Jana was walking through the dirt streets of Nuevo Pachacutec. Our team was helping the community pick up trash. We were also distributing Peruvian flags in anticipation of the Peruvian "4th of July" on the 28th. As she walked along this lady (see picture) approached her and began to talk with her. Jana called over Evelyn to translate for her. The next thing Jana knew, she was in Catalina Moso Ramos' home. It was a 2-room wooden house with dirt floors, no furniture (everything hangs from nails on the walls) and no electricity or plumbing.

As they talked, Cataline suddenly stopped, said something, and began to sing. Evelyn told her that Catalina was singing a praise song in Quechua, one of two primary indian dialects of the Peruvian highlands. Though she couldn't understand a thing, Jana worshipped as Catalina sang.

Phillip was helping an older man with reading glasses. As Phillip fitted him for the glasses, the man asked him how much the eye glasses cost. Phillip told him that they were free; that they were our way of showing him that God loved him and wanted a personal relationship with him. The old man smiled and said, "Oh, a gift from God."

These are just a couple of examples of the encounters we had yesterday as we served alongside the members of the Iglesia Gracia Divina. Walking the streets, visiting in homes, and putting up flags allowed us to meet and engage the people of Nuevo Pachacutec. The members of Gracia Divina were discovering new ways to get the message out of God's love. Instead of calling out to the people of the community to come to us, we went to them. The result was that they in turn came to us.

All morning we picked up trash and put up flags. In the afternoon we set up the eye clinic. In the course of two hours we gave out 34 eye glasses, prayed with 34 people who God loves passionately, and inspired the members of Gracia Divina who worked alongside us.

This morning we will worship with Iglesia Gracia Divina and have lunch together. This afternoon we head back to Nuevo Pachacutec for a Peruvian Festival. The community has been invited to join us. I'm thinking the place will be packed with our new friends.