To Peru with love...

Dear Friends, Family, & Supporters!

This is a little bit different of a blog-post and perhaps appropriate to be posting it, finally, on the US Thanksgiving holiday. There are times when we can all recall with gratitude the experiences, good & bad, that have formed and shaped us. The following post was my journal entry several weeks ago, recalling all that has happened, personally and professionally, in these years serving in Peru as missionary. It has been life-changing and wonderful, not always easy or joyous, as other ex-pats can attest, but this is my little letter of gratitude...

To Peru with love,

Wow! What a journey these last three and a half years have been...such a roller-coaster, such extremes, nothing could have prepared me for Peru, for Lima, for the challenges and struggles of life overseas, as well as those of our church here. I felt prepared and was as ready as one could have been, but there is no way I could have been fully prepared for all that was to happen.

Lima is hard, tough, grey, dirty, sprawling, rude, demanding. Peru with such intense competition...huge cultural differences, despite appearances.

Amazing.

I am grateful for all of it.

I am grateful for the extremes because of those I am in touch with my feelings.

I am grateful for the severities of conflicts and disagreements, because of those I know myself much better and have learned how and when to respond and approach certain issues and situations.

I am grateful for my closest friends and those that continue to form and develop. They remind me who I am and why I am here and when none of it is clear, we guide each other through it all.

I am grateful for both of my parishes, they are teaching me how to be a pastor, how to speak the truth in love, when my presence is most valued and needed, what is my role in the various situations we encounter, and how to say what needs to be said even when it's the hardest, and sometimes the last, thing I want to do!

I am grateful to be able to speak Spanish, to learn guitar, to teach English, to dance salsa and learn the latin music and its rhythms, because i am creating new brain pathways, new memories, deepening my experience here and my experience of myself, in this I have learned how capable, open and adventurous I really am. I have learned that I can and do take risks.

I am grateful for the men I have dated in these singles years and even for all of the heart-break along the way because I have learned what love is and what love isn't and I have had to stand strong in the face of the manipulating and controlling ones, and this has not only made me stronger, it's helped shape and define what I want in a life partner and what I am not willing to accept.

I am grateful to live close to the ocean, beaches, and beautiful parks. They renew my soul and remind me there is still beauty in the world even in the midst of the ugliness of human sin and brokenness, corruption, and poverty.

I am grateful for my sister and my family who continue to love me even when they and we are so far apart and even though they don't always understand me or why I'm here...they show me a glimpse of unconditional love and how important good roots are even though I colour mine!

I am grateful for the supporters in the ELCIC, for the companion synods and congregational relationships and the wonderful relationships that have been formed because they affirm me and remind me why I am here, they notice and name things I'd long forgotten about in the years here. They breathe new life, hope, and love into the workings of our congregation and ILEP.

My heart is full...I am grateful and hope-filled.

Thank you, Peru, AND all of you whose support, encouragement, understanding, and interest, continue to inspire me! Thank you also for the many recent Birthday greetings, and all the ways you have responded and shown you care not only about me, but also the Peruvian congregational members, the growing ILEP church, and all of the ministries here!

Blessings & Abrazos!!

Pastora Fran

Sembrando...Sewing seeds!

Greetings with peace, joy, love and hope in the Lord to all of our friends, family, supporters and interested persons!!! Welcome to this blog and the stories, photos and reflections of life in ministry in Peru....

Over these last two months, we officially kicked-off our new children's ministry program called "Sembrando", which means "sewing seeds". In co-operation with two ELCA companion synods, Sembrando has focused and improved upon the previous children's ministry program. We hope to plant seeds of hope and faith, to support children's futures in terms of education, health and nutrition, and spiritual nurturing. Visiting presenter's recently offered two days of workshops for the Sembrando leaders and pastors. They did a fabulous job!

..results of group work

Sembrando workshop participants & leaders

Ideas, games, stories, challenges and goals were all shared in the workshops which we are now implementing in my first parish, San Juan Camino de Esperanza...

The younger children at San Juan....making crosses 

And the older children & youth learning to work together to move a ball
around on the parachute...team-work!

Sembrando, seeds of hope, seeds that grow in soil that God has prepared and made ready...all in its season and all in its time! We give thanks for our children and youth and the ministry that we can provide with/for them thanks to our partner churches and resources (people, monetary, materials) that are so generously offered!!

With much thanks, blessings and joy for a lovely fall in the north just as its warming up and becoming spring in our part of the world....

Pastora Fran

ILEP's new web-site!!

Greetings family, friends, and supporters!

So, just last month ILEP (Lutheran Church in Peru) launched its new web-site, with a new design, more information about the pastors and congregations, as well as the various activities that are going on in and around ILEP ministries here!! It's a very exciting proposal and has taken many hours to co-ordinate, gather, and translate all of what has been included thus far. It has been a coordinated effort mostly on the part of German Missionary pastor, Ihrke Buchroth, with Pastor Dana Nelson, ELCA and myself offering the English translations.

Check it out today!!

Their address is: http://www.ilepperu.org/index.php

BLESSINGS to you all as you begin classes, fall programs in your churches, and return from what I hope has been a restful, rejuvenating and fruitful summer vacation!

Peace, love & blessings,
Pastora Fran

Random reflections

Warmest greetings friends, family, supporters and other interested persons!




Several recent visits from one of ILEP's (Lutheran Church in Peru) companion synod's recently gave me the opportunity to reflect on life, work, ministry, and mission and I thought it might be fun to share with all of you some of their questions.....and my responses, in this more personal blog entry.


"How long do missionaries stay in their placement?"
In the ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada), long-term missionaries serve for a a term of four years.


"How often do you go home?"
Long-term missionaries return to their home country every two years for home assignment, presentations to the various sponsoring congregations, etc. They can return home for vacation, but this is at their own expense.


"Isn't it really hard being so far away?
Ya, sometimes it is, especially at holidays or birthdays. I really miss my family and friends a lot! But we talk using Skype and it's amazing to still feel connected this way but it's still not the same as being there.




"It seems like a really different ministry setting, how do you do it?"


I pray, A LOT! I pray for God to give me the words, to give me the strength. I pray for our congregations, for the leaders and all of the pastors. I pray for our children and youth. I pray fervently and more than I have ever in my life.


"What's your favorite Peruvian food?"
Papa a la Huancaina is my favorite, that's potatoes with an aji cream sauce...delicious! Also, I love palta, avocados, and anticuchos, that's cow's heart.


"Is the weather here always this cold?"
Not always, but for about 7 months of the year. This year it's been much colder than previous years. It's like 15 degrees but with 90% humidity and no heat in the buildings which are concrete for the most part and no insulation. To me, it feels like +2° C!! ...just like winter camping!


"What do you like best about the ministry?"
The children, their enthusiasm, their smiles and laughter, how quickly they learn, and being here three years now, I've watched many of them grow into lovely young people. The youth group that we just started this year has also been fun, getting into real issues and challenges in their daily lives and journeying with them.


What's the most awesome part of being a missionary in Peru?
The most awesome thing is sharing the Gospel, the Good News, and seeing how God can change and transform someone's perspective, self-believe, and daily lives. Knowing we are loved by God, that we are accepted just as we are despite our faults and shortcomings, our status in society, and negative messages we may have received growing up and all the limitations that exist (especially among those we work with here in Peru), therefore, the Gospel is really empowering. With more of a focus on "law" preaching here, generally, the Good News actually gives life and hope to us even in the most difficult of circumstances.




"Will it be hard to leave and go back to Canada?"
Yes it really will be hard to say good-bye, whenever that happens. There are so many things I've become accustomed to now, even though they might be really frustrating at times. This world is so different from Canada and North American culture, I hope I can readjust and refit into that world again! It will be really hard to go back and leave the children and the ministry behind but I think most pastor's feel this way as they move on in their ministries.




"What will you miss most?"
Super obvious...the people!




Well, thanks everyone for this little FAQ journey as you listened in on one of the conversations with visiting companion synod visitors! More pics and stories upcoming....


With the peace, joy, and love of the Lord!!


Pastora Fran

The greatest gift

Greetings supporters, followers, friends, and family!

"Hope is the greatest gift that the church can give to the world."

Little Carmensita is four

After what seems like two very hectic months...May taking on a second congregation...and part of June on holidays, I'm back to blogging! There is no shortage of stories, adventures, challenges, and joys to share. But I would, rather, like to begin with something that I read recently that inspired me greatly. It is from Kenyan theologican Dr. Musimti Kanyoro, who wrote: "Hope is the greatest gift that the church can give to the world." Her words about the mission and hope of the church are incredibly empowering and motivating. It is Christ who gives us love,  grace and hope and we as members of the body of Christ share that message of the Gospel in what we do, what we say, where we focus our energies and priorities, with whom we choose to spend our time, and in exactly where we are in any given moment of our lives. As Christians, in other words, we can give the gift of hope.

In Peru, as in many parts of the world, so many live without much hope of their situation, the education, health-care, government corruption, etc, changing. But as part of our work with children and youth, and with the support of our companion synod in Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast, ILEP has just launched a new program for children and families called Sembrando para el Futuro. It is a pilot project that will add depth to the ministries we had already begun in recent years. It is an exciting project and it is a very hope-filled time!

ILEP (Lutheran Church in Peru) in Convention, mid-March,
deciding on the hope and future of the church

At the congregation of San Juan Camino de Esperanza we will reach out in new ways to the children and families in the hillsides close to the church, offering not only help with homework and a bible lesson, but will also provide a meal, psychological assistance, field trips to museums and libraries, as well as establish a fund for medical assistance. It is a growing program and one we are very excited about, because it is one way we can witness and live out the hope, love, and resurrection that we have in Christ Jesus.

Our youth have been meeting regularly, an exciting change this year. There are between 9-15 youth, young men and women participating and our continuing theme for the year is identity.

First, Marissa, Diana and Gina exploring and naming
the things we like to do

Next...Angie and Gracie discovering our talents and gifts...

Many of these youth are caring for younger siblings, some come from single parent homes, all live in very simple conditions with only the most basic of needs being provided. With the help of a psychologist friend, we are focusing on identity issues as children of God: self-worth, self-esteem, self-love, and self-understanding.

Going deeper seems to be the focus this year, my third year as Long-Term missionary and into my third year in Peru. We are deepening relationships and cultural understandings, interpretation of Scripture and contextually how that looks here, we are strengthening partnerships with companion congregations both in the US and with Grace Lutheran in Victoria, British Columbia, and we are deepening the care and support of the children and youth of the congregation and in the surrounding community. In other words, children and youth will have help with their homework and can advance in their education, there will be a psychological presence for the youth as they struggle with self-identity and negotiate the changing relationship with their parents, it means sharing a meal each week as well as supplementing nutritional needs, and this deepening means a more stable and consistent presence by way of visiting and community support. This is hope in action.

Giving hope, sharing the Gospel, being present in the challenges and difficulties, sharing God's love is our witness at San Juan Camino de Esperanza, St. John Way of Hope, for ours is a way of hope. It is what we share in word and deed, it is what we share in the meal. Hope is a way of life.

Our Sanctuary on Easter Sunday Morning

"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts trough the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Romans 5:5

May the peace, grace, love and hope of Jesus Christ be with you all,

Pastora Fran

An Average Day

An average day???

Often people are curious what an average day looks like for me here. When there are not church-wide workshops, day trips with the children and youth from the parish (we try to have two a year), visiting delegations, music or liturgy workshops, rehearsals with the ILEP (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru) choir or music team, the average day probably looks alot like ministry in a Canadian context. Although everything is conducted in Spanish, there are church council meetings, bible studies, children's ministry, youth ministry, confirmation classes, ministerial meetings, worship services, preparing the sermon, ILEP committee meetings, etc, etc...

There was a very average day a few weeks back: after replying to some emails from our ILEP secretary, a couple of pastors, and a few others from members of San Juan's companion congregation in Texas (planning their visit for July), I was off to Serpost (Peruvian postal service) to pick up a parcel that was sent from Grace Lutheran in Victoria, our companion congregation in BC.

Double-checking the school supply bags (from Grace in BC) to be sure everyone gets the same thing!

Knowing the wait might be up to two hours, I brought with me various resources: a devotion to prepare for that evening's church council meeting, youth group activity to prepare, along with research and reading for that week's sermon. It ended up being a little more than a two hour wait due to system failures and my name being mis-spelled.(It was a very strange version of a foreigner's name that included half my name and half the name of the person who sent the package). For about a half an hour that day, my name was Farb Schmart. How could I not laugh out loud? In an English-speaking country, it would be obvious this isn't a name. But when one postal worker noticed that my passport name did not match the one on the last permit form (that THEY had written), I showed them the original postal document with both sender and recipient names, explaining that Farb Schmart did not exist. Another 40 minutes of conversation ensued. Finally, a superior to the employee I had been talking with, returned from her lunch break and sorted out the whole thing in five minutes. I was able to prepare the devotion and do some reading for the youth group in between the conversations with confused postal workers. And none of this is unusual, by the way...the waiting and the incorrect copying of information. I was prepared for the delay, I am always prepared to wait, this is how life is here.  A great big THANK YOU, by the way, to Grace Lutheran for sending care packages of school supplies!!!!

Next it was time for a quick lunch/coffee during which I read and prepared for that week's sermon, reading the text and different commentaries, reflecting on what it means in this context....looking for a theme to emerge that speaks to us.

LWF sponsored retreat, beginning of March, about
sustainability in the church...Gustavo Dirau (front row left) was our facilitator,
from our sister Lutheran Church in Argentina

From sermon prep to a pastoral visit with a family whose troubled teenage daughter was wreaking havoc on the family dynamics (or so I was told). We visit, talked, shared, clarified many issues, negotiated some others... then we prayed together. Then it was off to our monthly Church Council meeting, which are always interesting and unpredictable: many people arrive late and some only arrive when you call them to remind them OF the meeting....We end the day with a song so we can pray twice, "Amazing Grace".


From communication, to parcel retrieving, to sermon prep, to a pastoral visit, to our monthly church council meeting...what a day!

Our beach trip in February, some of the youth in our
newly formed youth group at San Juan Camino de Esperanza.

I do not know if there can be an "average" day, especially here, and especially in ministry anywhere! But on this particular day, I was reminded that it is IN the daily struggles of traffic and chaos, of unemployment, family conflicts, and discussing the workings of the church, that God calls us and claims us. It is in the average day, in ordinary places and ordinary elements (water, wine, and bread) that God  pours out for us grace upon grace so that we can be in relationship with God and our neighbour. Wherever we find ourselves, whether we are a pastor or lay person, relationships deepen and strengthen because of God's amazing love shown to us in a humble birth, in an ordinary stable.

In my short two and a half years here, the deepening of relationships has brought a trust that is impossible to express. It has grown with time, in crisis,in ordinary moments, in the challenges and changes, in difficulties and joyous celebrations and triumphs, too! There is a trust that has been built because our faith in Christ Jesus has been the foundation. Brick by brick, cemented and solid, we can share laughter as well as pain. There is a mutual understanding and sharing that has taken us beyond cultures, beyond language, beyond countries and this is the marvelous gift of faith and trust in our God who calls us, beckons us, challenges us, and moves us beyond ourselves, to step out in service for others, on average days.

We are claimed, forgiven, sanctified, freed, renewed, and justified to be SENT out into the world to witness and share with others what we ourselves first received: God's grace and abundant love. This happens even, and perhaps especially, on average days, wherever we find ourselves.

With peace, love, and grace,

Pastora Fran

Present-Living

Near Vida Nueva (New Life Lutheran Church)
in San Juan de Miraflores

For locals and foreigners alike, life in a developing country is a life of some risk and insecurity. Apart from the obvious challenges each day: congestion, traffic, pollution, unemployment, and crime just to name a few; there are the systematic injustices and discrimination brought about and perpetuated by corrupt governments and cultural norms. An example: a person of darker colored skin tone here is assumed to be from the country-side, uneducated, lower class, not worthy or capable of working in any field other than house-keeper or security guard. Perpetuated cultural norms of racism, classism, sexism, and ageism are alive and well, adding to the vulnerability and insecurity of many who live here. There is much education and awareness, but change comes slowly. And often one feels helpless when the injustices are so deeply embedded and accepted.

It is in this context that ILEP, its leaders, President, council, pastors, missionaries, and members live, work, and minister to proclaim the Gospel. We walk alongside one another to proclaim a message of hope in a world wrought with much distrust and risk. We in the north have so much to learn from these our sisters and brothers in Christ particularly in the midst of those things we cannot comprehend or begin to understand (even after two and a half years in Peru!) about life in a developing country.

Participants of LWF sponsored "Facilitators Training Event" for ILEP
congregations: working together to be equipped for ministry. 

One of my most important lessons has been living in the present. Living in the present moment requires attention to what is happening now in this moment, without concern for the next meeting, about being late, about the phone calls yet to be made, the sermon that needs finalizing, the pile of laundry waiting at home. Here, in Peru, every moment is a "present-living" moment. The present is experienced in an engaging way, while paying attention to those around the table, listening and participating in the now. It is perhaps why each birthday, anniversary, special occasion is celebrated with incredible energy and enthusiasm, as if the last. Perhaps this makes sense when life is vulnerable, filled with injustices, random vehicle and pedestrian accidents, violence, poverty and insecurity...all so prevalent.

Spouses: Michael (playing zampoña) and
 Jhanet (playing the charango) at Faciltators Training Event.

Instead of looking to what we (or I) have to give and contribute to ILEP, to my congregation, to our relationships as pilgrims and companion churches as we, ELCIC, accompany ILEP (which is also important and necessary), perhaps, maybe we can also look to what we (or I) can learn by this partnership and inter-cultural exchange. One of these gifts and blessings is present-living.

Present-living is how to be...how to live in the present. This is not without its frustrations, as plans change constantly, times are altered, advanced-planning for anything is near impossible (and might be interpreted as a week ahead of time in some places). The great challenge and call as people of God is to let go of the worries and preoccupations that often fill our minds and our lives and instead trust in God. Living in the present means trust God is taking care of these worries and fears, holding all of the future, our future, in God's trustworthy hands.

Sunset by the ocean in early March: a reminder of God´s spectacular creation.

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place fro which I sent you into exile." 

Jeremiah 29:11-14

With peace, love, and joy in present-living,
Pastora Fran
 

The Fragile Church

Greetings friends, family, supporters!

There is no snow on the ground here, it is summer. Street performers, like the one in this photo, (often teenagers and children off from their classes for summer vacation), are out in full force, trying to earn a little something. But this juggler dropped his bowling pins, unfortunately, a few seconds after this picture was snapped by a visiting friend a few weeks ago.

This image is perhaps a helpful one when talking about serving in the church. It can often feel like a juggling act between ministry needs, priorities, budgets, and the ever-changing realities of society. While our ELCIC is a changing and transitioning church, it is ILEP (the Iglesia Luterana Evangelica Peruana) or the Lutheran Church in Peru where I witness, more profoundly, the juggling act between transitions, changing finances, discussions of priorities and sustainability, its needs and those of its congregations, as well as managing the relationships with partner and companion churches, synods and congregations. In its juggling act, we recognize that ILEP is a fragile church. 

Pictured with Peggy Hahn, Assistant to the Bishop of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, during a recent mission exposure trip to Peru. TLGC is a partner synod with ILEP!

When ILEP's President, Pastor Armando Capcha, addresses a group of visitors to Peru,  he  first describes his church with these first words: we are a fragile church. He goes on to describe ILEP's many faces: we are a church of youth, children, and women; our congregations are in the periphery of Lima and in the poorest provinces; we work with the humble and vulnerable; we are a social justice church; we have 13 congregations, 10 in Lima, 3 in provinces, with 7 communities of faith; we have few pastors; we do not have our own funding to support the ministries of our church; but work together in cooperation, collaboration, and in companion relationships churches from Germany, Canada, and the United States. We are a fragile church.

When I receive a gift from family in Canada, the package inevitably reads "Fragile-Handle with Care". Good thing it is the same word in Spanish! The dictionary describes something fragile as easily broken, frail, or britle. But we need to take care of this definition, because fragile does not mean weak. Indeed, in my two years and two months here, amid changes in church polity (a consitutional change to accept a lay person as President of ILEP, and another change to separate the institutional functions of the President and National Church Council from that of the Pastoral Ministry), interpersonal conflicts, economic crises in the Northern Hemisphere that drastically altered ILEP's support and subsequent budgets, the election of a new President and church council, as well as a change in office locations, and the position of the office secretary, two pastors now on leaves of absences since mid-2010, and another missionary who left having served his term, ILEP has demonstrated that it is not weak. Rather, there is a strength and resilience that is impressive and can serve as a model for us in the global north. Fragile, not weak.

"Kindred" with Youth Encounter, visited San Juan Camino de Esperanza, my congregation. One of our missions is an outreach to neighbourhood children. ILEP is a church of children, youth and mothers as evidenced by our work in the community to help children with their homework, life skills, and faith in Christ, as well as our women's program to help them acquire sewing skills to help in finding consistent employment.

During the course of the last two weeks, there have been many meetings and consultations to discuss the future of the church, to resolve issues of sustainability, how to fill pastoral vacancies, and plan for several workshops supported by the LWF (Lutheran World Federation) to equip and strengthened the church. ILEP's strategic plan is applaudable but the challenges are great. Bishop's offices and congregations who have experienced pastoral vacancies understand this first challenge. But unlike back home, there are no retired pastors to help with interim ministries or fill in the vacancies. The first Peruvian pastors just last year celebrated their 10th Anniversary of their Ordinations. So, there are 7 local pastors and four missionaries serving all of the congregations of ILEP. The students who have been preparing to graduate could be ordained except that there are no funds to pay for new pastors, so they are working in other jobs. The needs are great, the resources few. We are a fragile church.

But ILEP is also a strong and resilient church, creative and hope-filled, too. Our ELCIC presence seems all the more necessary in these delicate times. Not only to assume a greater pastoral role in an interim position at another congregation (which will begin in March), but also to accompany and journey alongside the leaders and members of ILEP, to work together through these critical challenges. We missionaries do not only provide pastoral ministry, it is the support, listening, caring, conversation, reflecting, pastoral care and teaching that is and has been an integral part of the ELCIC's role and accompaniment of ILEP. We are here to assist and accompany the church in finding its own voice, its own Lutheran identity, in the midst of changing, challenging, and fragile times. We promote understanding and appreciation between our cultures, languages, churches, and Lutheran identities. We are building bridges that cross these boundaries in what is a joyous interchange of cultures, resources, ideas, and faith. Together we build up the body of Christ, not only in Peru but also to and with our sending churches.

President Pastor Armando Capcha receeives the gift of a guitar from Normandale Lutheran Chruch in Edina, Minnesota, as presented by Lorna Wolthoff the accompanist of the Youth Mission Choir, during their visit in December 2010.

An ILEP member last month told a visiting friend to our congregation that we are small in number but big in heart. This could not be MORE true! While a fragile church, Lutherans here are, indeed, big in heart as can be attested to by visitors to ILEP, in the hospitality and welcome, how present people are in these visits, the patient caring and in their fervent hope and trust in our God! Despite the trying times, we can learn something from Lutheran Peruvians who continue to be strong, persistent, trusting, patient and hopeful amist continuing changes, struggles, transitions and the fragility of their church. They do not give up, instead, grow in trust and faithfulness, believing this is God's call, God's process, God's church. And our God is a God of faithfulness, who knows the plans he has for each of us...

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you in exile."

Jeremiah 29: 11-14

Our hope is in the Lord, a message strongly lived by those I serve and one in which we can all learn and grown, as we journey in this season of Epiphany, of revelation. We may be a fragile church, a fragile people of God, but this simply means "handle with care", recognizing that it is God who continues to sustain, lead, guide, and empower her church through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the grace and love of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

In the peace, grace, and joy of the Lord,


Pastora Fran Schmidt.

Aji de Gallina...

Here is the long-awaited recipe for Aji de Gallina, chicken in an aji sauce, yummy!!

Ingredients:

Servings:
4 4

4-6

Servings Size

• 
  

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves (3-4)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup cubed white bread
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon aji amarillo chili paste (available at Latin markets)
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch saffron (optional)
• salt & pepper
• 1 1/2 cups rice

Garnishes (optional)

• 1 sweet potato, cooked, peeled and sliced
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
• 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 1/2 hrs

1. Simmer the chicken breasts in the broth until just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside chicken breasts to cool.
2. Strain broth and use it to prepare your rice according to package directions. Set aside any leftover broth.
3. In a food processor or blender, add the bread cubes, evaporated milk and 1/2 cup broth. Process until smooth. Add the Parmesan and walnuts and process again until the mixture is smooth.
4. In a pot, saute the chopped onion for about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to saute until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes more. While the onion and garlic are sauteing, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using your hands or 2 forks.
5. When the onion is translucent, add the turmeric, saffron, and cumin, stirring to toast the spices for a moment. Add the shredded chicken and the aji paste and stir the mixture to coat chicken with the spices.
6. Pour in the bread/milk mixture over the chicken and stir over medium heat until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is heated through. If the sauce thickens too much, thin it out with some leftover broth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve over rice with garnishes.

Step 8-ENJOY!!

Deepening partnerships

Greetings and blessings to all of you in this NEW YEAR, 2011!!

It indeed was a Merry Christmas, December 2010, celebrated with an alfojor Christmas tree cookie. Yes, this is a specialty cookie, delicious, too!!!

In the past, the reflections on my blog have been solely mine. In 2011 this will change! As with many other things that continue to change in our lives, in the realities of life in the church and in society, I wish to broaden the perspectives and deepen the level of sharing. So, I begin this first blog for the New Year, with some reflections of OTHERS who visited Peru recently.

This first reflection from the choir director of a Youth Mission Choir from Normandale Lutheran Church in Edina, Minnesota, here for two weeks. They travelled to several ILEP congregations offering music workshops on singing, piano and guitar with special emphasis on Christmas music. They did a great job! I helped to plan and coordinate their time here, guiding the learning process from this end. Their choir director wrote a wonderful reflection of their time here and of the continuing partnerships that we share. I would like to let her words resound within each of us for a while, giving time and oxygen to their experiences. May their words and their reflections strengthen all of us to a deeper faith and understanding of why mission trips/cross-cultural experiences are important and, dare I suggest, vital, to deepening partnerships.

From Sue Telander, choir director for youth mission trip to Peru:,
written on December 25th, 2010

Greetings from sunny Peru. At least Lima is sunny. Even on cloudy days, the sun puts up a good fight. And being trapped between the ocean and the mountains, it NEVER rains. However, we will put our rain gear to good use in two days when we head up the mountains into Cuzco. I am wrting this from Pastora Dana Nelson's house. Downstairs her two young children are putting on a concert for the girls in our group. Some of the girls are joining in. The boys are at Pastora Fran's house enjoying her hospitality. We just regrouped this afternoon after spending Christmas Eve with families from Cristo Rey. We sang at their worship service last night and then split up to go home with different families. Highlights from that service were the children's live nativity, a little boy who came down the aisle to "help" me direct, and the entire congregation holding candles and singing Silent Night to Dana's guitar on the sidewalk outside of the church. I haven't heard all the stories from the home stays yet, but I'm sure there will be many. Yesterday morning was spent in worship at Pastora Fran's church, San Juan. It is an open space with dirt floors, but now instead of plywood walls, they have some permanent cement walls put up. After the service, there were gift bags to hand out, mainly from Lutheran World Relief. The children had to wait until their names were called out to get a few meager things for their family. The church president said that there were fewer gifts this year and that she hoped they would share them. The yearning in the children's faces as they waited was difficult to watch, yet they still wanted to make sure they were getting gifts from somewhere. For those of you who wonder whether your gifts to the church make a difference, know that it most certainly does to families like these. I have tears in my eyes even as I write this. Those children have to struggle every day with the insecurity of poverty, while one of my biggest problems is where to put all my stuff. Tears come easily for me here. I will never be able to sing Silent Night again without the image in my heart of that dusty lot that is a Lutheran church. And our music is appreciated SO MUCH. The kids have done a marvelous job meeting the challenges of the music workshops and performing wherever they are asked, including a seafood restaurant! They are wonderful, thoughtful kids, who are taking their mission here seriously. I'm lucky to get to spend this time with them. I hope you are all having a wonderful time in the snow as we celebrate the incarnation of God in new ways down here.

Much love,


Sue Telander

With Normandale Lutheran church youth mission choir!