The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

The Peru Community Church Mission Team returned home on Monday, January 26^th, after a ten-day mission trip to Mandeville, Jamaica. Team Co-Chairman George Burrell said it was a successful trip for the sixteen volunteers. “We constructed a 12 foot by 16 foot addition on a family’s home and it was extremely well received. The family was thrilled.”  A family of seven lives in the home – a dad, mom, two year-old twins, five and eight year-old girls and a twelve year-old boy. Burrell explained,  “We had identified several possible projects, but this family was the neediest. The father had been unemployed (He has since returned to work.) and the mother was unable to work because of an injury.”

This was the first mission trip for Dan and Janet Geldert.  Dan expressed his feeling about the mission experience. “For Janet and I, it was truly overwhelming. It has only been the last few days that I have been able to talk about it without the tears flowing. Good tears! It was all about the people. The Peru people who accepted two “first timers” and non-members of the church as family. We were made to feel more than welcome. And then the people of Jamaica. For all of the very difficult conditions they live under, you don’t hear any complaining, no poor me, no begging.  They are incredibly happy and up-beat. We are anxious to return next year.”

The volunteers also visited local schools where they distributed books and a children’s home where they distributed dresses made by people in Peru. Nancy Fegan, a retired kindergarten teacher, visited two local schools where she observed the classroom routine and talked to students about life in Peru. She showed the students pictures of Jamaican men working in Peru’s orchards.

Rev. Dr. Bob Svenson and Dr. Don Haight, both professional counselors, conducted a week-long counselor training program at the Ridgemont United Church and Rev. Svenson preached a sermon at Sunday services.