The Peru Report

The day of the trip started as most of my trips do, finalizing a few packing details. I removed an extra sweatshirt from my bag just as Mitch arrived and we headed to the airport.

After currency exchanges, a layover in Atlanta, and mostly smooth skies we found ourselves walking out of Jorge Chávez International Airport late into the Peruvian night and greeted by smiling host, Fausto León.

After greetings and transition to a less hectic area than the bustling security exit we called an Uber and headed to our hotel.

As was the case most of our visit, Fausto escorted us in what I can only assume was both a mixture of hospitality and ‘just in case’ protection. The half hour drive was a nice introduction to Lima traffic, surprisingly busy for Saturday night at almost midnight, but also maybe busy because it was Saturday night at almost midnight.

Two things that would happen all trip long began that very first Uber, the first being Mitch falling asleep to ward off car sickness which, while I don’t experience it, I could sympathize given the stop and go, sometimes erratic, often dangerous driving most Uber drivers do. The second was I peppered Fausto with questions about what we were passing and what I was seeing.

Mitch had shared the last time he was in Peru that Fausto spoke essentially no English; to our benefit on this trip he had been learning. Coupled with my own language endeavors in Spanish and being able to speak what I call ‘enough’, we were able to communicate just fine the entire trip and got the help of Google Translate if it was something a little too complicated. This would become important later as we learned upon arrival our translator Luis Canales’ newborn daughter was sick along with himself and wouldn’t be available until hopefully later in the week. On our flight down Fausto had shared an itinerary for the week for us to get a glimpse at when & where we would be making visits throughout our time with him.

We ended our drive in the city center at our hotel, right in the middle of the historic district, old, beautiful architecture surrounded the plaza our hotel overlooked. I never found the name of the plaza but it served as a great glimpse all week into my love for people watching.

It’s hard to get a read & understanding on a whole culture over a short trip but as these trips often do, visiting brethren in foreign countries, you do get to see a real version of a place, often hidden or not available to the average tourist. It’s this experience I hope to bring while sharing this report on our adventures and it’s that contemplation and excitement of what we might see and who we would meet that was on my mind as our heads finally hit the pillow.

Sunday morning started with a bright, bold view from our hotel room in Lima. I think we both slept fairly hard with the late night arrival, but morning still came too early. But we were both up & at ’em for a full day of church. After some coffee from the lounge, we were on our way to the Surquillo congregation that meets on the south side of Lima.

As would be a typical occasion throughout the trip, Mitch & I would start our days knowing the name or general area we were supposed to visit but not much more until we were already in Uber.

As Mitch slept, I enjoyed the scenery of the city, now being able to witness it in daylight for the first time. I watched traffic of all shapes & sizes speed around us and caught glimpses of everything from parks, to tall business buildings, and all sorts of storefronts.

We pulled up to where the driver said we were supposed to get out and unloaded in a fairly nice-looking neighborhood in front of a dance school—a little early but excited to meet people.

A few minutes later we began greeting church members, surprised to meet several additional visitors from the States.

It was definitely God’s providence that we crossed paths with the Eubanks family. Brigham & Esther introduced themselves in English, an odd but pleasant surprise, especially because they were speaking Spanish as we walked up.

We learned she had grown up in Peru & he just so happened to work as a translator after 12 years of teaching Spanish. They were visiting from Atlanta on their tour through multiple countries in South America with their kids—a 9-year-old girl, Eden, & a 6-year-old boy whose name I can’t remember but started with an E.

After bidding adios to those at Surquillo, we hopped into Ubers (the Eubanks family included) and headed north across town to the Los Olivos area of town where Fausto lives & leads the Los Olivos Church.

45 minutes later we rolled up to a strip mall of shops & to my delight we headed into a restaurant labeled La Leña that boasted some incredible smells.

We all shared a meal of Peruvian rotisserie chicken, patatas, rice, beans, and the best plantains I’ve ever eaten. The food was almost as good as the company and we got to know our new friends a little better before heading to Fausto’s home a few blocks away.

The walk was lovely not only because it came after a big meal but also because we got to see some of the streets, parks, and cats of Fausto’s neighborhood. Arriving at Fausto’s we were greeted by his daughter Faviola & son Angel. Inside we found a modest home where we were welcomed to coffee and Fausto’s version of a slideshow (printed pictures in a large photo album).

He shared photos from the various times he and Mitch had been together as well as photos from his time in Ecuador and of his family throughout the years.

After a busy Sunday, Monday came before we knew it and we were off again in an Uber with Fausto, this time to meet with two sisters (literal sisters not just sisters in Christ) we had met the night before at Los Olivos services, Charo & Hellen who live in the San Martin de Porres neighborhood. Before leaving we learned a little about their story – Charo’s Husband is currently working as a truck driver in Spain, the whole family has moved to Lima from Ecuador for Leukemia treatments of her son, Eduardo (15).

We were welcomed inside where both sisters live with their children, Charo’s other son Johao (17) and Hellen’s daughter Ainoha (2) and her husband who is a police officer.

We were able to have a bible study with them, led by Fausto in Spanish as we were still without a full-time translator and had bid farewell to the Eubanks as they were visiting Iquitos, another city in Peru for a few days.

Charo Facetimed Eduardo in from the hospital for the study while we followed along the best we could and tried to be an encouragement to not only the medical issues of Eduardo but also of Hellen who suffers from cysts in her throat that insurance won’t cover the procedures for.

After the study we were asked if we wanted to stay for lunch, a hospitality we did not want to refuse and just hoped that Fausto had communicated the need for all food to be cooked items with water boiled and so forth for the protection of our digestive systems. What came out of the kitchen were heaping plates of green Peruvian pasta with chicken on top. The flavorful chicken with the pesto pasta was delicious, and made more so by the laughs we shared, conversing in small talk made possible by short Spanish sentences and Fausto’s best job of interpreting when things got lost in translation. All in all it was a lovely visit with a lovely family and we left with full stomachs and full hearts.

I think Mitch and I were both ready for a nap but Fausto had one more stop for us before we were done for the day which was to tour a little of historic Lima on the way back to the hotel.

We took in the sights & sounds of some of the busy tourist streets with shops recognizable and not. We toured the catacombs of a cathedral which truly rivaled some of what I’ve seen from the cathedrals of Europe.

The historic district felt a lot like what I’d seen in Mexico City with its old, beautiful architecture. This beauty was mixed with some of the spoiled smelling streets we walked down which featured shops and street market setups. Vibrant colors, cheap goods, and desperate hagglers. By the time we finished a few miles of walking I was glad for an early bed time.

Tuesday morning was a needed slow one. Since we didn’t have any morning visit schedule and we were shore Fausto needed the rest as much as we did, we took it easy at the hotel which involved the first of what would be several lengthy spiritual talks over breakfast (I never told Mitch but I coined “Deep Desayunos” – Spanish for breakfast).

After getting a little work done of my own (I took off for the trip but it came in the middle of several projects I needed to keep some tabs on) we met with Fausto downstairs and decided to grab food before heading out later that afternoon for our visit. At the modern mall next to our hotel we visited the food court & let Fausto choose which landed us at the famous Peruvian fast-food place of Kentucky Fried Chicken. It tasted just as good there as it does in the States and over my wing & thigh we got to hear more about who we would be seeing later.

We would be visiting the home of Jose (40) & Nelbelys (34) and their three kids (Daniela 17, Sebastian 15, Santiago 3) in La Victoria, an area of extreme poverty where the family lives at the top of a 4 story building in a single bedroom with an open air kitchen and one bathroom for the entire floor of residents.

Fausto has been meeting and studying with them, they attend the Surquillo Church because it is much closer but he has been trying to encourage them and was the one who baptized Daniela. She greeted us as we arrived and we got to know her a little while we waited for her mother to arrive, we learned she plays volleyball in school and recently hurt one of her knees (she has two bad knees) but it didn’t dampen her spirit and we connected over food, school, and sports. Nelbelys came home soon after we arrived from her workday on the street where she sells clothes on the side of the road to earn a living. She graciously opened their home to us and we enjoyed conversation, pan de deuce, and strong coffee.

We were able to call in Luis for translation after Nelbelys got home, talking to her and praying with her about her marriage and the difficulties her and José are facing. José came home a couple hours later from his long shift as a forklift driver where we were able to have similar discussion.

This time with Fausto doing his best to translate - we were able to pray with them both and Mitch was able to share the picture of Christ’s love through marriage in his words and encouragement.

We shared tears and laughs together while the darkness swept over the city from the view of the kitchen. José gave Mitch & I the deepest hugs as we left and he guided us back down to the street corner to get an Uber.

As we left La Victoria that night and drove through the dirty streets of a bad area I couldn’t help but be moved in the most cliché ways – counting the blessings of where & how I’m able to live in what feels like a royal contrast compared to that of our new friends. I felt a deep sadness but at the same time I couldn’t help be encouraged by the sweet spirit the entire family shared.

Wednesday started off another slow morning which was much appreciated from our late night in La Victoria. Mitch & I shared another deep conversation over breakfast about different Bible topics and by lunch met Fausto in the lobby to uber to Surquillo, the area we had services on Sunday morning.

We visited the house of Emilio who lives in a cute area on the 4th floor of his building, a detail of note as he walks with a limp and there are no elevators in the building. He welcomed us in with many bienvenidos and handshakes. While 82 years old he likes to say he’s only 50. He lives alone after his wife died in the pandemic, but his living room was still full of life with many pictures of friends and families through the years. He’s served as the preacher for the Surquillo church for years, he was led to the gospel by his son who is now in Texas with his American wife. The apartment was the nicest we’ve been in but still humble in many details and finishes. Emilio took pride in showing us several photo albums with pictures of his friends and family as well as other brothers from the states who had visited.

On multiple occasions Emilio & his wife hosted American students studying in Peru and learning Spanish, he lovingly referred to them as his hijos and pointed them out in pictures saying I could be one as well. He then showed me where I would stay and what bathroom to use when I do.

Before we settled all the arrangements though it was time to eat and we prayed over our meal of pollo y patatas fritas delivered via motorcycle from a local pollito. The chicken was fantastic as all of the chicken has been in Peru, we each ate a breast & wing piece with a pile of fries dipped in a flavorfully spicy Peruvian sauce, yellow in color with pops of red and green chilis. We also shared a bottle of Chicha Morada, a dark purple Peruvian drink made from corn that has a light sweetness along with a cinnamon aroma and flavorful touch.

After our late lunch we discussed culture and geography, Emilio pulled out a map of America to show us where he had been and where his son lived, as well as to understand “where is this Tennessee?”. He also pulled out a folder of documents to show me from his mother’s naturalization from Spain to Peru. We were both excited to learn his mother and my great grandmother were from the same area in the north of Spain called Galicia. We even share the distant name of Garcia in some of our ancestors.

After many more laughs, Emilio likes to make a joke whether we could understand them all or not, and many graciases from both sides for the hospitality and the visit, we left for the rest of the days adventures.

After our visit with Emilio we headed all the way across town in what would be a smog filled Uber to our destination in Santa Anita at the church there led by brother Hugo Feliciano with his family. While the ride was rough the welcome was warm and we spilled out of the Uber attempting to catch some fresh air before we were greeted with many a hug and beso (kiss) on the cheek.

As we began our Bible study that night it would be the first test of our virtual translating that Fausto had set up (ensuring Luis was available during study times to translate over the phone). This service would be probably the best technological one of the trip as we were able to call Luis in & project him from a speaker without issue.

The brothers & sisters there were eager to dig into The Word and incredibly thankful for Mitch’s lesson and to share the time with us. While the building was dim and its proximity to the road was and other foot traffic was loud, the smiles and fellowship were unmeasurable. We learned that Fausto meets with Hugo regularly to help study with him & encourage him along with the members there, several of which visit from other congregations as Hugo tries to teach them the truth.

It wasn’t long before we were invited up for a dinner of delicious looking sandwiches that were unfortunately covered in lettuce and other fresh elements that we couldn’t be sure were safe from the water. Mitch & I did our best not to offend our hosts but felt terrible that we had to refuse what looked like an amazing dinner (and seemed so by how fast it was eaten).

We saved face and international relations by accepting coffee and Luz, Hugo’s wife, gave us some crackers to feel part of the meal. It was a sweet gesture for someone who had already gone out of their way to make us welcome. We enjoyed our hot drinks and learning about the work there where they have about 10 regular members but are encouraged by some of the studies they’re having.

By the end of Wednesday it had been a full day and we headed off via Uber again, through the dark streets of Lima back to our hotel.

After another deep desayuno with Mitch we headed south to meet with a brother in Christ at the St. Juan de Miraflores Church (not to be confused with the Mira Flores tourist area). Here we sat, talked, and prayed with brother Francisco who has been preaching many years there and proudly showed us his board of pictures from all different visiting brothers from the States.

One of which we were surprised to see was Mitch’s brother-in-law from a visit years before. Brother Francisco told us about his health struggles and the things going on with the work there, it seemed Fausto’s regular communication with him is a help but our time with him embodied something we seemed to see throughout our visit which was the difficulty of everyday life. The struggle those young and old go through but especially those older with medical needs who most of the time just have to go without. As we left and headed back across the city I hoped it was at least a small encouragement to him that we were able to fellowship and make time in our week – something it seems Fausto has little go around which how spread he is in his work.

After another long Uber and a quick meal we headed over to Los Olivos for an evening Bible study and another familiar sight which was the return, for sadly just one night, of the Eubanks family. They were a little late arriving having just flown back into Lima so we sang double the songs until they made it through traffic and Mitch led our lesson with Bringham translating.

It was good to see these new but now sort of old friends and hear about their trip to Iquitos where the kids swam in the Amazon, ate bugs, and had obviously had a much better time than they did in “boring Lima” as they called it. I was not bored by Lima but the daily trips and visits were definitely starting to tire us and we weren’t done just yet for the day. Following our Bible study, we Ubered off to meet with a member of Los Olivos we hadn’t met yet.

We trekked across town again this time to see Carolina, a widow who was getting off work and typically has a two-hour bus ride each way. Because of her schedule she struggles to attend so Fausto will often try and meet with her separately. We shared her burdens, prayed with her, and were able to take her to get some dinner before calling a taxi that would cut her trip home down to an hour instead of the normal two.

It's these small moments that I think really make these trips impactful, not just for those that we’re able to interact with or encourage but also for those that are on the trip. There’s many a memory of Peru I will have from simply being able to better understand just some of the difficulties our brothers & sisters in Christ face.

Friday brought a little rest in the morning but between handling a few work things & starting to prepare a lesson for Sunday the morning flew by and soon we were in another Uber ride, this time buckling in for an over an hour drive north, past Los Olivos and outside Lima proper.

Along the way while Mitch slept, I watched all sorts of sights out the window. From pretty much on-highway bus stops and the markets that pop up next to the road to support them. To the varying levels of poverty stricken neighborhoods that we passed there was always something new to see and we reached Puente Piedra sooner than it seemed.

We were dropped in front of a building with a clear sign but also a caged door that seemed dark and ominous, though what was waiting inside was anything but. There was Carlos Pérez who had visited Los Olivos the night before along with a few other new faces we had met. We were glad to see is almost always smiling face as he welcomed us in and we got busy setting up the speaker Fausto had brought to be able to translate virtually with Luis.

Though we experienced some continuous issues with the technology, the service, welcomes, and smiles were as warm as any. We worshiped with about 15 of their group, some not there because of work schedules but all who were had similar smiles to Carlos’.

Afterward he showed us around, the church building being a large open space from a converted gym but was somewhat part of the same building which he and most of his family lives. He showed us around the property and where the church used to meet the last time Mitch was there, which was news to Mitch!

From there we were invited to eat and shared lovely cheese and avocado sandwiches with Carlos and his wife Eliana who we quickly grew to love. Their humor transcended any language barrier and gave us the most joy to watch joke and joke with them as we learned about each other's lives.

From pictures of grandchildren to how many cats I owned we covered all the small talk but kept talking late into the night before the hour plus drive back made us leave.

The simple yet vibrant home Carlos & Eliana have warmed every part of my soul as we made the drive back. Before we left, I couldn’t help from joking that Carlos was now my Peruvian dad, a title he welcomed and was eager to hear when we might be back. While I was starting to feel ready to be home, I definitely would make a trip back to see those new friends.

Saturday came and with it so did an opportunity for my own growth. The day started off normal as any of the others, after the late night in Puente Piedra we were a little slow to get up but enjoyed one of the fresh mangos Fausto had gifted us and then spent most of the morning finishing off my sermon for the next day.

But as Fausto arrived and we prepared to leave, something wasn’t right, Mitch was feeling ill and worried about making the Uber ride and the evening sermon. I volunteered to take his place and after a quick discussion with Fausto we decided that was best. Fausto and I headed out alone while Mitch got some rest.

As we cruised through the city southward Fausto filled me in on who we were meeting with, Nelson and his family who made up most of the San Miguel Church, they worshiped with the Surquillo Church previously but 15 years before had moved to this area and Nelson had taken over when the preacher passed away.

They welcomed us in to their home which was surprising modern than any one I had been in. A small courtyard and then large rooms with nice furniture, but the biggest surprise was they all tried to speak at least a little English with me. Their oldest son Gabrial speaking fluently from spending his college summers in the States working on internships – his kids were also some of the tallest Peruvians I saw the entire trip. I learned Nelson and his wife own and run a manufacturing plant full time, there work with the church being really a side job.

After our visit we headed to the building in Nelson’s car and after tried to get the speaker setup for Luis to call in, however no matter how many attempts it wouldn’t work, so Gabriel volunteered to do his best. As I got up to speak I couldn’t thinking to myself how funny it was that both Gabriel and I were pinch hitters in this sermon both with little notice but doing it just the same. For both our sakes I kept the talk short but was thankful for the opportunity that bonded Gabrial and I as we shared God’s Word. It's these types of experiences on these trips that help you grow, and on the ride home with lots of traffic to fight through I felt useful.

After my fill on Saturday we were back to our regularly scheduled agenda. Mitch was feeling better enough and we packed up our hotel room to check out and spend the rest of the day with our luggage in hand and at worship with our brothers & sisters.

First we headed to Villa Maria, south east of our city center hotel where we started getting into some slight hills before the small, dusty mountains that sit outside Lima. The area was about the same as Santa Anita where we would be later that night, lots of life but also lots of poverty and grunge. We left early to be safe and we got there earlier than there was someone to open the church so while we waited on the street corner we learned about the work there from Fausto – Luis heading up leading the mostly women group and meeting out what turned out to essentially be his father’s garage. We learned he’s not a Christian but allows them to meet there.

Soon several members arrived and all began a flutter of chores to get the place ready. The floors were mopped, chairs put out, sign hung up, and before we knew it we were being welcomed into the space. Luis, his wife, and their new baby arrived and it was good to finally meet in person after so many translation or failed translation calls this trip. We had a fairly formal service with a published outline by Luis and even a PowerPoint for the songs that Luis ran off of his iPad. Mitch and I both preached with Luis translating in person and afterward enjoyed learning about the members there and their stories.

After goodbyes and promises for me to learn more Spanish next time I came to Peru (I had weaved a few Spanish phrases and introduced myself in Spanish during my own talk) we headed off to get lunch and kill a little time before evening services.

Fausto took us to the coast to see the ocean for the lunch in touristy area of Mira Flores that mirrored any American mall I’d been to (much nicer than some). We ate at a Peruvian restaurant and enjoyed a delicious last meal in the country before taking in the sights and headed far across town to Santa Anita to visit our new friends Hugo & his family.