Mission Peru

Buenos tardes, amigos! My name is Beth Wilson, and I’m from West London Alliance Church. As you all know, currently my team and I are in Peru on a missions trip with the organization Inca Link. So far, it has been a wonderful trip, filled with amazing memories, hilarious inside jokes, and great team bonding. Together, we have had awesome experiences and it is clear that God has been with us this whole time.

One thing that I’ve been thinking about on this trip is being content. What does it really mean to be content? It has been quite obvious to me that the way most Canadians know it by differs greatly here. As we travel around Trujillo (Not “True-jill-o”, “True-hee-yo”) Peru completing our various tasks, we have the opportunity to interact with the locals. I have been struck time and time again by how happy and kind each person is as I attempt to communicate using what little Spanish I know. A good example of this occurred earlier this morning. We travelled to the garbage dump to give fresh fruit to the people who make a living there. They sort through piles of burning and rotting trash in hopes of finding anything that looks like it may be able to be recycled or sold. While inside the dump, many people stopped their work of sorting through the rubbish to come over to smile and say “hola!” This hit me hard, as back in Canada if you say “hi” to a stranger, many will give you a dirty look or ignore you. But here these people are cheerful and waving, taking time to come and say hello. It’s almost as if it is easier to communicate with these people with a language barrier in the way, then at home without a language barrier.

This is only one example of many that has made me realize what being content can be. I think about how many times I complain about things that don’t matter compared to the problems here, and I cringe.  God has blessed me with so much, and in turn, I should be blessing others to allow them to see His love.

My team and I are having a fantastic time, and God has shown us all so much. Learning to be content is just one lesson of many that I have been taught over my time here, and I’m excited to see what else God can teach me and use me for during the rest of our time and then back home in London.