Leaving Peru

I have decided that flying standby is an extreme sport! I bought a one way ticket to Mexico City. I´ve never been in Mexico City before, but I don´t plan to be wandering around outside the airport. My chances of flying standby with Delta is better so wish me luck on another adventure. If all goes well, I will be home by Friday or Saturday.

Still in Lima

I´m still in Lima. Standby is not an adventure anymore, but a serious mind game of how many seats are open ; who has the highest seniority and when or how will I really get home. You can^t do anything but hover as close to the ticket desk as allowed. I truly believe that some ticket agents feel our pain when they say no more standbys tonight!
On the brighter side, I have visited the Methodist School in Callao, seen more sites in Lima and attended the Union Church on Sunday. This is an Enlish speaking church that is interdenominational and international. It has a gold mine of missionaries and US-Peru contacts.
I am anxious to get home and put some pictures on my blog and tell about some of my experiences as a leader. I have learn alot and look forward to getting feedback which will help me in the future as I start to plan another mission.
Peace, Judy

Adventures in Standby

Tonight will be my third try to get home. I am so thankful that I have a place to stay if I don´t make it. So far Ella hasn´t locked the door on me!! Flying out of Peru on Delta is getting harder, as they take on cargo and overbook. Last night I was fourth on the list which looked really good, but someone had the nerve to buy a ticket! Where was their sense of adventure? So far I have met 2 missionaries and miscelleous travelers in the same boat. We might start a ¨Standby Club¨ if we stay over three days. One lady has been waiting for 16 days. I believe she should be president of the club.
I look at my extended stay as an opportunity to learn how to get around the area and learn a little Spanish. I haven´t ridden the bus by myself, but Ella has me in training!!!
For those of you who have been to Dr. Tony´s home for sick children, I was there for a visit and took some clothes and donations. He has 52 children at this time and can use the extra help and finanical donations. He had volunteers from New York, Germany and Enland. They will be leaving soon. He recently lost some supporters from Ireland do to the economy.
Yesterday I had lunch with Jessica from the Miraflores Church. We talked about projects to benefit women and children. There are many needs and it is hard to focus on just a few. For the future. We will meet again to start planning another mission and I will travel with her to the outer areas. Dr. Ericka would like to do another mission, so we will gather some medical personnel and work more within the Peru medical system and in coordination with the Methodist Church of Peru. I have the support of Bishop Bravo.
The last three team members should have left last night. I did nót see them while I was waiting. I hope that everyone has arrived home and had a safe travel. Debi Shelton has a great blog, so be sure to follow hers. I will attempt to connect hers to mine. Thank you team for a job well done.
I hope my next blog will be from the US.
Peace be with you,
Judy
Here is Debi´s blog: http://debishelton.blogspot.com

At this time most of the team members should be home. The last three members are probably roaming around Arequipa or the Colca Canyon today! I plan to fly out tomorrow night. Standby is always an adventure.
I plan to write more about the mission and have photos after I return home. The best made plans to blog our way through Peru did not work out, but we all have much to tell and I m sure I will hear from the team. Please check our blog in the up coming weeks and we will update our mission. The team was great and worked very hard everyday at the construction site and the clinic. The medical team saw 700 patients in 7 days. The room at the construction site is ready for the roof. Many blessings for the team and for all the people that we met while in Ica and Pisco.

Update for Peru

AT last an internet!!! The medical, Bible and construction teams has been very busy this past week. The construction team has put footings in the back of the church for the first phase of the project. As usual the plans were change and we adjusted. We will not remove the church roof in this phase. The back wall has been poured and the bricks are in place. The team hauled in about 1500 bricks for the wall and estimated they hauled out over 4 tons of sand!!! Some of the sand and rocks were moved twice. There are 7 members on the consturction team and 3 hired workers.

Our three member Bible school team is doing an amazing job with the children. They have had to adapt to many situations, very little room and trying to control many children in a very small space. They are with the medical team and have helped keep the children occupied while the mother or a sibling is being seen. They have been able to have Bible School, but on some occasions they can only entertain.

The medical team has been treating over 100 patients a day. We had one day that many of the people were ill. We see mostly women and children. Families are given anti-parasite medication thanks to Change A Life program. Vitamins are being giving out to all children and many young mothers.

Today we are site seeing in Nazca. Our bus is waiting. More later.

Hello to everyone!
We are alive and well. the internet has not been good to us. Very poor connections in Ica hostel and I have not been near an internet site. I am using a laptop in Paracus at a travel agency for the NAZCA LINES. A very nice young lady offered it to me and I accepted. Will try to update eveyone later.