DELTA FLIGHT 235 touched down in Lima, Peru at 10:50 pm local time after a 7 hour trip from Atlanta. Aboard were the members of the Monticello Baptist Church Vision team (plus yours truly and Larry Brannin, KBC media) bound for a Peruvian mountain village under consideration for adoption. The team had to find the most comfortable place they could for the 7 hour layover in the Lima airport before taking a one hour flight to Cusco, deep in the Andes Mountain chain. After arriving in Cusco, we were met by two vans that took us even deeper into the mountains, a 7 hour ride on bumpy mountain dirt roads, to our final destination, Mara, Peru. Needless to say, we were exhasted by the lengthy and rough trip, and on top of that most were having to deal with altitude sickness.
The long and winding road, that leads to Mara, Peru
IMB missionaries have selected Mara as a HPZ (High Priority Zone)) because of its high concentration of lostness, its remoteness, and the lack of missionary force to evangelize this area through conventional missionary means. That’s why the R.E.A.P team is requesting churches and associations to commit to becoming “the missionary” (SC church) to Mara and areas like it. Monticello Baptist has heard the call and is compassionate about doing something to help.
- Monticello Pastor, Chad Fugitt (center left) speaks to a classroom as team members look on
It took a few days for team members to acclimate to the high altitude. The “hotel” was very primitive, with only one semi-functioning bathroom to share among all team members, interpreters, and drivers. Despite the rough beginning, the vision team continued on with their mission to meet as many people, and gather as much information as possible (more on that in a later post). After the first full day of research, the people had already won the hearts of team members. During an impromptu team meeting each began to share how the Lord had touched them for these people without Christ and without hope.
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