Herbert Family Visit

We recently had the Scott and Roberta Herbert family visit us here in Peru. We are thankful for their visit and wonderful encouragement. They are great friends and it was so much fun to do ministry along side them again.  Scott wrote the following blog post:

My family of six decided to go on an adventure this summer and visit our friends, the Hire family.  We enjoyed the Peruvian culture and the hospitality the Hire’s showed us.  From the beginning I have had a great respect for them for following God’s call but since our visit the respect has grown. 

We spent some time with them in one of their homes.  I say one of the homes because after 2+ years of traveling I think their view of home has changed.  While we were with them I remember Josh filling out some paper work and when it came to writing an address he asked Jennifer which address he should write.  I also noted that their youngest calls wherever they are stationed at the moment, “home.” It reminds me that our true home is not of this world and as we fully surrender ourselves to God each day one day our street address in heaven could be 777 Crystal Lake Avenue. 

Our families made some memories together.  We traveled and ate Peruvian food at local restaurants but one evening I won’t forget is an evening at the market.  We walked around taking in the sights of people selling dried fish, jungle flowers, fruit and many other interesting things.  It’s not your typical Walmart store.  One thing we came across was a big clay pot.  When I looked inside it was full of big white grubs fully alive and crawling around.   I heard Josh, half joking and half serious, ask if anyone would like to eat one and to my surprise my oldest daughter agreed.  Not the live ones but the fully cooked on the grill ones.  Her act of courage spread and many in the group also tried their first taste of grilled grub. There were however those 2 adult females who didn’t accept the challenge…

God is doing amazing things in the jungle of Peru. It was refreshing and humbling to see God reaching and moving in the most remote places.  We helped Josh and Jennifer lead a VBS for one of the Shawi communities.  Forty kids showed up at the church and some learned bible stories for the first time.  Another ministry time Josh took me on a 45 minute truck drive and 2 hour hike to a Shawi church inauguration.  There was no church and no believers there one year ago.  People from other communities showed up for the celebration and support.  A woman welcomed us warmly offering us a Shawi drink called chicha.  It’s ground corn made into a drink.  She was dressed in traditional Shawi clothing and painted face.  We were led to sit down out of the sun under a thatched roof house to watch a soccer game and then served dinner.  The leader of the church gave Josh and I bowls of monkey meat in broth.  Josh was done eating in about five minutes while it took me a bit to chew it up.  It wasn’t too bad but as I looked around no one else was eating the same meal.  Why were Josh and I the only ones eating this?  I talked with Josh about it and to put it simply, we were the guests of honor.  I wouldn’t say honor but more like humbled.  I didn’t deserve their best.  Who knows how long it took to hunt down this monkey and prepare it.  They didn’t know me.  They continued to say how they appreciated a person coming all this way to be with them.  During the two nights visit we attended three church services.  The service mainly consisted of 30-45 min worship, preaching ,and another 30-45 min worship.  The morning service had a response time at the end and around 10-12 young men came forward.  These men just wanted to know Jesus more and want more of the Holy Spirit to move and teach them.  It was fun to watch and be apart of what God is doing. 

As I have processed our trip I’m very humbled and see many needs in the jungle of Peru.  Sometimes man can get in the way of what God is doing but seeing the sensitive hearts of Josh and other missionaries in their area makes me excited.  God is raising up leaders and pastors that are Shawi.  They need more training, but as people continue to pray, God will provide.  With financial support Josh has helped provide metal roofs for churches.  He has shown the Jesus film and he and Jennifer lead VBS for many Shawi communities.  Josh and Jennifer know it’s not just them that are going but with everyone that is supporting the goal for the unreached people to be reached and discipled.  It makes me excited because it really is the body of Christ working together.  Thanks Josh and Jennifer for a great experience!

We love you guys!

The Herberts