Monday, September 19, at approximately 8:30am CST, Bro. Jose and I, weary from 10 straight hours in a bus, arrived home following an incredible, unforgettable weekend in the mountain region of Ayacucho, where was held the annual convention for ICAP's Region 8, September 16-18, 2011.
Ayacucho is a city in the south-central part of Peru situated in the Andes mountains at a little over 9,000 feet with a population over 140,000. We have three churches in this area. One in Acosvinchos, another in Pampa Cangallo, as well as the central church in Huamanga, where the convention was held.
A few weeks ago Bro. Jose invited me to go with him to this convention. Naturally, I accepted with all enthusiasm - and I'm glad I did. The saints in Ayacucho are some of the most hospitable, kind, sincere people I've ever had the privilege to know. Someday, I want to return and see them again. And, as was with Iquitos (
Click here to see photos), it was hard to say goodbye.
Also there from the home church in San Felipe was Bro. Fernando Quiñones (regional presbyter) and his wife and baby girl, as well as Bro. Rufino Cullahuacho. The Lord moved powerfully in every service, we sang in Quechua (where I got to use my newly acquired Quechua hymnal), and three got the Holy Ghost! Praise the Lord!
Special thanks are due to:
- Bro. Nix for allowing me to go.
- Sis. Nix for letting Bro. Nix let me go, as well as all the extra food and meds (just in case I got sick).
- Jesus for keeping me from getting sick (which truly was a miracle) on a trip where even the locals get sick.
- Everyone back home praying the Lord's protection over me, keeping me from getting sick, robbed, knifed, or killed. :) NOTE - Please don't stop, as I'm going to Trujillo this weekend where recently there have been much violence and kidnappings.
- Bros. Sotomayor and Cullahuacho for taking me to buy my Quechua Bible and hymnal.
- The Ayacuchanos for making me feel so welcome. (I hope to see many of them here in Lima for our upcoming national crusade in October!)
- Our bus driver for not losing his temper when the dingbat in the pickup truck got mad for some reason and decided to beat his door into the side of the bus repeatedly while slowly passing us on the cliff.
The following are just a few of the photos I took during this trip.
Actually there's a ton... So this is going to be in 3 parts - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Please enjoy.
JB
Friday
 |
| Me, Thursday night, just before we boarded our bus |
 |
| Bro. Jose... same story |
 |
| 10 hours later, Friday morning, coming into Ayacucho |
 |
| Myself, Pastor Victor Gutierrez, and a couple more brothers |
 |
| My room wasn't really red, the window blinds were red |
 |
| My bathroom |
 |
| View from my bedroom |
 |
| Looking into my bathroom |
 |
| In front of our Hospedaje |
 |
| Our hotel's roof |
 |
| Bro. Jose waiting for our first meal in Ayacucho |
 |
| Me... also waiting |
 |
| Breakfast |
 |
| Me eating my breakfast |
 |
| The bill - 6 soles (about 2 dollars) -- Spendy, I know. |
 |
| Another 1 sol shoe shine |
 |
| (about 35 cents) |
 |
| in our moto taxi |
 |
| At Bro. Gutierrez's home |
 |
| Some sisters making lunch |
 |
| another sister making more lunch... I think those are beans |
 |
| Myself & Bro. Cullahuacho |
 |
| This red building bears some sort of significance that I can't remember. |
 |
| Bros. Jose Sotomayor & Fernando Quiñones |
 |
| Myself & Bro. Cullahuacho (we were on our way to church) |
 |
| Bro. Quiñones leading morning worship before the Bible class |
 |
| Later on, Bros. Cullahuacho & Sotomayor looking for a Quechua Bible and hymnal. (Quechua is both of their first language.) |
 |
| My Quechua Bible and hymnal |
 |
| Myself and one of the cutest little girls I've ever seen |
 |
| Singing that night |
 |
| These folks are great worshippers |
 |
| Notice the wear on the side of the pulpit where his hand is... that's from him beating it so much. Serious. |
 |
| Here you can see it a little better. (Also, a sister singing a song) |
 |
| Sis. Luz de Quiñones (Bro. Fernando's wife) singing |
 |
| Me singing in Quechua. Just kidding. |
 |
| Bro. and Sis. Quiñones and Leah (their baby). Bro. Jose behind pulpit. |
 |
| Bros. Cullahuacho and Jose praying for the Quiñones family. (Bro. Fernando is the director for the region) |
 |
| Altar following Bro. Jose's message |
 |
| The woman being prayed for got the Holy Ghost that night. |
 |
| She testified. |
 |
| I love the offering bag. |
 |
| On our way to a restaurant after church |
2 comments:
I pastor in PEI Canada and I have really enjoyed the pictures.
What kind of bread and cheese is this? Goat?
Bro. Pastor,
Thanks for posting. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos!
The bread is called "pan chapla" - delectable!
It's native to Ayacucho.
The cheese is called "queso de molde".
It's also specially from Ayacucho, from cow - I guess it'd be some sort of block cheese.
God bless,
Jb
Post a Comment