Finish Strong!

This post is by Marty Listberger. Thanks, Marty!

We are praying for you and we thank God for your prayers and support. Tomorrow (Saturday) will signal the beginning of the conclusion of our time together here in Ica Peru. It is with great joy and sincere gratitude that we will being saying good-bye to our friend, Lee Jimison, as he begins the long journey back home. Before I share my thoughts about this, let me take a few moments to share some of the events of the past 36 hours.

We arrived at Casa por Marilena (Marilena´s House) about 9:00am this morning. Following a day of rest and refresh time at a beautiful oasis called Huacachina, combined with the experience gathered from building Jose and Rosa´s house, the team began working with great confidence. Lee and Jim layed out the chalk lines, David and Lynn setup the cut station and began cutting posts and studs, while Tory and Colleen assisted with the raising of the corner posts. Within 30-minutes the first wall went up and we were off and running.

It was quickly becoming clear to me that the team was functioning well and that they had succeeded in working me out of a job. The team no longer required a leader...they were clear on their mission and each person knew their role. I really credit this to Jim and Lee´s leadership. As I looked around for bent nails to sweep up or pencils to sharpen, I noticed Marilena leaning against the wall accross the street. A little girl ran to her with a tissue to wipe the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. I invited Colleen to join me and explained that the house can wait, ¨we need to comfort Marilena.¨ Marilena was overcome with emotion, not able to believe that people she had never met woke up, prayed up, showed up and were excited, laughing and happy to rebuild her home. A home that fell one evening last August within minutes in the wake of an earthquake. Struggling through her tears, Marilena explained that she wanted to do us a favor. As we hugged each other we explained that the greatest favor she could do is to accept this house as a gift from God and honor Him by making the name of Jesus great throughout this neighborhood. Marilena looked at us and said, ¨in reality, that is what I already do...you came such a long, long way to help me.¨ The only thing I could say was, ¨then Marilena, it is appropriate that God has selected you. Just as he sent Jesus all the way from Heaven to save all of us, He has sent us to help you. He wants to bless you because you truly love Him.¨ Yes, there were more tears and more hugs...we returned to work and Marilena stood watch all day - I believe she will continue to be used by God...she has many neighbors who are watching too!

You may notice that the picture above does not include the entire team. The hot sun and humidity has taken its toll on many of us throughout the week. While everyone tries diligently to maintain proper rest and water, we´ve experienced more than our fair share of instances of heat exahustion. Either that or were experiencing some sort of stomach ailment that is slowly working it´s way through the group. First David, then Tory, Emily, Colleen and now me. We´ve done well to look after one another and Betty has been incredible at providing tea, nurishment and even soothing cool compresses to reduce fever and provide comfort to those that have needed to power through the 24-hours required to get back on their feet. It is wonderful how God has provided both Betty and Pepe as extended members of our team. They are absolutely His saints and we have been blessed in so many ways.

As we approach the final few days of our time in Peru, we were treated to another example of God´s creation and beauty even in this most desolate place in the middle of the desert. Here most people see dirt, poverty, very little in the form of trees and due to the earthquake piles and piles of bricks and stones...yet, God finds ways to reveal himself and all his Glory. This picture was taken while lying in the sand in front of a dune buggy behind Huacachina. I love how the wind forms wave-like markings in the sand and how the setting sun stars just as it meets the horizon.

So, just as the sun sets behind the dunes we prepare to say good-bye, for now, to our friend, Lee. His gifts for construction have been second only to his kindness, gentle manner and spiritual leadership. We´ve all experienced Christ´s love shining brightly through him this week. ¨Thank you Lee.¨ We pray for his safe travels to Lima, Miami, San Francisco, Sacramento and El Dorado Hills as he anxiously anticipates his reunion with family and friends. We also pray for relief in the storms, high winds and rain that have created difficult circumstances throughout northern California.

Meanwhile, as we continue to experience the culture, wonderful food and music (mostly 80´s Rock from the USA in all the Taxis!) in Peru and share the good news to encourage the people of Ica over the next few days we invite you to continue to pray that we finish strong. Pray that each member of the team can find the time to be completely alone with God. Pray that we recognize what He is seeking in each one of us as we prepare to return home to all of you.


P.S. In case you´re feeling that God is calling you to join one of our Lakeside on Mission Impact Peru teams, we have a seat reserved just for you!

Yahoooooooooooooo!















A special hello to Sandy, Shane and Shannan - I love you!

In His Arms,

Marty Listberger

One More to Go!

Hello Lakesiders and Share Partners,

It is Thursday here and it has been a wonderful trip. My fellow team members are just great and we are having a productive yet fun time. Marty keeps us all organized and is doing a great job keeping our focus on the mission and our interaction with each other and the families we are ministering to. He is truly dedicated to the success of this trip!

After a long day on Wednesday we were able to finish Jose and Rosa´s house except for a few small items. It is a very rewarding blessing in having a small part in helping those less fortunate than ourselves. Jose and Rosa know that they have received this blessing from God.

There was much interest by people in the neighborhood as they watched the progress of the house. Our construction methods are different than what they are used to seeing. A wood frame structure and the process in which to construct is far different than the brick and mortar construction they are familiar with. I´m sure they were surprised at the time it took to build and I´m sure will be pleased with the finished product after it is plastered on Saturday.

The kids in the neighborhood are like kids everywhere, they love to play. It was fun to see Lynn, Colleen, and Tory play and spend time with them and have a blast doing it. Between hammering and nailing they were holding the baby and playing soccer. These kids probably just love the attention of having adults spend time with them doing the most important thing, having fun!

I´ve enjoyed working with Jimi who speaks my language. Having been to Peru already to help build another home he was a great help in my understanding of building one of these homes. Truly someone who loves to serve.

Everyone on our team compliments each other with their talents to make this trip so fun. It is wonderful to develop new friends and relationships that will remain from now on. It´s encouraging to see young men like Tory and David who at such a young age are experiencing the blessing of ministry. Lynn and Colleen are just fun to be around and keep us laughing all the time.

It is nice to have Emily and Stephany filming and documenting the devastation from the earthquake. My prayer for them is that their hard work and diligence in making a film will make people aware of the need and energize people to help.

Thank you all for sending me here and to receive the life changing experience of bringing God´s love to those less fortunate. I know we receive more blessing than those were trying to bless. Although I feel that not being able to communicate with words to the families makes it hard for me, I´m glad for my team members that can. I believe the most important part is the relationships that are built. I´m glad that I´m able to contribute a small part and do what is easy for me and that is to build.

I also want to thank Bill Harggett who was so gracious to open his home to are team and to have Pepe and Betty to help us all week long with everything from cooking to translating for us.

God Bless, Lee

Third Day Building

(This blog was written by a member on Lee's team from Lakeside...sorry...they didn't sign their name!)

Today is day 3 three of building! Wow what an experience already. So much has happened during this trip so far. So many good discussion's so many good experiences and many good blessings! At the beginning of the first work day we came to the work site with just a slab of cement and a pile of materials. Now let me just say that Marty has been an amazing leader setting us up every step of the way always looking for our best interest making this very poverty stricken place a very good time. We manage to always be laughing, smiling, or making jokes at each other. But, we are just blessed to have Jimmy and Lee leading us on the work site because without their patience and expertise I would be in a very bad position! But we are just so blessed to have such an amazing team! Well, now seeing everything come together on day 3 is just awesome. We came to the work site with just a frame and a roof. So, we decided to get an early start so we could finish by lunch time. Colleen and I actually had quite a good experience mixing concrete today. We had a great time using a onion bag as a sifter for sand to mix. And Colleen was all over that she told me she was having a blast with it.. Well, lets just say for a few minutes haha! But, we learned a lot. I can't believe the impact and hope that brings all these people that lives in these "pueblo heavens" poor areas. Finally when about 5 or 6 came around when we were all beyond tired we finally finished. But, what sticks out most in my mind we stood around in prayer with the team and the family Jose, Rosa, their grandparents, Florella, and their baby! And we had our closely grown friend Pepe and translator translate the prayers and after we touched the house with all of our blessings and prayers Jose began to break and tear up. Some of my thoughts for the day are just that we understand we can't help everybody but, to give blessings and prayers and hope to this one family I pray in turn that it will impact the community to become more hopeful and curious about the true reasons we came on this trip and in one day see them in heaven with us all!

Happy New Year!

Portions of this were written by Colleen, a member of the Peru team from Lakeside...

What a way to start the year, but on a mission in Peru building a house! What a blessing! We got a little bit of a late start due to not getting the best sleep. The Peruvians here brought in the New Year with lots of dancing, fireworks and music and the neighbors very close our were no exception. I think they may have stopped around 5 am.

Today´s goal was to put on the roof and start putting up the siding. We did the get roof on as you will see in the photos. It was hotter today, but we were motivated by a devotional this morning out of the book of Luke that Jim led about service. As Jim puts it, ¨We don´t have to do service, but Jesus tells us to. ¨

Off to the site we go, in the smallest taxis I have ever seen. These little cars are smaller than a Geo, but they are everywhere and stoplights a merely a suggestion. It is always quite an exciting ride even for the short distance we travel.

When we arrived at the house today, it was nice to see the frame up. Lee and Jim are really leading the construction project. Their skills have been invaluable. They have been very patient with everyone as we learn or relearn to use a hammer, saw and screwdriver. We only had one injury so far, Lyn hit her little finger with a hammer. But of course that did not stop her, she kept on going.

Florella is a young girl who is very bright who is a cousin to Jose, of the house we are building. I (Colleen) made a hand puppet of a doll with her today. She is a bright ten year old who wants to be a veterinarian. Lynn spent the many hours holding a baby named Lamamay. This little girls hair won´t lay down, it stands straight up. So they call her Hair of an Angel.

A few of us went for a walk through the neighborhood. Many walls of the homes made of brick are still in piles on the ground. The people have attempted to put back up walls with tarp, stacking the bricks, and by sewing together rice bags. The inner walls of their homes are gone and many roofs have caved in.

We spoke to one woman, who asked us to help her parents, since they were very old and their entire home was destroyed. They had put up some old boards that were found some where for the front of the house, but when you peeked inside, there was nothing else to the home. It is hard to see these experiences some times because there is only so much we can do. We are going to go back and pray for the parents when they are home.