Peru Team:
2006 People
Spotlight
Eric
is a loan
officer for
Great
Southwest
Mortgage in
Anthem. He
went to an
informational
meeting at
Fellowship
Church just to
see what the
Peru trip was
going to be
about and
ended up
signing up to
go. Married
and a father
of three Eric
loves to serve
and his
highlights are
how blessed we
are to be able
to serve. He
was reminded
of why we
serve and that
when we do it
onto the least
of these we
are doing it
onto Him.
Eric wonders
what he can do
next. How can
he do more?
Serving is
not new to
Eric. He
attended
Scottsdale
Christian
Academy as a
teenager. He
has been
instrumental
in helping
plant a new
church, North
Point. He’s
been a pastor
and has gone
on mission
trips to
Mexico. He’s
been involved
in teach life
team, has
attended
leadership
conferences
and is looking
forward to
what God has
in store for
him next.
Eric is one
of those guys
that everybody
likes whether
you are a
teenager or a
senior
citizen. The
teenagers call
him “Papa
Eric.” He
likes people
and took
serving the
people of Peru
seriously.
Maybe we’ll
see him on
another team
in the
future.
Thanks Eric
for being
here.
Brian is
Christine’s
brother. He
lives in
Oregon and
when Christine
called him he
told her none
of his friends
were traveling
this summer so
he guessed
he’s s tay
home too.
Christine
asked, “Why
don’t you go
with us to
Peru?”
“Okay.”
I was
having a tough
time getting
to everyone
for their
website
spotlight so
one day on the
bus I passed
my notebook to
Brian and
asked him to
write whatever
he wanted for
his
interview.
Here’s what he
wrote:
“The
people, the
culture, the
happiness in
their hearts
in this void
of what we
think is
necessary for
life. I have
been grounded
and realize
that to this
point in my
life I have
done so little
with so much.
The joy
that I have
found in
helping with
their daily
tasks (i.e.
carrying water
for cooking
and many more
things)-not
just a short
walk, but yet
they have to
perform this
and others
every day. We
just turn a
knob for
water.
I was
afraid when I
left home. Now
I am filled
with love for
the barrios.
Also, the team
rocks! I have
been touched
by the down to
earth manner
that the
leaders and
Tom have
shown. Often
the leaders
place
themselves on
pedestals and
won’t interact
with the team
members and
get their
hands dirty.
Not so-a great
mission lies
in Hope4Kids.
I fully intend
to be involved
again with
them and my
prayers are
with Tom for
great health
and
longevity.
The mission
continues!
p.s. Dave,
my roomy
rocks. He has
great humor
with him-makes
all around him
laugh-I have
more if you
need-just
ask.”
I couldn’t
add anything
to that except
“Brian, you
rock!”
This cute
couple met in
Germany at an
international
school for
missionary
kids where
they were both
working. This
is their first
mission with
Hope4Kids.
They go to
Fellowship
Church in
Anthem and
signed up when
the church
announced they
were sending a
team.
Christine’s
highlight has
been traveling
with her
husband and
her brother
Brian. She
met a
12-year-old,
Rosa Maria,
who really
wanted to
communicate
and they did
so through
charades and
lots of
laughter.
One of
Mike’s
highlights was
to take the
burned boy to
the hospital
and to see the
joy on the
mother’s face
when her son’s
life was
saved. He
also was happy
to be a part
of purchasing
5 tables and
20 chairs for
a pre-school
that will be
held in a
community
center we
helped build.
What Mike
will take home
is the
realization
that at the
end of the day
people of
every social
class have the
same qualities
and desires
for their
families.
There is no
difference in
the mother in
the barrio
crying over
her child than
the mother in
Anthem-they
hurt the same.
Mike and
Christine are
a sweet
couple. You
can see the
love of God in
their faces as
well as their
actions.
Although they
were concerned
about
Christine &
Brian’s dad
being
hospitalized
while we were
here, they
continued to
trust God and
remained in
Peru to be the
servants they
were called to
be.
Angie lives
in Anthem and
attends
Fellowship
Church. This
is Angie’s
first mission
with
Hope4Kids.
She says that
different
things
collided
putting God’s
plan into
place and that
is what
brought her to
Peru. She
agrees with
Hope4Kids
philosophy and
is happy to be
a part of what
we are doing
here.
Her
highlights of
the trip were
teaching
Carlos to
salsa and just
seeing
everybody
dancing and
savoring the
joyful
moments. She
loved doing
the Congo line
with the kids
and just being
crazy &
letting the
kids forget
their living
conditions and
just be kids.
Angie said
when she looks
at the people
in the barrios
she thinks
That could be
any one of
us. Why was I
born in the
United
States? She
was
overwhelmed
with how much
God has
blessed her
life and as
her
spectacular
cup flows over
she wants to
bless others.
She will never
forget the
people who are
so
underprivileged
and feels
blessed that
she was able
to be a part
of the plan to
elevate their
life styles.
Angie
didn’t see the
language
barrier as an
obstacle at
all. She
became very
attached to
some of the
children.
Here she is
shown with her
friend,
Guernecinda.
They had so
much fun
laughing and
playing they
forgot they
couldn’t speak
one another’s
language.
As Angie
prepares to
leave Peru she
is saddened to
say goodbye
but remembers
an old saying,
“It is better
to have loved
and lost than
to have never
loved at all.”
She sees
the people
living in the
barrios as
wanting a
better life.
They just need
some help
getting there.
What a
pleasure to
have Angie
with this
team. Her
fun-loving
ways and
compassionate
heart added so
much to the
overall
positive mood
of this
team.
“Where’s Howie?
Hi Howie! Oh
Howie!” These
words were
often heard
from the lips
of our
teenagers who
totally fell
in love with
Howie. And no
wonder. A
retired school
teacher- and
some say Howie
has never
grown up-(If
you look
closely at the
photo you will
agree)-the
love he has
for kids
shines
through. He’s
a great person
of impact.
One year on
Valentine’s
day he was
correcting
math tests and
wrote along
the bottom of
each one:
“Tear along
dotted line
for an instant
Valentine. To
My Favorite
Student. I
love you”.
One day he ran
into a student
who had just
returned from
four years in
the military.
The student
opened his
wallet and
pulled out the
Valentine he
was still
carrying in
his wallet
more than four
years after
receiving it!
Always
carrying a
beaming smile
and an “I’m up
so something”
attitude Howie
was a definite
hit not only
with the kids
but with the
adults as
well.
His
wife Mary is a
nurse and
speaks Spanish
very well.
She’s had some
experience
with missions
but really has
been wanting a
mission where
she can use
her nursing
and Spanish.
When Tom spoke
at her
mother-in-law’s
church Mary
chased him
down and told
him this is
exactly what
she has been
looking for.
In the future
she may well
be able to
practice her
nursing as
well as use
her Spanish in
Peru because
part of New
Hope’s plan is
to have
clinics in
each barrio
and to have a
women’s center
for unwed
teens. Mary
worked serving
food, playing
games and was
a valuable
interpreter
with her
command of the
language. She
was amazed at
the wide age
ranges (14-82
years) of the
team members
and how well
everyone
worked
together and
got along.
She loved the
team and Tom.
Mary was
impressed with
how warm and
welcoming the
Peruvians were
and knows that
there is so
much still to
do. She is
taking home an
even greater
love for
people in the
barrios and
feels an
urgency at
spreading the
word so these
children at
risk can get
the help they
need.
What an
immense impact
these two have
made not only
on the people
of Peru but
also on the
team members
who will
remember them
fondly. Now
that they have
found
Hope4Kids we
hope they will
come back and
be a light on
yet another
mission.
This is
Jenny’s second
mission with
Hope4Kids.
She was with
us in Chile a
couple years
ago. She
enjoyed Chile
and since she
speaks Spanish
thought it
would be fun
to come to
Peru. Next
month she will
be going to
Russia with us
and practicing
her Russian!
She loves
language and
wants to learn
them all. So
far she has
studied
French,
Spanish and
Russian.
Her
favorite was a
missionary
named Juliana
who was
energetic and
vibrant.
Jenny thought
it was a fun
trip because
although not
everyone spoke
Spanish
everyone
understands
the language
of love. It’s
difficult for
her to say
goodbye but
fun too
because
everyone wants
to hug and
kiss you.
Jenny is a
talented young
woman and has
a remarkable
servant’s
heart. She
enjoyed
playing games,
serving food
and building
relationships.
We are looking
forward to
seeing her in
Russia.
Merissa, a
17-year-old
from Great
Falls, Montana
was here with
her daddy, Dr.
Don. They
had been to
Uganda with
Hope4Kids in
June. Merissa
is a veteran
missionary.
She’s been to
Kenya on a
medical
mission with
Samaritan’s
Purse. She
has been to
Ecuador with
Focus on the
Family Brio
Girls
Magazine. She
went with her
church to
Bulgaria. She
works with the
boy’s and
girls club in
Montana.
Merissa is
a recent high
school
graduate and
will be
attending the
University of
Northern
Colorado as a
pre-med
bio-chemistry
major. Her
dream is to
work in an
inner city in
trauma
surgery. She
has job
shadowed in an
ER and has
observed
procedures
such as brain
surgery. She
knew she
wanted to
become a
doctor when
she was in
Kenya giving
shots and
keeping
medical
records.
She’s an
impressive
young woman
and loved
holding the
babies and
practicing her
Spanish in the
barrios. She
was teased
about her
ability to
fall asleep in
the middle of
activity but I
guess she is
just in
training
because when
she becomes a
doctor in the
inner city
she’s going to
have to sleep
when she can!
We loved
having her on
our team and
hope she and
her daddy come
back again.
Her daddy,
Dr. Don was a
tremendous
asset to our
team as he
visited
patients and
explained
procedures,
interpreted
medical
records and
gave great
input and
advice.
Scott is the
pastor of
connection and
global
intersection
at Fellowship
Church in
Anthem. This
is his first
international
mission with
Hope4Kids.
Scott thinks
that your life
should be a
mission and
stresses that
we are all
missionaries
whether we are
in Peru or in
our own
neighborhood.
He talked
about taking
the kids to
Mexico and
said for those
of us in
Arizona Mexico
is three hours
away yet it is
three worlds
away.
One of
Scott’s
highlights is
seeing Tom in
the field. It
is great to
see Tom living
out the
philosophy of
Hope4Kids
which really
coincides with
Scott’s own
beliefs. He
says that
seeing the
huge passion
and connection
Tom has for
the people is
contagious.
He admires
Tom’s
leadership
abilities in
leading people
of different
abilities and
lifestyles and
watching God
work through
the Hope4Kids
team.
Scott’s
teenage
daughter,
Katie is with
us too and he
has found it
inspiring to
pass the
legacy on to
her. Watching
her and the
other teens,
seeing their
tears for the
kids in Peru
and watching
God work
through them
has been a
tremendous
adventure.
Scott has
been fabulous
on this trip.
He has worked
construction,
led
devotionals,
played soccer,
comforted
teens when
their hearts
break over a
child. . .
His
daughter Katie
has so much
energy and
creativity.
It was fun to
see her
jumping in and
doing whatever
task needed to
be done and
having fun
doing it
whether it was
getting dirty
sanding or
helping to
bury Kirrin in
the sand. . .
We were
blessed to
have them
here.
July 29,
2006
We're Home!
What a
trip! We saw
a lot of
heartbreak.
This was
Robert and my
11th mission
trip in less
than four
years-we have
two more to go
this year.
We leave
for Romania
and Russia on
August 9th.
Then
October 26th
we leave for a
month in
Uganda!
Do you ever
feel like your
dollars don't
make a
difference?
Usually I
collect funds
from people
before a
mission trip
to spend on
the needs of
the kids.
This
time I didn't
actively do so
because I
think people
get tired of
my asking.
Anyway, a
friend gave me
$200 and said
to use it
toward my trip
or where ever
I thought it
was needed.
I carried
it to Peru and
watched for an
opportunity.
The needs were
overwhelming!
One morning
I gave Tom the
$200 and told
him, "I know
it's not much
but use it
where ever you
feel it can
help."
Later in the
day he told me
about a little
boy who pulled
a boiling pot
of potatoes
over on
himself. He
had been so
badly burned
he would have
died without
medical
attention.
Tom used the
money to send
him to the
hospital.
$200 saved a
life!! I had
the joy of
seeing the
little boy
return home
from the
hospital and
saw a grateful
mother holding
him close.
So next time
you think your
contribution
of $25 or so
doesn't make a
difference
remember the
little boy
whose life was
saved for the
cost of $200!!
Thanks for
your prayers
and support.
Love,
Rachel
Thinking
About Russia
August 3, 2006
I've been
trying to
organize
things
around the
house so
we can go
again. We
leave for
Romania/Russia
next
Wednesday,
August 9,
EARLY in
the
morning.
I paused
to look
through my
hundreds
of photos
from
Russia
2003.
Here are a
couple of
my
favorites.
The women
on benches
are outside
a Russian
Orthodox
Church. This
has got to
be one of
my
favorite
photos!
Right next
to it is a
cemetery
with
Tchaikovsky's
grave (Tom
& I are
standing
next to
it). That
was
another
highlight.
This trip
will be a
nice break
because
although
we will
still see
poverty
and
sickness
it won't
be to the
extent we
have seen
in Peru
and
Uganda.
Tom calls
it Mission
101
because we
will be
mixing
sightseeing
and
mission
work. We
are
excited
that our
sister,
Ramona,
will be
joining us
for her
first trip
with
Hope4Kids.
Not only
am I
anxious
for her to
see the
kids but I
want her
to see
some of
the sights
like the
Hermitage
and
Tchaikovsky's
grave and
a Russian
Ballet.
I hope we
meet up
with Tom's
friend
Sasha who
is a
friend of
Gorbachev.
Oh, I
don't
think
there is
going to
be enough
time to
see it all
and visit
the kids
so maybe
we'll just
have to
not
sleep. I
think it's
White
Nights
anyway so
we won't
know the
difference!
Love,
Rachel
Next:
Robert &
Rachel in
Eastern
Europe /
Russia
August 9 - 22,
2006
