August 19, 2010
Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for supporting us in our missions work in Trujillo, Peru. We could never have gone without you, and we appreciate so much what you were able to give.
I'm struggling in writing this letter; not because I don't know what to say, but because I have so much that I want to say. I suppose that's a good problem to have. I'll try to be concise.
Our entire experience—including the incredibly long journeys to and from—was amazing. While we were there, one night we went to a small group meeting with Jako—his friends call him Segundo (Junior). He said something that really stuck with both Amy and me. Jako said, “You didn't choose to come here now. God chose for you to be here, at this time, with these people, doing this work.” He looked at us as missionaries, and I couldn't have been more humbled—or honored.
What he said is true. We are so happy that God opened up this opportunity for us. Short-term missions is about getting the work done; whatever that work may be. However, it's also about planting seeds. Planting seeds in the people who are directly benefiting by your work; planting seeds in the people who see you giving your time and money to help folks in another country that you don't even know; and allowing seeds to be planted in you. For the team members, short-term missions is about being open to the “good work” he began in each of us (Phillipians 1:6). It's about coming home with those seeds and letting them bear fruit.
You invested yourself in our experience. Thank you. We want you to know that your investment was worthwhile and will have a good return. We will not let the fruit wither on the vine. That said, we're not sure to where or what we're being led, but we're keeping our hearts open, and we're staying in the Word. Keep us in your prayers.
So what did we actually do? In brief, we spent part of each day Monday through Saturday at the children's home construction site where we dug trenches and footers, mixed and poured concrete, cut and tied rebar, “wove” and plugged grass, carted off trash, and anything else that needed to be done. Considerable progress was made on the foundation of the vocational center and on the walls of the director's house (the Kimbro's future home).
We spent two afternoons playing with the local kids. Children don't care where you're from, what language you speak, or what color you are as long as you love on them. And we did. One of those days was spent at the daycare that Inca Link short-term teams like ours had helped build. Another was at a community that is basically a glorified mining camp. I think we had as much fun running around, spinning children, carrying them, hugging them, and playing games with them as they did.
We spent an afternoon at the city dump as well. About six hundred people live off of the dump. Most of them live in a shantytown built over an old section of the dump. They pilfer through the garbage that is heaped up and dropped off, looking for recyclables to sell, anything they can use, and food—whether to eat for themselves or their family or to feed to their pigs. This is not a community of people living in a garbage dump because they don't know anything better. They live there because they have no other options. Most of them were born there. Most are uneducated if not illiterate. They have never had any opportunities. Their community is stronger than any community I have ever been a part of. They look after one another. They know each other's needs and help where they can. They make the best of their lot. But they want people to know that they have to live like this. They want people outside their community to know their needs and help where they can, too. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:10).
Those are the basics of what we did. For the digitally-inclined, we've got a couple of places you can look online for more detailed discussion about our experience, more pictures, and even video. If you're on Facebook, check out Amy's photo albums. Look up Amy T-P to find her. I have a video posted under David Paine. The video is also on Vimeo.com. Just look for David Paine as well. We also have a blog where we're posting updates and reflections from our experience. Its address is http://trujilloperutrip.blogspot.com. So check it out if you want to know more!
Thank you again so much for your support and prayers!
Love,
David Paine and Amy Todd-Paine
