wonderful home for thirty-five single moms and their babies. This was a special home where we were welcomed with open arms. We completed our regular vbs schedule (compared to our all day at Sagrada) and the girls had such a wonderful time as did the team. For many of these girls, they get pregnant
at twelve or thirteen years of age, so they miss out on much of their childhood such as jumping rope, playing games, and just laughing. We heard lots of laughing from these girls. Near the end of our time, we walked to the baby and toddler area. Here, the team spread out and held babies, fed them, and played with them. It was a beautiful time.Following the mother's home, we drove to a new orphanage called Hogar El Nino Emanuel. This was a very poor home and a very hard home to leave. Nino Emanuel housed about forty orphans, but also provided a shool for the neighborhood
with about one-hundred children. They spent the first minutes with us doing tradtional dances from the region. They were very precious children.On Wednesday, the team spent the morning seeing some of the cultural sights in Lima and taking time to shop for gifts from the local market. In the afternoon, we visited another new home outside Lima, called Nuestra Senora de La Misericodia Home. This home housed one hundred twenty-nine girls, aged five to seventeen. This was a blessed home for our group to work with. They were so receptive to the team, activities, and shoes. This home was run by nuns, and
they were so thankful for the team coming to share Christ and deliver shoes. We were blessed at the end of the day to be served hot tea, sodas, and sweet bread for our drive back to Lima. This home was a special place for us all. We were treated to some special music. As we were headed to the bus, the girls surrounded us and began to sing. It was like angels from heaven singing. Several in our group dropped a tear or two from the kindness of these girls.Our final day as a full team was Thursday. We visit two ophanages during this day. The first was called El Mundo Libre which housed 35 boys ages ten to seventeen. These boys were full of energy, and they were ready to play sports! They also presented to our group several traditional Peruvian songs using drums and pipe flutes. It was a great picture of their culture. We then
stopped for lunch at a park overlooking the Pacific ocean, and then departed for our next home. We finally got our team photo, so please take a moment to meet them. We also want to mention the outstanding Buckner Interns to Peru! Six of the most wonderful young ladies became an imporant part of our team as they carried boxes, set up craft supplies, assisted with activities for color groups, and so much more. They were truly a blessing to our team, but more importantly to the kids we served. Please continue to pray for the interns as they continue to serve through the end of June.The last home we visit was the New Life Children's Home. This home was for twenty-five boys/girls, ages one to twelve. The facility was built by missionaries from the US. It was a clean and beautiful home. The children were very happy, and they enjoyed the activities our group brought for them. This was the perfect home to end our time in Lima.
Part of our team headed home Thursday evening, and they have been missed greatly. They were an important part of our team and we thank them for their dedication throughout the trip to love the children of Peru.
A large portion of our team and the interns flew to Cusco, Peru to serve at two orphanages, and to visit the famed Inca ruins, Macchu Pichu. When we arrived in Cusco, elevation over eleven thousand feet, we took some time to rest and acclimatize to the altitude. We then drove to the
first home of the trip, Jesus Mi Luz. This home was for fifty boys, ages 8-15. They greeted us with a show of traditional dances from the Cusco area, and treats made at the orphanage. We then revised our schedule, and started our rotations for the boys. These boys were so excited for our group to be there. They enjoyed every activity, and they loved the shoes our team put on their feet. They ran, jump, and played for the rest of the afternoon with our team. We could not have had a better time!Our travel day to Macchu Pichu was a wonderful day of seeing the lost ruins of the Inca's. The weather was perfect. Enjoy a great photo of the ruins.
Our last day was spent in Cusco visiting another orphanage called El Buen Pastor, a home for fifty-five girls ages 6-17. We were prepared ahead of time to prepeare our day to be short. The girls presented many traditional dances, songs, and talents to share with our group. They were such a joy to be with and see the love of the caretakers at the home. We also had time to visit the Buckner Girls Transition home. Five girls from El Buen Pastor live here with a "mother" to help guide them as they attend school, recieve tutoring, gain spiritual trainig, and many other life skills so they may be productive members of society. It was a beautiful place! daw
At this point in the update, the team is in the air returning to the US. Please pray for their safety as they travel and reunite with family, friends, their home church, and the daily life they took a break from. Pray that God will use this experience to change their lives and to help draw other people to be a part of making a difference in the lives of orphans.
Blessings,
Jeremy
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