A DAY OF RELAXATION IN LIMA
August 9, 2009.
The mission team arrived back in Lima (after the flight from Tarapoto) about midnight, and Alex, a Missionary
Ventures pastor who has been working in Lima for 4 years, met us at the airport. He had arranged for a couple
vans, and loaded up all of our remaining bags/crates and us and took us back to the Hotel Melodia (where we had
spent that first night 8 days ago). We didn’t have to get up early this time, and we agreed to meet at 0900 in the
lobby.
Alex had his brother, Jorge, come and join us for the day, and the 2 of them kept a close eye on the 9 of us. It
seemed like Alex was always leading us and Jorge was following the group, glancing left and right…
We went down to the main plaza downtown, where the 450-year-old National Catholic Church, the Presidential
Palace, and the Lima mayor’s residence surround the big square.
It was Sunday morning, and there was a service going on in the church. The church was surrounded by riot police,
as there had been rumors about a group of dissidents possibly causing an unruly demonstration in front of the
church. It didn’t happen. We quietly toured around and in the church….incredible carvings, gold plating, singing,
and some folks in fervent prayer.
Alex then took us down into the catechomes below the church, where there are the bones of about 25,000 people.
They reportedly stopped putting the dead down there in the 1980’s, except for a special room where Catholic
Cardinals are still placed (that part is not open to the public).
As we came back out, we heard music, and realized that a parade was about to start. It turns out that this was the
438th anniversary of some small villages up high in the mountains, and they have a parade once each year….and
we were there for it!
The music and dancers of numerous villages paraded past us; the music was lively, and the dancers were energetic.
As we sat along the steps in front of the Catholic Church, it was apparent that we were the only non-Peruvians
watching the parade. We kind of stuck out… About half way through the parade, one of the female dancers in
costume and mask came charging up the steps toward Bob Hammond and planted her big mask in a kissing position
on the side of his face, leaving a large red smear (lipstick?). A few minutes later, a masked male dancer grabbed
Brenda from the group and pulled her into the street, dancing together for a minute or 2, and then lifted her up in a
bear hug. We (and the large crowd of Peruvians) had a good laugh…
After the parade, we traveled down to the Pacific Ocean beachfront, in Lima’s “rich part of town”, where we watched
the hang-gliders soar endlessly and the crowds of people shopping in quaint boutiques and eating at very nice
restaurants. A Tony Roma’s sits on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. This seems like a world away from
Parinari, which we just left yesterday morning.
We ate at a great buffet, with glass walls all around, and enjoyed many items (not chicken or rice), including ceviche,
octopus, several kinds of seafood and pork, and a chocolate fountain.
As the sun was beginning to set, we traveled to another area of the downtown to the Lima Water Park. After dark,
they put on an amazing show with video, laser lights, fountains, geysers, etc.
Finally, after a much needed day of R & R, we headed to the airport at 9 PM for our midnight flight to Atlanta. It was
a long night, as we got to Atlanta a little after 8 AM, and then caught the flight to Orlando. Delta Airlines only lost one
of the dental instrument crates. It was a real relief and joy to see Ian pulling up in the CCUMC church bus, and we
arrived back to New Smyrna Beach after 2 PM.
We were home.
This was a very challenging trip physically for this mission team. With the heat and humidity, combined with the
loading and unloading of all of the equipment and supplies each day, the varying methods of transportation
(including hiking), no A/C and hot water recovery times, and the early mornings and late night flights, we were all
pretty whipped by the time we got back to Florida. This was not a trip for the weak or faint of heart.
But this was a “good tired”, and we thanked God for pulling us along each day and keeping us safe. We thanked our
missionary, Susan Holowecky, for hosting us and coordinating all of the logistics of each day, and for her friendship
and dedication. And, we thanked all those who helped us all week, particularly Brian Holowecky, Warren, Juan, Flor,
Anthony, and the rest…
A great 10 days!
August 9, 2009.
The mission team arrived back in Lima (after the flight from Tarapoto) about midnight, and Alex, a Missionary
Ventures pastor who has been working in Lima for 4 years, met us at the airport. He had arranged for a couple
vans, and loaded up all of our remaining bags/crates and us and took us back to the Hotel Melodia (where we had
spent that first night 8 days ago). We didn’t have to get up early this time, and we agreed to meet at 0900 in the
lobby.
Alex had his brother, Jorge, come and join us for the day, and the 2 of them kept a close eye on the 9 of us. It
seemed like Alex was always leading us and Jorge was following the group, glancing left and right…
We went down to the main plaza downtown, where the 450-year-old National Catholic Church, the Presidential
Palace, and the Lima mayor’s residence surround the big square.
It was Sunday morning, and there was a service going on in the church. The church was surrounded by riot police,
as there had been rumors about a group of dissidents possibly causing an unruly demonstration in front of the
church. It didn’t happen. We quietly toured around and in the church….incredible carvings, gold plating, singing,
and some folks in fervent prayer.
Alex then took us down into the catechomes below the church, where there are the bones of about 25,000 people.
They reportedly stopped putting the dead down there in the 1980’s, except for a special room where Catholic
Cardinals are still placed (that part is not open to the public).
As we came back out, we heard music, and realized that a parade was about to start. It turns out that this was the
438th anniversary of some small villages up high in the mountains, and they have a parade once each year….and
we were there for it!
The music and dancers of numerous villages paraded past us; the music was lively, and the dancers were energetic.
As we sat along the steps in front of the Catholic Church, it was apparent that we were the only non-Peruvians
watching the parade. We kind of stuck out… About half way through the parade, one of the female dancers in
costume and mask came charging up the steps toward Bob Hammond and planted her big mask in a kissing position
on the side of his face, leaving a large red smear (lipstick?). A few minutes later, a masked male dancer grabbed
Brenda from the group and pulled her into the street, dancing together for a minute or 2, and then lifted her up in a
bear hug. We (and the large crowd of Peruvians) had a good laugh…
After the parade, we traveled down to the Pacific Ocean beachfront, in Lima’s “rich part of town”, where we watched
the hang-gliders soar endlessly and the crowds of people shopping in quaint boutiques and eating at very nice
restaurants. A Tony Roma’s sits on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. This seems like a world away from
Parinari, which we just left yesterday morning.
We ate at a great buffet, with glass walls all around, and enjoyed many items (not chicken or rice), including ceviche,
octopus, several kinds of seafood and pork, and a chocolate fountain.
As the sun was beginning to set, we traveled to another area of the downtown to the Lima Water Park. After dark,
they put on an amazing show with video, laser lights, fountains, geysers, etc.
Finally, after a much needed day of R & R, we headed to the airport at 9 PM for our midnight flight to Atlanta. It was
a long night, as we got to Atlanta a little after 8 AM, and then caught the flight to Orlando. Delta Airlines only lost one
of the dental instrument crates. It was a real relief and joy to see Ian pulling up in the CCUMC church bus, and we
arrived back to New Smyrna Beach after 2 PM.
We were home.
This was a very challenging trip physically for this mission team. With the heat and humidity, combined with the
loading and unloading of all of the equipment and supplies each day, the varying methods of transportation
(including hiking), no A/C and hot water recovery times, and the early mornings and late night flights, we were all
pretty whipped by the time we got back to Florida. This was not a trip for the weak or faint of heart.
But this was a “good tired”, and we thanked God for pulling us along each day and keeping us safe. We thanked our
missionary, Susan Holowecky, for hosting us and coordinating all of the logistics of each day, and for her friendship
and dedication. And, we thanked all those who helped us all week, particularly Brian Holowecky, Warren, Juan, Flor,
Anthony, and the rest…
A great 10 days!
This is the front entrance to the
450-year-old National Catholic
Church on the central square in
Lima. To the left is the
Presidential Palace, and across
the square is the Lima Mayor's
residence.
450-year-old National Catholic
Church on the central square in
Lima. To the left is the
Presidential Palace, and across
the square is the Lima Mayor's
residence.
| The mission team in central Lima, in front of the Presidential Palace... It was a great day of R & R. |
The Lima Video, Part I...