Update

Today is a domestic day for me which means a bit of cleaning and chill out time off the building site.

We are on the building site tuesday till saturday (with one domestic day each in pairs) then sunday two church services and lunch and someone from the church,

Monday is our team day off... last week we went round a monastry and went for lunch in the city we also play football with people from church in a huge orphanage on my street on sunday afternoons, really great fun but that is the only time I've felt the altitude because our lungs hurt after 5 minutes and just get so tired!

During the week and Saturdays we also have church things on in the evening. So yeah thats pretty much it, building is really fun, really hands on and tough physical work and getting muscly! Loving being dirty... went 4 days without a shower this week... so gross! But the feeling of cleanliness is amazing if shortlived!

Last night we went around the houses in our street knocking on doors and introducing ourselves and inviting them to church and their children to the youth groups... its amazing to see the difference in our cultures... if you did that in england you would get doors slammed in your face but here people were willing to talk to us and some even invited us in to their houses... really encouraging even though couldnt communicate that much with them!

Food is great... at first it was waaay too much but my appetite has grown so much that I am not even full after a two course meal and fruit... might have worms! Breakfast and tea we have rolls and fillings... lunch is our main meal and typically is either soup or salad for starter then rice and chicken and potatoes for main. Then fruit. Fruit here is so exciting... yummy mangoes, bananas the size of my thumb, tuna fruit, and loads of fruit you've never seen or tasted... wierd at first but really yummy. Think I am putting on weight but not really noticeable... probably because I am doing so much physical labour. Culture shock not too bad, probably because I am with a bunch of english people... everything is just kind of shabby... but really beautiful... its originally a market town so still very much has that feel to it.

The team are all really lovely, getting on really well with everyone... its mad because were just a random bunch of people who would never have met and weve been thrown together in this bizarre situation... I find it really surreal. Bible studies good, everyday learning and praying together really encouraging... and having some fantastic discussions about big topics which is really cool. Its so strange thinking of life contuing the same back home when everything here is so different for me. In terms of prayer please pray that I would make my quiet time a priority... its easy to think that I am really busy and the bible study every night is enough but pray that i would make time to do it.

But really everything is really great here, loving learning and picking up bits of Spanish and learning about Peru and its people, they are sooooo generous it puts us to shame. Do email, would love to hear news of life back home. Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Team Report 1

GO TEAM!!
On arriving in Lima, team peru were met by Ruth Kirkpatrick and given an extremely warm welcome to the country. We spent a few days aclimatising, preparing ourselves for the weeks ahead and celebrating Jamie's birthday - who is now the proud owner of a luminous pink tank top, courtesy of the girls. We all helped a missionary family move house and did so in a matter of hours!

A couple of days later we travelled down to Arequipa. This meant a 14 hour bus journey through desert from Lima. But of course we arived in style with fully reclining chairs, pillows, and meals all provided for us. On arival at the church we were hurried off to our wonderfully furnished rooms and had a very quick change before heading downstairs to our first church service. We performed 2 songs, including open the eyes of my heart lord in english and spanish.

Work, constructing the 3rd floor of the church is well on its way and the team are all getting stuck into cement making, brick laying and sawing wire rods for supports in the walls!

We are all being fed very well, with lovely peruvian food generously prepared by a lady from the church.


Prayer points

- Steve has a minor ear infection but has gone to the doctors today so hopefully it will will clear up soon, however some prayer support would be apreciated.
- it would be nice to pray for Lisa who has bravely come away with glandula fever and doesnt want it to flare up again due to over tiredness and work.

(from the steps team website www.stepsteam.org)

Arrived in Peru!

Well here I am... arrived in Lima on Thursday 16th March, after having some things go missing from my luggage, we spent a few days there with the Latin Link representative in Peru where we did some orientation and aclimatised to Peruvian life. Then travelled down to Arequipa, 14 hour bus ride... but in style with fully reclining chairs, pillows and meals provided, more luxury than the plane! We arrived on Sunday morning so went straight into the Church service after a quick freshen up... we had to sing two songs... including one spanish one! We´re now getting stuck into life here, building is coming along a lot, only done 3 days work but at this rate we´ll be finished within 2 weeks! Really busy and really dirty all the time but loving it a lot! Have to write a drama for a youth group on Saturday so have to fit time in for that. Doing Bible study every evening is fantastic, learning and growing together. So all in all having a fantastic time and the guns (upper arm muscles) are loving it!

News of what I’m doing…

I am embarking on a trip to Peru, lasting for four months with an organisation called Latin Link. Latin Link is an interdenominational evangelical organisation committed to mission in Latin America. I am going with a team of 10 people all from different backgrounds but all of us committed to serving the Lord Jesus Christ and his work in Peru. We will be part of two different projects whilst in Peru. Firstly we shall be going to Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru, to work alongside a local Church helping to build another storey on the Church building to provide space for more children’s work. We will also be helping with the running of Church activities, such as children’s clubs and evangelism in the community. Our second project is in a place called Huaraz, where will shall split and half of the team will be helping with a project for abandoned street children in the town. The other half will be working in a remote village (11,800ft above sea level) working to improve the Church building there, including building a toilet block. Obviously I will be able to give more details once I am out there, and please do let me know if you would like to know more about where I am going, why I am going and how to support me.

Things to pray for...

• A big thank you to God for providing the money I need to complete this trip, its great to see His providence at work in such a practical way. And thank you so much to anyone who contributed towards my total cost. Thank you.
• Having met my team last week I was really encouraged by them and became really excited about being in Peru with them and spending time together. Please pray that we would continue getting on really well and gel as a team, pray that we would stay focused on what we are there to do; namely to encourage Peruvian Christians and show lost souls the way to salvation.
• Pray particularly for Tom, a member of our team none of us have met yet, he will be meeting us in Peru as he is in New Zealand at the moment. Pray that he would quickly settle into the team, that we would be welcoming and that he would really feel part of the team straight away.
• Practical arrangements such as; all getting to the airport safely, safe flight to Peru, meeting our coordinator in Lima, travel to our first project in Arequipa. Pray that we would be protected from serious illnesses that could hinder the work we will be doing, and that we would quickly settle in to a different way of life and feel at ease so that we are able to get on with what we are there to do.
• Pray that we would all be protected from serious homesickness, moderate homesickness is inevitable but it would be awful if someone so missed life here that they became miserable in Peru.
• Pray that my current excitement would continue and that I would stay just as excited about growing in knowledge and love of my Saviour. It is such a great opportunity I have to be spending time with Christians of all ages and races, and pray that I would really use the opportunity not only to learn from but to be able to teach and love the Latin American’s I meet.

Contact information:

For the first 2 months I will be available at:
Apartado97
Arequipa
PERU
At the second project (I shall let you know exact dates nearer the time) my address will be:
Grupo Step
Jr. Carlos Valenzuela Guardia 1265
Restauracion
Huaraz
Ancash
PERU
It would be fantastic to receive letters, and also I shall be available throughout at my email: milliestyles@hotmail.co.uk. Do also check out the Latin Link website which will have weekly reports of what we’re up to: www.stepteams.org/