I have had the opportunity to visit Peru, South America twice. Tom Hough, a high school teacher/coach of mine quit teaching to continue the mission work of his father in Pucullpa and along the Ucayali River. They now have a Bible institute in Pucullpa where folks come to be able to teach and witness in their own villages and communities. During my first trip in 1996 our group worked at the institute painting, hanging ceilings, and other odd jobs to improve the school building. It was an eye-opening experience to see life and the culture of this South American town. An overnight stay at a village along the flooded river had an even bigger impact on me. To see people living with so little and being happy made me realize how "easy" life has been for me. My desire to have "stuff" dwindled in exchange for simply being happy for what I do have. One exciting part of the trip was going out alligator hunting at night.
The second trip in March of 2001 had the group working out at SAM Air a little drive out of the city. This part of the mission has the planes, land and water, for easier access to the villages. Part of our group rebuilt a dock for the float plane. My part of the group helped to dig trenches, cut and tie rebar for a fueling pad, and painted the aviation service building. We once again visited a river village, but returned in the boats that night. The smell of the jungle at night is an awesome fragrance of the blossoms opening up after the heat of the day. It amazes me of how blessed I am when I serve others.
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