Riggs Report - On to Andahuaylas

Peruvian Roads

2012-01-02T15:14:00.000-08:00

"Oh man! Look at that backup!", Tammy was pointing to the long line of crawling cars and trucks on I-70 west of St. Louis. We were on our way from Alabama to Nebraska when we ran into (not literally) this big slow-down. We hadn't seen anything like that for years. The roads in Peru don't have traffic back-ups, but they sure have their own share of interesting and fun diversions. There is a TV show,"IRT: Deadliest Roads", that has featured Peruvian roads this year. Many folk have asked us if we have ever been on those roads.
The answer is, "yes"! If we didn't ride on those roads, we couldn't be here. Andahuaylas is in the middle of the Andes and there is no way to get out of there, get around in the region or even GET there (unless you fly) without riding on those roads for several hours at least. The roads are narrow, dirt roads and they criss-cross the Andes all over Peru. Many of the roads are way over the tree line and can be snowy and icy all year round. Others are more temperate; but the steep drop-offs, unimproved surfaces and frequent rock or mud-slides keep them from being boring.
One of the most notable features of these roads, that stands out riding a narrow old bus for 18 to 30 plus hours over them, is that they aren't straight for more than 2 or 300 yards at a time. The effect of all the constant turns is a kind of land-based seasickness. When that hits along with the altitude (very often well over 10,000') the resulting nausea is a blast! (sometimes literally!) The dirt surface is full of bumps and humps and holes, that also contribute to make the experience unforgettable, "Oh my aching back!".
One common occurrence is the "trasbordo". This happens when the bus that you are on can't go any further, the road is closed because of rock or mudslide, water pouring over the surface or maybe the road has just gone away (maybe fallen off the side of the mountain). Everyone gets out of the warm(ish) and smelly bus, grabs their luggage and hoofs it across the rocks, mud, yawning chasm - whatever - and tries to find a bus on the other side that can execute a 3 point turn (that will give you some white knuckles) and take you where it came from. That will at least be closer to where you are trying to go.

And I could go on and talk about highway robbers, icy roads, wrecks, spending hours in a small uncomfortable seat, roadside food and restrooms, etc. but I will save those for another time.
Just remembering the roads back home made the St. Louis traffic jam seem to be no problem!

On the Road

2011-12-05T15:41:00.001-08:00

Mike with Alabama granddaughter, Elizabeth

Daughter Mandy

We spoke at Salem Presbyterian in Alpine Alabama, and enjoyed a fabulous lunch. The people there are always so sweet to visit!

Abby and Becky

While the situation in Andahuaylas continues in a state of truce, we left on November 15 with only some minor problems about the bus company paperwork and no rioting. We arrived in Lima and had a great visit with Becky, Miguel, and Abby. We spent Thanksgiving in Florida with my parents and are now in Alabama with our son Tim and family.
Please keep on praying for the situation in Andahuaylas--it's still uncertain. One seminary class has had to be rescheduled for summer break in January.

In the airport. We left Lima as scheduled on November 22.

Fiesta Espíritual in Huancaray (October)

2011-11-15T06:45:00.000-08:00

This is our ride. Martin Leon loans it to us and other ministries to get out into the country.

This is the kitchen, where they are preparing breakfast when we arrive.

At breakfast.

Everone loved this little guy with his carrot!

Mike was teaching about the Holy Spirit. There is a huge amount of confusion up here because of people who call themselves apostles going around telling people they haven't got the Holy Spirit unless they give it to them.

Cayo Cardenas translating in Quechua

Cayo and his wife Maritza leading singing.

Singing with the traditional harp.

Lunchtime!

On the way back home.

Strike Losing Favor: Pray for an End

2011-11-12T13:20:00.001-08:00

Last week everyone here was optimistic about the strike. (Including us.) Today a radio call-in show on Agricultor (Farmer) Radio was asking people if they were in favor of the strike and the response was an overwhelming "NO." There are three big reasons:

1. Violence erupted Thursday afternoon and left close to 40 people injured in confrontation between protesters and police.
photo: larevista.aqpsoluciones.com

2. The original organizers (marching in photo above)have declared that they are satisfied with government actions and have quit the strike unless the government does not keep promises to ban mining in the district because of a serious water pollution problem that has been killing birds, fish, and crops. However, more extremist groups that have infiltrated the protest have decided to continue the strike indefinitely.Photo: actualidad.azumare.com

3. With these guys and their sticks and whips keeping businesses closed and shutting down transportation, food is starting to run out.Photo: actualidad.azumare.com

Our plan is still to leave Monday for Lima, if it is at all possible. However, God will have to move in a mighty way for this to happen. Please pray for a peaceful resolution to the situation.

Strike (again)

2011-11-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, we have about a week before we leave Andahuaylas for our visit to the US, family, and US churches. And everything is complicated by a general strike. We can only do business or travel to Andahuaylas in the morning before 9 am or after 4 or 5 pm.

Image: xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
And we are in agreement with this strike. The strike is to protest the large amounts of money that have been funneled into the hospital and road paving projects with no result. The road between Ayacucho and Andahuaylas is close to completion. The road between Abancay and Andahuaylas----nothing. The new hospital has vanished into thin air, and the director of the current hospital has changed possession like a basketball. Who knows who it is? AND there is a report of the privatization of the water system, coupled with constant cuts in water. So we want to support the strike, because there are not a lot of other ways to call the government's attention to problems.
We have gone through strikes before, and it was traumatic. And although this strike is reasonable and nonviolent, I have to say that it is much easier for us because we have learned a lot about how you live through them:

Don´t try to go anywhere during strike hours unless absolutely necessary.
Get up early and do your shopping before the strike starts, and go out in the evening to add to your supplies.
Listen to information from everyone. Taxi drivers are really well-informed and are a great source of information during non-strike (treaty) hours.
Listen to local radio and ask all your neighbors what is going on.

All the same , we hope it is over soon, so we can get on with preparations for our trip.

Marriage retreat

2011-11-03T20:20:00.000-07:00

We had a great time teaching at a marriage retreat this week in Andahuaylas. Eighteen couples from the Andahuaylas IEP church attended. The highlight was (unfortunately) when I decked Jorge (a large policeman who goes to our church and is a student at the seminary) during the volleyball game. I was going for the ball and he hadn't called it. I still can't believe I actually knocked him down.
A lot of better things happened. Several couples seemed to really connect and give their marriages to God. Everyone had a good time as well, even Jorge.

Pictures--August Team in Los Angeles

2011-10-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Children in Los Angeles enjoying teaching. This community has few resources. Chris told me that the only game the kids had there was rolling a lid from a bucket with a stick. The community is at an altitude where fruit does not grow. Many children do not have shoes, and have never received a toy.

L to R Walter and Ruth Ccoicca, Maritza and Cayo Cardenas, Mike and Tammy Riggs, Sam Grillo, Bill and Becky Rowley, Silvi Linares

Lunch Break

On the road

Excited to have their picture taken so they can look at it on the digital camera.

Praying

These pastors and leaders completed a survey of the whole Bible.

The bus we used is in the background. Most of the women and children were still in their groups, so they aren't in the picture.

This LA doesn't even show up on Google Earth, but its central location allows people from many pueblos to come for teaching.

BB team in LA (Peruvian style) (August)

2011-10-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

One of the big events in August was the arrival of a Believers Bridge team composed of Bill, Becky. and Robert Rowley, Sam Grillo, and Silvi Linares. Here is a post from Bill and Becky's blog, (click on their blog name) to read the whole thing.) Rowley Adventures: In Los Angeles: "But I thought you said you were going to Peru?" Yes! And we are. And we went to Los Angeles today. In Peru. And I can guarantee you w...

Sudden change of plans for Becky and Miguel (July)

2011-10-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

Miguel and Abby

Becky and Abby

Becky and Miguel (and of course, Abigail) were supposed to move to Andahuaylas at the end of July so he could be youth pastor in the IEP church here.

HOWEVER...
The church here tore down their main building to rebuild a bigger facility.

AND...
They found out that they had to make a new foundation, because the old one wasn't adequate. This was a lot more costly than they thought.

What used to be the worship area of the Andahuaylas church

There's an old joke that if anything goes wrong in a church, you fire the youth pastor. On the very day that they were going to sell their furniture for the move, an elder called me to say "tell Pastor Miguel not to come because we don't have anything to pay him."

And after some urgent rushing around that's what happened. Miguel was able to get back his job as religion teacher in a school in Lima (he had already resigned, but hadn't been replaced.)

NEW PLAN
They are going to work on getting his visa and green card so they can come to the US and recruit supporters for their planned ministry with Believers Bridge.

Mobilizing the small church

2011-08-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

One thing that is really true is that the more that is happening, the less time there is to blog! Well, we're working on trying to fix that. However, the lack of entries recently has been because we are really busy, and our camera is broken!

Soon we will be posting about all the activities that have been going on. But for now, here is good article on mobilizing the small church for missions. This is a question that we get asked a lot of times--even here! "How can I get my church involved in missions?" This article doesn't have all the answers--only God does! But it could provide a starting place.

Propel» Blog Archive » Interview: Mobilizing a small church

Prayer request--spine with a twist

2011-07-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I did find a therapist in Andahuaylas. After the first day´s therapy he called to my friend who had brought me (he evidently hadn't figured out that I was not a tourist yet) and told her that my spine was curving to the left and I needed to get a spinal x-ray. That proved to be an ordeal that involved a day of fasting and 3 bottles of castor oil. (Ugh!) Even though the resulting x-ray was still faint, the doc found that I had scoliosis (which wasn't the result of a fall) and some vertebrae that had slipped out of place.

Here is my diagnosis (given to me on a small scrap of paper):

The upshot is that for now I have to lose weight and wear a back support.
Please pray that these conditions don't degenerate and that the therapy would calm the pain in my hip. And praise God that none of this has caused the excruciating pain that it could have!

Gorgeous photo celebration of Machu Picchu 100 year festival (PHOTOS) - International Business Times

2011-07-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to the celebration that we mostly missed in Cuzco. Gorgeous photo celebration of Machu Picchu 100 year festival (PHOTOS) - International Business Times: "Photo:Reuters Gorgeous photo celebration of Machu Picchu 100 year festival (PHOTOS)
We were mostly concerned with the weather when we left Andahuaylas and didn't happen to check whether they were having a once-every-hundred-years-celebration while we were there. However, we did get to check out a great rainforest exhibit in one of the little plazas and take in a few parades. The whole city was decked out with flags and new landscaping and statues. Unfortunately, we took our camera, but with no chip, so we couldn't take any photos of our own.

They were just setting up the stage in the plaza and testing the sound when we had to catch our bus.

Gorgeous photo celebration of Machu Picchu 100 year festival (PHOTOS)"

Flies

2011-07-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

For some reason, we have a lot of flies here where we live. They crawl in around the edges of the windows, which are the kind that open like little doors and buzz slowly around the room, sounding like a fleet of small airplanes whose mission is to drive humans crazy. Some are very loud and large, and specialize in buzzing like chainsaws. Others are small and pesky and light on your nose or buzz round and round your face until you have to kill them. A great many appear to be despondent and take their lives by diving into cups of coffee, glasses of milk, etc., often just when you are lifting it to your lips. We keep a swatter handy and swat them (with extreme prejudice) all day long.

I have tried opening the windows on the theory that more of them would be free to leave that way, but Mike and Chris are skeptical of this theory and insist that all that happens is that more come in. When evening comes most of them crawl back out the windows, I guess, because they disappear.

Because it gets cold at night the ones that are still in the house stop moving. There are always dead ones on the window sill (whether from natural causes or the cockroach poison that we spray on the windows I don't know). This morning I dusted all the dead ones off the window sill, and was interrupted before I swept the floor. When I came back, about four of them were crawling around. We all know what to do with crawling bugs--so we stomped them.

We thought the flies were just a problem here in the property where we live, because the owners have a big garden and sometimes keep chickens. But we have obtained proof to the contrary. There is a one-legged lady who has a little store about a block away. One day I passed it and there she was, leaping around on her one leg, swatting flies. Living proof both that the flies are all over this part of town, and that they will drive you crazy.

At the clinica

2011-07-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

You probably know that we went to Cuzco for some routine medical checks. Mike came out great. His heart is in good shape, cholesterol and blood sugar perfect, triglycerides and blood pressure a little high, so he's still working on that. His doctor was very pleased. My cholesterol was borderline again.

AND while it is good news that I do not have arthritis or any damage in the hip that has been bothering me since a fall walking the dog last year, I do need physical therapy for the apparent muscular problem that is causing the pain and stiffness. Although it is a lumbar problem I haven't had back pain, but to my complete (and painful) surprise, the small of my back is very tender (Doctors always know how to find these things out.)

When we left the clinic we went to the pharmacy by our hotel to get the shot prescribed for me. The pharmacist gave me what was absolutely the worst, most painful shot I have ever had. Two days later, I still have a bruise. She told me I could come back the next day and she would give me another shot free. Although I gritted my teeth and thanked her very much, I decided to limp home without the second shot and get the other two at home in Talavera.

I got the next shot today and the syringe that I got in Cuzco, evidently a fellow to the first one, would not put out any liquid. Our pharmacist pulled it out, replaced the needle with another, and it worked. Experimenting with the Cuzco needle and some water (the pharmacist was curious), we found that it would only shoot out water if Mike hammered on the plunger. No wonder I have a bruise!

So now the hunt is on for physical therapy in Andahuaylas. Viki told me that she had to go to Curahuasi for therapy when she was dragged by a cow. The pharmacist thinks she has seen a sign that says Therapy and Rehabilitation here in Talavera. We'll have to see what's true.

I could always go to Cuzco, but it seems to me that it would be more beneficial to have therapy without the bus trip.

Stuck on the road

2011-07-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, Monday night we were off on the (slightly) postponed trip to Cuzco. All was well until about 10 pm, when we came to a stop, causing everyone to wake up. The driver announced the dreaded words--"No hay pase." (We can`t pass through here--or "we`re stuck")

Instantly everyone wanted to know why, and wanted the door to open. People got out and walked around, including Mike and Chris. I had gotten off the bus the last time we had trouble on the way to Cuzco and wound up leaping across a river on rocks, so I stayed on. They and everyone else walked until the mud became to slippery to walk through, and came back. All they could report was very slippery mud, and a sound of rushing water. And a huge line of buses and trucks stopped at this place
.
Speculation ran rampant. One woman was sure that a bus had gone through from another line. Another was sure that passenger vans were going through. One man announced confidently that no one could go through. The driver announced that he was going to have a car sent from Abancay, and we would have to do a "trasbordo" (the passengers carry their luggage past the obstacle and board a bus that carries them on to their destination.) but he was firm that this could not happen during the night.
Everyone slept in snatches, waking up at intervals to complain. One time a man took his luggage and got off declaring that he would walk until he found a way there.
About 3 am a man went by shouting "Abancay! Abancay!" He pried the bus door open and announced for people who could walk a good ways he had a taxi that could take 5 or 6 people to Abancay. A woman who was taking a baby to a clinic for medical attention said she would go. The man said it would be very difficult with a baby. Another woman said she would go, but was told she had too much luggage and it would be "difficult." Then said that only one handbag or back pack would be possible. Finally the woman with a baby, her young daughter, and a few others left.

When the sun came up, the driver announced the trasbordo. Everyone got out with their luggage and started slogging through the mud. Soon the first ones to get to the other bus were back. The other driver didn't want to do the switch. As this situation reoccurred all up and down the line of buses, everyone began to concentrate on removing the obstacle--a tractor-trailer that had slid into a steep ditch and gotten its wheels mired trying to back out. There was space enough for a man on foot to pass between the end of the trailer and a steep dropoff.

Finally an empty flatbed truck was persuaded to try to pull the truck out. Some men had already dug the wheels that were on the road free and put rocks in front of them. All the men that were available were recruited to stand on the flatbed to give it weight. Since the line of stopped vehicles was now very long, it was no problem to recruit bus passengers and truck drivers, including Mike and Chris, until the flatbed was full, and with heave pulled the truck free!

All the now-muddy passengers climbed aboard their buses! We were off to Cuzco!

We passed several other trucks off the road, but they were not blocking it. We arrived only 9 hours late. Travel is always an adventure.

REALLY off to Cusco

2011-07-04T16:22:00.000-07:00

This is what our life is like up here. Yesterday the rains just kept coming, we heard that the passes were snowy and icy and we realized that for some unfathomable reason we had bought tickets on the "economic" bus. That means that we would have to take our own blankets, there is no bathroom and you just have to wait until the driver has to go and then step out in the dark, icy night and seek a safe and private place to do your business. The seats don't really recline and there's not even 3 inches of leg room (I exaggerate, of course, there is 3 inches of leg room!)

Yesterday afternoon, we came to our senses and realized - we could wait a day and go on a bus with heat, blankets, a bathroom, a snack, reclining seats with maybe 8 inches of leg room that leaves an hour later and gets to Cusco when the sun is up - and the snow/sleet/ice/rain may be over!

I just moved my work from Friday to today and voila! So tonight as you lay down to sleep, think of us sitting in our odd-smelling little bus, bumping over the Andes about 13,000' in the snow for 10 hours and say a little prayer!

Off to Cuzco

2011-07-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 7 we will be leaving for Cuzco for some medical checkups. The night bus is really the best way to go, because you go to sleep and wake up in Cuzco. Of course you miss all of the breathtaking scenery, but we nearly have it memorized.

The road is in the process of being paved from here to Abancay. Right now it takes about 5 hours to get there, but it will only take two when they are done. From Abancay to Cuzco it takes about 5 hours more, so we will get there at about 5 am, then hang around the bus terminal until some things get open. We used to go direct to the hotel, but now they charge you for checking in before noon.
It's still a great little hotel. It is called Hospedaje Bambu, and its located in Pasaje Pantipata, in walking distance of the plaza. We only found out about it because the girl who owns it was working at the clinic Mike was in when he had his heart attack.
Anyway, please pray for a safe trip. I had been thinking that it was great that we were going when the weather was dry, but it has been raining all day. Hopefully it is local just to our valley here.

Altitude

2011-07-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

A few years ago we were on a routine bus trip from Lima to Andahuaylas. It was night, the lights were out, and I was asleep. Suddenly a woman at the back of the bus screamed and started running up the aisle. With a thud she fainted, close to my seat. We called for the bus stewardess who put her in the vacant seat next to me. A passenger gave her coca leaves to chew. Another passenger suffered from paralysis and couldn't move his arms. When these two were revived, a British tourist, who had heard us speaking English, turned to us mournfully and said, "I think I'm going to die."

Those breathtaking views may come at a price.

What had happened to them? They had gotten on the bus in Nazca, 588 meters above sea level, at suppertime. Now we were crossing the Andes through the pass Condorsencca which is 4330 meters (14, 206 feet) above sea level. (The route includes another pass a bit later, Occe Occe, which is 4400 meters (14,435 feet) above sea level. These are classified as very high altitudes, and the rapid ascent (over 2-1/2 miles in 5 hours) can make some people very ill.

The Princeton University webpage Outdoor Action Guide to High Altitude describes a classic scenario for developing altitude sickness:

You fly from New York City to a Denver at 5,000 feet (1,525 meters). That afternoon you rent a car and drive up to the trailhead at 8,000 feet (2,438 meters). You hike up to your first camp at 9,000 feet (2,745 meters). The next day you hike up to 10,500 feet (3,048 meters). You begin to have a severe headache and feel nauseous and weak. If your condition worsens, you may begin to have difficulty hiking. Scenarios like this are not uncommon, so it's essential that you understand the physiological effects of high altitude.

Here in the city of Andahuaylas we are at 2926 meters (1.8 miles or 9,599 feet). Since most people can go up to 8,000 feet with no effect, we are just a little too high for some people. Unfortunately the only way to predict if you will be sick at high altitude is if you have been sick at high altitude before, which makes it interesting for visitors. However, most people with symptoms only need to wait a few days to get accustomed to the altitude.

When you leave Andahuaylas to visit the surrounding pueblos you almost always go up. Sometimes people who are fine in Andahuaylas are sick with headache and nausea from even a slight climb, such as to visit the archeologial site of Sondor. This is not usually the case, but in a group of 20, maybe one will be sick.

Another problem at the altitudes above Andahuaylas is that the climate is extreme. Brutally cold at night (below freezing, and they don't have heat in houses or hotels even in these locations) and with roasting hot sun during the day. Several times recently we have made overnight trips to Uripa, which is at 10,416 feet (3175 m.) The 1000 foot ascent plus the extremes of temperature have caused us to have headaches and stomach problems.

For those of you who are considering coming here, don't be discouraged by all this. But do plan ahead. Some measures that can help are:

Drink plenty of water--about 2 liters a day.
Plan a day of rest when you first arrive.
If your trip is programmed for areas outside of Andahuaylas, plan to come back to sleep in Andahuaylas.
Drink the coca tea. On the bus trip I described at the beginning, the coca leaves relieved the fainting, paralysis, and "going to die" symptoms within 10 minutes. The raw leaves are not a drug, and are perfectly legal in Peru and Bolivia. Only skip it if you are going to have a drug test on your arrival in the US.
Wear a hat. This traditional Peruvian solution really helps.
If you are really sick, get a prescription drug such as Diamox.
Read up on information like the Princeton webpage.

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 27:12 NLT

Praying Hands for missions (for personal prayer or for teaching prayer for missions

2011-07-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

"Pray for us." -- Hebrews 13:18

Want to know how to pray for those working to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission? This strategy from an unknown author is great for teaching kids or grownups how to pray for missions.

Use your fingers as memory aids when you pray for missions. You can't forget them and you have them with you everywhere. Here's how they can be prayer reminders:

Thumb
Since your thumb is nearest to you, begin by praying for those missionaries closest to you. They are the easiest ones to remember. C.S. Lewis said that praying for those we love is a "sweet duty."
Index or pointing finder
Let your "pointing finger" remind you to pray for missionaries who teach, instruct, and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and evangelists. They need support and wisdom for pointing others in the right direction.
Middle finger
Our tallest finger reminds us of our church leaders. We can never pray too much for them. Pray for those who supervise and direct missionary outreach.
Ring finger
As any piano teacher will testify (I always teach this to piano students), the ring finger is our weakest finger. This weaker finger reminds us to pray for those missionaries who are discouraged, in trouble, or in pain.
Little finger
Our little finger is the smallest of the digits on our hands, which is where we should place our individual wants and desires in relation to world evangelism needs. The Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Let your pinkie remind you to pray for the people of the world who have the greatest need to find Jesus. Pray that they will open their eyes and see Him.

Missions Conference in Uripa

2011-06-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

Mike was invited to keynote the missions conference of a Peruvian denomination that is committed to planting churches in unreached areas. The conference was in Uripa, 2 hours away. A sign of progress--the road between Uripa and Andahuaylas is already halfway paved!

Eveyone knows you put up flags for a missions conference!

Attendance filled the stadium.

Singing group all in plaid!

Mike with Quechua translator giving a call to plant churches in the unreached areas of Peru

So many responded we had to put them in two pictures!

Pray for these new church planters, that they not become discouraged in their preparation, and that God gives them the ability to speak the Gospel in areas where it is not known.

Visiting professor: Dr. Neil Hegeman

2011-06-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 21st Dr. Hegeman was able to come to teach at the seminary. He taught Philosophy of Christian education. The class structure is that we meet on Saturdays for 5 hours and then throughout the week are assignments to do. (A lot of assignments! I am taking this

course because it is one of the ones I lack. And that is why there have been so few posts.) The material that he presented was challenging for the students, but it also made them feel like "Yeah, this is real!"

The first week's assignments were difficult because they defined philosophy and Christian education. It was definitely a stretch! Then there was a week where we had to cancel class for the elections--which gave a little breathing space to finish the required reading.

The exam for the class is June 18th. Please pray for the students as they have to finish their reading and essays by then. For some of them this is the first essay they have ever written. The older students and the ones from the country graduated from schools with very little requirements. (One older lady is mostly self-educated, but she has a great desire to learn!) The ones who have been to universities and the Mobile Bible Institute are more at home with the assignments. Pray for their encouragement, diligence in their studies, and understanding of the material.

Blessings,
Tammy

To Chile and Back

2011-05-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

One of the first things that we needed to do to get our resident status back was go to Chile and enter again as tourists to get enough time to start our resident paperwork. The trip there went smoothly--we went a different, shorter way--changing buses in Nazca. It didn`t save us any time, because we had to wait almost all day in Nazca, but it was a lot easier on the body.

We had a scare when a policeman got on and took up passports. On seeing that our tourist visa had expired he kept asking, "Why have you waited to leave?" as if he expected to surprise into admitting a crime. When I told him we were missionaries and it was due to delays in paperwork, he took our passports to check. Then he came back and told us that it wasn't a simple matter of crossing the border and paying the fine, and that we would have to report to Migraciones in Tacna as soon as we got there. This was a little scary, because in Migraciones we have encountered all sorts, from helpful people to ones who take your passport and demand a bribe to give it back! (When I posted this on Facebook, one of our friends read it as Office of Migraines--often too true!)

This time we encountered only helpful people in the office who were excited that we were working in Apurimac, one of the poorest regions of the country. The only problem we encountered was that the big boss could not understand why we currently don`t have resident status. Rather than explain the problems we had run into with corruption in the Lima office (that kind of thing never goes well) we just said we didn`t understand it either. Upon hearing that we will have resident status soon he decided it was due to a mistake made by Migraciones in the Lima airport. (which is indeed part of the complicated story)

We ran into a little of the same problem when we reentered Peru from Chile. The computer system has improved since we entered in 2008 and now we show up as both residents and tourists. However, it only took about five minutes for the resident computer wizard to allow us to enter as tourists. (Our old residency is not valid, it just complicates things. It will have to be wiped out to be residents again.)

So now we are legal and on our way home again!

Still learning about Peru

2011-05-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

One of the ladies from the church helps us around the house. For quite some time now she has been supposed to have her gall bladder removed, but has been putting the operation off. She is finally going to do it, and the process has shown me that I still don't know everything about Peru.

When she went for her preoperative chest x-ray, they found her lungs to be "full of smoke." She said that she saw the smoke and asked the doctor what it was, and he said it was from cooking with wood. Like most Quechua, she cooks on an open wood fire at home. And when I say open, I mean an unventilated fire inside the kitchen, which is enclosed. In her case, she says that this is a problem in her other house, where the kitchen is a small shack. In her normal house, the kitchen is large, (though enclosed) and she feels that this is no problem.
This is not her x-ray and I hope hers is not even close to this bad. It just shows why she thinks the x-ray shows the smoke in her lungs. The x-ray is from "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2011. Answers.com 13 May. 2011. http://www.answers.com/topic/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease

I told her that breathing wood smoke is as bad as smoking. Although she knew smoking was bad, she was sure that wood smoke was harmless because it is natural. She was very upset when I told her that there was no pill to clean up the lungs.

It turns out that there is a high incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among rural women in all Latin American countries, for this same reason. Although there are projects, even in Peru, for education in how to construct a better stove, the only time I have ever heard of it here a woman was telling me that there was a better stove that did not make your pots black, even though it used wood. Looks like more education needs done!

Today I found out another thing. She has the national health insurance, and so to have an operation she must have someone donate blood before her surgery is scheduled. They told here it could be anyone.

I knew that the people here are very reluctant to donate (they think that they will die, that the hospital will sell their blood, etc.), so I said that I would if no one from her family could. I told her I was a little unsure that my blood, which is AB+, would be very useful here.

Turns out I was right about that. When I went today they would not even take my blood, because they said they would never need it. I said that I might need blood sometime, and they said not to worry, since I was AB (universal recipient) they could give me just any blood, but mine would only be useful in an emergency and took my phone number just in case. Then they told her to find another donor!

Okay, I guess I just always took for granted that they would have my blood type at the hospital, and that everyone knew breathing wood smoke is dangerous! I guess the trick is not taking anything for granted!

Please pray for the women who are endangering their health just by cooking, and for our upcoming trip to Chile. (More about that later.) And just maybe...that I don´t need any blood from the hospital. :)

Video tour of the QBI campus at Huayrapata

2011-05-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

How would you like a quick tour of the Quechua Bible Institute at Huayrapata? You can hitch a ride with Mike, Cayo, and Bill Rowley, Believers Bridge President. Pastor Santos Ñawi, the local coordinator will show you around.
Remember, this is the contribution of the host church or association. This effort shows their commitment and interest in the project.

From the seminary and the rural institute

2011-04-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

A Classic Gag

2011-04-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Mike has been having trouble hearing for the past week. He went to the drugstore and bought ear drops but with no result. So yesterday he decided to go to the Dr. right before he taught doctrine class at the Central Church. The doctor said that his ears were blocked and that he needed to take some drops to loosen up the wax. She insisted that he needed to take some drops before he taught that night. We bought the drops and went to the church, where Mike stretched out on a pew, to the amusement of some early-arriving young people. I started to administer the drops, and realized that I was not sure how many to put in. I took a paper out of my pocket and shouted (because of his ears), "Read it to me!"

Mike boomed out, "2 ears of corn, 50 cents worth of peas..." amusing the young people still more.

Blushing, I shouted, "Wrong list! And in English added "That's about the oldest joke in book..."

Oh well, pray for his ears to get better. He's going to the Doctor this afternoon.

And the resurrection?

2011-04-22T13:44:00.001-07:00

In Andahuaylas today, you can’t buy meat, most of the stores are closed. Many streets are closed as processions go by. They carry a figure of Jesus and/or Mary as they slowly walk up and down, weeping and mourning. The Cathedral is full of people, some sobbing. There is no joy here, no sound of business or of children playing – there is just profound sorrow. It is Friday – Good Friday (Viernes Santo) and joy is prohibited.

In two days it will be Easter – the Day of Resurrection! But on that day, every closed store will be open, every restaurant bustling. The city will be her usual hurry-scurry self. Street vendors calling out, side streets will be impromptu soccer fields or closed for volleyball. Children will be running and playing, and even the evangelical churches will be only partially attended. Resurrection Day is the last day of our fall Holidays and everyone wants to take advantage of it, before the grind of the normal 7 days a week, twelve (or more) hours per day work schedule returns.

The most important day in the history of the world goes by with little or no notice. Everyone weeps at the crucifixion, but very few worship joyfully, few celebrate the sign that God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus. Here we mourn the loss of the Lamb of God, but ignore His risen presence. As you go to church on Easter Sunday and do your family traditions and remember the glorious fact of the resurrection; don’t forget to give thanks that this one special day, shows us that we are accepted in the Beloved.

A Strategic Alliance

2011-04-18T21:17:00.001-07:00

Saturday afternoon started a new chapter for the country Bible Institutes. We signed an agreement with the Christian organization Paz y Esperanza (Peace and Hope) for cooperation in what will be called Comprehensive Rural Bible Institutes. In these Institutes, we will be teaching Bible, Doctrine, and Ministry classes, while Paz y Esperanza will provide the pastors, who are usually the leaders of their communities, with occupational training, classes in civil rights and responsibilities, and training in how to request Peruvian government funding for a project.

THE NEED--OUR SIDE
One of our goals has always been to help the whole person in the Quechua society. Last November we were putting together our goals for this year as a mission team. Miguel Gomez, Cayo Cardenas, Mike, and I were brainstorming goals related to our primary goals. One of these goals is to help improve the quality of life in the poor communities. Cayo related how the young women in one of the communities he had visited did not know how to grow a vegetable garden or make preserves, so that the diet of the people there was mainly potatoes--and only as a result of ignorance.

I had also experienced this. At one medical campaign a woman came who had had an apparent broken ankle for six months. Peru has free public health insurance that would have taken care of this. But the woman was ignorant of the program or how to applcommunityy. Although I had a Quechua speaking nurse explain it to her, I wondered how many others in the pueblos were in a similar condition.

The truth is that Peru has programs and projects to help the very poor communities, but the people remain ignorant of what is available or how to get help.

We thought of many ways that we could help the communities, but when we came to actually considering who could do it, we were stuck. We were all already too busy to look for people to give seminars to help them garden, know their legal rights, etc.

WHAT THEY SAW
Paz y Esperanza, on the other hand, saw the crying spiritual need. Ana Jauregui, who works in education here in Apurimac, related to us what she saw.

"When you are faced with the enormous need in the communities--the domestic violence, the sexual abuse of children, the drunken and chaotic lives that the people lead--you see that there are animals leading healthier lives. We could see that we needed to work with the church, that we needed a way to train the pastors to work with this enormous spiritual need, but we didn't have a way to do it."

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY
The pastors here, often only selected by the congregation because they can read, or are more committed than the average person, feel the burden of caring for the people. But most of them don't have the slightest idea where to begin. They have no biblical training and often only a grade school education, yet they are faced with difficult congregational problems --incest, idol worship, witchcraft, domestic violence, drug trafficking, you name it. The community looks to them as well to help with legal and medical problems, because they are generally literate. The pastors typically feel frustrated in their efforts to help, because they just don't know how. The new rural institutes will provide training for their unique role that God has given them.

COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
The agreement is not only limited to the institutes. Other programs will include training for Christian elected officials as well as conferences for the entire community, addressing both the spiritual and physical needs of the people. It additionally provides more opportunities for short term teams. A team of Christians is currently helping to build a house for a pastor whose home was destroyed by a mudslide, and in the relocation of other families who live in a high risk zone.

Very busy weekend--or maybe not (ambiguity in the Andes)

2011-04-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

Mike is gearing up for a busy weekend...or at least he probably is.

About a month ago a pastor from the community of Piscobamba came to talk to him about being the speaker for the church anniversary. The church anniversary here is like homecoming in Alabama. Everyone remotely connected with the church comes to the fiesta--featuring food, guest speakers, singing groups from other churches. In many communities it is THE special event.

The pastor from Piscobamba is an extremely soft-spoken man with a very high voice. Spanish is his second language. He invited Mike to the anniversary and gave him a date for it. Then he went next door to talk to the neighbor. On his way back out, he reminded Mike not to forget the anniversary, and seemed to say a different date.

Since then, he has not contacted Mike. Other leaders in the denomination have said that the first date had to be wrong, because it was during the national election, when it is illegal to have a public meeting. So we are guessing that it is this weekend, but we haven't gotten any confirmation. (As usual, there is no way to contact the community.)

So Mike is prepared to go. Tomorrow morning he teaches the seminary class in Andahuaylas, and he hopes to get some solid information from one of the students, several of whom come from outlying communities and should know if an anniversary celebration is planned.

If he goes, he will have to grab lunch and go to Piscobamba to be there in time to preach Saturday night and Sunday. Then he will come back Sunday afternoon.

Please pray that he finds out if he is supposed to be there. ( and if not WHEN he is supposed to be there) and for a safe trip, as we are still having torrential rains that can wash out the roads.

Prayer request- pigs and witches

2011-04-13T14:27:00.001-07:00

Please pray for our friend Vicky. A neighbor's pig was stolen and the neighbor went to a witch who told them that Vicky and another neighbor had stolen it. Now the man is threatening her that something worse will happen to her and entering her property. The police told her that it was her job to make sure that people respect her, not theirs. Pray that God changes this man's heart, that Vicky has peace, and that she can find someone concerned with upholding the law.

Busy times--Evangelical Seminary of Apurimac opens

2011-04-09T19:12:00.001-07:00

The Seminario Evangélico de Apurimac (SEA) opened the 2nd of April and the first class is well underway. This is the first evangelical training center in the area to offer a bachelors' degree and one of few in the country. Local restaurateur (and maker of some of the best pizza in the world) Martin Leon is loaning us the classroom location that is right off the plaza in Andahuaylas. The students, most of whom have graduated from World Reach Mobile Bible Institute or secular universities, are very excited to actually have a chance to study for ministry at a university level! Classes are offered every Saturday with extensive assignments to complete during the week.
Thanks for all your prayers, and please keep praying for:
The students, that their enthusiasm doesn't wane.
The facility--it is in the process of being improved.
Mike-He's writing many of the initial courses and teaching half of the courses.
Visiting professors-keep their commitments, safety in travel, good understanding with the students (also a need for more :)
Cayo Cardenas- He is still quite ill and unable to help with the seminary or teach.
Provision- the students are paying a minimal amount, and some can't really afford that. Pray for provision for books for the library, computers, and scholarships.

Praise God for bringing us this far!

Quechua Bible Institute starts in Huayrapata

2011-02-22T13:43:00.001-08:00

Yesterday the new institute in Huayrapata started with Bible Study Methods class. Mike and Cayo Cardenas both went--both for the opening convocation and because even though the coordinator, Pastor Santos Ñawi, has assured us that all the students can study in Spanish, sometimes they need clarification in Quechua.
They were only able to get within a mile because of the mud, and had to slog the rest of the way. Seventeen of the twenty students arrived for the first day, with the others being delayed by muddy roads and landslides.
They had a good lesson in prayer. Although we always teach that the first step in study is to pray for understanding, Mike let them go ahead and start without reminding them. Several minutes later they were crying, "This is impossible! I don't understand!" Then he reminded them to pray first. Soon they were saying, "Look the answer is down here in this verse! We do understand!"
Please pray that the other three students arrive safely, that Mike and Cayo have safety as they travel back and forth, (It is 45 minutes away so they will not stay every night.), and for learning and dedication on the part of the students.

It's signed!

2011-02-16T17:04:00.001-08:00

A great answer to prayer. The agreement with the IEP (Peruvian Evangelical Church) is now signed. This makes the seminary that opens in April official for the denomination, makes us officially in ministry before the Peruvian government, which facilitates our visas and reception of donations. It also gives us more authority when dealing with strange teachings in the churches!

In Cuzco

2011-01-30T09:02:00.001-08:00

It was time for a checkup in Cuzco. There`s no cardiologist in Andahuaylas so we have to go to Cuzco, 10 hours away on bus, for a checkup. (Many thanks to those who contributed for this trip.) The trip turned out to be too exciting. It rained all night the night before. When we left in the morning (late, because they were probably waiting to see if the road was open) we could hear radio reports of flooding and trees down. Sure enough, about 8 am, we came to a place where the road was covered with water that was moving fast. Half the passengers had to get off the bus and half stay on. The passengers that stayed on (Mike and Chris) had to stand at one side to stabilize the bus. Those that got off (Tammy) had to cross the stream by leaping from rock to rock. (While that sounds very spritely and athletic, I had to have help.)
In another place, a landslide had covered the road, but a bulldozer was already clearing it when we got there. Once again half the passengers got off, but this time we all stayed on. The crossing was tricky, as part of the road had washed on down the hill, but God was merciful and we arrived in Cuzco without any further events.
Once here, we tried immediately to buy tickets back to Andahuaylas, but the road was closed!
Chris was planning to go on to Lima to visit Miguel and Becky on his first unaccompanied bus trip, which was causing a little concern for everybody, but we met up with a family of friends from Andahuaylas who were traveling to Lima, and he was able to go with them. (The road from Cuzco to Lima is much better that the one we traveled on from Andahuaylas)
Mike´s checkup went fine. The doctor was more concerned with his injuries from falling on a mango peel about a week ago than his heart, which was fine. The x-rays showed that nothing was broken, and the orthopedist prescribed light activity and much rest for a month. Mike only wishes he could say he was beaten up by two strong men rather than a mango!
Please pray that my (Tammy's) checkup goes as well (it was postponed to Monday) and that we are able to get back to Andahuaylas safely.

Answer to prayer #1 of 2011

2011-01-09T18:57:00.001-08:00

This year we want to share some of the ways that God is working down here. Every month, almost every week, here we see God at work in wonderful ways. Sometimes, they are big and obvious, while other times, His work is subtle - almost unnoticeable, and sometimes in between. Sometimes they are answers to prayer, and at other times, they are, to us, a complete surprise.
This first one that we want to share is one of the small and subtle ones. I need to go to Cuzco for a cardiac check-up and a stress test. But for several reason, it was going to be difficult right at this time: finances, deadlines, very bad rainy high altitude dirt roads. To us, it seemed like, the time would have to be now - shortly we will be involved in classes, radio programs, promoting the new Bible Institutes. But, there were those obstacles - so what should we do? Well, we prayed for guidance and wisdom and it seemed like God was saying to hold off a couple of weeks - the roads will be better, maybe more money will come in, the travel and hotel costs will go down closer to the end of the end of the month, but still we felt confused and had decided to by the tickets and go, trusting that God would provide for the short-fall. I know that seems presumptuous, but we thought that we were being wise. I was going to go buy the tickets Thursday morning, so that we could leave Thursday night. However, Wednesday night Tammy developed a bad stomach and would not be able to take a 10 hour bus trip, we thought that I might leave Friday morning and make a Saturday appointment, but then Thursday night I developed the same bad stomach. Now some may be saying, well up there in the Andes you all ate something bad, but because of my diabetes I always get sick first, not Tammy and second; Travelers Stomach - as it is politely called - lasts 3-4 days. By Friday afternoon Tammy was fine and by Saturday so was I.
Coincidence? I don't think so, we had prayed for clear guidance and we got it, just in the nick of time. Diarrhea may not seem like an answer to prayer, but it forced us to stay in Andahuaylas. And there is more, there is another missionary couple from the States up here and they have their own car. We found out that they go to Cuzco fairly often, and offered to us along when they went. Sometime soon, I will be able to ride over with them. A lot more comfortable, safer and cheaper. God is always ready to guide us and give us wisdom, if we will just ask Him.

Join our Thursday Prayer Meeting!

2010-11-18T16:28:00.001-08:00

Every Thursday the Believers Bridge missionaries here have been meeting for prayer, and suddenly I had the genius idea to include all of you in it by blog.
Here are the requests from today's meeting.

There was a bus wreck here in the province of Andahuaylas. It was the bus going from here to Inca Huasi. (Where the coffee comes from and where we have had to postpone two conferences) 16 people are confirmed dead but only five have been identified. Rumors are flying that someone from our church was aboard the bus, but so far there is no agreement as to who. Please pray for the families involved.
Bill Rowley, President of Believers Bridge, has put his house up for sale and is setting out on a support-raising trip. Please pray for the family in this time of transition. Also pray for his trip to Peru, probably in January.
The family of Miguel Gomez, our son-in-law, is suffering some difficult times. His little niece and nephew have been sick, especially the baby, Mia, who has a high fever and a cough. His sister Patti, is feeling sad and discouraged. Not only are the babies sick, but her husband, who has several times made a profession of faith, shows no interest in Christianity or church. And her father-in-law is in the hospital with diabetes and tuberculosis.
Miguel's parents are also having problems. His stepfather lost his pay--it evidently fell out of his pocket on his way home--and now he and Miguel's mother are having to work night shift guarding the market to get by until his next pay. He feels really bad about this, especially because Miguel's mother is just recovering from the flu. They are both in their seventies.
Miguel and Becky need prayer for decisions that they have to make about their ministry, and prayer for support.
Cayo Cardenas, another BB missionary, needs prayer for his family. His wife, Maritza, and his two children have been struggling with various illnesses.
Cayo also needs prayer for the translation project that he is working on-- a small Bible Dictionary in Quechua. He will be traveling to Cuzco in December to officiate at a wedding.
Tammy is directing the Andahuaylas church choir at the swearing in of the regional government officials, and asks prayer for herself and the choir.
The mayor of nearby town, (Martin) although an evangelical, fell into many problems and wound up in jail. Now that he has come to his senses, he feels that no one will ever trust him again. Pray for real repentance and the strength to start over.
Pray for the progress of our agreement with the IEP (Iglesia Evangelica Peruana). We are waiting for their response to our response to their proposal. And for patience on our parts.
Pray for the couples that we are counseling. Some of them have serious problems.
Pray for the Music and Worship Conference this weekend in Huayrapata. Miguel, Mike, and Cayo will be teaching.
Pray for the upcoming meeting of the Apurimac Synod of the IEP. They will be making several decisions that affect Bible Institutes.
Pray for the families of Chad Barrett and Alejandro Cabrera. Both men have been influential here and their families are struggling with cancer. Alejandro's wife Christy is no longer seeking treatment and they are just looking for the Lord's will as to what happens. Chad's 9 yo daughter Kristina has cancer and the doctors are currently stepping up treatment. Both families need our support in prayer.
Please pray for our son Colin, who is trying to find a place to stay and a job before Christmas. He needs wisdom in making decisions, as well.

Thanks for joining us in prayer for these requests.

Couples

2010-11-09T07:26:00.000-08:00

One of the needs here is a ministry here to couples. (So anyone who is looking for a ministry to couples...here's a call....)
This past weekend shows the urgency of the need.
On Friday night Sister Tila from the church came to visit us. She is a lovely older lady who has a ministry of visiting the sick and praying for them. She is illiterate and takes a box of Bible promises to share. The person draws a promise from the box and reads it aloud. This is how she shares Scripture with them. She came to visit us to ask us to set up a time of counseling with a troubled couple.
She also shared some of her testimony. She and her husband had a bad, but typical marriage for this culture. They were in a remote village working their fields and tending their cattle, and she decided that she could not stand the physical abuse any longer. (Domestic violence is so common in the mountains that in Lima if you hit a coke machine or something out of frustration it is called "mountain love.") While she was looking for an opportunity to run away with their daughter, an evangelical christian came to the village. One day she was with her husband and they saw the evangelical christian family together. They were seated on a bench. The woman was asleep, holding the baby and leaning on her husband. It was a sweet family picture.
Tila said to her husband, "Look at this, everyone in this family trusts each other. The woman is leaning on her husband because she trusts him to care for her. I wish you were like this evangelical. Instead you beat me so much that I am ready to leave you! Why can´t we be like this family?"
Sometime later she had her opportunity. She put on all the clothes that she could, took the daughter, and started to make her escape. She came down a narrow path and there was her husband. There was no way around him without falling off the mountain.
"Where are you going?" he shouted, while still at a distance.
"I am leaving you. I am going to work like a man and care for my daughter. I don't want to be beaten anymore. "
"Don't leave me!" He took up two sticks from the ground and made a cross. "I swear to you by this cross that I will be an evangelical from now on!" So she accepted his promise and they looked for an evangelical church to find out how.
The next day we already had an appointment to do premarital counseling with a couple. (At the moment we are the only ones doing this. (We will be conducting a workshop for pastors sometime on this subject.) In the morning the girl called to ask if we could make time for a troubled couple right after their appointment.
It turned out to be the same couple that Sister Tila was asking about. They are not believers, and although they have been married three years, they work in different towns and are only together on the weekends. (A common situation for teachers here, as the department of education assigns them to whatever district out in the country and they consider themselves fortunate just to have a job.) It is a situation that begs for trouble and the woman was desperate for help. She is sure that her spouse is unfaithful .
We are doing all we can, but we have only a little time that we can dedicate to this ministry. Please join us in praying that God will raise up couples for this much-needed ministry, Americans and/or Peruvians.

Fabuluous news!

2010-10-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

God works in His own way and His own time, but He will surely perform His wonders. In February of 2005, I met with the leaders of the Evangelical Church in Peru(IEP). This is the largest evangelical and 2nd oldest (Methodists beat them by 2 years!)founded in 1893, evangelical Church in the country. For many years the terrorists, cults, extreme poverty and difficulty in travel have been attacking the church and it is now down to a membership of around 300,000. (Which still ain't chicken feed!)
They knew that they had many problems, not the least of which was training pastors for the countryside. Only 1 out of 16 churches have a real pastor. Many country churches have shrunken, closed or even become cults.
We at Believers Bridge have been working with them since our inception to try to help train pastors and leaders for the thousands of churches in the countryside. However, there had been one serious road block. Years ago, a mission from another country working with the IEP, decided that they wanted to change all of the churches that they were working with to their denomination. This caused a serious breach in the IEP and a distrust of foreign missions.
So, the IEP decided that they would only work with missions with whom they could and would sign a convenio (pact of operations). As you might guess this has not proven easy for either foreign missions or for the IEP. BUT, after 4-1/2 years of work with them, they decided last week to sign a convenio with Believers Bridge. We will be working, initially, in our same area of the Andes. Now we will be giving accredited degrees, and producing pastors who are capable of going to work in the many pastorless churches in the IEP.
Not only this, but they have allowed us to admit students from ALL evangelical churches.
Brothers, this is an unparalleled example of God's grace. Of course now we need - more than ever - more qualified teachers, and the funding for them and for the materials. But what God has begun, I am sure He will finish. Will you pray with us for His provision in these areas of need,
God Bless,
Mike

Is it already October?

2010-10-08T08:46:00.001-07:00

Time flies by sometimes. Just a quick recap of what has been going on:
At the end of August we moved both house and office to the nearby town of Talavera. It is much less cold there and the rent is more economical for a house with more conveniences. Talavera is a very short taxi ride from Andahuaylas.
Of course that made getting telephone and internet installed all over again.
We also began teaching a Bible Institute in the church in Andahuaylas, and will start up a second in Talavera this month.
At the end of September we made a trip to Chile for visa reasons. MikeÂ´s sciatica fired up badly and we had to stay in the city of Tacna for a week.
We are in Lima right now getting ready to go back to Andahuaylas.

Ocobamba conference illustrates need

2010-08-21T15:36:00.001-07:00

Our last Bible conference, in the beautiful but very cold town of Ocobamba, illustrates the importance of our rural institutes and conferences. The organizing pastor, brother Gabino Gutierrez, was out of communication 10 days before the conference for a week and we almost had to cancel the conference, because we couldn't verify if we had enough attendance. My Peruvian co-worker, Cayo Cardenas had to go to Ocobamba a few days before to personally see if there would be enough people for the conference (this was a Thompson Bible seminar, and they need to have an absolute minimum of 40 students to break even).

When Cayo got there, it took him all morning to find pastor Gabino. He was up on a mountain top, fasting and praying for the resurrection of a child of church members who had died of complications of the extreme cold this year. Pastor Gabino had been fasting, just drinking water, for a week and a half and when Cayo finally found him, Gabino had no voice and was frostbitten. Cayo picked up the ball and got the preregistration done and we had a 2 very successful conferences there with over 60 pastors in attendance. Most of them, like Pastor Gabino, men of great desire and love for God, but with no Biblical or doctrinal training. They have asked us to come back and continue to teach them in a regular Bible Institute. They need it and we would love to, but we need at least 1 more full-time worker to meet our current obligations.

Please pray with us to the Lord of the Harvest for more workers to be sent out Matthew 9:38

On Sat, Aug 21, 2010 at 9:42 AM, Tammy Riggs <triggsorama@gmail.com> wrote:

--
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:13-14

Tammy Riggs
Missionary
Impact International

--
**NEW -Our website now has current prayer and praise information and news**
Mike Riggs
Field Director
Missionary to Peru
Believers Bridge
www.impact-intl.org

--
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:13-14

Tammy Riggs
Missionary

Believers' Bridge

--
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:13-14

Tammy Riggs
Missionary
Believers' Bridge

Thompson Bible Seminar in Ocobamba

2010-08-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Ocobamba! This is the site of the Thompson Bible conference August 11-14. We had a few anxious moments preparing for this, as the organizing pastor, Gabino, went away for a crucial week to pray and fast. (He was praying for the resurrection of a dead child from the community.)

This is where we stayed--pretty luxurious for out in the country.

We decided to start a day early with a conference on Church History. We are starting a day early because many people will arrive late, and if they miss part of the Thompson seminar they will not receive a Bible. They requested the conference on Church History because they know nothing about it and are unable to meet challenges from other groups. By the time we started, there were more than enough on hand and registered for the conference to meet the minimun requirement, and the ones who had come on time for the Church History conference were now eager to learn more.

Andean harpist

2010-07-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

Harpist and harpmaker Leonardo Cahuana and his daughter Edith Ruby Cahuana visited our friend Cayo Vargas and gave a small concer in his living room. (This is only one song!)

...to boldly go...

2010-07-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

At three A.M. this morning, my co-workers Cayo Cardenas and Walter Ccoicca left for Incahuasi, a remote (even for Peru!) area the other side of the cordillera Blanca (the really high snow-capped mountains). Incahuasi is on the way down into the Amazon Basin and among other things makes some of the best coffee in the world - I am enjoying a cup right now :).
The bus trip, in an old, small, rattle-trap bus made on a converted truck chassis, will take them 13 hours or so, depending upon the weather at the pass and mechanical breakdowns. But that is better than last year until this year you had to go a long way by mule! This area is so remote, in fact, that are still vestiges of the Shining Path Terrorists in the area, another reason that a Gringo can't really go there.
They are going to set up a Thompson Bible conference that will be held there next month. This area is full of churches, but has not got any trained pastors and it is so remote that American missionaries don't usually go there. In fact, the churches that are there are the result of Christians moving to the area to grow coffee and are not the result of church planting. So, it is really a new field in many ways. And because of the terrorists and the difficulty of getting there, I will probably never or seldom go there. But the Lord has brought us Peruvian - Andean Quechua - co-workers and that has opened yet more doors for us here. They can go places that I can't!
They will also be meeting with the churches there about starting a regular Bible Institute there. They have been asking for teachers up there for as long as I can remember and now that Cayo and Walter are working with Believers Bridge, we can meet that need. Cayo and Walter, both seminary graduates with years of pastoral experience are expanding our ministry here to many such areas - places like Ocros, Puquio, Huancarama - that are at very high altitudes or very far from roads or are unsafe for foreigners. Please pray for these men and their families as they pour their lives into the ministry here. Cayo has only got $200 monthly support and that may only be for this year. Walter so far has no support, he is still pastoring a church and can only work part-time and with me paying for his travel. The fields are white, but the laborers are few, pray to the Lord of the harvest that He will provide for the needs of these workers, who are willing to go where no missionaries have gone before.

We'd like you to pray for....

2010-06-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

The Bible Institute in Andahuaylas - this is held up by politics and power struggles. Pray for us to have patience and God to smooth the way.

Trip to Lima - time to pick up that passport that Mike renewed. Plus we have a busy agenda of looking for Bibles for distribution, visiting churches that are interested in the work, and visiting our beautiful granddaughter and her parents.

Sullin - the little daughter of our coworker Pastor Walter Ccoicca. She has been suffering from a fever and the doctors haven't yet found the infection.

Maritza - the wife of our coworker Cayo Cardenas. She is suffering from an ovarian cyst and needs treatment.

Thompson Bible Conferences in Ocabamba and Inca Wasi- pray that these get organized so that enough people show up on time the first day. (We are putting in a mini conference on marriage or some other popular theme the day before to help with this.) These conferences are a great blessing but we will not be able to continue them if the local leaders can't get organized.

Festivities (Photos)

2010-05-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

This week we have been to two festive occasions--one was the freshman reception of our young friend Medali, who has been helping with translation on campaigns. She is studying Gastronomy at the Arts Institute.

This is Betsy, also studying Gastronomy. She was at the reception with her mother, Victoria. Victoria and Betsy were prayer requests last December when their motorcycle flipped crushing Victoria's legs. Victoria is now walking with a cane. She is a very strong lady and says it only hurts a little.

The other festivity was the wedding of Pastor Wilfredo from our church (a graduate of the Mobile Bible Institute that was here in Andahuaylas). Here he is with his new wife Fany. Willy was also a prayer request--he was one of the missing church planters. Fany is from one of the areas where he was planting churches.

Here is the happy couple along with all the missionaries, Peruvian or foreign, that attended the wedding. (and a little boy who was in every picture :)

Bibles, salvation, and marriage

2010-05-24T16:47:00.001-07:00

People here in Apurimac had plenty of opportunities for conferences here during the last few weeks. We brought the Thompson Bible conference here to Andahuaylas and got Bibles in the hands of 63 leaders here in the local city area.

Also during the same week we were visited by Pastors Chad Barrett and Bard Letsinger. Chad, who presents seminars on evangelism, wound up leading 200+ people to the Lord, training over 400 en presenting the gospel. They came to learn how to present the gospel, and found out that they didn't know what it was! This isn't surprising, due to the confusion and lack of education in the churches here.
Bard presented seminars on marriage and dating--something we are asked to do about once a week and just haven't been able to, so God sent us help! Many lives were impacted, and one result was that a young couple in Nueva Esperanza have decided to tie the knot after living together for three years. Both are new Christians.

It was a great few weeks, and we really enjoyed seeing others get to enjoy the ministry here!

A great illustration from our "conferencistas"

2010-05-23T17:22:00.001-07:00

We spent the last week hosting conferences by two visiting pastors from Texas, Bard Letsinger and Chad Barrett. Since I was translating for Bard, I have told this illustration once or twice a day all week, and I still think that it is great!
Bard starts out the conference showing the people a little stuffed lion named Leo that his 6yo daughter sent with him to keep him company. He and his daughter play a game with this lion--she hides him and says she can't go to bed unless the Leo is found. Then Bard finds the lion and puts him on his head and says "I don't know where he is. You'll just have to go to bed without him." Then she sees him and they laugh and she gets tucked into bed with Leo, because he is a cute cuddly little stuffed animal.
But what is a real lion like? It's a ferocious beast with sharp teeth and claws. It would rip you to pieces. You would never tuck it into bed with your 6yo daughter.
1 Peter 5:8 says that the devil is like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. But when Satan tempts us to sin, he doesn't present himself as a ferocious beast. Instead he presents himself and the temptation as harmless and enjoyable--something to embrace that will make you feel better. But the reality is that sin is the lion that will devour you spiritually, and ruin your life.
The verse starts out with the answer--be sober and alert. Be on the lookout for the real lion disguised as a cuddly toy. Don't be fooled! Verse 9 says resist and stand firm in the faith. Trust God's word to show you what's right and wrong.

Cultural Conflict

2010-05-06T14:43:00.001-07:00

"One final question. Will Brother C. give half of his support to Pastor B. because he doesn't have any support?" This question was fired off angrily by the treasurer of the group.
"I couldn't begin to say. I can't speak for him, " Mike answered.
"Yes you can. You are his chief and you can force him to do so. It's only right."

At moments like this you suddenly realize that there is wide chasm in understanding. Two groups have completely different sets of ground rules, and communication as you know it is not going to happen.

The scene was a surprise meeting called between the board of Kausay and us to discuss 7 questions. Most of them had to do with Mike's assistant.

After Mike's heart attack, Believer's Bridge (the new name of our mission board, in case you missed that.) picked up a national missionary to be his assistant. When they had been in Peru the year before, they had met Cayo Cardenas and had been asked by Kausay to consider supporting him. They had prayerfully considered this and decided to put him on as a missionary of Believers Bridge. He has been a great help in getting things coordinated for Thompson Bible Conferences and translating materials into Quechua for the Institutes in the country. He is a hard worker, has a seminary degree, is a good teacher, and speaks Quechua.

What could be the problem?

The problem is that Kausay is a mixture of cultures, American, Spanish Peruvian, German, and Quechua Peruvian. And in the eyes of the Quechua Peruvians it was all wrong. It was wrong to pick one person out of the group--the whole group should have been supported. Since the time of the Inca Empire (and maybe before) their rule has been "share and share alike." Today that concept rules only in the native communities, the group that we are working with in the countryside here. In that society the individual has very little rights or importance--what is important is the community.

To make things more difficult, they didn't say this when the missionary was announced as hired. Instead they suggested a higher salary than they believed he should have, figuring that they would compel him to give up the rest, as is customary in the communities. They do not view this as dishonest.

As God would have it, Believers Bridge has not raised that much support for him, so he is receiving a few hundred dollars a month at the present. Still, this contingent thinks that he should give up half his salary. And if the situation were reversed, they would think that the other man should give up half of his.

Even though the "share and share alike" group is the minority, they are very vocal. This problem isn't going away. And clearly this is an attack of Satan just when everything is getting ready to really happen. We ourselves have been thrown into the "different and bad" phase of culture shock at the moment--and right when we don't need this distraction!

Please pray for a peaceful solution, or at least just peace, forgiveness, and a workaround for the problem. We know God has all power to stomp out the fires of cultural conflict. Pray for everyone to focus on the real work of ministry.

Anniversay, and a COLD baptism

2010-04-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

Things have been so busy here that it is hard to know where to start.
I just spoke the last 3 nights at the 59th anniversary of the Central Church in Andahuaylas. Here church anniversaries are big deals and last night we had to borrow pews. It was exciting and a blessing - I was given the topics of Baptism, Devotional time and The Lord's Supper.
So it was exciting that Saturday saw us out at a river just a couple of miles from a glacier (Talk about cold water! Winter is on it's way here 2 miles up as well) 11 were baptized, it was so much fun to be out in the beautiful countryside, the smell of Eucalyptus and Camphor everywhere, eating boiled potatoes and chicken, singing hymns (in 4 languages) to a big old harp, seeing the people in the colorful dress. There must have been 300 or 400 folks there. Our camera batteries died, phooey! so we only have a couple of pictures.
Then Saturday night, we had communion. Here we have a big problem. Some teachers came through several years ago and they didn't know the Quechua. So, they taught on communion VERY strongly on not eating and drinking unworthily. The result is that in the average church around here only about 10% take communion.
But the Spirit moved last night and even with members from various churches there (another Andahuaylas tradition) and even with the Elder's deciding to fill up ALL the communion cups (we use several small loaves of bread) - the was only 1 cup not taken.
And no one took it casually! There were tears, people praying on their knees and going to others asking pardon - definitely not normal Quechua behavior.
I will be posting a couple of times in the next week as we prepare for 22 conferences in the next 6 weeks and as the Bible Institute fully cranks up.
God bless,
Mike

Books for pastors

2010-03-02T12:01:00.001-08:00

Mike blogging...yesterday I met with the leadership of the largest Christian bookstore/distributor (libreria Inca) in Peru. We had a great meeting and they are going to work with us to provide a small (7 volume) library for all of our Thompson seminar graduates and for our Bible Institute students at a nominal cost!

We're grandparents!

2010-02-17T19:06:00.001-08:00

And Miguel and Becky are parents. Little Abigail Grace made her appearance at about 12:30 this afternoon. Miguel was so excited that he ran into the waiting room just shouting "Ya!" (Already.)
Abby weighed in at 7 lb. 14 oz. and measured 20 1/4" according to our metric conversion. She has a lot of dark wavy hair.
We'll post some pix tomorrow.

Mike is out, and Becky is going in

2010-02-16T12:38:00.001-08:00

MIKE
got out of the hospital Saturday. (Just a recap--he had four stents put in and the doctor says his heart should be good for another 20 years). The final final bill was $30,000. His leg is still very sore and weak from where they put the heart catheter in (the tube was in place for four days.) Other than that he is fine and just goes back for a check Thursday.

BECKY
went Saturday to her doctor and her tests showed that she had preeclampsia. The doctor said with that and the other two problems they would have to go ahead and do a C-section. Becky was a little disappointed, since they were praying for guidance on what to decide, they figured that was the answer. She is checking into the clinic tonight. Little Abigail Grace should enter the world tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks for your prayers!
Tammy

Mike heart update

2010-02-10T19:02:00.001-08:00

Mike had the heart catheterization today, and they put in 4 stents. The price will be a bit over $20,000, which we have 6 months to pay.
In the US they usually do the angiogram (other $5000) at the same time, but they can't really do that here, since they are usually expecting cash. This has confused everyone, including us, as we didn't understand how much more the angioplasty (unblocking the blocked arteries and placing the stents) would cost and thought at first that it would all be covered by around $5000.
The clinic is excellent and up to standards anywhere. Although the price seems really high to us, looking at this webpage http://ping.fm/g5nnl I realize that it is just an expensive operation.
Mike already looks more lively, even though he is in intensive care for two days.
Please keep praying for his recovery and God's provision!
Love,
Tammy

Prayer and praise update 2/7

2010-02-07T15:37:00.001-08:00

Praise for.....
A good and uneventful trip to Lima.
God providing affordable lodgings in Lima even after difficulties developed with our first arrangement.
Mike got good results on his stress echocardiogram here, even though the test showed heart damage.
Mike following Doctor's orders even though he wants to "doooo something!"
Communications with the clinic getting straightened out.

Prayer requests:
Mike still lacks about $3700 for his procedure--please pray for God's provision for this and the added expenses of staying here.

Becky (our daughter here in Lima) is going to have an ultrasound to see if it is necessary for her to have a C-section, as was her earlier diagnosis.

Please pray for the work that is being done in Andahuaylas to get Bible Institute students and classes going in April.

Pray for an end to internet difficulties, I have written several posts over the past weeks that just disappeared!

Mike out of hospital, still in Cuzco

2010-01-18T13:53:00.001-08:00

Mike is out of the hospital and still in Cuzco. He has to take a stress test in 3 days to see if he is able to travel to Lima.
When we went to pay his bill we got a great surprise! The doctors had requested a further discount on the bill, bringing it DOWN to around $2000. Isn't God wonderful?
We are still waiting to see about the angioplasty price. The doctors are looking for a lower cost for us.
Thanks again for your prayers!

Prayer need update Sunday, 1/17

2010-01-17T15:40:00.001-08:00

Mike continues to improve and is off IV. This means that the next big hurdle is actually money. He should be discharged tomorrow and I will need to be there with $3000 cash in hand. This really needs prayer!

The next question is the treatment in Lima. They are sending him for angioplasty and the price they have quoted (not officially yet) is $10,000. This is another big prayer request. Also if anyone knows about this please contact me, as there is no cardiologist here to give a second opinion.

An up to date financial needs page is on our website and I will be updating it daily. http://ping.fm/9lRTT

Serving our great God,
Tammy

Oops! and update

2010-01-16T15:46:00.001-08:00

First, there was a typo yesterday--Mike's cardiac enzyme level was 200, not 400!
Mike continues to improve. His glucose is high, so they are upping one of the meds he usually takes, not going to insulin.
Another answer to prayer--the hospital is billing us as though we were insured there and the total bill there will be around $3000 if Mike gets out Monday as planned.
Please pray for God's continued provision, as the next step is to go to Lima and a clinic there.
Many thanks for all your prayers!

Mike in hospital (detailed version)

2010-01-15T19:37:00.001-08:00

This is not new news for a lot of you, but Mike is in the hospital in Cuzco after having several light heart attacks while vacationing there.
There was some difficulty getting it diagnosed, as his EKG was normal and he did not present all the symptoms of a heart attack. He in fact went to one clinic on Tuesday that sent him home with cough medicine.
However, about 7 pm he developed intense pain and a phone consultation on Wednesday (after several fruitless attempts to find a cardiologist--this is vacation time of year) with a missionary doctor at Curahuasi led us to a cardiologist who put him in the hospital for tests on Wednesday. The cardiac enzymes were in total 400 (normal is 35 to 150) indicating a heart attack--evidently several, starting probably Monday.
However, thanks to all your prayers and the good care he is getting he is improving rapidly and enzymes are now down to 40. He will be taken off medication tomorrow and will continue in the hospital a few more days. After this he will have to go to Lima for further treatment.
Please be in prayer for his continued recovery and for financial provision. We will have to pay our part of the bill when he comes out of the hospital, and we aren't covered at this hospital. Also the doctor has already told us that the procedure in Lima is a little expensive.
If you feel led to give a gift, please mark it Medical Help and send it to Believers´ Bridge, 4871 Hwy 29, Chelsea, AL 35043.
Thanks again for all of your prayers!
Tammy

Beaumont Bible Visit

2010-01-07T06:21:00.001-08:00

Twenty members of Beaumont Bible Church should all be home after a very busy week here in Peru. They came with the intention of forming a sister church relationship with the Iglesia Evangelica Peruana "Maranatha" of Andahuaylas,helping construct the Bible Institute facility, leading a VBS, and conducting a medical campaign.

The Bible Institute facility has run into various snags--too many rocks on the land to be ready to build, too many holes in the roof of the old institute we could borrow--in short, we know we are going to start classes in a borrowed facility, but not WHICH facility. So they wound up painting the office that Kausay will be using soon. Still the Beaumonters managed to impress with their professionalism and love--because they filled the holes in the wall!

On the church front, all went well after a slightly rocky start. The second day of VBS no one showed up from the Andahuaylas church to help. This was the first mission trip that had ever come to the Andahuaylas church and the first VBS held there, so they just never buckled down and organized. However, this was just the wake-up call the Andahuaylas church needed, and the result was a real blessing for the Andahuaylas church and the Beaumont church. The week finished off with an appreciation dinner for the Beaumont team with a lot of tears and affection on both sides.

I have to admit I am a little dissatisfied with one result of this sister church relationship--on New Years Eve the Andahuaylas church, with a great deal of ceremony, posted a sign at the front of the church that says U.T., in honor of the visitors and the "grand fiesta of sports" (National Championship) soon to take place in the US. I wanted to take the microphone and say just two words: "Rooooll Tide!"

On the medical front, all went really well. After the struggle to get the doctors authorized to practice, there wasn't time for the health department to publicize the campaign. This was fine, because we had announced it earlier to the pastors from the country, and they had gone back to their villages and announced it. The result was that we had mostly patients from out in the country (some of whom had never been to the doctor before) and not people from the city who just want to consult an American doctor and get some free medicine. And we had no lack of patients! Four people also received long-needed hernia surgeries, and the surgeon established a good relationship with the hospital.

It was a great time, and a good start on a lot of things.

Christmas in Peru

2009-12-24T13:03:00.001-08:00

A friend, Victoria, was badly injured in an accident a couple of weeks ago. Tammy wrote about it. Tammy heard that she was still here in the regional hospital, so we decided to visit her. Tammy bought a little pre-decorated Christmas tree to take to her.
When we got to the hospital we found out that she had been transported to Lima due to the severity of her injuries. We asked the nurse if there was someone in the hospital who could use a little tree, because it is sad to spend Christmas in the hospital. She took us to a small ward (6 beds) with three elderly ladies. The ward is dismal and dim, with ugly green walls and no decoration.
The one in the middle is dying of kidney failure, one has pneumonia and one has a leprous skin disease. The nurse wanted to have us give the tree to the lady dying of kidney failure, but it was too late, she is no longer mentally there. But the one with pneumonia almost jumped out of bed to get the tree. Her eyes lit up!
So we gave it to her, but said it was for the whole ward. Then we prayed. The nurse had to translate because the ladies only understand Quechua. But, they knew what was up. They teared up and the leprous one wanted me to be sure and see her arms.
What a blessed way to spend Christmas Eve!

Even paperwork can be an adventure in Peru

2009-12-21T17:39:00.001-08:00

We are still working on getting authorization for the medical team from Beaumont Bible Church. It's interesting how in Peru this is an interesting and even adventurous thing.

This morning I went out with Dr. Alejandro Landas, the dentist who is helping me with this (he is head of the health department post by Munay Wasi and works with the NEW Munay association.)
I went to meet him at his office at 11 sharp, per his request, and had to wait for twenty minutes while he finished with a patient. When the drilling sound stopped, three VERY small nuns in large brown habits came out of his office. It seemed so much like a comedy sketch that I had to struggle a little to maintain a straight face as I set out with him to the Health Department, a complex maze of buildings, to pick up the document that certifies our doctors to work in the country.

When we got there we were informed that the document was still on its way (it's been coming for two days) and would arrive tomorrow.

Then we went to the Regional Hospital, a complex maze of blue buildings, to look for the Health Department Director for Apurimac, figuring that the mere existence of the document would be enough to allow us to plan the medical campaign. He wasn't there, but we did see dead bodies from a wreck over the weekend being loaded on a truck. I thought I was imagining the smell until I saw a group of nurses with their noses covered.

Now off to the Health Department again, but uphill this time, to look for the Director. He wasn't there, either, So Alec called him on his cell phone and found out he was at the coliseum. So off to the coliseum!

Arriving, we found nothing happening. Turns out that the balance had run out on Alec's prepaid phone, and he didn't hear WHICH coliseum. So off to the other coliseum!

This coliseum was a scene of pandemonium. It was the site of the municipal chocolatada, where the children were being given free chocolate and toys by the city. Mobs of children in their school uniforms were pounding on the closed doors, and mothers were grabbing the presents and trying to send their kids through again. Policemen were on hand to prevent this happening. We made our way through the crowd, the policemen letting Dr. Alec, a known health officer, through.
Inside we found the director, presumably on hand to watch out for injuries and have his picture taken for the paper. Also the Hospital Director. After a few minutes waiting, and watching the children come through for their presents, we met with them both. The Health Dept. thought we needed another document as well, the Hospital didn't think so, but the Health Dept had the final say. So tomorrow when we get the first document from the Colegio de Medicos we will use it to apply for a document from the Ministry of Health.

A guard let us out the back way, avoiding the crowd, and off back uphill to the dentist's office.

One item done on today's list. Next to the bank, where the ATM gobbled my card . . .

Uripa - part 2 and 2 Prayer Requests

2009-12-11T05:11:00.001-08:00

Our conference in Uripa took a surprising turn Saturday. The first session of the morning was about how giving is more than just tithing to the church. We discussed giving your time to help others and even loaning tools! Then we took a break.

The break was cut short by a phone call that a church leader who had been on his way to the conference had been in an accident. Another call revealed that the man's wife was badly injured and on her way to the Health Department in Uripa.

A group of about 10 set out for the health department. Along the way we tried to figure out what had happened. Had they been coming by bus? By taxi? Was the whole family injured?

On arrival at the Health Department we found the 4 year old daughter of the family sitting calmly outside eating a yogurt. She told us that the whole family had been coming by motorcycle.

At first, everyone thought that all four were on one motorcycle, but it turned out that the little girl was on one with her father, and the teenage daughter had been driving the other with her mother as passenger. They came to a steep, pebbly downhill turn and the girl braked quickly because of a child who seemed ready to run into the road. The motorcycle flipped.

The mother's leg seemed to be crushed and she was in great pain. The daughter had cuts and bruises and could only cry. To make matters worse, the Health Department didn't even have x-ray or a driver for their ambulance. She needed to be taken to the hospital in Andahuaylas. An ambulance came from nearby Chincheros, but refused to take her because someone else might need the ambulance in the meantime. (You have to love this reasoning!) In the end the Health Department loaned a mattress so she could be sent in a taxi for the 2 hour trip.

The brothers from the church really put the conference teaching into action, staying and helping, giving the family money, and bringing chicken soup from the church (that was the luncheon that day). One of them drove the taxi.
And that comprised the morning and afternoon session of the conference.

The rest of the confernce went normally and we returned to Andahuaylas with gifts of a chicken, 2 bags of corn, a bag of mangos, and of course the avocadoes from the mayor!

Please pray for Victoria (the injured woman) and her family. Her kneecap was crushed and will need to be reconstructed. Right now the danger is infection and she has had several surgeries to drain the site.

Please also be in prayer for a friend of Chris. Twelve year old Alejandro was in a motorcycle accident the same weekend and yesterday needed emergency surgery on his foot. It seems that although the mother thought it was only sprained, infection had set in so badly that he was in danger of losing the foot. This family are not believers, and I had the chance to pray with the mother yesterday at the hospital. Please pray that the boy recovers well (and with two feet!) and that they come to Christ.

Thanks for your prayers!
Tammy

Uripa and Chincheros

2009-12-04T14:58:00.001-08:00

We spoke at the church last night on "Why Give?" and were very well received.
This morning we went sightseeing with Pastor Walter Ccoicca and his family and a brother named Carlos from the church. We went to nearby Chincheros, which has a warm, sunny climate. While we were there we were introduced to the alcalde of the province of Chincheros. We spoke to him about the possibility of medical mission trips. He was very interested and gave us all pins with the crest of the province and an envelope full of avocados. (Chris is demonstrating both in the picture.) Contacts like this are really important in a country where everything runs on word of mouth and "who do you know."
Tonight and tomorrow we will be continuing with the conference. Then Sunday afternoon back to Andahuaylas (and Mike will be on his way to Lima.)

Weekend Conference

2009-11-29T09:39:00.000-08:00

We had a great time at a Youth Conference yesterday. It was hosted by another local mission association like Kausay--this one aimed at training youth for Christian service.

There were about 40 kids in attendance (including Chris). They all had to read some material before the conference, take a test at the conference, and participate in the conference seminars. The plan is to have a conference every 3 months and then at the end of two years the kids can go on a trip to Cuzco if they have met all the requirements.

The goal of the association is to raise up the next generation of workers in ministry. It's the same goal that we have--only we are working with the kids when they graduate from high school. (and the current pastors as well.)

It was great to see all these young people attentive and learning. They also asked great questions in Q & A time that showed they had actually been sharing their faith and running into objections that they were now looking to answer.

The strangeness highlight was when the kitchen ran out of spoons for the supper soup, and two girls generously stuck their soup spoons that they had been using in our bowls! We thanked them and ate the soup. However, we washed the spoons before we passed them along to anyone else!

Prayer and Praise, November 27

2009-11-27T04:03:00.001-08:00

Here are some prayers and praises that we would like to share:

Please pray for a peaceful, fair resolution to troubles between the cities of Abancay and Andahuaylas. One that doesn't give in to violence and craziness. Abancay didn't like the proposed regional budget from the national government that granted money for a hospital project that Andahuaylas had proposed. They preferred that this money, even though from a separate fund, be divided up between all the provinces of Apurimac. (No, it doesn't make sense!) So they went on a strike, paralyzing their city and electing the regional vice president as president. Several attempts at negotiation have fallen through, even though violence has stopped.

On a related note, praise God that Chris and Tammy got safely out of Abancay even though they arrived on the first day of the strike. And that two weeks later we got our suitcases shipped out of there and nothing was missing.

Please pray for the many couples who have been requesting discipleship since our return. Pray that we can find a way to encourage them, and a way to meet this need.

Pray for the group that is coming from Beaumont Bible Church at the end of the year. Pray for them individually and for the preparations on this side.

Pray that we would be faithful stewards of our time. There are many opportunities!

Pray for our daughter Becky and her husband Miguel. Becky is doing fine. Pray for their fundraising and support situation as well as health for her and the baby during the busy end of year time. (Remember, the school year ends at Christmas!)

Pray for the needs of the Bible Institute, on track to open this year.

Praise God for putting together teachers and curriculum for the Bible Institute.

Pray that our son Colin in Birmingham finds a stable job and more permanent living situation.

Praise God for friends and supporters who are helping him out. The family of God is wonderful!

Praise God for giving us all you wonderful friends and prayer supporters. We certainly are thanking Him for you!

Winding down the trip

2009-10-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe,but we only have 7 more days in the US. So we are winding things down, buying gifts, giving away stuff we needed here, cleaning up the car, checking baggage policies, etc.
We've had a great time here and picked up several pledges of support. It was well worth the trip and it was great to see friends and family--though of course we didn't get to see all the people and churches we would have liked to see!
But now we are eager to get home!
Please pray for:
Safe travel--we are driving from Indinana to Pennsylvania, then flying to Tampa, driving (riding with Tammy's folks) to Ft. Lauderdale, and flying to Lima. After a week there we will be flying up to Andahuaylas.
Colin --still looking for a job in Birmingham and a more permanent place to stay.
Packing--that we are able to fit in all we need to and have wisdom to discard all we don't.
Goodbyes--always hard, and there are so many of them!

Blessings,
Tammy

Where we've been

2009-10-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Louisiana times and short term trips

2009-09-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

We're in Louisiana now at Camp Pearl. The weather has mostly been hot and muggy or rainy with a lot of mosquitoes. However, the last few days have begun to feel like fall.

The churches here are planning a mission trip to Andahuaylas at the end of 2010. That will be exciting. There are lots of opportunities to help with teaching, construction, or medical campaigns.

Beaumont Bible Church ( from Beamont TX) is planning a trip for the end of this year. This will be our first time to host a team up there, so we will be making all the arrangements when we return the first of November. Everyone there in Andahuaylas has been praying for them to come down and we already have a lot of backup for the medical team that is coming.

It is a struggle not to get fat out here because there is just too much good food! We will try to post some pictures later this week. (of the churches--not of food or how fat we are :)

On to Texas

2009-09-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Early Friday morning we said goodbye to son Colin, who is staying behind in Birmingham and starting his first job.

We also swung by the animal clinic to say goodbye to daughter Mandy, who was still at work, and were off to Texas!

Saturday we caught some football on TV for the second time in 5 years!

Sunday we visited Faith Bible Church in LaMarque, Texas.

Chad Barrett, shown here as "El Gringo" is pastor.

Latest Prayer Card

2009-09-10T18:59:00.001-07:00

Travels...

2009-09-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

Just a fly by...
We left Lima for the US on August 12, on a day complicated by a nerve-wracking run in with a corrupt immigration official in Lima and the birthday of Miguel's mother, Maria Navarro.
Arrival on the 13th (cheap tickets) was also a little complicated by the lack of rental cars in the airport in Fort Lauderdale, but friends at Missionary Resource Network in Fort Lauderdale graciously loaned us a van and we were on our way by afternoon.
We enjoyed a few days with my family in Tampa and then were on our way on Sunday to speak Sunday night in our son Tim's church in Samson, Alabama. Mike left early Monday to return the van and pickup the car that CMTS ministries in Pennsylvania had for us.

Tim Brittney WEdding

Saturday, the 22nd was the day of Tim's wedding to Miss Brittney Simpson, a fine young lady who hails from Florala. They honeymooned in Gatlinburg and will be living in Opp, where Brittney is a nurse at the hospital and Tim works in a grocery store and in the Latino ministry in his church in Samson. That Sunday we visited and Mike spoke at Paxton 1st Assembly of God, where Brittney's grandfather is the pastor. They are contributing Bibles for youth work in Andahuaylas.

Sunday the 30th we were at Salem Presbyterian close to Lake Logan Martin, where Dr. Bill Maynor is pastor. We have enjoyed visiting with our daughter Mandy in Birmingham, and also enjoyed the Mary and Martha Society luncheon with old friends from Brook Highland Community Church on Friday the 4th.
Mike enjoyed catching the football games on Saturday and Sunday found us at Chelsea Bible Church in the morning and Rock Mountain Lakes Baptist that night.
And... this Friday we head out to Louisiana and Texas.

Prayer / Praise Report & God's Provision

2009-08-11T07:25:00.000-07:00

This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

(Psa 34:6)

Praises! God has been providing awesomely, in both big and small things.

We needed someone to watch our apartment in Andahuaylas. Our friends and co-workers, the Vargas family, received the bad news that their landlady was raising their rent, and needed somewhere to stay while they finish the house they have been building. They couldn't stay in the apartment they are now without renewing the lease. So they are staying in our apartment, caring for the dog, etc. Problem(s) solved!

Colin needed to pay a fine to leave the country--due to a governmental error he lost his resident status and technically has been in the country illegally. Peru doesn't care about this, but won't let you leave without paying. There is no problem with coming back! They just want their money. Two days ago we had no idea where this would come from, but a VBS class of kindergarteners gave enough to cover it! God is amazing!

Both Colin and Chris had to renew their passports, and they came through with no delays or errors!

We had been having trouble locating a car, but God has provided a car from a ministry in Pennsylvania that provides loaner cars to missionaries. Truly an answer to prayers.

Pray for these things still needing to be worked out:

We have to go to Migraciones tomorrow to get the seals transferred from their old to new passports, and pay for Colin to leave the country. Also there is some problem (hopefully minor) with the resident cards we renewed in March. Pray that all this can be accomplished with no problems, as we leave tomorrow night.

We need to get to Pennsylvania to collect the car, and coordinate that with our other scheduled events. And all the usual details of airport pickup, etc.

Thanks for praying!

Tammy

Road to Umaca

2009-08-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

Pray for Peru

2009-07-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today is Peruvian Independence Day and I thought I would post some prayer requests for the country of Peru.

Please pray:
That the government remains stable and is responsive to the needs of the poor and the provinces.

That the new law of Religious Toleration accomplishes its purpose of allowing all denominations to be chaplains and provide religious instructions in schools, etc. and is not twisted into causing more regulations and state control.

That the people of Peru develop a respect and love for their own culture, especially the indigenous peoples, and realize that they have potential and capacity to learn equal to North Americans and Europeans.

That many turn to Christ as the only answer, both for the country's problems and their personal problems.

For the pastors of the many small and struggling churches, and for revival in these churches.

And... just maybe, for a GOOD national soccer team.

Yours in Christ,
Tammy

Back from Youth Conference

2009-07-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

We made it! Mike is no worse for the trip--he is on some hefty antibiotics and the Dr. said the climate in Umaca would make him better. And it would have been if it hadn't rained yesterday, probably.
Umaca is an hour away over the winding mountain roads. The trip there is full of breathtakingly beautiful mountain scenery, green checkerboard fields, snow-capped peaks, winding river vallies, the usual stuff. We went in a truck with several people and all the mattresses for the conference and took the dog along so he could enjoy some greenery and space (he lives on the roof here in Andahuaylas.) The pastor of the IEP church in Umaca drove the truck. We got to ride in the front with him, the boys and the rest rode in the back with the dog and the mattresses.
Umaca is in a sheltered valley, so it has tropical fruits, parrots, flies, hot days, and cold nights.
All of the schedules in the country have been changed because of swine flu, so events that were scheduled for the midwinter break from school have been moved up to go with the changed vacation schedule. This conference was moved up a week, like everything else, and so the location was moved to Umaca because the church there was having its anniversary on this date. Although we anticipated an attendance of 200 , the reality was only about 70 due to the general confusion generated by the flu. We also participated in the church anniversary, with Mike preaching twice with a Quechua translator. We also got to hear the many musical groups that came to sing for the anniversary, and enjoy the food provided for the anniversary. (Mostly soup, but Saturday there was fresh beef!)
We taught the youth an evangelism seminar that wound up with volunteers giving their testimonies. That was a moving experience!
We came back by taxi last night, as the rain was continuing. It was hard to get a taxi because they run up the mountain and back down, and at the end of the day they are usually going to their home (at the top or bottom). The last ones coming down are usually already full of people going back to Andahuaylas. Still, the boys found room in one and Mike and I in another. The pastor said that he would bring Bother with the mattresses.
The conference was fun, but it was great to be back home! Private rooms, private toilets, telephone, and email!

Catch up

2009-07-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

The day after our last post we went on a trip to Lima to renew the boys' passports. Because Chris is a minor both of his parents have to be present with his birth certificate, so we all had to go. This was a good chance to visit Miguel and Becky.

For those who don't already know, Becky is expecting! Our trip came at a good time for them because Miguel was going to the north with a group from Anniston Bible Church, and so we could stay with Becky.

Passport renewal was complicated by a transportation strike that made it impossible to cross town for two days. But we got it done!

Our return to Lima was uneventful and rapid! We arrived at Abancay just in time to board a bus for Andahuaylas with no layover.

Once here we were back at work again on Bible Institute courses and a youth conference. The youth conference date was moved up to this weekend because the annual school vacations have been moved up two weeks because of the swine flu epidemic.

However, Mike has come down with the flu (not swine flu, just normal) and we are praying that we will be able to do the conference. Chris and Colin are sick too! Only Mom is well.

Please pray for the conference, our wisdom in knowing whether to do it, and that everyone gets better!

Blessings,
Tammy

As predictable as.... Peru?

2009-07-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning I got up early to go give a devotional at a women's conference. Before I left I set out the garbage, because the garbage truck had gone by ringing its bell. (It goes by ringing its bell and then comes back and picks up the garbage sometime later.) Actually I set out the garbage, and then picked it up after a dog ripped into it. And actually, Mike took it back in the house later because the truck didn't come back. Just a harbinger!

I arrived at the church and found the door inside to the sanctuary locked and no one around. The church custodian arrived with a bag of oatmeal--and told me that the sisters were not there for the conference, but that there were problems--the enemy, she whispered always attacks at such times. And said that she had been there until 5 am for the prayer vigil. Then she let me into the sanctuary. I decided to pray as I waited for the ladies, but I kept hearing crying and shouting from a back room, so I decided to pray for the "problems." In a few minutes the custodian came back to say that I was needed in that room.

The problems were a mother and a daughter, who, it turns out have a long history of violence that no one in the church was aware of. After the prayer vigil they were sleeping in the room and broke out into a full-fledged brawl with kicks, punches and broken glasses. So instead of giving a devotional I spent the morning counseling along with Pastor Benjamin's wife Noemi. (Benjamin is the secretary of Kausay and was the speaker for the conference.)

Back to the house, and Mike and I decided to go out for a date. We decided to take some dessert home to Colin (Chris was at a weekend camp) wanted to find a bakery that is supposed to be on our street, but in the direction we usually don´t go (away from the main square and toward Munay Wasi). Upshot--we walked and walked in the blazing noonday sun--no bakery! At least I got my 10,000 steps in--and before 2 pm!

Well, back to the house, ready to kick back and relax because we have absolutely no commitments for the rest of the day! Maybe watch a DVD, who knows?

In about 10 minutes the phone rings. It is Cayo Vargas' (pres. of Kausay) wife Elizabeth. Can we be at her parents' house in 15 minutes. Sure, I say. So off walking again! It turns out it is her father's birthday, and they have made chicharron! Their kitchen is in back of the house and they cook with firewood. That is certainly the way to cook pork rinds! We enjoy some with boiled potatoes, then we talk with the family and another guest, a preacher and ex-policeman who is working closing down illegal taverns at the city's request.

Then we enjoy some soup. Then, as it gets dark and cold, (We go through summer and winter every day here.) we go sit around the fire in the dirt-floored kitchen, enjoying a new round of chicharron and potatoes, fresh from the fire, telling jokes and Mike answering questions about people who have visions, how God guides believers, etc.

Eventually it is time to go home. As we walk home in the dark, we find the bakery. It has no sign, so when it is closed, it is effectively not there! We pick up some yummy tajadas (rolls filled with elderberry) for breakfast.

Another, good, busy, unpredictable day.

Blessings,
Tammy

Back to Normal (sigh of relief)

2009-06-26T05:03:00.000-07:00

Things are back to normal here in Andahuaylas--garbage collection, buses, shopping all day, school in session. Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief.

Yesterday the garbage truck took the last of the eight bags of garbage that had accumulated during the 13 days of the strike.

The settlement came Tuesday when the Prime Minister Yehude Simon came to Andahuaylas, along with the Minister of Agriculture. Mike and a group of Kausay members and pastors met to pray during the negotiations, as did other Christians throughout the city.

The last night was tense as a group of criminals that had infiltrated into the ranks of the strikers went around the city breaking car windows and robbing drivers. However, 7 pickups with police sharpshooters came in the morning to maintain order and make sure that the rioters had all left. I never saw them on the streets after their arrival, but they were there just in case.

The government met the campesinos' demands to pave the highway and not privatize the airport or Laguna Pacucha, the large and beautiful lake, as well as provide tractors for the area. The strike is technically suspended until September, when the paving should start. If it doesn't .....

Strike!

2009-06-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

Andahuaylas has been the scene of a 7-day strike now, and the rumors are that the strike will last until next Tuesday. Really strike is not the right word for it, although that is the translation. We would call it a riot or a demonstration.

What has happened is that 10,000 of the poor country farmers, the campesinos, have invaded Andahuaylas and are marching through the streets with sticks, whips, flags, and protest signs. If a business is open, they race at it to beat the owner for not demonstrating solidarity.

Mike was even beaten by one of them--a tiny little old lady who thought when he was unlocking the street door to the apartment he was unlocking a business. Fortunately, she didn't pack much of a punch! He thought someone was tapping him on the shoulder.

The city is paralyzed, with no buses or planes in or out. Several days ago a truce was declared that allows the market to be open from 6 am until 8 am.

So far there has been no major violence or looting. The only victims of the strike that we know of are a baby whose mother miscarried because she could not reach the hospital, and two youths who were nearly killed when they fell from bicycles onto streets covered with glass. (One was saved by the first vascular surgery performed in the hospital here.) Both sides, police and strikers, are trying to avoid bloodshed--but among the strikers are some bad elements who are out to extort money and break glass on the streets, etc.

The goal of the strike has changed several times. It began to show sympathy with the victims of the violence in Bagua, where rioting resulted in deaths both of policemen and tribespeople. Then it changed to an indefinite strike with the goal of forcing the president to resign. Now the Struggle Committee has published a list of demands, including the repeal of several laws and the completion of works projects in the native communities.

Among the strikers are campesinos compelled to participate by threats of violence and fines from local bosses of the communities. Christians are also caught up in this. One pastor friend was corralled into a group by the threat of violence and forced to walk to Andahuaylas, where he escaped when the group's attention was elsewhere.

We are doing okay--eating a lot of beans and tuna! We weren't able to go to church on Sunday because of trucks parked on our street with armed men, but we have been able to go to choir practice and pick up some food during the truce hours. Homeschooling goes on (sorry, Chris!)--the other kids are off school, but can't go out in the streets for most of the day to enjoy it, so some are studying at home to beat boredom.

Please pray for a peaceful end to the situation. For cool heads and wisdom on the part of the strikers and the government. For courage for the Christians caught up in the mob. For our safety. And for a solution to the underlying injustices and misinformation that have caused all this.

God bless!
Tammy

Our First Pastors Conference

2009-05-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

The conference that almost didn't happen, turned out to be a great success. From May 18 - 23 we hosted about 150 Pastors and other church leaders at Munay Wasi for a conference of the International Thompson Bible Institute. It was a great time, each of the pastors got a bonded Leather Thompson Bible, and we introduced the Instituto Bíblico y Teológico de Apurimac (the Biblical and Theological Institute of Apurimac.) This has opened the doors for us to work with many more churches. And it has encouraged them to participate in the construction of THEIR Bible Institute. Many churches are now planning on bringing bricks, sticks and manpower to help get the building up and to provide potatoes, corn and animals to feed the students. God has blessed wonderfully. From this has also come 2 satellite institutes.

But, right now, I want to tell you about something else…I want to tell you about God answering prayers, in a wonderful way, for the conference to even happen.

With our first conference we wanted to do several things: Make a good impression with a quality conference, introduce Kausay to pastors from all over the Department of Apurimac and from all denominations, and provide a useful resource for the pastors. The Thompson Bible Seminar was a perfect match. They have been around for a while providing a great Bible and an introduction to Bible Study Methods and Preaching while they teach how to use all the tools that The Thompson Bible has. There is no Bible that is quite as useful here, it has tons of helps in the back (not just the useful Chain references) - Archeological information, a little Manners and Customs type of material, surveys of the Bible in general and each book with outlines and more. It can become a whole library for the Campesino pastor (who usually has no other books).

We spoke to the Peruvian representative of the seminars, my good friend Paco Laos, several times beginning last year and in February we set the dates for the conference (actually 2 conferences running back to back) in this May. Then we began a vigorous publicity campaign. Most of Apurimac has no mail or phone service, so we printed up brochures and sign-up sheets and sent them with people as they were going around Apurimac - one brother from Incahuasi came to Andahuaylas to sell his coffee crop and we gave him several brochures to pass out in his zone, which you take the bus as far as you can then go by mule and then by foot to reach. He passed the brochures out in his area. In this way, we passed the voice (as we say here) throughout the entire Department. And by May 4th we had about 160 reservations - which are all that would fit in two 3-day seminars of 80.
Then on May 6 the Thompson people wrote me an email saying that we would have to cancel due to too many commitments, not enough Bibles and financial problems in the States. What a blow! We instantly communicated with the Kausay leadership and all of us prayed, then Tammy and I wrote an email explaining our situation here and asked if they could reconsider. We didn’t know how we could reach the dozens and dozens of pastors in the far reaches of Apurimac in less than 2 weeks. And we were so concerned that having to cancel our very first conference would send a very bad message. But, we suddenly felt very calm and I felt that I had to check my e-mail again. This was only 2 hours after we received the bad news. When I opened my e-mail there were two emails from the Thompson folks. They felt that they had no choice but to try to do the conferences here, and they would come – even though they weren’t sure where the Bibles would come from. While I was reading that, I got another e-mail with the wonderful news that they had several Bibles more than they at first thought. In fact, they had 160! In less than 2 hours we had a positive response! So the conference that almost wasn’t, happened and now about 150 pastors have a great Bible and know how to use it. Praise God for His working in and with His people!

Harvests of Grace

2009-04-27T14:41:00.001-07:00

Wow! Sorry that we haven't written for a while, it has been like riding a whirlwind - in a good way! This has been a month of new work and watching ex-students succeed in exciting ways.

In March we had to go to Lima to renew our visas and while there, we got to watch an ex-student of mine (Antonio) leading a conference on forgiveness. He was great, and his church is growing, it was such a thrill to see him serving.
When we got back up here,we found the problems at Munay Wasi still unresolved. We decided to move out and had a dinner of reconciliation with the French side. Now, although the Munay members continue accusing one another, we are free to use the facility for conferences and events no matter who wins, and were able to get out with a good testimony. We started looking for an apartment and found a nice one in one day - it had just come open and we snapped it up, as we were signing, other people were coming to try to rent it, whew!
Then, we were invited to lead a youth conference at the church of another ex-student (Feliciano) about an hour out of town. When we got there, I was amazed and pleased to see all the youth and the growth of the church there in Nueva Esperanza. They now have a Radio Station, have been able to get a laptop and a projector, and there were over 60 youth there. And they were a great group! We taught about Restoration and the youth really soaked it in.
The next week, I taught a 3 day conference on the Holy Spirit for the 57th anniversary of the first Evangelical Church in the province. My old, used projector died, but the church had been given one by another missionary, so God came through at literally the last minute. The conference was exciting, with many visitors and several people accepted the Lord! I have been invited back to teach an apologetics conference on Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses.
That same week, we started a course for several current pastors, who lack Biblical training. We are holding this in our house, but the class is growing and we may have to seek out a bigger site.
A Christian Engineer has volunteered his services to design us a physical plant for the Kawsay Institute and the first plans are awesome, and just today, we had visitors from one of the larger denominations known for not working with others. They are asking to participate in the Institute as long as we respect their doctrinal distinctives, which is fine. They are Evangelical.
Finally, I am looking at a piece of Gold ore, This was brought to me today from another of my ex-students, Eusebio . He picked it up where he is ministering. Three months ago, he left his comfortable position in his established church to another pastor and went into a district that is about 8 hours from here, an isolated and idolatrous area where there are no churches. He wanted to let me know that yesterday he baptized 6 people, that added to the 13 last week is not a bad start. The mayor of the largest town in the district is paying Eusebio to teach the Bible on the radio, because they don't have enough programming. This has led some existing believers to him as well and as of yesterday, he has planted 2 new churches. By the way, he is 63 years young!

Thank you for your prayers and support! I wish that you all could see how the Lord is working here thanks to your partnership with us. As Antonio, Feliciano and Eusebio would say to you , "¡Muchissimas Gracias!"

God bless,
Mike

Munay Wasi craziness continues--prayer update

2009-03-11T10:52:00.001-07:00

Hi! Dear praying friends--just a quick update on how things are going.

THE BIGGEST NEWS
Munay Wasi is once again a question mark. Actually, it was taken over
by the police and placed under a court appointed administrator the
last week of February. The district attorney came in with police in
riot gear, counted all of the inventory of Munay (we had to show what
was ours-- one overly zealous official tried to enter Mike's diplomas
as property of Munay)

Although this was a bit dramatic it has only resulted in
inconvenience--mainly because of the French volunteers that have been
quartered at the facility while the judicial proceedings go on. This
French Association is secular and the volunteers are very hard to work
with--they are always insinuating that we are doing something wrong.
Instead of sharing the kitchen they are always there cooking, eating,
or partying

Things seemed pretty bad for a while--guards watching our every move,
secular volunteers and their "security staff" getting falling down
drunk on the property, French female volunteers being less than
careful about being dressed. Most people think that this is an attempt
to run us off. An elected official even tried to threaten Cayo Vargas
(president of Kawsay) into annulling the official document that loans
Kawsay the property for the next five years by threatening to bring
criminal charges against him. (It doesn't matter that the charges are
false--this kind of extortion is all too common here because: 1. it is
almost never prosecuted here. 2. people are intimidated by the cost of
defending themselves, and 3. if there is judicial corruption they
could wind up in jail having done nothing wrong.)

Through it all Kawsay has stuck with what is legal and true, trying to
be a good testimony in the midst of a corrupt legal system.

Because of these problems the Central Peruvian Church in Andahuaylas
voted to let us live in their vacant pastoral apartment, rent free, if
need be.

However, all of the advice from Christians, Kawsay members and
Christian attorneys is to wait a little longer. The law is actually
on the side of Kawsay.

Now, we have received news that the judge is ready to overturn the
administration that illegally seized control of the facility and
return it to Kawsay. So we are waiting it out.

So we remain half packed--ready to move or stay all depending on the
will of our faithful and loving God. :)

PRAISES
We are making lots of contacts for the Bible Institute.We participated
in a Youth Conference over the weekend that was a real blessing.
God's answered our prayers about potential conflicts with the French
and the very real possibility that the administrator would decide at
the last minute that the conference (scheduled since early February!)
could not happen at Munay. However, God handled all of it--the French
went away for the weekend, and the security staff enjoyed the games
and the praise concert, one even brought his wife and baby!

We have also participated in a conference for leaders of the Peruvian
Evangelical Church. Mike already has courses of study planned for the
pastors that are already in churches - which will begin this
August/September, and the formal Bible Institute (which now has an
official- if maybe temporary - name - Instituto Biblico Theologico
Apurimac - or the Theological Bible Institute of Apurimac) when it
starts full time. (Projected for next year.) We will be receiving
input from the Peruvian Church Central Committee (representing 1,000s
of evangelical churches!), and are well on our way to an agreement
with them [recommending] [allowing] their pastors to receive training
at the Bible Institute. We have also recently been in contact with 2
American missionaries as potential and very interested (at least
part-time) faculty members for the Institute

PRAYER REQUESTS
That we would be patient and sensitive to God's will and leading as to
staying or moving.

That we would be a good testimony - even a blessing - to those who
have taken over the facility.

That Cayo Vargas and the other brothers of Kawsay can be a witness for
truth in midst of all the corruption.

Wisdom for all of us.

That the actions are handled by honest officials, and that God would
demonstrate the truth.

That the Bible Institute plans remain a focus and we don't get
distracted by the events surrounding Munay Wasi.

That God would send medical teams from the US. This kind of outreach
to the very needy community here will provide an opportunity to
witness to our neighbors and help to maintain the good relationship
that we have with the community around Munay Wasi.

--
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:13-14

Tammy Riggs
Missionary
Impact International

Prayers avert riot

2009-02-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

Campesinos with sticks
It's not every day that starts off with an army of men with sticks in your yard, but that's how Thursday started. We had gotten up early, cleaned the house and swept the steps. We were just getting ready for our devotional when I looked out the window and saw about thirty campesinos--the Quechua farmers--some with big sticks and other ones cutting down trees to use as sticks. This is the Andahuaylas equivalent of an angry mob with pitchforks, so Mike went to find out what was going on.

At the foot of our outside stairs he encountered Dr. Julio Gonzales, president of the Munay Association, talking on the phone saying "we don't expect any violence." The men with sticks said that they were there to "keep the police from coming in." And more of them were arriving--until there were about forty.

A bitter disagreement
The reason for all this is a split between the members of the Munay Association. The Munay (Caring ) Association is a secular Peruvian non-profit that was founded by a French doctor to do social work in Peru with funds raised in France. Because of an administrative squabble the Association split and lost its French support--and therefore the ability to do any work beyond provide free lodging for the poor subsistence farmers when they have to travel to Andahuaylas (the Casa Campesina--or Farmer's house). This is the reason that the property was available for use by Kawsay (Life--the association that we are working with. ) on a per-event rental basis (and our apartment here as well).

Early this year the squabble became more serious and bitter. A lawsuit was brought against Dr. Julio to demand that he give the property over to the ex-members of the Association. This lawsuit contains several false allegations against him personally and is supported by a some local political figures who have their own interests in the property. An unscrupulous judge could use the lawsuit to close the operations, perhaps for years, and the property would sit vacant until someone could get enough influence to get it. Or an unscrupulous judge partnered with an equally unscrupulous mayor or other political figure could confiscate it for "city use."

Almost any outcome would result in the property and buildings not being use for the improvement of lives in the Quechua community--their original purpose.

Kawsay receives rights
To avoid this ,the board of directors of Munay decided to turn all rights to use and administration of the property over to Kawsay for five years, taking the property out of play and giving it to Kawsay for five years for Bible Institute, conferences, and medical campaigns. The only stipulations were that the Casa Campesina (Farmer's house) continue to provide free lodging to the poor farmers when they need to travel to Andahuaylas, and to honor the agreements to allow a public kindergarten to use the school building and the dentist who uses the office to provide free dental care to the army.

Legally, there was no problem with the transaction because both are Peruvian non-profits with the aim of aiding the Quechua communities. The reason Dr. Julio thought of doing it is that the medical missions that come from the US always treat everyone without discrimination--Evangelicals, Catholics, country people, city people, men, women, and children.

On Wednesday Feb. 18, the official papers came out and the property was transferred for five years to Kawsay.

Hostilities intensify
On Wednesday, an obviously nervous Dr. Julio met with the members of Kawsay to give them the papers. He had heard that the ex-associates were asking for a police action to remove the Munay association people from the property--and that might include us. He called Cayo Vargas, the president of Kawsay, to tell him to hire a group of men to defend the property. Cayo refused, and instead, called several churches to request prayer for the next day.

Prayer Support
On Thursday morning, shortly after our discovery of the mob, men, women, and teenagers began to arrive from area churches. Several pastors, Mike, and the other members of Kawsay met with Dr. Julio, to explain that the evangelicals (this is the word here for Christians who are not Catholics) were going to pray, and did not want any sort of confrontation. If God was in it, then the property would stay with Kawsay. If not, then we did not want to be there. Dr. Julio was very impressed by this testimony, and even expressed that he wanted the peace that the evangelicals have. He left and all we Evangelicals gathered in one of the classrooms to pray.

A turn for the worse
A short time later, Martin (the Kawsay treasurer) arrived on his motorcycle to say that the police in nearby Talavera were coming to evict everyone from the premises. This would actually be illegal, just as it would be in the US, but law enforcement in Peru is often at the command of the highest bidder. These illegal evictions usually produce violent confrontations.

Prayer and peace
All of us agreed that the most important thing was to avoid violence. A delegation went to talk to the campesinos while the rest stayed praying for justice from the legal officials and a peaceful and loving reception of the police. The men agreed to lay aside their sticks and remain only as a display of solidarity. In true Peruvian style they started to play soccer.

Praise
We decided to take the prayer meeting outside to meet the police. We gathered in a circle with the men and prayed. Several of the church members testified. We told them about our future plans for the property--Bible Institute for campesinos and medical campaigns. We sang some songs and the men hesitantly joined in. Several times we stopped for cars arriving, but the police did not come.

A surprising answer
Instead, Dr. Julio arrived again with the leader of an agricultural activist group, a man named Braulio. This group is well known for an agricultural strike that paralyzed the city for 6 days in 2006. They also had news--the police were not coming. Braulio had spoken to the police in Andahuaylas, telling them that his group was not in favor of any attempt to shut down the Casa Campesina. They in turn had communicated with the police in Talavera, who decided not to proceed with the eviction action.

Dr. Julio at this point gave the permanent control of the property to the campesinos. He enrolled the presidents of the agricultural association as members of Munay. This did not change Kawsay's rights for the five years, but it did refute any claim that he was trying to retain the property for himself.

It did, however, cause us some concern. The pastors and we met with the leaders of the association, praying with them and explaining that we did not want to retain the property by force, that our aims were to bring medical campaigns and other physical assistance, but also that our main aim was to have a Bible Institute for the campesino pastors. They promised to respect our stand and stated they were glad to have Kawsay involved, and were happy to have the Bible Institute as part of the facility. They promised to keep their political actions completely separate from the Munay association.

Lunch with the campesinos
In the meantime some of the women from the local churches had been preparing a lunch of soup and potatoes. And so we all sat down --about 40 Evangelicals, 40 campesinos, and a dozen or so campesino activists. We shared some of our precious supply of Tony Cachere's seasoning for the potatoes, explaining that it was American aji (pepper) from the state of Louisiana. The fact that we ate potatoes (as finger food) and soup with them was very important to the activist campesinos. Several of them commented on the fact that the other foreigners had not done so. A friendly, celebratory atmosphere prevailed. Some people from the local churches, a few of whom had known nothing of Kawsay and the Bible Institute before today, decided to walk up and see the land (it nearly adjoins Munay) where the future Bible Institute will be constructed. The campesinos, instead of rioting and confronting the police as they had expected, had an impromptu holiday from farm work and spent the afternoon relaxing and playing soccer.

Evening meeting--the Power of God!
That evening we had a meeting of Kawsay at Martin's pizzeria to plan the Thompson Bible Conference that was coming up. Dr. Julio unexpectedly arrived to let us know that he and Cayo had spoken that afternoon with the judge who was over all the proceedings, and that she had given them plenty of time. She had been told by the other parties that Kawsay had paid Dr. Julio for the administrative rights. When Cayo explained that no money had changed hands and explained the plans of Kawsay, the judge said that there would be no trouble with the transfer, which was 100% legal and aboveboard, and thanked them for taking the time to explain to her.
Dr. Julio was amazed, as she had never explained or listened before, only allowing a few short minutes at a time.
Martin asked him what he thought had brought about the change. Dr. Julio said, "Brothers, I really believe it was the power of God!"

Prayer requests
Dear friends, we ask for your continued prayer about this situation. Specifically:
Praise God for his peaceful resolution of a delicate situation.
Pray for Dr. Julio and his family, who are under a lot of stress. Pray also that Dr. Julio would accept Christ--who would provide the peace that he is seeking.
Pray for a peaceful agreement among the members and ex-members of Munay--that all would accept Christ.
Pray for medical teams--both that more come from the US (more difficult in the current economy) and that those that are planning to come are able to overcome obstacles and keep their commitment. They are badly needed in the rural areas and this opens many doors for the gospel.
Pray that the new campesino members of Munay would keep their political agenda separate from their membership in Munay.
Pray for the continued honesty of the law enforcement and civil officials involved.
Praise God for the opportunity to testify to these diverse groups.

Another unavoidable rule of life

2009-01-22T17:19:00.000-08:00

Most people are familiar with Murphy and his famous law, “whatever can go wrong, will.” It states clearly and concisely one of the little interesting facts of life on this planet. There have been books written about it, and other people have discovered other similar laws; we have Finagle's law, Godwin's law, Hanlon's Razor, and the Peter principle. I would like to propose a new one, that I have observed to be invariably true, and I would like to modestly suggest that it be called Riggs's Rule of Time and Events. It could be stated like this, “whenever there is too much to do in the time you have, there will be something else to do as well.” This law was operating at it's finest this last Monday.

Since moving from Lima, about a month ago, we have been waiting for our furniture, the bulk of our clothes, books, etc to get here. During this time, we have had many false alarms – the truck will be there on Friday, or Tuesday, but after we stayed home waiting, canceling meetings, missing church, basically prisoners in our apt.; the truck doesn't show up. The first truck – we were only supposed to have one truck, but that is another story – arrived 3 days after we were told it would. And it arrived when Munay had about 1,397 people from every pueblo in the region for a meeting about forming an agricultural cooperative. So, on the only day that there was no room for a truck in the property, we had a truck. Now that is merely classic Murphy, but the second truck is Riggs's Rule.

Last week we were repeatedly assured by the local manager of the trucking company that the truck would arrive Saturday morning. In the meantime, Cayo Vargas, brought a young couple out to meet us. You may remember them from the last blog. David is a Peruvian, who went to Brazil to study to be a church planter. While there, he met Leila, a Brazilian studying at the same Institute. As happens so frequently at Bible (Bridal) colleges and institutes, they fell in love and David proposed, she accepted. They wanted to have their civil wedding in Peru, because his family could not make it to Brazil. They had spent almost all their money just getting here and on the paperwork for an international wedding and needed an inexpensive place to have the wedding. It was discovered that, since we are not Peruvians, we couldn't be the Padrinos. So, we thought that we had dodged a bullet. Cayo suggested that they hold the ceremony here in the auditorium. We thought that this was a great idea and readily agreed to help with the decorations and clean-up. After all the wedding was to be on Monday, we had nothing else to do, because we would have finished not only unloading and hauling everything up to our second floor apt, but gotten a good start on putting it all away.

Since we are VIP's ( Visibly International People) they still wanted me to participate in the wedding, and who can say “no” to that honor and privilege. I would just have to dress up and read some scripture. Piece of cake, right? Who sees Riggs's Rule beginning to rear it's ugly head, hmmm? The trucking company called and said that the truck was running behind and would be here late on Saturday. We believed them, thus proving to anyone who still had a doubt, that yes, several of our screws are loose or even missing entirely. We waited all day Saturday – no truck. Sunday morning early we got a call, “the truck is in town, will be out there shortly.” We spent Sunday afternoon waiting for the truck and helping decorate the auditorium for the wedding, Chris got to do the high work. He climbed up a stool on a chair to stand on a table on a table. Still no truck. That night at 7 we went to church, where due to more interesting coincidences having to do with transportation, the guest preacher hadn't shown up. Guess who had to preach on 5 minutes notice = )

The wedding was scheduled for 11 in the morning. By 10 there still was no truck. We had been finishing decorating the auditorium all morning and were still in work clothes. We waited as long as possible, then went up to get dressed for the ceremony. Then the truck showed up. Right after the wedding guests had begun to arrive. Our dog, the aptly named Bother was on the truck and soooo excited to see us. It is amazing how aromatic a dog can get in a truck on a cross country trip in the summer. We quickly unloaded the truck and hauled everything up the stairs and did an astounding quick change. As we came down the stairs I was trying to fix my tie, which had decided to be either 3 inches long or hang to my knees. When Cayo brought over a man to meet me, I realized that I hadn't yet tied my shoes. Nice to meet you Mr. Mayor.

We somehow made it through the service, we got great seats – right in the back row - and were dazedly half listening to the mayor read all of the legal mumbo-jumbo of a Peruvian civil wedding - “paragraph 407 ... the husband may not prevent the wife from voting in any case, even if she will cancel his vote by voting for the opposing candidate, or even if it means that she can't cook lunch that day. The in-laws, as well may not …” and so on and on. Suddenly I heard the phrase, “honored national of the United States, Meekay, will now do the arglebarzh” (at least it sounded like arglebarzh). I looked around in sudden and sheer panic at the standing room only crowd in the auditorium. They were all staring at me expectantly. Not all prayers are answered “yes”, I know this because the earth did not open and swallow me. I stood and smiled tranquilly and hissed at Tammy, “what is an arglebargle? Wadda I do?” She smiled at me pleasantly and gave me a gentle shove. I thought wives were supposed to be Helpmeets.

As I gravely walked across to the mayor, with sweaty hair and smelling of dog and absolutely no idea what I was supposed to do, the phrase “dead man walking” kept running through my head. I had one chance, Cayo and his wife, Elizabeth, were the Padrinos (official witnesses) and she was standing where I would have to pass her to get to the mayor. Maybe a quick question and answer could pull my bacon out of the fire. “Eli”. I whispered, “what am I supposed to do?” She gave me a smile and said, “entregar” “Deliver?” Deliver what? How? The next thing I know the mayor is handing me a stiff piece of parchment paper with signatures and seals and stamps and smiling and shaking my hand. I wisely stand there holding the paper, a statue couldn't have done better. After a couple of seconds that sped by like eons, the mayor nods toward the couple. I smile stupidly and stick the paper at the couple, they won't take it. Cayo catches my eye and whispers, “say something”. I wonder how the Gettysburg address would sound. Instead, I beam proudly at the young couple, just as if they were my idea and thank the mayor for the opportunity, mention how happy I am to be there (not entirely the truth, all in all I would rather have been somewhere - anywhere else) and ask God's blessing on the young couple, encourage them and say a brief prayer. Then I hold the document out again and (sigh of relief) Leila takes it. After shaking the mayors hand, I stride back to my seat. Or I try to, Tammy is being brought up front and we are placed in the front row on the side in full view of everyone.

For it is time for Lunch, in no time at all we find ourselves with huge platters containing a half of a fried chicken, 2 massive boiled potatoes, 2 cups of mote' (kind of like hominy on steroids) and ocopa sauce. This is accompanied by a fork, a plastic fork. Do you know how hard it is to eat a half of a fried chicken with only a fork (can't use your fingers in the front row) or peel mote' when you have to keep one hand on your plate. I smoothly threw half of my first potato on the floor, where it rolled over to the bride and groom...

At 6 P.M. We got back upstairs to our apartment, and were greeted effusively by Bother. We fixed coffee for Cayo and Elizabeth and introduced them to Bother (who greeted them effusively as well).We were tired, sweaty, smelled like dog and we had to assemble our beds before we could sleep. And we were happy. Even though, Riggs's Rule was fully operational, we spent the day with our friends here, we had participated in the marriage of a wonderful young couple, we met some wonderful new friends, had a great lunch and didn't need supper. All was at peace, we were cozy and content – then the phone rang.

"The Case of the Missing Finger" or "Money, Medical, and Matrimony

2009-01-15T02:56:00.001-08:00

We are really immersed in Andahuaylas now. We have gotten started
with the Bible Institute work, joined a church (the Iglesia Evangelica
Peruana Central) in Andahuaylas, and we are really seeing all of the
Challenges here - including ones that we hadn't expected. That's what
I want to share with you.
One new challenge is managing our money - but not in the way that is
usually meant. Since we have been in Peru, we have been using ATM
machines to withdraw our salary. It is deposited once a month, and we
are used to taking out a little as we need it and leaving the rest in
our U.S. bank account to avoid carrying much or having much money
stored in our apartment. That worked great in Lima, but it is a
different story here. Monday we went into town, the ONLY ATM machine
in the city to withdraw money for this week - but it was down for
service. We decided to wait on Chris's Birthday present until the
next day - which was his birthday. But, the ATM was still down, we
asked the manager, what was going on, and he told us that it should be
fixed that day, the technical service guy was on his way. So, we
decided to mostly postpone Chris's Birthday and come back to town the
next day. But, you guessed it, the ATM still was down, and the
manager told us, "Sorry, but he is a long way away and he's taking a
while getting here." In the meantime, we are wondering how we can pay
for the rest of our freight, eat and have a birthday for a 12 year
old. And we have learned a valuable lesson. When the ATM works
withdraw everything at as soon as possible and deposit it in our new
bank account at the local bank.

The second challenge is to be "testigos", official witnesses at a
wedding. Here in Peru you have to have a Civil wedding to be
officially married. A religious wedding is important for Christians,
but without the Civil, there is no official wedding. Another local
custom is that the "Testigos" play hard to get and demand payment,
meals, bribes, etc. to sign on the line. Well, there is a young
couple, a Peruvian who went to Brazil to be trained a as a pastor and
his betrothed, a Brazilian. Now we know from experience that it is
hard for a foreigner to marry a Peruvian - since we just went through
this with Becky. So we understand they are in the middle of a lot of
complicated paperwork - and a lot of costs. This young couple are
coming here to work, he has accepted a call to serve as a pastor here
and she is happy to come here as well. However, they don't have
anything to pay the "testigos" - without them there is no legal
wedding. To make a long story short, someone suggested to them that
Tammy and I would be perfect to be "testigos" and that in the US no
one pays witnesses for a wedding and we wouldn't ask for anything. So
we agreed, now we find out if there is a second shoe to drop. Because
one of our capacities here is Marriage counselor, we were also asked
to counsel them. Oh, and we have to fit it all in in 5 days.

Our third new challenge is medical. Where we live, Munay Wasi, has in
the past had regular medical teams from France, and the locals assume
that anytime there is a foreign group living at Munay, they can come
here and get medical attention, we have been asked to do eye exams and
cataract surgery, to set a broken leg, and to treat a child who has
some sort of crippling disease. But the most memorable happened this
last Saturday morning there was a big meeting of local farmers at
Munay Wasi. We were eating breakfast when there came a knock at the
door, I went to answer it and there were 2 men, some of the farmers,
one who had a rather dirty gauze pad on his hand. In broken Spanish,
because they were Quechua speakers they asked if we could "do a cure "
on his cut finger. Now, we have two boys, and so we always have
bandaids, and antiseptic and antibacterial ointment on hand, and we
are pretty competent to handle a cut finger - we thought! Tammy had
come to the door by this time and she asked him to remove the bandage
so we could get a look at his finger. He unwrapped the gauze and
showed his cut finger - only it wasn't a cut on his finger, it was a
CUT OFF FINGER! It looked like something only sort of sharp but heavy
or forceful had cut/mashed the first joint and a half of his finger
(probably a machete) - I didn't faint (but the world did become a
little blurry for a moment. We had to tell him that we couldn't help
him with this, and asked if he had gone to the medical post. He had,
but didn't have enough money to stitch him up. God intervened in that
Drs. Julio & Maria Elena happened to come out for a visit shortly
thereafter, and the man was still here for the farmers meeting. They
were able to get him treatment.

Whatever else it may be Missionary life is never dull.

God bless,
Mike

Acostumbrarse - getting used to our new home

2009-01-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

Remember the fable about the country mouse and the city mouse? Neither one fitted in in their new environment. They had a lot to learn if they were to swap places. Aesop's story about those 2 mice has always amused me, it is funny to see someone so out of place. Many TV shows have milked this theme for plots - from Green Acres (showing my age) to Perfect Strangers to Survivor, etc. It is always funny to see the confused and befuddled actions of the person put in a different setting - unless you are that person.
We have been living in a massive city of over 10,000,000 with all of the amenities and problems, activities and danger, hurried and frantic pace for over 4 years. Now we are in the beautiful little provincial capital of Apurimac, Andahuaylas. And - BOY! - have we got a lot to learn (and unlearn). Little things like, where can you buy large containers of safe drinking water, a 2-6 week wait for a telephone, or even how to cook beans.
The people here will tell you, with a straight face that we "aren't at a high altitude" - but they mean something different than that means in the States. We are at about 10,000' above sea level. Just about twice as high as Denver. But here in the Peruvian Andes, people live at higher altitudes than anywhere else in the world. So to them 10,000 is not high 15,000 - 16,000 is pretty high. But you know something? 10,000' is high when you are used to sea level. Yesterday Tammy tried to cook some beans. She soaked them a good long while and then put them on the stove as she has done for years. We were all waiting on those beans for a good lunch, but oddly they were still like gravel at lunch time, so we decided to eat something else and have the beans for supper. Wrong! They were still little rock hard pellets. Then we thought to look up cooking at high altitude online. So Tammy did a search about high altitude bean cooking. After clicking and going away for a while (like the old commercial where the guy is waiting on a download and bakes a cake, etc - that is something else different here, real s-l-o-w internet) she found out that, ha ha, guess what? Gotta do it all differently! No one told us that - of course for our friends here, this is normal, so why would they tell us?
I could go on, but, if I write to much it might not send :-/, so I will leave it with this. It is beautiful here, the work is exciting and fulfilling, the people are great, but we gotta go through the adaptation to a new culture, climate, and altitude. Fortunately, we serve a great God who is helping us up when we fall and helping us keep perspective and a sense of humor!

Blessings,
Mike

Prayer and Praise

2009-01-08T17:55:00.000-08:00

Please pray:

For Tammy's mom, Annette Meeker, who is recovering from a heart attack. She has had two stents placed, and if all goes well will leave the hospital Saturday.
For our (Mike, Tammy, Colin, and Chris's) adjustment here in a new environment. We are having to re-learn how to shop, cook, etc.
For safe transfer of our books and other things, as well as our pets. This is complicated because the buses, that until recently carried livestock such as goats in the passenger compartment, now will not even permit cats in cargo. Everything is going by the truck that delivers to the hardware store.
For Tim and his fiancee Brittney as they look for God's direction for training and a mission board.
For Becky and Miguel as they struggle with the hardships of serving in Lima.
For Association Kawsay as we will be meeting to chart our course for 2009.

Praise God for:

A wonderful prayerful first meeting.
The loan of a motor scooter from one of the brothers here in Andahuaylas to help with transportation.
Finding a church home here at the Central Peruvian church.
The warm welcome we have received here in Munay Wasi and in Andahuaylas.

In Andahuaylas for 2009

2009-01-01T04:25:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Andahuaylas Tuesday night, December 30, after an uneventful (but looong and boring - 30 hrs.) trip.

All of our things that we are moving are still in Lima, including the pets, to be sent along later (the rates were exorbitant for the time between Christmas and New Years.) Our good friend Paco Laos is coordinating the move of the stuff.

Most people in Peru do not move, and there are no moving companies or truck rentals. In addition you have to have police permission for a move. And boxes are next to impossible to find. We have everything packed in the big raffia bags (see picture) that serve for most of the luggage and business transport here and a few plastic containers for fragile items. And cages for the animals.

We passed a very quiet New Years, as Chris and Mike were sick. They both had eggs over(ly) easy for breakfast on the trip.

Please pray for Chris and Mike to continue to get better quickly. Also pray for the smooth arrangement and safe transport of our goods and pets.

We begin our work here on Saturday, with a day of meetings, fasting and prayer with the members of Kawsay.

Packing and painting--a new Christmas tradition

2008-12-24T05:32:00.000-08:00

Well, it is Christmas Eve, and we are once again packing and painting. This is our third time to be packing and moving between Christmas and the New Year since we came to Peru.
The first year it was because we just finished language school.
The second year because the landlady needed her house back because her sister decided to come back from Italy and needed the apartment that she was living in.
And this year because I had surgery and we had to postpone the move.
Not my favorite Christmas tradition!

Praise God that it's really about His amazing gift of Jesus Christ and the redeeming love that God has for us!
Praise Him for the provision and encouragement He keeps on providing for us!

Walking and leaping and praising God!

2008-12-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Well, not exactly leaping, yet, but certainly walking and praising!

I went to my weekly Dr. appointment and am released from the surgeon's care. I just have to keep using the elastic bandages until the end of January!

Wow! Now I am free to clean up the house. :) And pack!

In His Love,
Tammy

Thank you, Prayer Supporter Man

2008-12-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I wrote that we needed prayer--lots of expenses, money that didnt arrive, Christmas, a move, obstacles, and yes, (in my case) frustration at not being able to do anything. Everything seemed, from a human viewpoint, discouraging.

Thank you for praying!

We did a skit when we were deputating:
Melba Missionary is writing her prayer letter to supporters--
she tells about hair-raising taxi rides with cheating drivers who overcharge her,
how the officials in immigration deny her requests for the most trivial reasons (what kind of shoes she has on),
and her loud-mouthed neighbor who won't listen to gospel, puts her down, and borrows her stuff all the time.
Melba is coming unglued.
Her prayer letter arrives in the States:
Mild-mannered Clark Christian picks up the prayer letter, steps into his prayer closet, and becomes....
Prayer Supporter Man!
Melba receives money to buy a car,
Her visa is approved,
And her neighbor humbly asks her to talk to him and his wife about the Bible.
Melba thinks someone must be praying for her.

Really, that is so many times the way it is. We received both some money and a lot of encouragement--because y'all prayed.

Thank you, Prayer Supporter Man.

In Christ,
Tammy

Transparency

2008-12-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

There is always a question of transparency in missions communication. How much should we tell? Do we report the problems in communication? The lack of money? The meal of rice and gravy? Will this "poormouthing" "let down the side?" But if it is relentless cheerful good news why read it?

I used to get a newsletter from an organization that evidently had a policy of "no bad news". So I got used to reading reports like this:

Praise God that Tina's broken arm has nearly healed (What? Broken arm? How did that happen?) This is a real blessing as we are working 24/7 and have nearly repaired all the storm damage (There was a storm?).

Eventually I started praying for whatever the missionaries needed without opening the newsletter--because I wouldn't find out there.

Then there are ministries that are always in a crisis! Must have money now or got to leave the field! Those leave an even sourer taste in the mouth... and a "please take my name off this mailing list."

But I think between the two extremes there is room for honesty. And one of my purposes in writing this blog is to let supporters, friends and prospective missionaries know what life really is like on the field. So transparency is necessary to accomplish that purpose.

Right now we are having a difficult time because of all the extra surgery expenses. Just as with anybody else, there are expenses that insurance doesn't pay and are not reimbursable. For example, I can't go anywhere by bus, and have to have a taxi take me to my weekly appointment. Mike and Colin can't cook as cheaply as I can. Also they don't know how to wash clothes by hand--so we have to send out to a laundry. Several churches said that they were sending money (without our asking--all their idea--praise God!) But so far, we haven't received it. But we HAVE received the expenses. And, for some reason, not the money. Usually we receive a few Christmas gifts from churches and supporters...and we haven't gotten those, either.

So here it is, time for the move, time for Christmas, and....

God IS faithful and he WILL provide. And ultimately we all don't depend on anyone but Him. So please just pray for us.

Love in Christ,

Tammy

You Know You're an MK When...

2008-12-12T14:58:00.001-08:00

You Know You're an MK When...

tags: no_tag
- Ha! Chris agrees that these are true--at least some of them! - post by mriggs

Posted from Diigo.

Keeping busy

2008-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

Munay Wasi Tour

2008-12-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

Now that I have time recuperating from the operation, I finally got the pictures off my cell phone. Here is a short tour. This is a slideshow and will load in the black square below. If you want to see the original album it is at http://tammyriggs.multiply.com

Good News!

2008-11-28T05:39:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Mike blogging again, and on very little sleep, so I will keep it short and sweet :)
Tammy came through the surgery yesterday with flying colors and is now (still in the hospital until at least tomorrow) recovering. The surgery was long and complicated - it took 2 surgeons almost 6 hours. But praise God, even though she looks like a bloody mummy from the waist down, she is on the road to recovery. She can't get back to normal for at least a month, but all signs point to a complete recovery.
Thank you all for your prayers and support.
Tammy says carving the turkey on Thanksgiving will be different from now on, since she spent Thanksgiving being carved on ;).
God bless,
Mike

The World Comes to Peru

2008-11-26T05:11:00.000-08:00

Recently, the difference between Peru and the US was was very obvious
yet once again. Peru hosted the Apec (Asian Pacific Economic
Cooperation) summit here in Lima. Now it is a big event, many world
leaders were here from 21 countries - even President Bush and
Chairman Hu from China. But the different and surprising part was the
security. In order to try to keep order , the Federal government declared the whole four days - Thursday through Sunday a holiday. All schools were closed, banks were closed, factories were
closed - only small casual businesses were allowed to be open - outside of downtown. And in
the central City and surrounding areas many of the important streets
were closed.
Of course kids loved a 4-day weekend (and out here in the in the beach
town of San Bartolo, the partiers came by the hundred - and a few were
sober at times). It was hard on regular folks because, they just lost
4 days pay, I had to reschedule a Dr. appt, because the clinic was
closed. Only emergency services were available. I saw news shots of
the normally ultra-crowded streets of Lima, but they were blocked off
by police and/or the army and ghost-town vacant, paper-blowing-down-the-street vacant.
You see the difference - in New York, the United Nations meets all the
time and it is business as usual, international summits come and go - only the protesters and hotel/restaurant folks know, but here, we have a four day summit
of a few countries and we have to go into a practical lockdown.
They did this for 2 reasons. One was broadcast and kinda true - to
increase security for the leaders and one reason was on the quiet and
shushed up, but sadly true - the leaders here didn't want the world to see
just how poor Lima (and indeed all Peru ) really is. They wanted to hide the poor folk scrambling to make a living by selling stuff on the streets, the ill-dressed hordes working their 12 hour days for $6 a day, the scads of homeless and crazies that just wander the streets - often naked. They didn't want the world to see the real Peru. There isn't really One World.

Surgery and a 30 day delay

2008-11-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

Definitely there is surgery in my future. The vascular surgeon and another cardiologist say that there is no other option for my problems with my legs. Yes, LEGS , I am going to have vein stripping (they really pull the veins out of your legs! eewww!) So next week I should get the bad veins removed (that sounds very creepy to me!) Unfortunately the doctor also said it would be four weeks before I could travel, so the move to Andahuaylas will have to be after Christmas.
I know that God has a plan in this happening at this time.
Please praise God for a good housing solution for the one month extra. The landlady yesterday suggested that we could stay where we are--which would be the best solution--but because it is beachfront and summer is beginning it would be way out of our price range if they charge the usual summer rate. Also they are very nice people and we don't want them to lose any income from the apartment by us staying here. However, today the Landlord said that we have been such good tenants, quiet, maintaining the house nice, paying on time and so he said we could stay here for the same price! God truly is in control and good to us.

In Christ,
Tammy

Health News Update

2008-11-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

We went back to the cardiologist yesterday for all of the test results.

items for praise:
My blood pressure is normal and the heart arrhythmia has gone away!! Real answer to prayer.
Mike has lost 3 kilos and his diabetes is well under control.

items for prayer:

I am going to need surgery on my leg as my tests came back showing severe venous insufficiency. Pray that I can get this taken care of quickly as we are coming right up to time to move.

Pray that I have no further complications with this leg such as more infections and tissue damage.

Pray that Mike's blood pressure continues to come down. It is much better now, but not quite there, as they are still adjusting his medicine.

Pray for the strength and peace to deal with additional complications to the moving process.

Thanks for your prayers! They really work!

Tammy

Riggs Report - On to Andahuaylas

Peruvian Roads

On the Road

Fiesta Espíritual in Huancaray (October)

Strike Losing Favor: Pray for an End

Strike (again)

Marriage retreat

Pictures--August Team in Los Angeles

BB team in LA (Peruvian style) (August)

Sudden change of plans for Becky and Miguel (July)

Mobilizing the small church

Prayer request--spine with a twist

Gorgeous photo celebration of Machu Picchu 100 year festival (PHOTOS) - International Business Times

Flies

At the clinica

Stuck on the road

REALLY off to Cusco

Off to Cuzco

Tonight at 7 we will be leaving for Cuzco for some medical checkups. The night bus is really the best way to go, because you go to sleep and wake up in Cuzco. Of course you miss all of the breathtaking scenery, but we nearly have it memorized.

Altitude

Praying Hands for missions (for personal prayer or for teaching prayer for missions

Missions Conference in Uripa

Visiting professor: Dr. Neil Hegeman

To Chile and Back

Still learning about Peru

Video tour of the QBI campus at Huayrapata

From the seminary and the rural institute

A Classic Gag

And the resurrection?

A Strategic Alliance

Very busy weekend--or maybe not (ambiguity in the Andes)

Prayer request- pigs and witches

Busy times--Evangelical Seminary of Apurimac opens

Quechua Bible Institute starts in Huayrapata

It's signed!

In Cuzco

More answers to prayer!

Answer to prayer #1 of 2011

Join our Thursday Prayer Meeting!

Couples

Fabuluous news!

Is it already October?

Ocobamba conference illustrates need

Thompson Bible Seminar in Ocobamba

Andean harpist

...to boldly go...

We'd like you to pray for....

Festivities (Photos)

Bibles, salvation, and marriage

A great illustration from our "conferencistas"

Cultural Conflict

Anniversay, and a COLD baptism

Books for pastors

We're grandparents!

Mike is out, and Becky is going in

Mike heart update

Prayer and praise update 2/7

Mike out of hospital, still in Cuzco

Prayer need update Sunday, 1/17

Oops! and update

Mike in hospital (detailed version)

Beaumont Bible Visit

Christmas in Peru

Even paperwork can be an adventure in Peru

Uripa - part 2 and 2 Prayer Requests

Uripa and Chincheros

Weekend Conference

Prayer and Praise, November 27

Winding down the trip

Where we've been

Louisiana times and short term trips

On to Texas

Latest Prayer Card

Travels...

Prayer / Praise Report & God's Provision

Road to Umaca

Pray for Peru

Back from Youth Conference

Catch up

As predictable as.... Peru?