My Recent Comings and Goings

Peru Mission Network Meeting, Port Orange, FL

I haven't written anything in forever, so I thought I’d try again by writing about my comings and goings these past couple of weeks.  First of all, I had a really wonderful last week of Sept./first week of October “itinerating” Sara Armstrong, our PCUSA mission co-worker from Peru.  Sara and her husband Rusty Edmondson have been accompanying our Peru mission team on all of our various trips to Peru these past two years.  I was responsible for finding a week’s worth of speaking engagements in our Presbytery for Sara.  I think she had quite a bit of fun!  We ended her time here with our Trinity Fundraiser for Living Waters and I think we raised close to $6,000 for our water projects!!!  They also celebrated my birthday at the party.  It was simply wonderful.  Rob and I are returning to Lima, Ayacucho, and Huanta on November 9th and we will return  home on the 22nd.  (Claire will be in charge of taking the turkey out of the freezer to thaw so we can have Thanksgiving when we get home!) 

I went to Port Orange, Florida last Thursday to attend a gathering of the PCUSA Peru Mission Network.  There were about 25 people from around the states who do various things in Peru – medical, agriculture, education, social justice and water, etc.  There were some Peruvian pastors and a doctor here as well.  Mostly we shared what we are doing, and we had a couple keynote speakers on how to be more effective in doing what we do.  Lots of talk about how to not act like arrogant Americans!  Not really, but sort of!  It was rather informative, but I was feeling good about the process our team is using.  This upcoming trip will be our fourth one and it has mostly been about building trust and relationships – that has come before installing the water systems.  And when we get there we are buying most of our supplies THERE so they can be replaced easily.  And, they are building the system – we are teaching them how to do it.  For more information about what we are doing with regards to clean water see the following website www.livingwatersfortheworld.org.

Do you know what a “fly-in” community is???   Well, I didn’t before I stayed in one.  Every house in this gated community (where my hosts in FL lived) has an airplane hanger attached to it.  They are mansions with airplane hangers. The home we stayed in had a twin engine Piper.  We got a tour!  Their airplane hanger was larger than my entire house.  (Obviously if you have been to my house, you would understand that, but it was shocking!) The gap between the wealthy and the poor is growing larger every day.  Doesn’t matter what you believe politically.  It is just plain true.  

I am glad to be home.  Speaking of home we are doing some major exterior work.  Rob and his buddy Joel have torn off all the eaves and facia boards and replaced them with natural wood.  We also just tore out the white painted beams on the front porch.  The jury is out as to whether they will be replaced by natural wood, or just not replaced. 

Our house before we removed the decorative beams on the front.

Our house after the beams were removed. (excuse the ladder!)

 The big question is what color to paint the trim????  We are going to go try to match the natural wood.  And, do you think we should replace the beams with natural wood or just leave them off.  I am leaning toward leaving them off.