What an amazing trip!  We got back to Iquitos the 14^th of December from our mission trip to Yurimaguas.

As many of the mission school students have family living in Yurimaguas, arriving in the church for the first time felt much like coming home.  Many were the mothers and sisters and brothers of the students, and were missing their family terribly.  And being professors at the school, Christy and I found that our reputations had already preceded us (fortunately in a positive way! J)  One young man greeted us saying, "I had heard from my brother that I could trust you, that you were someone I could talk to."

Through this some-what established relationship, we were able to connect more deeply than I would have imagined.  Not just spiritually, but through fellowship, laughter, tears, food, and everything else that friendship entails!  We were able to serve side by side with them, an honor after being given the opportunity to teach their kids at the mission school.  And several of these same mothers and fathers experienced inner healing and spiritual renewal through the course of the week.  And how wonderful to come home and share the exciting news with the students here!  There were tears in one student's eyes as he heard of the unbelievable changes occurring in his family back in Yurimaguas.

As the primary means of transportation in the jungle region of Peru is motorcycle, we decided to include a free wash as part of our daily outreaches.  And by this point we were in the full swing of things, having hosted a family festival for about 500 kids and moms and visited the local hospital to pray for people and pass out food.  For the motocarro wash, we divided into two teams in different parts of town.

As we began to work, having a lot of fun and trying to keep the soaking of friends to a minimum , the owners of the motorcycles and motocarros began to approach me and ask why we do what we do.  This is one of my favorite questions, because I find the answer never ceases to surprise the inquiring person.  And I love the answer-"Because we're here to show you we love you, and so does God.  We're doing this to serve you.  No catch.  We don't want anything."  And where you'd think the conversation would end, somehow the knowledge that nothing is obligatory often provides the security to begin a real and honest conversation.  And as I talked with Rosita for the next half hour about her family, her faith, and her history, I became amazed at the power of-"I'm doing this to show you that I love you, and so does God."

So today, do something to show someone you love them as our Lord does. No catch.