Buenos Dias.

I am happy to report the entire team has made it safely to Lima. We just had breakfast and will be boarding our connection flight in about an hour.

Words can not express the condition of my heart. This trip has been nothing short of amazing- but then again, it was a trip focused on God. As originally stated, this team was crafted to perfection and each day we worked together only proved the statement correct.

As you read the blog daily, I hope you were able to get a glimpse of the work we did. It was work – but nobody saw it as so. We did: hand out food baskets and share the word; play soccer with the kids in the park; played with the kids from the orphanage; do craft and feed the kids at the rehabilitation center; and VBS with the kids at church… to name a few… But it was the eagerness each one on this team had. They didn’t hesitate when asked to do anything- whether that was take out the trash or feed the child who was paralyzed and a mute, lunch for the day. And if that wasn’t enough… The way the team bonded in doing this work was something incomprehensible. I, as a leader, had the best job in the world- I saw each one grow personally and in their walk with the Lord, be vulnerable, and use their stregnth and weakness’ to develop them as a person- all the while, doing God’s work and creating a bond with the team. Although, debriefing at night was incredible.

Personally, It’s interesting that the people that have money live in the city, and those that don’t live on the hill ( or should I say in the hill ). As we walEd through to hand out food baskets, I had to stop for just a minute. The view was breathetaking, and the silence was golden. How was this considered the “less” fortunate part of the city? God really does take care of His people. Matthew 6:25-30.

With this said, I don’t want to take anyone’s thunder. I know each one is excited to share their experience with you.

I, thank our heavenay father for this gift. For the opportunity to go to Peru to do work alongside 12 of the most amazing people I have been so blessed to know. I can’t wait to see how God uses them in the future.

See you in a few short hours….

Alicia Mikkelson
Team Leader

Hola Amigos,

This morning Team Peru 2011 woke up at the base of MachuPichuu Mountain and we had a beautiful walk in the morning to our train! As I am sure someone has already blogged about, the train ride is absolutely breath taking! We played some fun card games on the train like Egyptian Speed (or as Tim calls it, “Mexican Speed”) Needless to say, this trip has been amazing for all of us! Cuzco, Peru is a city filled with some of God’s most beautiful creations! I have to quote Alex on this one, “When I look at the mountains, I like to think of God taking his thumb and making an imprint over Peru!” This entire team has been full of laughs this entire trip, with the people of Peru and with our own team!

Later in the evening when we returned to Cuzco, Pato, Tim, and I went to help with something at the church because of our manly strength and Pato and I ran into a couple of the little girls from the church. Caryn aka Sonrisa (which means smiles in Spanish and is the nickname our team gave to her) and her sister Sara came to hang out with us as we were helping. Hanging out with them one last time was a great joy. The only problem was that we had to say goodbye. These girls have truly touched our team with their endless smiles even with the struggles that they have to go through daily.

To end the day the team went out to explore a little more of Cuzco, a little Cappachino, and each other. As our trip comes to an end, I can truly speak for the whole team when I say that this trip has touched each and every one of our lives and numerous amounts of other lives through the love of Christ. So, thanks be to God first, but I also want to take a second to say thank you to our friends, families, and each and every one of you who has supported us in prayer or financially. With out you all, this experience for us never would have happened.

Peace and Love,
B

We awoke early this morning in time to catch the vibrant lights of the millions of stars blanketing the sky. Southern Californians rarely get this pleasure as a result of living in Smog City. But we did. As our group walked along the narrow road toward the train that would take us to Machu Picchu, I stopped and focused on the 10,000 jewels above me. It’s so easy to forget how vast and incomprehensible God is sometimes. It’s even easier to forget when we’re more focused on temporary circumstances around us instead of looking up at God who is Alpha and Omega, neither temporary nor contained. The setbacks, mishaps, screw-ups, and knock-outs in our lives are passing, fleeting, and fading. Yet, in their way, those stars are a reminder of God’s infinite power. Those stars will far outlive our problems as God has promised us an eternity that far outlives our current struggles.

As our bus trekked across the old dirt road leading to the entrance of one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu, the entire team was awestruck at the beauty of these ancient Incan mountains. We jokingly talked about how much it resembled the movie Avatar. The greenery and rock and deep valleys below mountains peeking above the clouds caused my wife to turn to me and say, “This is what I think heaven is like.” And I couldn’t disagree. Mountain tops reaching high into the heavens as hundreds of people sat in wonder along the rocky steps listening to the wind, birds, and rushing water below reminded us of how great our God is. It reminded us if His deep longing for communion with man. While we knew God created amazing places like this simply because He can, He also created it as a gift for us to take pleasure in and speak of His glory collectively.

Then, I was reminded if the individual gifts God uniquely gave each one of us. Each one of you. I thought that the gift He planted inside of you and I is just as awe-inspiring and wonderful as Machu Picchu. But are we using it? I mean really using it? To somehow speak of Him.

I almost chose not to take a hike up to an ancient Incan bridge today because I’m ridiculously scared of heights and most of the trail was along the side of a tall mountain with no rails or safety whatsoever. Only thousands of feet below. But I took the trip and it was worth every second. The view was unbelievable. It was as if God had painted the perfect picture just for us to see. We were enjoying His gift to us.

I almost missed that today. I almost missed a moment to see God. Thankfully, I didn’t. I saw God’s gift. It pointed me to Him.

So, who has seen God through your gift recently? Have you let your fear stop you from using that gift or have you somehow pointed others back to the vastness, greatness, incomprehensible and everlasting God? If not, you’re missing out.

-David Robbins

We awoke early this morning in time to catch the vibrant lights of the millions of stars blanketing the sky. Southern Californians rarely get this pleasure as a result of living in Smog City. But we did. As our group walked along the narrow road toward the train that would take us to Machu Picchu, I stopped and focused on the 10,000 jewels above me. It’s so easy to forget how vast and incomprehensible God is sometimes. It’s even easier to forget when we’re more focused on temporary circumstances around us instead of looking up at God who is Alpha and Omega, neither temporary nor contained. The setbacks, mishaps, screw-ups, and knock-outs in our lives are passing, fleeting, and fading. Yet, in their way, those stars are a reminder of God’s infinite power. Those stars will far outlive our problems as God has promised us an eternity that far outlives our current struggles.

As our bus trekked across the old dirt road leading to the entrance of one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu, the entire team was awestruck at the beauty of these ancient Incan mountains. We jokingly talked about how much it resembled the movie Avatar. The greenery and rock and deep valleys below mountains peeking above the clouds caused my wife to turn to me and say, “This is what I think heaven is like.” And I couldn’t disagree. Mountain tops reaching high into the heavens as hundreds of people sat in wonder along the rocky steps listening to the wind, birds, and rushing water below reminded us of how great our God is. It reminded us if His deep longing for communion with man. While we knew God created amazing places like this simply because He can, He also created it as a gift for us to take pleasure in and speak of His glory collectively.

Then, I was reminded if the individual gifts God uniquely gave each one of us. Each one of you. I thought that the gift He planted inside of you and I is just as awe-inspiring and wonderful as Machu Picchu. But are we using it? I mean really using it? To somehow speak of Him.

I almost chose not to take a hike up to an ancient Incan bridge today because I’m ridiculously scared of heights and most of the trail was along the side of a tall mountain with no rails or safety whatsoever. Only thousands of feet below. But I took the trip and it was worth every second. The view was unbelievable. It was as if God had painted the perfect picture just for us to see. We were enjoying His gift to us.

I almost missed that today. I almost missed a moment to see God. Thankfully, I didn’t. I saw God’s gift. It pointed me to Him.

So, who has seen God through your gift recently? Have you let your fear stop you from using that gift or have you somehow pointed others back to the vastness, greatness, incomprehensible and everlasting God? If not, you’re missing out.

-David Robbins

We awoke early this morning in time to catch the vibrant lights of the millions of stars blanketing the sky. Southern Californians rarely get this pleasure as a result of living in Smog City. But we did. As our group walked along the narrow road toward the train that would take us to Machu Picchu, I stopped and focused on the 10,000 jewels above me. It’s so easy to forget how vast and incomprehensible God is sometimes. It’s even easier to forget when we’re more focused on temporary circumstances around us instead of looking up at God who is Alpha and Omega, neither temporary nor contained. The setbacks, mishaps, screw-ups, and knock-outs in our lives are passing, fleeting, and fading. Yet, in their way, those stars are a reminder of God’s infinite power. Those stars will far outlive our problems as God has promised us an eternity that far outlives our current struggles.

As our bus trekked across the old dirt road leading to the entrance of one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu, the entire team was awestruck at the beauty of these ancient Incan mountains. We jokingly talked about how much it resembled the movie Avatar. The greenery and rock and deep valleys below mountains peeking above the clouds caused my wife to turn to me and say, “This is what I think heaven is like.” And I couldn’t disagree. Mountain tops reaching high into the heavens as hundreds of people sat in wonder along the rocky steps listening to the wind, birds, and rushing water below reminded us of how great our God is. It reminded us if His deep longing for communion with man. While we knew God created amazing places like this simply because He can, He also created it as a gift for us to take pleasure in and speak of His glory collectively.

Then, I was reminded if the individual gifts God uniquely gave each one of us. Each one of you. I thought that the gift He planted inside of you and I is just as awe-inspiring and wonderful as Machu Picchu. But are we using it? I mean really using it? To somehow speak of Him.

I almost chose not to take a hike up to an ancient Incan bridge today because I’m ridiculously scared of heights and most of the trail was along the side of a tall mountain with no rails or safety whatsoever. Only thousands of feet below. But I took the trip and it was worth every second. The view was unbelievable. It was as if God had painted the perfect picture just for us to see. We were enjoying His gift to us.

I almost missed that today. I almost missed a moment to see God. Thankfully, I didn’t. I saw God’s gift. It pointed me to Him.

So, who has seen God through your gift recently? Have you let your fear stop you from using that gift or have you somehow pointed others back to the vastness, greatness, incomprehensible and everlasting God? If not, you’re missing out.

-David Robbins