The Difficult Road

The road to Yurimaguas is difficult. This is true in the figurative sense but I was intending the literal. It used to take eight hours or more from Tarapoto and the nearest working airport but since they paved the road it only takes three. Yet it is not a fun three hours. Tarapoto is in the high jungle located in the foothills of the Andes and Yurimaguas is in the jungle jungle, so the first hour and half of the drive is up over a mountain. To describe the road is difficult but it is basically left followed by right followed by hairpin repeat forever. You know it is bad when the locals get sick on the road, which is very common. It probably didn’t help that I had a big lunch before leaving Tarapoto. We were not supposed to have lunch in Tarapoto but our plan was delayed due to heavy rains… it is the rainy season. So there I was sloshing back and forth in the back seat with two other people, window down, hot, getting sicker with every curve. I thought it was all over and I was going to loose my lunch when a lady in the car said something in Spanish that must have meant “pull over quick.” And off she dashed into the forest. Man was I relieved to get out of that car and stand up for a while. As I was looking into the deep forest I noticed a humongous ant crawling on a leave. It was bigger than my thumb and much bigger than any other ant I had ever seen. Joseph Tice was traveling with me. The former farm director spent two and a half years in Yurimaguas and grew up in Panama, so I asked him about the ant. He said “I am not sure, I think it is a 24-hour fever ant, but I have never seen one that small.” That small? We asked that taxi driver and sure enough it was a baby 24-hour fever ant. They are aggressive and if they bite you, you get excruciating pain for 15 minutes followed by a fever for 24 hours. Bienvenido a la selva. Welcome to the jungle.

It was so good to return to Yurimaguas. It was great to see Susan and her five children. It was great to see the Hogar and the staff that serve the women and children there tirelessly. But I had traveled to go to the farm with Joe and learn from him. The farm exists to serve the Shawi. Assisting them with ag development and spiritual development. There is a conference center to train Shawi pastors and to disciple men. There is a kitchen to cook meals for the conferences and there is even a house for the men to stay in while at the farm.

The main reason I went was to learn about the ag development program from Joe, who had returned for a visit. It is difficult to grow things in the jungle. The soil is pour. The heat is relentless. The rain is unstoppable. And the pests are more unstoppable. Vampire bats love to attack goats. Flesh eating maggots are tough on cows. Leaf cutter ants can strip a tree bare in a couple of days. A flock of parrots can destroy your corn crop. Neighbors help themselves to the fish pond. This is definitely not Indiana.

I learned so much in my three days with Joe. He is a wealth of information. Somehow despite the difficulties he was able to have successes at the farm. Introducing cover crops and composting and improving pasture.

As usual I am in over my head. But that is not always a bad place to be. I know how to ask the dumb questions, how to seek advice from experts, and when to admit I am wrong.

But this whole post is simply a reflection of our spiritual journeys. The road we walk often seems impossible and just when we think we can’t take it anymore; God gives us what we need. Sometimes it seems there is danger around every corner, something is always out to get us, we are in over our heads. But that is when we grow because then we are willing to seek help, to find a mentor, to turn our cares over to God.

May the Lord keep you humble as you walk your dangerous roads.

God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. –James 4:6

                                                                                                            ~Josh

It's not right, it's not wrong, it's just different . . .

Life in Arequipa has proved interesting.  Henry was playing propane tank delivery man today, something he never would have played in the states but has experienced twice in 2 weeks here.  (Our hot water and stove are gas which are run from propane tanks similar to those of a gas grill.  They are delivered (up 4 flights of stairs) and installed within about 20 minutes of calling for around $10.  Josh and the kids have enjoyed observing life from our 20ft glass wall across our dining and living rooms.  Here are some of our observations in no particular order.

1.  The trash men come 3 times a week.  You know they're close because they play a little song (similar to the ice cream man!) so that if you haven't gotten your trash out you know to run it down quickly.  This is very exciting for our kids (not new to Peru, they loved when the trash man came in Indiana too and often knew what day of the week it was by his arrival).  The kids can watch them from our wall of windows.  The men sort through all of the trash and separate out what we assume to be recycling.  This is especially noteworthy since all of our used toilet paper goes into the trash.  Not a job I would want.

2.  Eggs are not refrigerated here.  Neither is milk which is sold in a box.  However milk sold in a bag (difficult to handle yes) is refrigerated.  I'm not sure how I feel about milk that doesn't expire for 6 months.

3.  It is currently what is supposed to be the rainy season here right now (January - March).  However, last year during the rainy season it forgot to rain.  So far this year there hasn't been any rain either.  It literally hasn't rain here in over a year.  It is sunny and around 70 degrees everyday.  People here think it is cold.  They often wear coats and hats.  I'm frequently told that I need to put more clothes on Maggie.  Many people here complain that the weather is always the same.  I think it'll take awhile for me to get tired of it!

4.  Maggie is an anomaly.  They love her blue eyes.  Most women and even some men swoon over her.  I am often wearing her in the carrier on my chest but that doesn't stop anyone from kissing her.  She has been kissed by more strangers than I can count and if I were charging for photos taken of her we wouldn't need financial support from the US!  Of note, Lucy and I also have blue eyes but no one is swooning over us so there must be more to it than that. 

5.  We have a security man who patrols our neighborhood.  Most neighborhoods in our area do.  He blows his whistle several times hourly at what appears to us to be random intervals.  Trust me, Josh and the kids have tried to figure it out but to no avail.  While Josh was trying to determine when and why he would ask what time it was each time the whistle blew.  Now Josh has given up on figuring out any rational to it but every time the whistle blows (which is often) Henry yells, "what time is it?".

6.  We asked the kids when we arrived in Lima to look for things that stood out to them as different in this new culture.  Lucy immediately noticed the car horn honking and asked why they honk so much.  Here are just a few meanings of a car honk:  get out of my way, go faster, I'm passing you, do you want a ride, hello, notice me and what I'm supporting (presidential race is currently in full swing), or I just feel like it for no apparent reason!

7.  It seems there is a park around every corner.  Some are just grass.  Some have equipment. Some have a soccer field.  A few interesting things about parks.  Most are locked.  You have to ask the security guard from that block to unlock it if you want to enter.  Also, for the most part, grass is not meant to be walked on, just looked at.  (I guess they do have a lot invested in it since they have to irrigate to keep it green - and by irrigate I mean literally flood the area with a hose every so often.  This of course is a great breeding ground for mosquitoes which love to bite Lucy and I.  Since I didn't know this the first time went to the park I wore capris and had 48 bites on just 1 of my legs.  Needless to say, we now wear long pants and long sleeves when we go to the park and we tend to choose parks that allow you to walk on the grass,not just look at it.

 ~ Jennifer    

Where did that volcano come from?

 

We have arrived safely in Arequipa, Peru. This is the view from our dinning room table. We are on the fourth floor which makes for a great view but it was difficult lugging 12 suitcases, 5 backpacks and a stroller up 4 flights of stairs at 7500 ft above sea level. Sister Kristin was a great help. The huge mountain is actually a volcano named Misti and is one of three volcanoes around Arequipa.  

Strangely there is also a cornfield right behind our five story apartment building. The field is in the middle of a city of 800,000 people. It is odd but it feels a little like Indiana.

We have seen amazing traveling mercies. All went very smooth. God has blessed us. The biggest problem we had was they searched Lucy's backpack because they thought her snow globe was an apple. The visa process has gone very well. They are giving us a six month visa until we get our missionary visas. We were only supposed to get three months but they gave us six for reasons we do not know. There are long lines but if you have an infant then you are allowed to budge everyone right to the front of the line. Thanks to Maggie we have not had to wait at all. She is also a big hit with everyone on the street, as many strange women come up to us and talk to her, making baby faces and kissing noises. 

 The kids enjoyed the plane rides and were great travelers. They were able to go into the cockpit of the plane here in Peru and talk with the pilot.

 Everything is new and difficult and strange and exciting all at once. Please continue to pray for us in this time of transition. Josh begins classes a week from Monday.

Leaving on a jet plane . . .

The day is almost here.  Tomorrow we leave.  We are packed.  We've said most of our good-byes.  It's been tough but we're looking forward to what the Lord has planned for us.  Many have asked so here's a detailed look at our next few days.

Wednesday, January 20
  9am: Leave for the airport.  We fly out of Indianapolis
  2:30pm: Flight from Indy to Atlanta
  5:45pm: Flight from Atlanta to Lima
Thursday, January 21
  12:30am:  Arrive in Lima
  8:00am:  Josh & Jennifer have an appointment at Interpol (Kristin and the kids get to stay in bed!)
  1:30pm:  Immigration appointment for visa processing
Friday, January 22
  12:45pm:  Flight from Lima to Arequipa
  2:10pm:  Arrive in Arequipa

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers as we've been packing and saying goodbye.  We also been blessed by so many friends helping us with the kids, food, etc as we've been packing. 

Over the next few days you please pray as you feel led. We're especially praying for our children as we travel and transition.  Also prayers as we go through customs early Thursday morning and go to various appointments on Thursday for visa processing.

We'll let you know when we arrive!

~ Jennifer

God is good!

So we have bought one way tickets to Peru. We leave January 20th. It is a little scary, but every time things seem scary God provides. The following is a post written by my sister, Kristin Schrock and is yet another example of how the Lord is providing. Uncle Mike and Aunt Kristin have always been a huge part of our lives, pouring into our children and teaching and loving them. We are so blessed that Kristin is helping us move to Peru.
Her post is an encouraging word of what it means to walk by faith. God is not only calling you to do good works but He has already prepared the way. May we all listen to His calling, even when it means stepping out in faith.

 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -Ephesians 2:10

                                                                                                                        ~ Josh



There was never any doubt in my mind that God had called Josh and Jennifer to Peru and God keeps confirming that call in many ways. When they went to Peru in June for a visit I already had those dates off of work and was able to keep their kids for them. This time God laid on my heart that I should offer to fly to Peru with them. I began to think about the difficulties of taking three small kids with no travel experience and trying to do plane changes, and go through customs and immigration lines, not to mention handling all the luggage they need to take! So I offered to fly down with them, and they expressed interest in having me stay a little while to help them get settled into their apartment in Arequipa where they will be while Josh is in language school. I was thrilled to be useful and go with them but I wasn't quite sure how I was going to pull it off financially as well as arrange the time off of work. My wonderful husband encouraged me and told me not to worry about it...if God called me to do that then He will provide. Our faithful God came through of course! In two phone calls I had my days at work covered. God really surprised me on the financial end of it though. I previously worked one day a week at a dental office in Goshen. I left their employment in June. Even though I have not worked for them in 6 months they sent me a bonus check that covers my flight!! I was overwhelmed! God is so good, I didn't need to worry at all. This has taught me to have faith...no job is too big for God. If he calls you He will provide!

                                                                                    ~ Kristin Schrock (Josh's sister)










This picture was taken this past fall when Uncle Mike & Aunt Kristin took Lucy & Henry to a Notre Dame volleyball game.

Beets for sale

As I write this it is 32 degrees. The wind chill is 22 and we are supposed to receive up to 7 inches of snow today. But I am thankful.

In eight weeks we are moving to Peru. It is an exciting time but also difficult. We often talk to the kids and say things like, “this is the last time we will…” I would like to say this is the last time we will see snow, but I am sure that I would be wrong.

As we are preparing, we have been traveling to churches, talking with individuals and sharing with small groups, in order to raise financial and prayer support. But there are other things we must do to prepare. Like clean out the cupboards and freezer and eat up all the food that has been sitting there for years. Well maybe not years but a while. The problem is all that is left is pickled beets and ground sausage. You can only do so much with beets and sausage. Sausage and eggs for breakfast, sausage and noodles for lunch, sausage chili for dinner, with pickled beets on the side. It is getting old. But I suppose it is good preparation for Yurimaguas where it is mostly chicken and rice. I wonder if I can grow beets in the jungle?

Things are starting to get real.

This week I received one of those unwanted phone calls. You know. The strange number on your phone that you know is a solicitor and you ignore it. Well I answered. And after the brief pause Jerry comes on and asks if I want to buy a home security system. I politely said I was not interested. But that did not satisfy him. He responded, “That is what most people say but after a fire or theft they usually call us back.” Then I had the ultimate response, “well I am moving to South America and…” Click. He hung up on me. He probably thought I was giving him a line but I am not that clever. At first I laughed but then it hit me. I am moving to South America.

The jokes are fun. “It is so cold, that does it, I have had enough, I am moving to the jungle.” Or when I screw up something on a project, “Can’t see that from Peru.” But this time the joke seemed more real. Eight weeks. Freak out. In eight weeks I will be in a place where I don’t speak the language, don’t know the culture, and will look different than everyone else.

The truth is God has called us to this. Beyond a shadow of a doubt we know this is His will and direction for us. He has confirmed that again and again. So my freaking out should not be in walking in His will but instead in walking outside of His leading. It is sometimes uncomfortable to follow His direction but I say it is much more uncomfortable to not follow.

Jesus was the ultimate example of this. As He was headed into Jerusalem with the cross before Him he said: “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

Our current trials don’t come close to the cross, yet we should follow His example and walk on saying, “Father, glorify your name!”

If you are interested in free pickled beets or sausage let me know.

                                                                                                                                                         ~ Josh

God's Provision

God is many things and has revealed Himself to us in many ways throughout this journey.  His provision over the past year has served as confirmation for me that we are indeed walking in what He has called us to.  We have seen His provision for our family over and over again in so many ways and we’re trusting for His continued provision as we anticipate transitioning from the US to Peru.

I’d like to share a few of examples today to bring glory to Him.

Last January the Lord told Josh it was time to leave the factory.  In obedience, he quit his job in February without any specifics about what was next.  God’s financial provision came a year prior, when Josh received a promotion at work.  The promotion was an unexpected answer to prayer and we were unsure how to use the extra income when someone prophesied over Josh that this season of plenty was to prepare us for a dry season.  We began to save the additional income and 10 months after Josh quit his job, we’re still able to pay our bills.  Praise Him.

After spending 2 weeks in Florida getting to know our mission agency (MVI), we decided in early June that we were ready to visit the mission in Peru.  As a stay-at-home mother who had never left her children for more than a weekend, I knew the hardest part would be leaving them behind.  I wasn’t even sure who we would leave them with as our family members all work.  God knew my heart though and how stressful it would be for the kids and me if they were passed around day and night for 10 days.  We only had 2 weeks to plan our trip and make arrangements.  The first call I made was to my sister-in-law.  When I told her the dates that we were scheduled to be gone, she said that she happened to have that week off work and nothing planned.  She’d love to keep the kids!  While that may seem small to some, to me, it was huge.  My kids love their aunt (and uncle!) and are very comfortable in her home.  They would not as I feared have to be passed around to different friends during the day and different family each night.  God is good!

Josh and I knew very little about missions when we started this journey.  God has continued to open doors this year and we’ve continued to walk through them.  It wasn’t until June that God we said yes to God’s call for us to join His work in Yurimaguas.  In July, we went to North Carolina for a month of cross-cultural training.  It was there that we met many other missionaries going around the world with many different mission organizations.  Support raising became a topic of conversation and we learned that some had been fundraising for 18 months, others had spoken at 50+ churches, and most were over 50% funded at that point.  We were 0% funded at that point and shocked that fundraising may take us so long and we didn’t even know 50 churches to contact!  While there we mailed our first letter to share with family and friends how God had been moving in our lives.  With just that initial letter and God’s leading to faithful family and friends, we reached 50% of our needed monthly support and 50% of our one-time needs!  We’re now at about 70% of our monthly support and trusting that the Lord for the remainder.

Where we’ll end up in Peru is pretty remote and we knew when we visited that we wouldn’t be able to bring much with us.  During our visit, we priced what it would cost to set up a home.  Two weeks ago, we received word from another American couple living in Yurimaguas that they were returning to the US and offered to sell us all of their home furnishings – at a third of the cost I had calculated to furnish our home upon arrival!  Now nearly everything we’ll need is waiting for us when we arrive!

Looking forward, I am trusting the Lord to provide a good friend for myself and Lucy in Peru.  The two young women from the US that we initially thought would be in our town will not be there.  One of them just sold us our home furnishings.  I had thought God would provide me a friend in her but His plan was to provide furnishings through her.  His ways are better than mine and I’m excited to see how he provides friends and a community for us in Yurimaguas.  For Josh, we’re trusting he’ll provide quick language learning.  For Henry we’re trusting that the Lord will give him a sense of security throughout this transition as change is difficult for him.

                                                                                                                                          ~Jennifer