Eastern Shore Episcopalian - Fall 2019

Unconditional Love
by Cristina Machin
The one word that comes to mind
when I think of the mission trip to
Peru is LOVE. Missioners are full of
love to give and serve, but I did not
expect the Unconditional Love that
we received back on this trip.
Love from our home parishes, who
supported us financially and with
prayers. I personally felt the mantle
of love from my church when I took
a hard fall on the last day and did not
break any bones.
Love from my team members, most
of whom I barely knew but we all
connected in amazing ways even
before we got to Peru (24 hours of
traveling can do that). Our team
members supported one another
while in the village, whether it was
help in speaking another language,
taking care of the sick, taking walks,
or talking and providing support
when we did not have faith that we
were prepared for the task.
Love from the local YWAM base in
Iquitos who took care of us while we
were with them, trying to meet our
needs – from finding a jar of peanut
butter to supporting the team with
their advice and care.
Love from our River Ministries
members. Yola, our Peruvian “mom”,
who prepared amazing meals and
her husband Julio, Deacon for the
River Ministries, who gave advice
on how to be with the locals, shared
10
stories and cracked jokes. Darrly
and Jamie, two Canadians who were
completing their DTS (Discipleship
Training School) and Vladimir, an
interpreter from Iquitos, whose
linguistic support, sense of humor
and dedication to the job added to
our experience.
And UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
from the local deacon, Pastor Lans
and his wife Carmen and the whole
community of San Jose – the river
village in which we lived and served
for the week. As soon as we arrived,
Pastor Lans received us with the
biggest smile and open arms. He
opened his own home to us, 12
strangers, to set up camp. He literally
took a saw, hammer and nails, and
with the help of friends transformed
what would have been his living room
into a place where 12 hammocks
could be hang.
Pastor Lans set up the meeting with
the Mayor to advertise our eye glass
clinic and coordinated the clean-up
and set-up of the building that we
would be using. He accompanied
us to meet with the school director
who, to our amazement, opened all
the grades to VBS (150+ kids!). In
addition, we were asked to “teach
English” to the middle and high
schoolers. In past trips, we had little
opportunity to reach out to this age
group. To learn about them from
them, and to realize that 14-17
year olds are the same everywhere
(facebook, talking boys or soccer,
‘posing for pictures’), was a lot of fun!
During the eye glass clinic, I don’t
know who was more blessed: the
people who received glasses or our
team members. Most of the people
who participated would return to
each one of us after the process
was done, regardless of what they
received, and would hug and bless us.
Even when we could not help because
it was beyond our expertise, being
able to participate in the individual
prayer for health by the ordained
minister was powerful.
There are many anecdotes and
adventures from this trip: helping
decorate the church for a wedding,
witnessing that wedding, a baptism
in the river (two of our members
reconfirmed their faith), the chicken
that kept company to one of our sick
members, the incredibly annoying
roosters that would crow at 2 am, 4
am, 5 am and so on. But for me, the
last experience of unconditional love
came in the last 10 minutes in the
village before we left…
On my way towards the boat, I fell.
Carmen, the wife of Pastor Lans,
walked with me the rest of the way,
worried about injuries although I
kept saying that I was ok. Her last
act of love towards me was to take
me in the back of her store, where
the kitchen was and, getting a bucket
of water, she knelt and humbly and
silently brushed the mud off my pants
and my boots. This was my “Maundy
Thursday moment” of the washing
of the feet. We were silent and I felt
her love for me and for our group
through her act. There was nothing
I could say or give her- this was my
moment to just accept the love. I still
puzzle over this very special moment.
Despite all the hardships, if any of
us had a chance to return to Peru
tomorrow, we would all jump to it
without a doubt. That is power of the
love we felt.
Thank you for your support,
Cristina Machin
PAGE 9 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Attending a wedding (we helped decorate!);
fitting people for readers and distance glasses
(gv2020.org); baptism in the river for villagers
and missioners; corralling over 100 kids for
Vacation Bible School; teaching about Moses
at VBS.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The mission team
(12 from here and 10 from YWAM Iquitos);
sleeping in hammocks; our boat (and dining
room); evening team time and worship.