San Andres mission

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Polly and I went this last Sunday – May 17 – to the San Andres mission.  It is up north of the airport and then up a steep hillside with no real path or steps to get to it.  A year ago I visited the mission when it was meeting in the front courtyard of a home at the bottom of the hill.  Fr. Benjamin and his wife Livia have worked tirelessly in this community.  He travels each day by bus and mototaxi for two to three hours each way.  Last year Mike Chapman and I became “Godfathers” of the new property.  The cornerstone was blessed, and ten days later the women and the children had cleared the “terrace” and a tent had been erected.  Now there is a building made of bamboo poles and matting with an electric light where we worshiped and celebrated communion. It was wonderful to meet again some of the people from last year.  The woman with the hat was still there and involved in worship.  One child for whom we had prayed that her eyes might be healed was there – without glasses!  God did not desert me and I could remember names.  They were delighted that I was no longer silent but could converse. Polly awarded prizes to the children who proudly recited their memory verses.  She fell in love with them as I had done a year ago.
The trip home was exciting as there was a demonstration blocking the highway.  Two lanes became eight as the cars, trucks and buses took over every available piece of flat ground.  It was like a parking lot, and we crossed over the median and went back to Lima through the port of Callao – quite a detour but we made it home after four hours!