PERU MISSION TRIP: Waiting for the 3 AM Airplane

Monday, July 11, 2011

Waiting for the 3 AM Airplane

I would say this picture speaks for itself. As we have just set the blog up this evening for the mission team in Peru, the update should be coming soon from Mary VanDerMeulen about how things are going. Meanwhile please enjoy a couple photos!

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What We're Doing In Peru

On July 7th a group from our area headed to Andahuaylas, Peru to install a playground and share our faith in Christ with residents of this mountainous area! Team members are Bruce Mejeur, Pastor Jake and Linda Weeda, Tim Scheffers, Harvey and Deb Leep, Doug and Mary VanDerMeulen, Harold Wykstra and Dave Misner.

Kids Alive team have been removing donated playground equipment from several sites in SW Michigan and refurbishing them for installation in Peru. It’s quite a process to refurbish the equipment before they can be packed in a cargo container. First the equipment is placed on a trailer and taken to Plainwell where volunteers assemble in groups to start the process of tagging the parts so the correct parts end up at the intended site! We are working with multiple sets of equipment from several different sites! Once tagged the sandblasting process starts which takes several nights to complete. After sandblasting is complete the equipment is loaded back on trailers to be transported to Kalamazoo to be powder coated to the original colors (have to have it colored up pretty for the kids). Once powder coated the process of wrapping the pieces in protective wrap starts and again marking the location on each piece for shipment. Once loaded in a container with a shoe horn it is transported by truck to the cargo ship then off to Peru.
On the 7th we fly out of Chicago and head for Guatemala City the first leg of the trip. Then fly on to Lima, Peru. Lima is located in Western Peru along the Pacific Ocean. We board a smaller plane in Guatemala City and fly on toAndahuaylas where we will be staying. Once settled into our quarters and we get our land legs back, we will start the job of playground construction and evangelism! Andahuaylas is in the Andes Mountains with an elevation around 3000m above sea level. Peru is known for pioneering Potato farming.
On the 16th of July we start the trip back to Michigan.