l=7011e26f96
We've been working hard the last few months to get it ready and its finally up and running. Don't be too worried though, we look like we're workin really hard in these pictures, but many of them are staged. We are in fact still the fun-loving, just slightly unproductive, full-of-love community that you know us to be despite the fancy new office with space for all of us to work.

3. Sorry to those of you whom i told that i would be returning to the States for a visit in May. I lied. I mean, its not really a lie if you think you are telling the truth when you say it. I'm actually going to be going back to the States in late August or September for a few weeks. So, ladies and gentlemen, mark your calendars. (not sure how you mark two months, but you can find a way, i'm sure)

4. I'm sad because at the pool where i swim it used to cost 5 soles for an hour but now they raised the price to 10 soles for an hour. And i'm riding my bike to work often these days.

5. I started a book club. If you live in Lima or are passing through and want to participate let me know.

6. I had Macaroni and Cheese, half a tomato, and some grapes for lunch with iced tea to drink.

i promised it would be random.

Field Forum Trip Part 3

Who hasn't thought of what heaven will be like? What lover of Jesus hasn't wondered what it will be like when every tongue, nation, tribe and people worship God together?

I continue to wonder, but i think i got a tiny glimpse this week.

I spent this week in Nepal with people from 5 continents, at least 8 languages, rich and poor, book-smart and street-smart, all part of our word made flesh family. it was slightly messy and hard at times and a bit chaotic, but it was good for the soul to be together, although missing many.

While there are many reasons for which i have been crying often these days, it is mostly an overwhelming sense of gratitude to be serving among such incredible people. Jyoti loving on abandoned widows as her own mother. Esdrianne, who serves with her whole heart among children on the street in Rio, moved to tears listening to Jyoti tell her story. Upendra, a humble and generous man, gifting dignity and therefore freedom to women in prostitution. Finally meeting St. Noah of Kroo Bay. Listening to Victoria tell me stories of the first years of WMF. Translating for Anna as she speaks words of hope for our communities. So many people filled with passion and a deep love for the people among whom they serve. Hearts longing to speak dignity and truth. Moments of laughter and joy. Sharing stories around a fire. Doing yoga as the sun rises. Chasing monkeys. Practicing silence together. Eating momos.

Far from perfect, but it was a glimpse of what is to come.

Field Forum Trip Part 2

I'm pretty sure that this week i met the woman who prayed me into the ministry. Actually i think she probably prayed me into meeting Jesus.As Victoria and i walked and talked one afternoon, she shared with me of the early days of the WMF childrens home in Madras which she and her husband faithfully run. She told me that they began to pray for Romania and Peru and that one day WMF would be serving children in those places as well. As i listened, i realized that she told me that she began to pray for those countries around 1995 and i began to sense that this woman even when i was in fourth grade was praying me into ministry. It was after fifth grade that i first met Jesus, when i first fell in love with him and decided to commit my life to doing whatever he wanted me to. I have thought about that conversation with Victoria so many times since that day last week and everytime i get goosebumps. It was a few years after they started to pray that WMF Peru and WMF Romania began. I couldn't help but wonder which countries she is praying for now, because i'm sure in another year or two a new field will be started. That's the power of Victoria's prayers.

Thanks Victoria.

Field Forum Trip Part 1

So I left wednesday night to start my trip to Nepal for the field forum. Thanks for your prayers. My first two flights went really well. Way to go American Airlines. I almost cried in the immigrations line in miami because they were showing a video of all different people saying, "Welcome" and showing different places around the country. i guess maybe i miss home more than i realize sometimes. then on my flight from miami to chicago there wasn't anyone sitting next to me so i got to sleep across the three seats. let's pray for that the rest of my 7 flights.

i had a little trouble in miami because i was trying to bring some mangoes home to my mom, which happens to be against the customs regulations. so after telling several people that i didnt have anything agricultural i thought i was home free and then they put the bags through the x-ray machine that detects fruits and vegetables. yes, you read right. who knew that there was an x-ray machine that could detect fruits and veggies? oh but there is. so after i waited while the woman looked through this man's suitcase and found all these confidential documents which were aparently illegal to travel with, she finally got to me and i told her i was planning to eat them but then i forgot. but of course they were all wrapped up and in a box, so it was pretty obvious that i wasn't going to eat them. so she took my passport number so i'm probably forever in the system, forever being tracked to make sure i'm not an illegal mango importer. i wasn't trying to do anything illegal, i just wanted my mom to be able to taste the sweet goodness of a peruvian mango again instead of the ones that have traveled 9 weeks in a boat to be put on the shelf in a michigan grocery store.

in other news there was a plane crash in new york. not exactly comforting that when i am two flights through a set of nine a plane crashed. and another bit of news is that the Obama family is coming home today so Air Force One will be landing at O'Hare (3 miles from where i am sitting right now) later this evening. My mom's flight leaves at 7, maybe she'll get to meet him.

I'm having fun with mom in chicago. good times. this morning i had raisin bran for breakfast and raspberry yogurt. gotta love the deluxe continental breakfast. long live the continental breakfast. oh and yesterday mom and i braved the bus system in chicago. let's just say its a bit different from Lima. a bit. ok a lot.

alright, off to spend the day in Chicago then tomorrow i leave for Brussels then Delhi then Kathmandu on Monday morning. Field forum for the week then back to Lima the 23rd.

Crazy Christmas season

As you probably have heard in the years past, Christmas is always a really crazy time for us in the ministry here. We always have so many celebrations planned, so many kids to reach, and never enough time, money, or people. But of course we always pull it off the best we can. So this year, there are just as many things going on, but i thought i'd let you all know about them so you can be praying for us as they happen. So here is the plan:

Tues. Dec. 9: Our annual Christmas party for the youth on the streets. This will be open to 120 youth and their children who we have relationships with who struggle daily with life on the street. There will be a whole program including Santa, gifts, a dance by us Gringos, dinner, and lots more stuff. We are having it in a different church this year, so we are all a little unsure how it will work. Pray for us during this time. Everything you could imagine has happened during these times: good and bad. The party will be from 6-9, if you want to be specifically praying during it.

Sat. Dec. 13: A day trip to the beach with the youth who have left the streets. This will be the second time we have done a trip like this for the young people who have found victory and have left their former lives. It will be a joy to spend this day with them, but there are lots of details to work out to move a big group of people and have the whole day run smoothly.

Tues. Dec. 16: Celebration with the girls' bible study. There are around 10 young women who have been participating in our bible study this year. We will have a time of lighting our last advent candles with them, singing and worshipping, and then doing some fun activities like a craft and decorating cookies. Pray for these young women, they are amazing.

Tues-Fri Dec. 16-19: Visits to homes of youth who have left the street. We have prepared baskets of food and goodies for each of the youth we know who have left the street. Last year we delivered 24 baskets and this year we will deliver 32. How exciting that each year the number goes up. Pray for us for energy, it takes a lot of it to get out to the shantytowns where many of them live, sometimes over an hour outside the city. It is encouraging to be with them, but we will be doing several visits each day to be able to see all the youth we want to visit. For this we will need extra strength and energy.

Christmas eve: A visit to the youth on the street to share hot chocolate and panetonne with them. Sadly, many of our friends will have no home to go to that evening and we will go to spend a short time with them.

In general, I love christmas because it seems that this season gets the youth we know thinking about Jesus, and what place he has in their lives. We find that often they have more sensitive spirits to hear the word of God and to open their hearts to him. It also can be a reconciling time for the family, as sometimes young people will return home, if they have one, to spend the holidays with family.

So pray for us, as a staff, we need stamina to keep going and to take advantage of these sensitive spirits and to give thanks as we prepare our hearts to receive Jesus, our coming King, the helpless baby in the manger. Come Lord Jesus, penetrate the darkness with your light.

The First Dog, "Machu Picchu Obama"

The country i live in and love has offered the president elect of my homeland a gift. How nice, you might think. But the gift Peru is offering the Obama family might look like this:

or like this:

Yes, my friends, that is the Peruvian Hairless Dog. Native to Peru, bred by the Incas, known for their high body heat and low chance for parasites or fleas. Also known for being the ugliest dog in the world. Just last week i had the chance to come face to face with one of these creatures and they are even more frightening than in the photos.

The other insane thing about this gift is that Peru insists that the dog's official name will be "Machu Picchu." Can anyone imagine President Obama on the front porch of the White House yelling something that most American's have no idea how to pronounce? Who in their right mind would name a dog something like Machu Picchu? A racehorse, maybe. Not a family pet. Maybe try "Mari," short for Marinera, the national dance of peru. Or perhaps Cuzco, the famous center of the Incan empire. Or even Inca. But Machu Picchu, i mean, come on.

WMF Peru Christmas Cards FOR SALE!

Hi Friends,

If anyone is interested in checking out this year's designs for our christmas cards, drawn by two great artists who have struggled to leave street life. Danny and Johncito have done a great job this year. So if you are interesting in just taking a look at them, you can check it out here: WMF Peru Christmas Cards!
And if you are interested in ordering some, you can email Monica at monica.ghali@wordmadeflesh.com for more info.

Love from Lima.