Horario

When I get the opportunity to talk to friends and family at home over facebook or skype, one of the first questions they ask is "What does your week look like in Peru?" So I thought it might be beneficial to post on here the weekly schedule my team and I try to follow for those I haven't gotten a chance to talk with one on one yet.

-Sunday-
In the morning and early afternoon we meet at the ministry center to prepare for the day and the rest of the week. At 3:30 we go out into our neighborhood to gather up the kids for our 4 o'clock bible study in our neighborhood. Bible study starts out with a small game while waiting for all the kids to show up, followed by a time of worship through fun songs.

Playing "Mar, Tierra"

Teaching the kids one of the new songs

Lauren or Nicchola then teaches a lesson from the bible (right now we are in John) and then we read the memory verse for the week.

Lauren leading the neighborhood bible study

Afterward, we all play games with the kids and just spend time having fun and fellow-shipping.

Playing soccer with the kids

At 6 o'clock we have discipleship in the ministry center. There is usually anywhere from 7 to 15 people that come to discipleship, and these are the people in our community who have accepted Jesus as their Savior and want to go deeper in the Word. After a time of group worship, Lauren leads the lesson and encourages discussion within the group. We then have a time of prayer together, and afterwards we hang out as a family of believers.

Fernando and I leading worship

Our discipleship group + Lauren's Mom and Aunt who came to visit

-Monday-
Mondays are our "choose your ministry day." We don't have a set schedule for Monday, they are our day to catch up on whatever needs to be done: house visits, blogs, paperwork, cleaning, ect.

-Tuesday-
Tuesday morning we also spend time preparing for the week. In the afternoons we go to the orphanage and do bible study with the younger kids and help them with their homework. *unfortunately, we don't have permission to post pictures from the orphanage online.* Tuesday nights are free to do home visits, hospital visits, or whatever needs to be done.

-Wednesday-
Wednesdays we spend the whole day in a mountain town called Hural about an hour north of Ventanilla where I live. We start out in the early afternoon doing a bible study with a group of 4 ladies who are faithful to meet with us every week and learn about the bible. We spend time talking and fellow-shipping with them and their children, and then Lauren teaches a lesson.

Our faithful ladies

After that, we go knock on doors all around the community inviting kids and their parents to join us for our bible study.

Some kiddos helping us knock on doors

We normally have about 40 to 50 kids come sing, learn, and play games with us.

Singing "Poderoso"

Playing Capture the Flag

One of the older girls helping a little boy do our spoon relay

After bible study, we go do house visits in the neighborhood, checking on families that we already know and meeting new people to share the Good News of Christ with. 

-Thursday- 

Thursday is our day off to rest, run errands, and do whatever the heck we want!

-Friday-

Friday morning we prep some more, and then in the afternoons, we go to a neighborhood about 20 minutes away and do a bible study with the kids there. It is our smallest group, but my favorite! 

Playing a song game before bible study

Singing the B-I-B-L-I-A

Playing "What time is it Lion?"

After bible study and games, we go to the house of a lady who lives near by who is suffering from stomach cancer. Rosemary is the sweetest lady, and we are praying for the miracles of salvation in her life, and for healing for her body! Please join us in praying for Rosemary.

-Saturday-

Saturday we spend the entire day at the orphanage. We go for a few hours in the morning, break for lunch, and then come back until late that evening doing bible studies with all of the kids. This is the largest orphanage in South America with over 800 children living there so we have a big job. There are 12 houses of ages 5 and up and we focus on these houses all day Saturday. Our goal is to get to spend time hanging out and teaching the kids in all 12 houses each week. I wish I could post some pictures of the houses and children, but I'll have some to show when I get back to the states later this year. 

Although every week looks different, these are our scheduled ministries. We don't miss bible studies, but some weeks we have more time for home visits, and we do a few house churches different times throughout the week depending on our schedule and the Peruvians' as well. 

I love so much the work God has called me to do here and am so thankful for my friends and family's support back home. I wouldn't be here without YOU and I appreciate you all so much.