Since 2000, our church, FUMC Waco has been sending short term mission teams to Chincha, Peru. Chincha is a town of approximately 250,000 people who live in an area about the size of the greater Waco area. For the last 9 years I have had the opportunity to go and serve in this area for 1-2 weeks at a time in June and in more recent years in January as well. We go and serve the people of Chincha and all of the outer lying areas- I remember in 2008 when our pastor asked me if I would consider going on the trip as he needed a dental team- without thinking I said I would go get him a dental team. After several attempts to recruit a dentist to go and serve I found myself in the post office applying for a passport and signing up to go to Chincha Peru. I will never forget that first trip- it was an adventure. It was a first for me a passport, a big airplane ride, I mean I was going out of Waco and out of Texas with my oldest son, leaving my husband behind with three kids under the age of 6 for 10 days. I can remember my excitement and my anxiousness- I can remember thinking as I boarded the big plane what in the world am I doing? When we landed and I saw this different world I was overcome with mixed emotions- adventure, tired, confused-new language that I did not know- new people and no familiar faces......What am I doing here? Chincha had been hit by a massive earthquake and people where in tents and lean to buildings- they were sleeping on the floor and in the fields there was no clean water they worked for less than a dollar a day- maybe $2.00 and no electricity- WOW!

Fast forward to this year June 7th through the 22nd 2017, nine years and 14 trips later- I am filled to overflowing when I pray,write,think, or speak about Chincha, Peru. In 2 weeks time a team of Americans hand-picked by God served 1808 people in a medical clinic, 1554 pairs of eyes were outfitted with corrective lenses, 1566 people received fluoride treatments and 414 teeth were extracted. These clinic are set up each day in different churches throughout Chincha to help serve those who cannot afford care or have no access to care- these infants,children, teenagers, young adults, parents,grandparents,aunts uncles etc. all arrive early to get in line to wait for the clinics to open in hopes that their needs can be met- that they can receive care for their ailments – they wait and hope- they wait with a joy in their hearts- they wait expectantly- they wait with a smile and they wait- even as the day goes on- they walk to get to the clinic- they wait- they have heard we are coming for 1-2 weeks prior to our arrival – they wait- and here we come this team of Americans off of this bus with all of our supplies- we set up clinic each day- medical- full of over the counter medications we take for granted- Benadryl and other allergy medications, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol, triple antibiotic creams, band-aids, pre-natal vitamins, children’s chew-able vitamins,cough and cold medication, vicks chest rub etc. Some wait for parasite medication or hoping for an antibiotic as they know they have an infection but cannot afford the medication required- they wait. In optical clinics they wait as we use folcometers to measure their eyes- they read a chart and we we try and try and they try on pairs of glasses and then something happens they can see- they can read the words in the Bible one more time- they smile they hug a team member they leave and they can see....in dental they get a toothbrush and paste- they get fluoride varnish applied to their teeth they get their teeth examined and if they are in pain or have an abcess they get an extraction with a local anesthetic and medication for the infection – they hug the dentist after the extraction young or old- they are so grateful to be out of pain- to have the procedure completed with anesthetic- they leave with a smile- sometimes a droopy smile or a smile filled with gauze- but a smile- a light in their eyes joy in their hearts and as for the Americans serving- well I can only share my experience - this momma of four from Texas, she hit her knees the first trip over on a roof top and I prayed like I have never prayed before and let it all out- I sought forgiveness for my shortcomings for my selfishness and self- centered-ness for all the reasons I has done things before and asked God to remove them- God told me I was created for moments like these- this is what He had for me- to serve, to preach His word, to share His love with others- what I have found over the years and journeys is that once you come to this place- this encounter with Jesus where you realized you are His - you were created for times such as these- to be filled with His love and Light to overflowing- and to know you are in the right place at the right time doing just what He calls you to do- you are standing in His Presence- it is almost un -explaineable- It is like the story in John 4:1-42, you may be familiar of the woman at the well- she goes to get water so that she can quench her thirst in the physical- yet after encountering Jesus at the well she leaves her water bucket to go and tell- her physical need for water is no longer a concern she is filled with Him – His love His light and others as they hear her story they want to know Him- It has been the same way with me- I went to Peru hoping for something- searching- having no idea what might come of the trip- and I returned overflowing- overwhelmed- as while in Peru I encountered Christ- the living God- His amazing love- joy -hope- to overflowing- I returned walking in true faith- true identity that I am His and He is mine! I experienced His love- in a whole new way- I have been forever changed and continue to travel back with my husband and three of our children to see our Peruvian family- to sit alongside a mom and her daughter and pray for God’s healing over her brain tumor- to restore her sight- to treat a mom of 4 who is expecting number 5 so that she can sleep through the night and not have pain from her teeth that ache- to pray with her and encourage her and share that God delights in her- He sees her- and to love- to love like Jesus- and in these sweet moments remember that we might be the only Bible someone reads- that we get to be His hands and feet in all I do and say – so we go- we share- we play- we work- we worship- we seek- we find- we celebrate salvations- we celebrate miracles we celebrate friendships and family and faith- we love! Where is God calling you to love in your life? Is it Chincha,Peru? Your husband? Wife? Children? Work? Wherever He is calling you- go- but go joyfully- go expectantly ….He loves you so much – he has been waiting for you and oh the adventure He has for you.......