On my way...

"Why do you want to go to Peru?"

"Why don't you help children here?"

Many people have been asking me these questions and so much more. Why? It can be easy to tell a friend at church "God told me to go. I returned from Peru the first time and he placed a love, a pain in my heart for the children. I have been thinking and praying about things I could do for them and now I am going to go and try to carry them out." Try saying that to a co-worker or family, friends that don't share your religion and it can be a difficult thing to explain. So instead of saying the out-right answer to "why", I am going to explain why I plan on doing there and what good I think will come of the mission, I believe God is sending me on.

I have no idea what to expect. I have some thoughts on what it may be like to be there, away from home for six months. I can't imagine what it will be like not seeing my parents, family and dear friends for that long. I am very close with my family and the thought of not seeing them every week hurts. Then I thought of the children, and I felt selfish. What about the children who have no family, who have not seen their friends in years? What can be done for the children who have been abused by those who were supose to love them?

My main goal for my time in Peru is to show the children love. Plain and simple. I want to show them the kindness I belive human nature has. I want them to know that I love them, but more importantly, that God loves them. No matter where they go in life, if they know God's love, they will never be alone or un-wanted.

In Peru, I want to do anything I can to make the children's lives a little brighter. If that means fixing a soccer net twelve times before we get through one game, or spending play time helping a child with math (I'll have to learn the problem first! :-).) so that they can proudly answer a question in class.

Since I will be a casita assistant, it will provide me with lots of time with the children. I hope to find out the likes and dislikes so that I can try teaching them different trades (little that I know), or at least get them interested in a path towards one, example: jewlery making, knitting and crocheting, planting/growing.... any ideas?

I also have some ideas that I am working on for fundraising for the children. Currently, the older children make jewlery that they sell to volunteers. The money they make goes into account for them that they get if they age out of the system. I would like to see some other ways for them to make the accounts grow. We will have to wait and see what God has in store.

One week to go!!!