Our goal, for the ones who haven't read the past blogs was to install 50 water purification filters in the small community of Malingas, where there is no running water just a man made canal that runs on the edge of the town. Luckily we were donated enough money to get an order in earlier in the summer and by the time another group of 4 would arrive to Peru on the 9th of July, they would bring the filters and we could go to work building and installing. And that... is just what we did!
We built 50 water filters over a period of about 5 days and installed all of them in families homes. It was a restless effort, but also extremely rewarding. That is why I want to share it with y'all because it could not have been possible without YOU! Sitting in these people's home and having a glass of clean water with them will be moments I will never forget, FOREVER!
The kids were so incredibly appreciative too! They knew exactly what this meant for their health and they were well aware of the positive affects it will have on them. Will, Alex, and I, grew incredibly close with one family. The mom's name was Mary and she had FIVE KIDS! haha. But they were our original pilot family and got this whole project started. Mary went to EVERY home with us throughout that week and helped us install and explain to them in her perfect Spanish, how good this filter actually was! I will never forget having to leave those kids for the last time... Such an emotional moment for all of us, and there was not a dry eye in our car as we pulled out of Malingas for the last time!
I believe that was the most ministering I have ever done in my life, and the name Jesus Christo came out of my mouth maybe once or twice. But it didn't have to. These people knew and understood that this was for something greater than our own pride. They knew what we college students had given up to come help their life out... I just believe we are called to minister more than preaching the gospel! Now don't get me wrong I think that is SOOO necessary. But how do we preach?
Words honestly have little significance for me! That is just being brutally honest. You can tell me a lot of things and I will take your word for it, but will put little investment in it. I have been cheated and lied to many times in my life and also in my career of football! So until I see words put into action, that is when I believe and invest! I believe that is how evangelism should be as well! My cousin Will, who is on this trip with me, said something incredibly powerful the other night when we were talking, he quoted a Saint and said,
"Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary use words!"
I think that is about the most accurate definition of evangelism and sharing the gospel that there is. I get so frustrated sometimes when people miss that! Thankfully that is exactly what we talked about on the plane ride here and a promise that we made each other! We were going to invest our time, money, and love in these people, and through those things we will let His light shine!
So yes, our dream was made a reality! And today as you're reading this, there are atleast 50 families, full of multi-generation homes, that are drinking clean water! On top of those families, we also installed FIVE filters in the local school. So HUNDREDS of kids are benefitting from your donations as well! I love it! Gets me fired up just writing to y'all about it! But that wrapped up our time out in that community and we finished up our time in Northern Peru hanging out with our host family, the Davidsons, for a few days before catching a flight to Cusco.
Before I go further, I know this isn't twitter, but I have to give a shout out to John Mark Davidson, his wife Tara, and their four kids: Kellyn, Parker, Kase, and Mack. This family is the real deal! I, along with the two others, have grown incredibly close to them and as hard as it was to leave those families in Malingas, this family was just as hard. They went above and beyond to make our time in Peru well worth it and an experience that would be unforgettable! That is exactly what they did! So someday we will sit around a table, play a game of Settlers of Catan, and drink plenty of coffee, but until then your family will be in our prayers and always looked up to for what y'all are doing and what y'all represent! We truly do love y'all!
So fast forward through a nights stay in Lima, a few scary flights, and lots of restless nights, and we are here in Cusco, Peru. Cusco is pretty much the hub city for tourists going to Machu Picchu. It is an incredible little city built all inside of a valley! Every time I take a picture it just doesn't do this place justice!
We caught a bus up to Aguascalientes and stayed the night there before waking up at 4 am to start our trek up Machu Picchu. We wanted to get up early enough to see the sunrise, but because of a little storm the night before and a little cooler weather than usual, the sun never showed its face till late that afternoon. We did climb to the top of the mountain that usually would look down over all the ruins, but we were inside all the clouds and couldn't see anything! But after a hike down the mountain we came out of the clouds and saw one of the most gorgeous sites I have ever seen!
Most people hire a guide to walk them through all the ruins and explain to them what was what, and this was used for that, and all that boring stuff. But because we are cheap and not your typical scholar college students, we decided we would walk them and make our own stories up for what meant what, and who was sacrificed here, and who lived in this hut.... Needless to say it was a lot of fun (also tagged along in groups until we got kicked out trying to catch as much info as we could ha). But after going about 12 hours without eating and doing plenty of hiking and walking, we got our last pics and headed back to the city.
It was incredible to see this "lost city of the Incans", and try to imagine a day in their shoes. For not having the tools we have today, this people had to have been very intellectual and hard workers to get this place to look the way they did! I could only praise the Lord, once again, for his creation! For his handiwork of all the mountains surrounding this place. For the waterfalls in the distance, and the animals that roamed the ruins. It was definitely eye opening experience that I think everyone should get to see once time in their life. I have met a few people on this trip that were openly atheists, and asked me why I believe what I believe. Sometimes I just want to say, "Open your eyes!! Look around you!" I just know God has put things in this world to capture our attention and revert that right back to him! So next time you come across something beautiful, something magnificent that stops you dead in your tracks, instead of taking a picture, posting it on your instagram and praying for a lot of likes, thank The Father for putting you exactly where you are and giving you the ability the SEE!
That's a quick recap of our last week! We have a few more days here in Cusco before flying back to the states! I have had a blast, but I am sooo ready to get back! I can't wait to see my momma! ha! But there are so many others! I have realized on this trip how much some people mean to me. How I take so many relationships for granted, and that I don't always allow myself to tell people how much they mean to me! I am also extremely excited about this upcoming football season! My passion for the game is at an all time high right now, and I can't wait to be back with all my teammates and coaches! What is awesome about my school and my team is that we truly are a family! I play ball with my brothers, and there isn't much that can separate that brotherhood! I look forward to getting back and seeing my boy Bennie, and knocking a few more workouts out before we get amped up! Overall, this trip has been everything I needed! I did not take this trip for my own good! I felt called to help the less fortunate, just as I believe we all are! Do I think you have to go to South America to do that? No. I think if you look down your street in your neighborhood in Austin, Tx, you can find someone less fortunate! But through coming down here to Peru and trying to help these people out, I truly believe I was the one that was helped out. These families showed me so much about life, and opened my eyes to a whole new level of happiness and joy!
I hope when it is all said and done, that I gave to these families at least half of what they gave me! I no longer play ball for just Texas, my family name, and my Savior, but I now play for several families in Northern Peru! Not because they are football's biggest fans, but because they are MY biggest fans!
SO GOOD! Oh man, making up stories about who lives in what hut, and what each place means to y'all....thats the way to do it! haha...Words don't do justice how pumped up I am for you. Welcome back home bro, you've been missed.
ReplyDelete