They tell me that a snow-capped volcano is a majestic and beautiful sight. For the past twelve days we have lived in the shadow of a beautiful volcano named Misti, in the Andean mountains of Peru. But Misti has remained a mystery to us because the days of rain and clouds shrouded it from our sight. One morning, the clouds parted just enough to let us catch a glimpse of its shoulder.
Mysterious, snow-capped volcanoes may be incredibly beautiful, but they were not what drew us to the Andes mountains. Instead, we went to meet a beautiful group of believers who were not at all mysterious to us. They welcomed us with open arms, loved us, shared their lives and their hearts with us. They rejoiced with us and cried with us, and we with them. They have left a deep impression upon our lives that will remain with us until we see them again.
For three days in the evening, Charlie taught a gathering of believers from different churches. On Sundays he preached in various churches. I spoke to the ladies one evening, and Charlie challenged the young people in another meeting. These were joyful times of sharing biblical truths with God’s people.
Perhaps some of the best times, though, were shared around the dinner table in the home of our hosts. Laughter, tears, prayer concerns, questions about ministry and the Bible, and stories of the grace and glory of God were all part of those dinner time conversations. Authentic Peruvian food satisfied our stomachs while the conversations satisfied our hearts. (Our hostess was a marvelous cook.)
We told our hosts that since Misti had not allowed us to see him, we needed to return. But to be honest, it is not the mountain that draws us back, but the beautiful people. It is difficult to put into a few words on this page the beauty of these few days. As I process and post again, it will become clearer. In the meantime, it is enough to say that, Lord willing, we will return.
Mysterious, snow-capped volcanoes may be incredibly beautiful, but they were not what drew us to the Andes mountains. Instead, we went to meet a beautiful group of believers who were not at all mysterious to us. They welcomed us with open arms, loved us, shared their lives and their hearts with us. They rejoiced with us and cried with us, and we with them. They have left a deep impression upon our lives that will remain with us until we see them again.
For three days in the evening, Charlie taught a gathering of believers from different churches. On Sundays he preached in various churches. I spoke to the ladies one evening, and Charlie challenged the young people in another meeting. These were joyful times of sharing biblical truths with God’s people.Perhaps some of the best times, though, were shared around the dinner table in the home of our hosts. Laughter, tears, prayer concerns, questions about ministry and the Bible, and stories of the grace and glory of God were all part of those dinner time conversations. Authentic Peruvian food satisfied our stomachs while the conversations satisfied our hearts. (Our hostess was a marvelous cook.)
We told our hosts that since Misti had not allowed us to see him, we needed to return. But to be honest, it is not the mountain that draws us back, but the beautiful people. It is difficult to put into a few words on this page the beauty of these few days. As I process and post again, it will become clearer. In the meantime, it is enough to say that, Lord willing, we will return.
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