My time in Peru has come and gone,
and certain memories have lifetime status won!

From Lima to Chiclayo (in which we began our stay),

the Peruvians welcomed us in the most blessed of ways.

The Groenewalds and pastors did everything they could

to make us all comfy as real family would!

Then Touching Hearts course ran for 11 days-

intensive ministry that challenged our ways.

Translated from English to Spanish it took rather long

but pressing on it broke even the 'strong'.

With much to process we took to the road,

Incawasi in Andes would be our new abode.

But food poising and altitude weren't the best mix,

“Hello new village” (move) “bleh, BLEH!” ..sis!

2 days of prayer and I was back on my feet

and I ventured into mountain passes now made into streets.

The view, the people, the colours galore,

this is everything I expected and so much more!

To be move in ways as never before,

this is what I was trusting my God for.

As we started to minister I grew increasingly sad,

I cant sense God, Where's the excitement I had?

But our hearts are deceitful and they expect to 'feel'

reducing all to emotions for things to seem real.

So I prayed and prayed with all my might...

BUT: God was teaching me to walk by faith , not by sight!

You see character doesn't develop through seeing miraculous things

intimacy grows when into His hiddeness He brings.

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of we do not see”,

I finally realised what God was to trying to teach me.

So as we hiked through endless mountain passes,

I began to see my surroundings though Jesus tinted glasses.

Everywhere I looked I saw Jesus' face,

His love, His mercy, His beauty, His grace:

A cascading rock-face and billowing trees,

candy-floss like clouds, a welcoming breeze.

Donkeys and horses and pigs and sheep,

in God's winter sun I embraced the 2 weeks.

  
We walked many (MANY) miles through countless villages

handing out bibles and singing “Yes Jesus lives!”

preaching the gospel to pre-Christian youth,

JESUS SAVES! Look I'm your living proof!

I can never fully explain all the things I've seen,

the people, the culture, the places I've been,

I can say with a smile and with utter relief,

God came, he conquered and stripped all unbelief.