Mission Peru

by Emily Cipkar and Amy Gordon

Our day began with a restful sleep, but a very frantic morning when our team (Heritage Park) was woken up and told that the Compassion representatives were there to pick us up.

We went to the Compassion project that Randalls attends to pick him up. When we were touring around, Randalls decided to give us two homemade crafts. This really moved us because even though we are supposed to be supporting him, he supports us as well with encouragement. It shows how much he really appreciates our giving because he took the time to make gifts for us, even though we don't deserve it.

Our team then went back to Randalls' house. We really had no expectations for that day but when we met him and his family we realized we had some assumptions about them. First of all he was a lot older than any of us thought; fourteen, a lot less of an age difference between us. We didn't know much know much about his mom; we soon found out that she was completely involved in his life and had a strength in her that we had never seen. Even if her life circumstances were crazy and hard she trusted God with her whole life. Our team was taken aback and convicted for our lack of faith. God is powerful and He will provide. We were so honoured to be invited into their home because Randalls' mom was so proud of it. She had built it with the money our youth group sent a couple years back by herself. It was so well done and resourceful; it's no wonder Randalls wants to be an engineer when he grows up, building schools.

Randalls was really reserved but even the few words that he said was very moving and gave us a lot of encouragement. Him and his mom kept reminding us of things we had already done for them.

Emily: It got me thinking about how important it is to continue to stay involved, even back in Canada. Visiting him will have a present impact, but writing letters and sending gifts has future impact. It made me think of Cendies, my own Compassion child. I need to make an effort in communicating with her and praying for her. It means so much to Compassion kids when they receive letters and they only take minutes to write. I can do that.

We then had the opportunity to take Randalls and his mom out to dinner. Some of us took Randalls to ride bumper cars, while the female leaders took his mom out to buy groceries for her. The one thing they were surprised about was the fact that they had so much in common, even though they live in two different worlds. She is a mother who cares for her children, and worries and prays for them, even when they don't accept her or God, just like mothers back home.

This is a common prayer that we all have for Randalls and his mom: God, we ask you to bless him and his family. Help to meet their needs, whether physical or spiritual. Keep the strength you have placed in his mom, and grow it. We know you have a plan for their lives, and we ask you to complete it to the full. Give Randalls the determination to search after You with his whole heart and to achieve whatever You have planned for him. Heal Randall's mom and keep them safe. we want them to know how much You care for them and how much we do as well.

We felt sad leaving Randalls, thinking of what he went back to, and because we didn't have a lot of time. We know our visit will have an impact, but we wanted to do more. If we could have communicated better with him, we could have learned a lot more about him. But the amount of time we did have was more than enough.

Our team is really grateful to be here in Peru, and to visit our Compassion child. We write to you as we do not want our new perspective to go to waste. For those of you sponsoring children, we ask you to consider what we have learned,and how it will impact your relationship with your own sponsor child. They need the love that you have to offer, not just payment every month. Please be praying for us as we continue our work here and struggle with how our new experiences will affect us when we are back home.

Blessings and see you soon!