Love Extreme 1 - June 15, 2010 in Puerto Maldonado Posted: 06/22/10

The group took a trip on a large pecka pecka boat on Monday.  We travelled two hours east, climbed up a large, muddy hill and found ourselves in the middle of the rain forest.  We were surrounded by Peruvian crocodiles, catfish three meters long, large anaconda snakes and jaguars.

The group enjoyed feeding bananas to moneys, challenging themselves to cross a suspended, long narrow rope bridge and savoring a tasty, chocolate crepe.

We made a few stops on our way back to Puerto Maldonado.  We took a bathroom break and stopped at Monkey Stand.  We learned that it was the only sandy beach near Puerto Maldonado.

We finished a busy day by inviting the people of Colivias Area to watch a movie, Facing the Giants.  This area is one of the poorest in Puerto Maldonado, where the Red Light District is located.  We played with the children there and families came out to watch us.  The team began constructing trash receptacles while the movie played.  We used hammers and saws while being serenaded by Jake Hagood.  We all had a good time serving the community that night.

Part of our group went to the same area on Tuesday morning to pamper a few of the ladies with pedicures and manicures.  Other team members spoke at a school assembly.  TNU students performed a drama and spoke about love and showing love to others.

The women were gracious and the kids loved our short-term missionaries.  Men planted trees in the afternoon at a park near Callie Pugel’s (Puerto Maldonado 40/40) neighborhood.  The ladies went to serve ladies at a prison.  We washed and massaged women’s feet and it reminded Lauren Johnson of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.  “At first I was nervous about messaging the ladies feet because I thought they would be gross, but when I was actually serving them, it felt so right.  I really saw God in the moment and I became really honored to massage their feet.”  Lonna Vopat shared her testimony after the foot washing.  We all prayed together and gave them hygiene kit care bags.

We gathered together in the evening at Hotel Bahia for a time of English worship.  Songs, prayers and brief testimonies were shared.  It was a good time bonding with the 40/40’s and short-term missionaries.