Love Extreme to Iquitos!

I’m so sorry it has taken me so long to write an update, I’m sure I could give you plenty of excuses, but none of them would justify my laziness. So I’m going to just skip them and jump right in and start telling you about what God has been doing.

Love Extreme to Iquitos was AWESOME!! We had an incredible group of people from the states who come to help us with a project (well, more like lots of little projects) here in our beautiful city of Iquitos. Each day of the week long project we went to a different location. Although only 4 of us 40/40’s (who live and work here in IQT) were able to help with the project all the 40/40’s helped to plan what we would do in/at their location.

The one thing we were worried about was whether our short termers would feel needed and useful. I love how when we attempt to make plans, even if we “believe” they are plans God has given us; He will ALWAYS step in and make His own plans. By the end of the project everyone was praising God for how He had used them in ways they’d never dreamed. God is good, isn’t He?!

Okay, now for a little more on what we did. Our very first day we went to a school to do lice treatments, and also to teach the kids about how God created earth and how we are to do our part in taking care of it…..such as recycling. We realized this was a big stretch because it’s hard enough just to get people to use a trash can, let alone the “right” ones. But, I’m happy to report that Esther and I have since been back to the school and it was evident that they had indeed been using the trash cans because there was NO trash on the ground.

The second day we took a two hour boat ride (which was only suppose to be an hour, you’ve got to love Peru) to a remote village were a pair of our guys are working. By the time we finally got there we only had a few hours, but how much time does God really need to work? We made a quick sandwich before setting up for bible stories, a puppet show, face painting, and other crafts. The kids loved the crafts even if it was just coloring a picture.

Another day we had “Princess Day”, with the help of a church in Nebraska we were able to play dress up, with little girls , young women and even adult ladies. We had four stations set up, one for painting nails, one for doing make up, another for doing their hair and the last for dressing up. Complete with crowns, wands and even high heels, but the best part was when we took them aside and told them that they really are princesses because they have a Father who is the King of Kings. Many accepted Christ that afternoon, and just through playing a little dress up : ). No worries, we had something for the boys too, they got to play sports and hear about how they are Princes’ and they even got to color a picture or two.

Perhaps the most challenging day for me was when we went to Belen to pick up trash. Belen is the poorest area in all of Iquitos and also one of the most dangers. We knew that what little trash we did get picked up wouldn’t even make a dent, but we wanted to show the people that we weren’t scared to come down there and we weren’t too “ rich” (for lack of a better word) to pick up trash. As we began to pick up piece after piece people started to stop what they were doing and just watch, they could not believe that we were really down there doing that……and yet we were! The entire time I was picking up the trash I was praying one, that I didn’t get sick (the smell is horrible in Belen, it smells of sewage, and rotting fish) and two; that these people would know that someone cares for them and their city.

Several of the nights we were able to show the Jesus Film, and Glory to God in the highest, many people accepted Christ into their hearts. As 40/40’s it has been our honor and privilege to go and meet these people and with a few of them we have even started a discipleship class. We believe that there are even more in Iquitos that a seed was planted and we pray that someone, someday will get to harvest that seed; after all our God is”faithful and just”.

Since the project ended all the 40/40’s have returned and we have started back to work, all of us were eager to get back “home” to our house and our work. Never thought we’d be saying that, but God has been good to us and is continuing to bless us in His work.

Prayer request’s for 9 de octubre:
Vacation Bible School (July 29th-Aug 1st)
Jobs (many of our contacts are out of work)
Health (many are also sick)
And last but not least, Wisdom for Esther and I. That we would know and continue in the will of God!

In His Service, Bri and Esther