the Riggs Report

Still learning about Peru

One of the ladies from the church helps us around the house. For quite some time now she has been supposed to have her gall bladder removed, but has been putting the operation off. She is finally going to do it, and the process has shown me that I still don't know everything about Peru.

When she went for her preoperative chest x-ray, they found her lungs to be "full of smoke." She said that she saw the smoke and asked the doctor what it was, and he said it was from cooking with wood. Like most Quechua, she cooks on an open wood fire at home. And when I say open, I mean an unventilated fire inside the kitchen, which is enclosed. In her case, she says that this is a problem in her other house, where the kitchen is a small shack. In her normal house, the kitchen is large, (though enclosed) and she feels that this is no problem.

This is not her x-ray and I hope hers is not even close to this bad. It just shows why she thinks the x-ray shows the smoke in her lungs. The x-ray is from "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2011. Answers.com 13 May. 2011. http://www.answers.com/topic/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease

I told her that breathing wood smoke is as bad as smoking. Although she knew smoking was bad, she was sure that wood smoke was harmless because it is natural. She was very upset when I told her that there was no pill to clean up the lungs.

It turns out that there is a high incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among rural women in all Latin American countries, for this same reason. Although there are projects, even in Peru, for education in how to construct a better stove, the only time I have ever heard of it here a woman was telling me that there was a better stove that did not make your pots black, even though it used wood. Looks like more education needs done!

Today I found out another thing. She has the national health insurance, and so to have an operation she must have someone donate blood before her surgery is scheduled. They told here it could be anyone.

I knew that the people here are very reluctant to donate (they think that they will die, that the hospital will sell their blood, etc.), so I said that I would if no one from her family could. I told her I was a little unsure that my blood, which is AB+, would be very useful here.

Turns out I was right about that. When I went today they would not even take my blood, because they said they would never need it. I said that I might need blood sometime, and they said not to worry, since I was AB (universal recipient) they could give me just any blood, but mine would only be useful in an emergency and took my phone number just in case. Then they told her to find another donor!

Okay, I guess I just always took for granted that they would have my blood type at the hospital, and that everyone knew breathing wood smoke is dangerous! I guess the trick is not taking anything for granted!

Please pray for the women who are endangering their health just by cooking, and for our upcoming trip to Chile. (More about that later.) And just maybe...that I don´t need any blood from the hospital. :)

Video tour of the QBI campus at Huayrapata

How would you like a quick tour of the Quechua Bible Institute at Huayrapata? You can hitch a ride with Mike, Cayo, and Bill Rowley, Believers Bridge President. Pastor Santos Ñawi, the local coordinator will show you around.
Remember, this is the contribution of the host church or association. This effort shows their commitment and interest in the project.

From the seminary and the rural institute

A Classic Gag

Mike has been having trouble hearing for the past week. He went to the drugstore and bought ear drops but with no result. So yesterday he decided to go to the Dr. right before he taught doctrine class at the Central Church. The doctor said that his ears were blocked and that he needed to take some drops to loosen up the wax. She insisted that he needed to take some drops before he taught that night. We bought the drops and went to the church, where Mike stretched out on a pew, to the amusement of some early-arriving young people. I started to administer the drops, and realized that I was not sure how many to put in. I took a paper out of my pocket and shouted (because of his ears), "Read it to me!"

Mike boomed out, "2 ears of corn, 50 cents worth of peas..." amusing the young people still more.

Blushing, I shouted, "Wrong list! And in English added "That's about the oldest joke in book..."

Oh well, pray for his ears to get better. He's going to the Doctor this afternoon.

And the resurrection?

In Andahuaylas today, you can’t buy meat, most of the stores are closed. Many streets are closed as processions go by. They carry a figure of Jesus and/or Mary as they slowly walk up and down, weeping and mourning. The Cathedral is full of people, some sobbing. There is no joy here, no sound of business or of children playing – there is just profound sorrow. It is Friday – Good Friday (Viernes Santo) and joy is prohibited.

In two days it will be Easter – the Day of Resurrection! But on that day, every closed store will be open, every restaurant bustling. The city will be her usual hurry-scurry self. Street vendors calling out, side streets will be impromptu soccer fields or closed for volleyball. Children will be running and playing, and even the evangelical churches will be only partially attended. Resurrection Day is the last day of our fall Holidays and everyone wants to take advantage of it, before the grind of the normal 7 days a week, twelve (or more) hours per day work schedule returns.

The most important day in the history of the world goes by with little or no notice. Everyone weeps at the crucifixion, but very few worship joyfully, few celebrate the sign that God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus. Here we mourn the loss of the Lamb of God, but ignore His risen presence. As you go to church on Easter Sunday and do your family traditions and remember the glorious fact of the resurrection; don’t forget to give thanks that this one special day, shows us that we are accepted in the Beloved.

A Strategic Alliance

Saturday afternoon started a new chapter for the country Bible Institutes. We signed an agreement with the Christian organization Paz y Esperanza (Peace and Hope) for cooperation in what will be called Comprehensive Rural Bible Institutes. In these Institutes, we will be teaching Bible, Doctrine, and Ministry classes, while Paz y Esperanza will provide the pastors, who are usually the leaders of their communities, with occupational training, classes in civil rights and responsibilities, and training in how to request Peruvian government funding for a project.

THE NEED--OUR SIDE
One of our goals has always been to help the whole person in the Quechua society. Last November we were putting together our goals for this year as a mission team. Miguel Gomez, Cayo Cardenas, Mike, and I were brainstorming goals related to our primary goals. One of these goals is to help improve the quality of life in the poor communities. Cayo related how the young women in one of the communities he had visited did not know how to grow a vegetable garden or make preserves, so that the diet of the people there was mainly potatoes--and only as a result of ignorance.

I had also experienced this. At one medical campaign a woman came who had had an apparent broken ankle for six months. Peru has free public health insurance that would have taken care of this. But the woman was ignorant of the program or how to applcommunityy. Although I had a Quechua speaking nurse explain it to her, I wondered how many others in the pueblos were in a similar condition.

The truth is that Peru has programs and projects to help the very poor communities, but the people remain ignorant of what is available or how to get help.

We thought of many ways that we could help the communities, but when we came to actually considering who could do it, we were stuck. We were all already too busy to look for people to give seminars to help them garden, know their legal rights, etc.

WHAT THEY SAW
Paz y Esperanza, on the other hand, saw the crying spiritual need. Ana Jauregui, who works in education here in Apurimac, related to us what she saw.

"When you are faced with the enormous need in the communities--the domestic violence, the sexual abuse of children, the drunken and chaotic lives that the people lead--you see that there are animals leading healthier lives. We could see that we needed to work with the church, that we needed a way to train the pastors to work with this enormous spiritual need, but we didn't have a way to do it."

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY
The pastors here, often only selected by the congregation because they can read, or are more committed than the average person, feel the burden of caring for the people. But most of them don't have the slightest idea where to begin. They have no biblical training and often only a grade school education, yet they are faced with difficult congregational problems --incest, idol worship, witchcraft, domestic violence, drug trafficking, you name it. The community looks to them as well to help with legal and medical problems, because they are generally literate. The pastors typically feel frustrated in their efforts to help, because they just don't know how. The new rural institutes will provide training for their unique role that God has given them.

COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
The agreement is not only limited to the institutes. Other programs will include training for Christian elected officials as well as conferences for the entire community, addressing both the spiritual and physical needs of the people. It additionally provides more opportunities for short term teams. A team of Christians is currently helping to build a house for a pastor whose home was destroyed by a mudslide, and in the relocation of other families who live in a high risk zone.

Very busy weekend--or maybe not (ambiguity in the Andes)

Mike is gearing up for a busy weekend...or at least he probably is.

About a month ago a pastor from the community of Piscobamba came to talk to him about being the speaker for the church anniversary. The church anniversary here is like homecoming in Alabama. Everyone remotely connected with the church comes to the fiesta--featuring food, guest speakers, singing groups from other churches. In many communities it is THE special event.

The pastor from Piscobamba is an extremely soft-spoken man with a very high voice. Spanish is his second language. He invited Mike to the anniversary and gave him a date for it. Then he went next door to talk to the neighbor. On his way back out, he reminded Mike not to forget the anniversary, and seemed to say a different date.

Since then, he has not contacted Mike. Other leaders in the denomination have said that the first date had to be wrong, because it was during the national election, when it is illegal to have a public meeting. So we are guessing that it is this weekend, but we haven't gotten any confirmation. (As usual, there is no way to contact the community.)

So Mike is prepared to go. Tomorrow morning he teaches the seminary class in Andahuaylas, and he hopes to get some solid information from one of the students, several of whom come from outlying communities and should know if an anniversary celebration is planned.

If he goes, he will have to grab lunch and go to Piscobamba to be there in time to preach Saturday night and Sunday. Then he will come back Sunday afternoon.

Please pray that he finds out if he is supposed to be there. ( and if not WHEN he is supposed to be there) and for a safe trip, as we are still having torrential rains that can wash out the roads.

Prayer request- pigs and witches

Please pray for our friend Vicky. A neighbor's pig was stolen and the neighbor went to a witch who told them that Vicky and another neighbor had stolen it. Now the man is threatening her that something worse will happen to her and entering her property. The police told her that it was her job to make sure that people respect her, not theirs. Pray that God changes this man's heart, that Vicky has peace, and that she can find someone concerned with upholding the law.

Busy times--Evangelical Seminary of Apurimac opens

The Seminario Evangélico de Apurimac (SEA) opened the 2nd of April and the first class is well underway. This is the first evangelical training center in the area to offer a bachelors' degree and one of few in the country. Local restaurateur (and maker of some of the best pizza in the world) Martin Leon is loaning us the classroom location that is right off the plaza in Andahuaylas. The students, most of whom have graduated from World Reach Mobile Bible Institute or secular universities, are very excited to actually have a chance to study for ministry at a university level! Classes are offered every Saturday with extensive assignments to complete during the week.
Thanks for all your prayers, and please keep praying for:
The students, that their enthusiasm doesn't wane.
The facility--it is in the process of being improved.
Mike-He's writing many of the initial courses and teaching half of the courses.
Visiting professors-keep their commitments, safety in travel, good understanding with the students (also a need for more :)
Cayo Cardenas- He is still quite ill and unable to help with the seminary or teach.
Provision- the students are paying a minimal amount, and some can't really afford that. Pray for provision for books for the library, computers, and scholarships.

Praise God for bringing us this far!

Quechua Bible Institute starts in Huayrapata

Yesterday the new institute in Huayrapata started with Bible Study Methods class. Mike and Cayo Cardenas both went--both for the opening convocation and because even though the coordinator, Pastor Santos Ñawi, has assured us that all the students can study in Spanish, sometimes they need clarification in Quechua.
They were only able to get within a mile because of the mud, and had to slog the rest of the way. Seventeen of the twenty students arrived for the first day, with the others being delayed by muddy roads and landslides.
They had a good lesson in prayer. Although we always teach that the first step in study is to pray for understanding, Mike let them go ahead and start without reminding them. Several minutes later they were crying, "This is impossible! I don't understand!" Then he reminded them to pray first. Soon they were saying, "Look the answer is down here in this verse! We do understand!"
Please pray that the other three students arrive safely, that Mike and Cayo have safety as they travel back and forth, (It is 45 minutes away so they will not stay every night.), and for learning and dedication on the part of the students.

It's signed!

A great answer to prayer. The agreement with the IEP (Peruvian Evangelical Church) is now signed. This makes the seminary that opens in April official for the denomination, makes us officially in ministry before the Peruvian government, which facilitates our visas and reception of donations. It also gives us more authority when dealing with strange teachings in the churches!

In Cuzco

It was time for a checkup in Cuzco. There`s no cardiologist in Andahuaylas so we have to go to Cuzco, 10 hours away on bus, for a checkup. (Many thanks to those who contributed for this trip.) The trip turned out to be too exciting. It rained all night the night before. When we left in the morning (late, because they were probably waiting to see if the road was open) we could hear radio reports of flooding and trees down. Sure enough, about 8 am, we came to a place where the road was covered with water that was moving fast. Half the passengers had to get off the bus and half stay on. The passengers that stayed on (Mike and Chris) had to stand at one side to stabilize the bus. Those that got off (Tammy) had to cross the stream by leaping from rock to rock. (While that sounds very spritely and athletic, I had to have help.)
In another place, a landslide had covered the road, but a bulldozer was already clearing it when we got there. Once again half the passengers got off, but this time we all stayed on. The crossing was tricky, as part of the road had washed on down the hill, but God was merciful and we arrived in Cuzco without any further events.
Once here, we tried immediately to buy tickets back to Andahuaylas, but the road was closed!
Chris was planning to go on to Lima to visit Miguel and Becky on his first unaccompanied bus trip, which was causing a little concern for everybody, but we met up with a family of friends from Andahuaylas who were traveling to Lima, and he was able to go with them. (The road from Cuzco to Lima is much better that the one we traveled on from Andahuaylas)
Mike´s checkup went fine. The doctor was more concerned with his injuries from falling on a mango peel about a week ago than his heart, which was fine. The x-rays showed that nothing was broken, and the orthopedist prescribed light activity and much rest for a month. Mike only wishes he could say he was beaten up by two strong men rather than a mango!
Please pray that my (Tammy's) checkup goes as well (it was postponed to Monday) and that we are able to get back to Andahuaylas safely.