Global Mission ¡Mission Peru! (Archive)

Huch’uy Runa, Cusco, Peru

September 1, 2010

Dear Sponsoring Congregations, Friends and Family,

Hello from beautiful Peru. This country is so diverse and gorgeous. I had the opportunity to travel near the tropical rainforest to visit our sisters and brothers in Fiel Es Dios congregation in Iquitos along the Amazon River. I also went to Talitha Kum congregation in Cuzco, an ancient city tucked in the Andes Mountains. I wish I could have taken you with me to Cuzco and Iquitos so you could experience the warmth of these special communities of faith. (I know some of you have been there.)

Pastor Yoli Zaualeta has been serving in the “jungle” (as they say here) for several years where she is quite isolated. Iquitos is surrounded by three rivers: the Nanay, the Itaya, and the Amazon, so it is really hard to get to. Believe it or not, Iquitos is the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by road. To get there, you have to take an airplane, or else take a boat down the Amazon River for four days! If you are coming from the capital city of Lima, that 4-day boat trip follows a 20-hour bus ride. (I flew.) I went to see the Amazon, and to be with Yoli and encourage her in her work. I brought her some teaching materials that I have found especially helpful in Cristo Rey. We had a nice couple of days together mostly visiting the members of her parish in their homes. I am including two pictures from these home visits. In one, a parishioner is showing us her backyard full of avocado, mango, papaya and banana trees (God is good! Fiel Es Dios means God is Faithful.) In the other picture, a family’s living room, Pastor Yoli is wearing a red T-shirt.

Another dedicated Peruvian woman pastor who serves a congregation far from the capital of Lima is Ofelia Dávila. She has been with Talitha Kum in Cuzco for more than eight years. Ofelia founded the congregation in solidarity with a group of women and children who had been living with the challenges of domestic abuse and poverty. Pastora Ofelia “told the women that they were created in the image of God, and as God’s creatures they should all be able to live with dignity. Although their living conditions were harsh, [she] told them that they could make their own history and change their living conditions if they believed in themselves and their God given gifts.” Ofelia said, “As Christians, God gives us the power to change our lives.” (Source: “Talitha Kum: The Birth Story of a Lutheran Faith Community in Cuzco, Peru”, by David Wunsch, ELCA) Talitha Kum means, “Little Girl, Get Up.” These were Jesus’ words when he took a young girl by the hand an raised her back to life. (See Mark 5:41)

Pastora Ofelia is very much missed these days because she just moved St. Paul, Minnesota, my hometown, where she will study for 18-months at Luther Seminary. Until she returns, the Peruvian Church (ILEP) is making efforts to cover the bases while she is gone. I was sent toTalitha Kum two weeks ago to preach and give Holy Communion, and let them know that even without Ofelia, they are doing a great, great job and important work. For example they have a soup kitchen in their church that provides nutritious, hot meals every day. It was a very meaningful weekend for me. I miss my family when we are separated, but I was so thankful to be able to accompany the Quechua community Talitha Kum. In Cristo Rey in Lima where I am the pastor, Jhanet Regalado and Michael Ayala have been preaching in my absence. They are both seminary students and our Andean folkloric musicians.

Good news: the Children’s Song Books are finished! The book has 62 songs and a cd to go with it, thanks to Samuel, one of the youth from San Juan Camino de Esperanza congregation who plays guitar and has a great voice. Muchas gracias to those of you who donated money through the ELCA for the production of these books. I am attaching two photos from Cuzco: kids of Talitha Kum trying out the new songbooks, and a photo taken after worship on Sunday around the altar.

Dios les bendiga. God bless you.

Pastora Dana Nelson, Tom Ososki (ILEP Architect), Tana (7 ), Anthony (4)
Congregación Evangélica Luterana Cristo Rey
Calle Conde de Nieva, 237
Urb. La Virreyna, Surco
Lima 33, Perú
www.ilep.org
dnelson003@luthersem.edu
telephone 51-1-271-7097 (home)
51-1-278-0169 (church)