Garage Sale Ministry?

I've never had a sale with a purpose before . . . well, other than getting space back in my storage room and making a little extra money. This year was different . . . in so many ways. First, it turned out to be a yard sale! Ministry is messy? No kidding! Second, I was no longer the friendly lady with the Hawkeye kids stuff, but a representative of a team, a church, and Christ.

Laura T. created some awesome posters with enlargements of photos of Peru. And Laura L. made a tent sign with "All proceeds go to support Blackhawk Church Peru Mission." That opened a lot of conversations about the church and the mission.

Maybe it is just my imagination, but there were several non-verbal conversations about Christ. In a helping hand, gentle eyes, compassion for the poor. One man from the neighborhood came and picked up the "leftovers" for a container shipment to Haiti. But the saddest story was of a woman who lost a granddaughter during the birthing process. The granddaughter was a twin. Her brother surrived and is twelve months old now. For some reason, the woman shared the intimate details of the joy of having her grandson and her grief in losing her granddaughter. She walked away in tears leaving me speechless at the end of my driveway.

It was a good reminder that I may be going to Peru to work with our Food For the Hungry friends, but there is a much greater "work" being done in my heart.

Loaves and Fishes

I thought it was interesting this morning, when our team leader brought up the "Loaves and Fishes" miracle. Cory and I have been confronted with one obstacle after another when it comes to this mission trip. We began with wondering if God even wanted us to go and expected him to open doors. We weren't sure if Cory's employer would allow him the time off, but again, God worked out that detail. Now our biggest obstacle, fundraising, shouldn't be that intimidating, but it is.


Loaves and fishes. Doesn't seem like much, a sack lunch really, but Christ fed thousands with it. I should be expecting him to do the same through the generosity of friends and family, but somehow, like Peter, I see the waves of lapsing time and a deadline and find myself sinking in doubt.


God, you said that if I have the faith of a mustard seed, you will move my mountains. Help me to stop fixating on the size of the mountain and focus on your faithfulness, provision for all our needs, and that you made those mountains!

A taste of life in Peru

Yes, that is a pig strapped to the back of car.

Corey, the primary Food for the Hungry staff person that works in La Merced, and her daughter Amy.

Creatures: a three-toed sloth.

Food for the Hungry-Pucallpa staff

Lomo saltado: famous Peruvian dish.

Children of La Merced in church.

Typical home in La Merced.

Fresh water spring where the community does laundry.

Visiting a family in La Merced.

View of the Amazon jungle from the plane.