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A Monthly E-mail Newsletter
A.M.O.R. Projects
L.O.V.E “Carry each other´s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.¨—Galatians 6:2 A.M.O.R.
Issue No. 34—June 2010
50 Cows Coming Soon!
By Deborah Roquiz
Here at Km 38, things change fast. A month ago I had just heard this strange idea that we’d have cows here at Km 38. Now I can see fenced pasture land and the frame of a cow house where before was only dense jungle. When you have a significant numbers of person working together to accomplish a common goal in a short amount of time, it’s humbling to watch how it comes together knowing you had a part in it. one found their vital place working together alongside the Peruvians to heave and pull and push and nail and cut from 8 AM to 6 PM with a 2-hour lunch and siesta break. Not only was this a needed, and much appreciated break, but it would be even crazier to try to exert yourself during the hottest part of the day.
I asked Erick Salcedo, the chief of the One of our top priorities manual labor team, if he this month for the manual thought this could be labor team was to pierce completed in time. And through the thick jungle he responded, “I’m not with machete in hand to clear going to lie. It’s crazy a path for 2000 meters of what we’re trying to Sam Sabri and Kelly Hawkins from Escondido, California, work together with Peruvian worker, fence line and a 70-square meter Wagner, to put another fence post into the ground to enclose the future cow pasture land. achieve. This work takes time, plot for the cow corral. That alone and we’ve been given such a required weeks of manual labor preparation by short time to do it. We can only take it one day at change in climate, living conditions (outhouses, ten climate-accustomed Peruvians, braving also a time, doing as much as we can and leaving the anyone?), noisome animals (such as our obnoxious the swarms of wasp bites and ubiquitous ant hives rest to God.” roosters who crow at all hours of the night), the and blood-sucking gnats and merciless heat day in Currently, the cow project still lacks some language barrier (Quick, I need a dictionary to and day out. For the part of digging holes, putting look up bela!), and finding one’s rhythm to using cows. That’s the other part of this great chalin fence posts, and beginning construction on the lenge: finding and purchasing cows at affordable the shovel, hammer, or machete. cow house, A.M.O.R. Projects collaborated with an prices that will be able to endure the harsh con18-member group under Ron Hawkins hailing from But pretty soon, I was even a bit surprised by ditions and yet also prove productive for both Escondido Adventist Academy in Southern Cali- how the first group was able to get all those milk and meat so that the A.M.O.R. Projects can fornia. Of course, from that group, only about fence posts in through the densest part of the progress toward becoming a self-sustaining, nonseven or eight at a time would be able to commit jungle. Now it’s only a matter of putting barbed profit organization. Though we may not have any to such intense manual labor, so the rest could be and electric wire around them to enclose the cow cows...yet, that doesn’t diminish our efforts in free to travel and minister to highly populated pasture. The other task of building the cow corral the intense heat, dust, itchy grass, and bugvillages through children’s VBS programs and free also had to start literally from scratch. The wood infested jungle in anticipation of 50 cows to be we used was cut down from our very own backdental clinics. moving in here soon. yard and sawn into usable sizes and shapes by our Nevertheless, the work began from the It sounds like wishful thinking to believe that very own primitive saw before they were used to ground up. Inertia required a bit of time before it’ll happen, doesn’t it? But then again, since when construct the frames of the cow house. progress could get up to a speed, As always, does anything we do here seem... expected? there was that period of adjustment to the With such a huge challenge before us, every-
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Want to Help?
Send Check or Money order to:
AMOR Projects P.O. Box 212 Loma Linda, CA 92354
Or donate online at:
www.touchofloveperu.org
We’re already banking on a crazy ideal that some teacher at some Adventist Academy would catch this same vision and want to mobilize a group of high school and college students to raise funds in a bad economy so they can jumpstart this project soon after having finished a exhausting week of final exams. Not only have they given up that vacation to Hawaii, they’ve also traded in their comfortable lives for 10 days in the jungles of -Peru to do hard labor in the sun without any air-conditioned buildings to escape to. When you tell me that makes perfect sense, I’ll know it’s only because you’ve likewise come to see that there’s something more to all this craziness. Indeed, there is something more, or Someone more, who’s behind it all, making it worthwhile and meaningful, and energizing us to keep on task in the face of such adverse circumstances. Clearly, it’s not for the hard labor that people have come here, it’s for the very real possibility to encounter the One that’s outside the boat calling us by name to join Him in the craziness of the stormy waters. And that by answering that call, we’ll too, be able to testify that we’ve walked on water with Him. That’s the kind of thrill that will long outlast the best vacation Hawaii promises.
All donations are tax-deductible __________________________
A Special Thank-You to the following people from Escondido Valley, California: In the ten days you were here, your Christian witness and camaraderie helped make it possible to hold a traveling dental clinic campaign at seven disadvantaged villages, to reach out to the children at two squatter towns, and to jumpstart the construction of the cow corral and fence. May you continue to be the blessing in your own communities and the world around you as you were so here.
Ron Hawkins Kelly Hawkins Sam Sabri Blanca Hernandez Aaron Perez Cookie Perez George Buchheim Becky Buchheim Jenny Buchheim Kalani Berry Zac Engelhorn Michelle Bautista Kaylee Ramsey Rebecca Jones Stephanie Moore Alex Ramos Juan Hidalgo Gabriel Hidalgo
Juan Hidalgo stops to rest from digging another fence post hole in the ground while Zac Engelhorn continues on.
Everyone comes here expecting to see God do something big. And it’s when things are craziest and beyond our normal abilities that we’ll get that amazing privilege to glimpse the reality The cow house construction begins with George and Jenny Buckheim, Daniel Pua, and Kalani Berry digging of God’s power shining through us as a whole to holes into the ground. achieve what at first had seemed impossible.
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A Bible for John
By Deborah Roquiz
I had returned to the invasion community of 17 de septiembre for the first
time since our last campaign in February. Before I came during the rainy season on a motorcycle. This time I traveled through dusty, dry roads with a truck full of eager teenagers ready to start their VBS evangelistic program for kids. Our presence attracted the neighborhood kids within the first few minutes. I instantly recognized one of the kids, Daniel, from before. He introduced me to the boy next to him, John. I didn´t know it then, but John was going to be my tour guide for the rest of the week as I went house to house telling parents about a special week we had ready for their children. I’d say, “Americans are here to help teach your child English and Bible stories through songs, crafts, and games. Why not give it a try and send your kids?” After spending a good hour walking in the dusty roads and merciless sun, I was ready to head back to the church. But John was persistent, ¨Just one more street. You need to come to where I live. There are a lot of little kids there as well. ¨ Well, okay. But just one street more. It ended up being another two streets. But how could I complain? John had helped me find an additional 15 kids to bring to the program. As we walked, I asked John what grade in school he was in. He didn´t know. Turns out, at 14 years old he hadn’t even finished 2nd grade. I wasn´t the only one concerned. An older kid, Roy, had taken him under his wing and was trying to teach him to read. Roy explained to me how his mother kept him from going to school so he could stay home and take care of the house while she went out to drink. Ron Hawkins had also met the same boy. On Sabbath after church, John had showed Ron to the nearby zoo and other relatively noteworthy places. Pretty soon, Ron, too, saw that this kid had a good heart and was likewise determined not to let illiteracy stop John from knowing the Bible. The next time Ron returned to John´s village for a medical clinic campaign, he didn´t come empty-handed. He had brought a little, white mp3 player with earphones that read aloud the entire Bible. Ron told Roy to let him know as
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soon as John shows up, eagerly anticipating giving him the surprise. At this point, I couldn´t help but smile at how the Word of God had now come to an illiterate teenager. As Ron recounted the story, it was
needed for the trip! While anticipating the departure date for Peru, June 16, I was nervous, but very excited! Many people told me I was taking a big step for someone who hadn't been on a single mission trip before, but I felt God was calling me to serve him. The first day of our work in Pucallpa was an adventure. I was assigned to help out in the dentistry group with Dr. Aaron Perez. That day made me feel happy because we were able to help people who didn't have enough money to see the city dentist. And from that experience, I can now see myself being a dentist someday. I was also able to help out with Vacation Bible School at two sguatter towns referred to as ¨Km4¨ and ¨Km8.¨ I fell in love with the kids at Km4. One of my favorite memories from Vacation Bible School happened there. The VBS crew had to go around the
Roy gives a thumbs up of approval while listening to a reading of Genesis with his longtime friend, John.
village to spread the news about the upcomiong week of VBS. Mrs. Cookie Perez and I took a bunch of kids with us and we went to several houses to tell parents and children about the special program. After thirty minutes, Mrs. Perez decided we need to take a little break and sat on a bench under a shady tree. To my surprise she started singing "Jesus Loves Me" in Spanish and the children with us began to join in! That really touched my heart to see the children with huge smiles while singing the beautiful song. I felt God's presence at that moment. Our last day in Pucallpa was a bittersweet memory. It pained me to say goodbye to everyone at Km 4, especially a seventeen-year-old girl named Karin. She and I became good friends the instant we met. The language barrier did not stop us from bonding. When we had to say our final goodbyes, my heart sank. I knew I would probably never see her again. After our long embrace, we both had tears falling from our eyes. I felt happy that I had made an impact on her, but even happier that she had made such an impact on me. I learned from her and the children at Km 4 that kindness and smiles are more than words. They also taught me to appreciate the things I have. The people at Km 4 did not have much, but their hearts were full of kindness and love. I very much enjoyed my entire experience working with A.M.O.R. Projects. Now I want to go on more mission trips in the future! 17-year-old Michelle
hard to discern who was the happiest: Ron, choking back emotions at having been entrusted with such a special delivery, or Roy, who had been reaching out to John in the past year, or John, who now encounters the spoken Word of the God at the touch of a button.
My Story
By Michelle Bautista
Ever since my sophomore year in high school, I had been longing to go on a mission trip with my school, but it seemed when mission trips were
scheduled, I was either busy or my parents would tell me we didn't have enough money. When my junior year rolled around, it was announced that students from my school, Escondido Adventist Academy, could sign up for a mission trip to Pucallpa, Peru. I thought for sure that I would not have the money to go on this trip, so I didn't even try to sign up for it. In the month of March 2010, I overheard the mission trip coordinator talking to one of my teachers about a vacant spot. Right away I asked Mr. Hawkins if I could take the spot and to my surprise, he said yes! Later that evening, I told my parents that I wanted to go to Pucallpa and that I was willing to try my best to raise the money for the expensive trip. With the school fundraisers, donations from friends and family, and a lot of prayer, I was able to raise the amount
Bautista will be a senior at Escondido Adventist Academy in the Fall 2010.
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Number of kids reached through VBS ¨Heroes of the Bible¨ 155
Michelle Bautista, Cookie Perez, Rebecca Jones Stephanie Moore, and Kaylee Ramsey leave with lasting impressions of Km 8 kids.
Alex Ramos makes a child at Km 4 feel extra loved.
Bridging the culture gap with braids
Number of Patients Seen During Dental
High school sophomore, Kalani Berry, gets in early exposure to a possible future in the dental profession.
Campaign Week 307
Kelly Hawkins learns how to clean teeth at Km 4. AMOR Projects
Dr. Aaron Perez teaches by example.
Ashley Self, the public health nurse of Touch of Love, attends to the burn wounds of 10-year-old Coni. During the VBS campaign at Km 4, the recent cut-off of electricity brought upon regular accidental fires at night. 4