We are going back to Peru!

Dear friends and family

 The time is here.  We are going back to Peru!  The RCA gave us permission to return even though we are only 50+% funded; thank goodness because Albino received his US citizenship, and we have to go to comply with the immigration law (See previous posts for more explanation).

 

Tuesday, October 8, is D-Day for us.  Planning and packing are in progress; piles are everywhere around our place.  Goodbyes are happening.  And, we are looking forward to the “hellos” as well.  In Peru we will visit with friends in Lima for a few days before heading home to Cusco.  In Cusco we will stay at a friends’ home until we find our own rental apartment or house.  A last minute added blessing is my mom’s offer to helps us make the transition to Peru; she will be coming with us to help watch Doriana and give an extra look at potential places to live.  We are very grateful for her generosity.

Bittersweet is the best way to describe how we are feeling now.  We covet your prayers as we head back into ministry full time, continue to raise funds from a distance, make the transition to a “new” country, take our toddler daughter with us, and everything else you can imagine.  Thank you for your continued support.

We’ll do our best to continue to keep you updated on the Rodriguez family’s transition.

Blessings,

Albino, Sandy, Doriana, and Baby Rodriguez

Teeth Pulling

March 21-25 I (Sandy) had the privilege of assisting International Dentist Ministries on a trip to the village of Cajapucara. It was a great honor to be God's hands and mouth during this time.  Pulling teeth is not my favorite thing to do (I didn't actually touch anyone; I was the Spanish/English translator), but the fact that we provided relief to many infected and hurting mouths made it worth it.  I lost count, but I believe it was over 200 teeth during the week. 

Praying for one brave teenage girl who stayed in the chair for over an hour
while both dentists pulled several difficult teeth. 

We are also doing preventative work, teaching oral hygiene to the school children.  Our hope is to pull less and less teeth each year as we give people the proper education and see families making their health a priority.

Our faithful Quechua/Spanish translator doing a teeth brushing demonstration while people wait.

THE VISA

Fun in Lima with Carletta, not all work on the visa.

We got the visa!!  The ever-present consideration in the back of our minds has been Albino's US visa.  Almost a year ago we submitted the paperwork for it.  After months of the application being passed around different US gov't agencies (and some investigation and insistence on our part), we got word that his interview was scheduled for March 7, at the US embassy in Lima.  God has been so faithful through the whole process and it has come so quickly.  This means that we'll be in the States for a couple years, starting in July.  Look out 'cuz the Rodriguezs are a-comin' to the US!

Entrenamiento de lideres quechuas

In January ATEK completed a successful two week training for 36 church leaders from Paruro, Cusco.  Treated like a military exercise, the participants adhered to strict hours of classes, regulations, and responsibilities.  Besides completing homework that included Bible memorization and essays, the ministers maintained ATEK grounds, washed dishes, and cleaned their quarters.  Throughout the activities and lessons we saw hearts and minds changed, and we continue to pray that this impact will carry to their churches and communities. Watch the video to see more of our fun and hear about the learning that took place (Audio coming soon). 

Teaching in Pucallpa

We spent the last part of October and most of November in Pucallpa, Peru, the jungle.  Albino participated in an international team to teach indigenous people how to write and publish materials in their native tongue.  The goal is to increase the literacy rates in each language group by providing more resources; if people can read, they can read The Word of God and lives are changed. The course was hosted and supported by SIL as well as a university that serves native people from the jungle area.  It was an honor to be part of this team.  Sandy accompanied him and took advantage of the time to spend with some good friends.  She was able to support the homeschooling effort in the missionary family, teaching 3 of the 4 kids.