Summer 2012

Greetings to family, friends & supporters!

The weather in Lima had finally changed to fall by the time I was preparing to leave. That meant cool days, misty, grey skies and cooler fall-like temperatures by Canadian standards. But even with the cold, thoughts turned to this last summer in Lima and some of the events over these last few months.....

Emaus fundraisers....

Playing Bingo after worship to raise money for our rent...tonight's
prize: a HUGE chocolate bar...yummy!!

President, Carmen Valladares runs the BINGO...

Beautiful quilt received as gift and symbol of our companion relationship with Grace Lutheran Church in Victoria, British Colombia...

With a few members from San Juan Camino de Esperanza

Reading in English class, after Worship services on Sunday mornings,
with Angela, Miguel and Christian

Other Summer Events at San Juan Camino de Esperanza:

Vacation Bible School: Escuela del Verano

The children listen attentively...mostly!

Learning about "Cleaning our bodies and our soul"... practical and spiritual practices for how to wash our hands and hair, how to brush our teeth, then how God through Christ clean our hearts and spirits by forgiving us of our sin...

 With the youth at San Juan...

We collected rocks from around the church and carried them around, they were really heavy! They are like the sins that we carry with us every day. What does Jesus do with our sin? He washes us in the waters of Holy Baptism and cleanses us of our sin so that we can be transformed and made new. What good news that is for us!!

Cleaning our rocks and getting them ready to paint into something NEW!

Painting our rocks transforms them, just like what Christ does with our sin...

Lizette, Giselle and Percy busy transforming their rocks...


HANDING out special school packages and towels and toiletries from Grace Lutheran Church
and from Lutheran World Relief...THANK YOU to everyone who gave donations!!!

Gina receives her gift with a great big smile!

Our Annual Beach trip was a blast too....here the kids are anxiously looking at the beach as we turn to drive down the entry to Playa San Pedro, about an hour from San Juan de Lurigancho...

Enjoying the sun & surf!

Buried in the sand...

What a blessing this past Peruvian summer was, because of the Vacation Bible School, fundraising efforts, the trip to the beach, and the many donations received! Although this blog is LONG overdue and we are into our Canadian summer now, we remember and I remember the wonderful visits and conversations at the beach and during VBS and am grateful for how God has directed us in this ministry together over the years!


NEXT blog...a recounting of all the farewells and good-byes....as well as a video overview of the shared ministry between ILEP and ELCIC just in these past four years that I was able to serve as Long-Term Missionary to Peru.

With peace, love & blessings for a safe and enjoyable summer!

Pastora Fran.