Arequipa Connections.... Part 1

Last week we had a project here in Arequipa. This was a very interesting experience because we were a much larger group then I have been accustomed to, 61 volunteers! The team was split up into 3 different groups Clinic, Hospital and Youth, who worked in collaboration with Young Life Perú. I think that this has been one of the most impactful and challenging projects that I have been on, primarily because I had admittedly lost my passion for working on Projects. Yes, unfortunately I went to Clinic each day deeply discouraged. I had been translating for a doctor and many of the cases that came in we didn’t do hardly anything for. I couldn’t shake the feeling that all we were offering was a pharmaceutical bandage. However, as it has been in this epoch of Perü God definitely lined everything up to both encourage me and teach me a valuable lesson.

God reminded me that no matter how jaded our view becomes; he can work in all situations. For me this project was disheartening and I couldn’t see past my own nose to any unusual success story. However, after the project I was offered a different perspective and looking back, I am able to see how the hand of God was working and even though it was all around me, I never saw it at the moment.

I had to report a story for MMI Happening, and so this is what I wrote about, whether or not it gets published we will see, however this is my story:

Arequipa Connections
I recently had the opportunity to work as part of a multi-faceted project here in Arequipa Peru, we had a wide age demographic as well as diverse working groups as the team was split between Hospital, Clinic and Youth work. For the most part this was a regular project: surgeries were completed; teeth were pulled; glasses and medicines were given out. Upon seeking out some of the more in depth stories I was confronted by an interesting realization had by one of the Medical Students, while working in the Clinic. She told me that over the course of the weeks the biggest lesson she learned was “if I was going to make a difference, it probably wasn’t going to be medically.” This sounded a little opposite of our goals on projects but with a little explanation I started to gain a solid understanding, as well as respect for this point of view. She shared that the things that encouraging her the most were watching and engaging with the people she served beside. She discussed how the Medical reality of MMI’s work allows a rare opportunity for people to share their personal feeling. This honesty developed domino pattern between her clinic co-worker. They would be touched by the vulnerability of the patients and would run to each other to share the details. This union opened many door to interesting conversations about life beliefs and they were all able to challenge and encourage each other in their ideas and faith. Listening to her talk reminded me of something that I was told just before I left for Peru: “Don’t go thinking your going to make a difference, go being thankful for the opportunity to watch God make a difference.” Here was one situation where this proved true. Because of my friends observations and perspectives I was able to see how God used Peruvian Patients to wined an intricate web of connections between volunteers. This has encouraged me to not be discourage that sometime all we can offer is a pharmaceutical bandage, if we keep our ears and eyes open we can see what’s happening behind the obvious, we can catch a glimpse of how Gods working in hearts.

Im thankful to my friend Andreanne, the medical student, whom God sent here just at the moment I needed her; for a multitude of reasons. Through her God succeeded in showing me that sometimes we just need to be shown things from a different perspective. However, also she has been the last straw that’s made me acknowledge the absolute necessity of Christian community! This is something that for my first month of life in Arequipa, I lacked completely.

As I look over all that has happened in the last month and a half I can hardly fathom the turns my opinions and attitudes have taken, just through the people that God has put in my path. This is definitely going to need another blog entry to explain, so stay tuned and I’ll try not to let it go undocumented.

PS→ I often struggle with “the semi colon” If you can offer some advise on its uses and abuses (my misuses) don’t hesitate!