Peru is to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory as we Racers are to Charlie.  Unlimited candy existed for him and those who made it inside - he just had to take it.  The Peruvians we've met here are DESPERATE for some sort of hope to grasp ahold.  All we have to

do is take them (for Jesus).

I have two stories to tell - Elsa and Ana's. I'll tell Ana's first, because I know it, and the better part of Elsa's once I do know it.

Premise of the story: We've entered Lomo de Corvino, a neighborhood etched into the sandy dunes of Lima. Our goal is to disciple some people. As we look for who the Lord wants us to talk with, Ryan, Jenny, Josh, Amalia (our translator) and I decide to take a quick peek at the ocean. As we walk back our paths cross with some sewing ladies.  They introduced themselves and Ryan and I began talking with Elsa.  Elsa asks us to return the following day, we do. And when we returned a third time, we met Ana which is where our story begins.

Ryan and I sat down and began talking with Elsa. After a while a friend of Elsa's walked over and sat down; she carried a little baby in her arms.  I, being a sucker for all things small, particularly of the human variety, immediately asked if I could hold her. This opened up a new conversation and this friend told us about her children.  Her name is Ana, she has three children, all by different men. She told us about her oldest daughter who is 14 years old.  "The man I live with now is not her father, so he doesn't love her."  As she said this her eyes welled up. "My daughter always asks me, 'Mommy, why doesn't he love me? I want him to love me.' My heart hurts mostly for my daughter. She has no one to love her."

My heart wrenched within me. Oh the depths of her pain were unfathomable. Nothing I could do would take away the sting. My mind ran through all of the solutions and then I realized why I'd come in the first place! (Ashamedly, it did take me this long to realize that Jesus is the answer.) Ryan piped up and began sharing that Jesus would be a father to her daughter.  Jesus is someone who knows your pain and your daughter's pain.  Jesus is the solution.  She asked us to teach her, she said she wanted a relationship with him.  So we got to pray with her.  It wasn't the sinner's prayer, it was a prayer that described her pain and asked for healing.

That's why I came to Peru!