I had the privilege of working with James Neuendorf, missionary in the Dominican Republic, while he filmed the movie Chitachay here in Peru. James had visited this mission field several times in the past three years, and as a result of his visits, he came up with an idea for a movie based on the Bible story of Abraham and Isaac in Incan times. He wrote the script and planned everything almost all by himself, and then came to Peru to film it.
The Incas practiced human sacrifice to appease their gods, and they frequently sacrificed children who were "pure" and "noble." Some children grew up (until age 12 or 13) knowing that they would be a sacrifice. A well-preserved mummy of one of these children was found in the 1990's, and they named her Juanita the Ice Princess. She was so well preserved because she was frozen from the cold of the mountains in Arequipa. James heard this story and decided to combine it with the story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.
James chose to film the movie in the Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru, because that's the area where Juanita was found and many of the child sacrifices took place. We were in Arequipa from January 26 until February 19. I was there for the first and last weeks, and Anthony and Rosita were there at overlapping times to assist James.
On a research trip in October, James found a traditional-looking Incan house and a cave to use for filming. If you look at the pictures I posted, you'll see us fixing up both places for the movie. These two places are located about 45 minutes outside of the city of Arequipa, so we did a lot of traveling while we filmed. Also, we filmed during the rainy season, so we often had to leave between 2-5 in the morning to film while it wasn't raining.
It was a wonderful experience for everyone despite the early mornings and the leaking hostel rooms when it rained. I can't wait to see the final product! James is currently editing it, and we'd like to show the premier in Lima the end of April. We hope and pray that this will be an amazing witnessing tool first in Lima and then throughout all of Peru. Anthony will be developing three Bible studies that go along with the movie, so we'd like to do repeated showings of the movie and the Bible studies in May, June, and July. Please keep this whole project in your prayers!
Praise God for sending His only Son to be sacrificed so that no other human sacrifice is ever required! "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19
Jamie, Anthony, Katie
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Ultimate Shock
Culture shock is an ever-present reality in my life. One of the biggest things you have to get used to in another culture and language is feeling humbled. Many of the things I grew up learning how to do are done completely differently in another culture. First and foremost, there's the simple task of speaking (in another language). Then there are things like eating schedules, different ways to clean a house, different ways to prepare meals, communicating in a less direct kind of way, learning to wait a little longer than you're used to, and the list goes on and on. You start to feel a little incompetent at best and like a helpless child at worst.
Yesterday I heard the verse Philippians 2:8 read at church: "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." This verse and the rest of Philippians 2 made me reflect on the culture shock Jesus had to deal with. I can't even imagine. At least when you move from one country to another, you're still living in a broken sinful world, and people generally act the same since we all have the same human nature. But imagine living in the beauty of heaven in perfect harmony with everyone and having all divine powers and then coming to earth, being born in a stable, dealing with humans on a daily basis, and then being put to death by the very people you came to save! Now THAT would be a real shock!
Praise Jesus that he loves us so much that he was willing to do it. Praise him that "he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped" (Phil. 2:6). Praise God that Jesus has been exalted so that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-10).
As Advent approaches, let us be mindful of how Jesus humbled himself and joined our sinful culture so he could save us. Let us remember that "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses" (Hebrews 4:15) -- even culture shock.
"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you my be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:17-19
Yesterday I heard the verse Philippians 2:8 read at church: "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." This verse and the rest of Philippians 2 made me reflect on the culture shock Jesus had to deal with. I can't even imagine. At least when you move from one country to another, you're still living in a broken sinful world, and people generally act the same since we all have the same human nature. But imagine living in the beauty of heaven in perfect harmony with everyone and having all divine powers and then coming to earth, being born in a stable, dealing with humans on a daily basis, and then being put to death by the very people you came to save! Now THAT would be a real shock!
Praise Jesus that he loves us so much that he was willing to do it. Praise him that "he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped" (Phil. 2:6). Praise God that Jesus has been exalted so that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-10).
As Advent approaches, let us be mindful of how Jesus humbled himself and joined our sinful culture so he could save us. Let us remember that "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses" (Hebrews 4:15) -- even culture shock.
"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you my be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:17-19
Monday, September 19, 2011
From Fear to Faith
As soon as I got back to Lima at the end of August, I joined a spinning class that is offered at a park near my apartment. I've never been to a spinning class in the States, so I'm not sure how this one compares, but as I'm cycling, I frequently think about how the class relates to the Christian life.
As we listen to various renditions of rock music from the 80's and 90's, our instructor shouts instructions and encouragement. There are three positions that we rotate between - "siéntate" (sitting), "segunda" (standing), and "tercera" (standing and leaning forward). She lets us know when to change position, when to speed up ("escápate"- escape), and when we should "aumentar la resistencia" (add resistance).
During the times when we're supposed to be cycling at high speeds or with the highest resistance, doubting and frustrated thoughts creep in as I struggle to do what I'm told. I don't trust that the instructor knows what's best. I don't trust that when she says, "ocho más" (eight more), she's actually counting and will let us quit after eight more. I think about ways that I can keep my resistance low and make it look like I'm working harder than I am. I wonder what the others around me are doing. Are they "cheating" or are they working hard? I think to myself that I would work hard and give 100% if I knew what was coming next. I want to know that if I give 100%, I'll still have some left for the rest of class.
And isn't that exactly how we treat God sometimes? He is our instructor; our perfect instructor. He knows without a doubt what's best for us. He knows what trials we must go through in order to be more like Him and in order to accomplish His purpose for us. He knows exactly how to get us in shape, but we resist. We try to find an easier way out, a way with less resistance. We don't trust that He knows what He's doing. We want to know what's coming next, and we try to control the situation and determine what's best for ourselves.
Just like ignoring the spinning instructor and taking short cuts prevents us from getting stronger, and may even injure us, ignoring God has serious consequences, too. We don't grow to be more like Him, and we choose ways that lead us into sins that hurt us and others.
When I become overwhelmed by the future and what it might hold, fear starts to creep in. "What will I do next year?" "What if God calls me to the mission field abroad forever?" "What if he doesn't?" "What will I do when something happens to my family?" "What if I never get married?" "What will this year bring?" Fear leads to insecurity, desperation, lack of hope, and many other harmful feelings. But Jesus' words to the ruler of the synagogue in Mark 5:36 speak to all of these fears and their manifestations, "Do not fear, only believe."
God is faithful, and even if the future seems uncertain and scary, we can trust completely in our God who created us, redeemed us, and daily renews us. Even if we don't know what we'll have to do next or go through next, we know that it is for our good and that God will not abandon us in our time of need. May God give us the faith we need to follow Him wherever He leads, no matter the amount of resistance or how fast we have to go or how long we must endure. We need not fear; we must only believe.
"Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
As we listen to various renditions of rock music from the 80's and 90's, our instructor shouts instructions and encouragement. There are three positions that we rotate between - "siéntate" (sitting), "segunda" (standing), and "tercera" (standing and leaning forward). She lets us know when to change position, when to speed up ("escápate"- escape), and when we should "aumentar la resistencia" (add resistance).
During the times when we're supposed to be cycling at high speeds or with the highest resistance, doubting and frustrated thoughts creep in as I struggle to do what I'm told. I don't trust that the instructor knows what's best. I don't trust that when she says, "ocho más" (eight more), she's actually counting and will let us quit after eight more. I think about ways that I can keep my resistance low and make it look like I'm working harder than I am. I wonder what the others around me are doing. Are they "cheating" or are they working hard? I think to myself that I would work hard and give 100% if I knew what was coming next. I want to know that if I give 100%, I'll still have some left for the rest of class.
And isn't that exactly how we treat God sometimes? He is our instructor; our perfect instructor. He knows without a doubt what's best for us. He knows what trials we must go through in order to be more like Him and in order to accomplish His purpose for us. He knows exactly how to get us in shape, but we resist. We try to find an easier way out, a way with less resistance. We don't trust that He knows what He's doing. We want to know what's coming next, and we try to control the situation and determine what's best for ourselves.
Just like ignoring the spinning instructor and taking short cuts prevents us from getting stronger, and may even injure us, ignoring God has serious consequences, too. We don't grow to be more like Him, and we choose ways that lead us into sins that hurt us and others.
When I become overwhelmed by the future and what it might hold, fear starts to creep in. "What will I do next year?" "What if God calls me to the mission field abroad forever?" "What if he doesn't?" "What will I do when something happens to my family?" "What if I never get married?" "What will this year bring?" Fear leads to insecurity, desperation, lack of hope, and many other harmful feelings. But Jesus' words to the ruler of the synagogue in Mark 5:36 speak to all of these fears and their manifestations, "Do not fear, only believe."
God is faithful, and even if the future seems uncertain and scary, we can trust completely in our God who created us, redeemed us, and daily renews us. Even if we don't know what we'll have to do next or go through next, we know that it is for our good and that God will not abandon us in our time of need. May God give us the faith we need to follow Him wherever He leads, no matter the amount of resistance or how fast we have to go or how long we must endure. We need not fear; we must only believe.
"Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Worship Wednesdays
There have been times since my arrival to Peru that I really wondered about the work we were doing here. Were we in the right place? Were we doing the right things? Were we wasting time doing one thing when we should have been doing another?
And that's the way it is in the life of any Christian I think. We wonder if our Christian witness is doing anything. We regret not saying something more or wish we would have done things differently. And that's why I've found so much comfort from 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
We also remember what Jesus told his disciples in John 4:36-38: "Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." Sometimes we are the sowers and never see the harvest, and other times we see the harvest and didn't have to labor sowing.
Praise be to God when we get to be a part of the sowing and the reaping in the ministries God has called us to! That's exactly what happened last Wednesday, July 6, in Lunahuaná. We had our very first Wednesday Worship there, and we were all truly blessed to be a part of it!
Anthony picked up the rental vehicle at 6 a.m., we loaded up the van, and then went to pick up the Eisold family. The Walls will eventually come as well, but since Sarah will be giving birth to their third child any day now, they stayed home this time. We arrived in Lunahuaná at 9:30, and we started canvasing and inviting people right away. While Katie and I canvassed, the others got things set up at our worship location, Hotel Las Brisas. Once that was done, we broke into three groups and continued canvassing the valley. Sandi and Annalise went with me, and they were great helpers. Annalise listened to what I said a few times and then started inviting people herself without any hesitation. She was great!
After lunch and a brief rest at the house where Katie and I used to live, I hit the streets canvassing again with our friend, Miguel, while the rest of the team went to Lúcumo (an annex of Lunahuaná) to hold children's ministry there. They sang songs, played games, and read a Bible story.
We all met back up at Hotel Las Brisas where we had a few kids waiting for us when we got there. Katie and Anthony led the children's ministry, Amiguitos en Cristo (Little friends in Christ), and I taught the adult Catechism and Bible class. We had 35 people in attendance for that hour, 14 adults & 21 children. Right after that we transitioned into the worship service for everyone. About 7 people left before the service, but 3 more trickled in later, giving us 31 people for worship. Pastor Mark did a great job with his first sermon in Spanish, talking about what it means to build your house on the Rock of Christ and His Word. We all participated in the service leading songs, prayers, and the Creed. We even had some of the people who came to our Thursday night Lunahuaná Bible study read the Scripture texts during the service. It was such a joy to see Katie's students, our Bible study family, and other friends Anthony and past short-term teams have made coming to learn more about God and worship with us! What a gift to actually SEE that our labor was not in vain and be reminded of God's faithfulness.
We said our goodbyes, packed up, and got back to Lima around 11:30 p.m. We were exhausted, but we can't wait to do it again on July 20. We'll be going there the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Thank you so much for being part of God's work in here through your prayers!
In everything we do, we remember the words of 1 Corinthians 3:7, "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." What a privilege it is to be working in God's fields!
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." -Philippians 1:6
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