Dave’s Blog

From: David Titus
To: lhumc@att.net
Cc: journeywithus@jcsintl.org
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:44:44 -0500

What an amazing trip this has been. I came through China and had to pay
extra for my bags because the US would not check them through. Had to go
through customs in China and wait 3 hours before I could check in with
Mongolian Air. I took a bus ride through the city to see some of the
sights.

The plane to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Outer Mongolia served a meat
snack. Rounds of pepper beef, several slices of salami, ham and another
meat…don’t ask questions. They like their meat. Plane came in at about
midnight and Helen Shepard met the plane and brought me back to an
apartment she has for two interns that are coming next month. Fred, a US
Korean who is teaching in Korea is here for 10 days helping in the
church. I had the next day to get settled. Helen is a Methodist
missionary with Hospice…a General Board of Global Missions of the Methodist church project.

Helen had met me in 2005 and knew what the strings do so had started
filling up my calendar. I had one thing most days with a few empty days.
As people see what it is all about, they are filling them up. Now I have
2 or 3 things every day and evening with no empty days. I started with
Childrens’ camps in the countryside. The air is very bad in the city. I also went to one of the children’s hospitals and worked in two wards with the kids. I did not have anyone to translate but we had fun with people just following what I was doing. They got me a taxi and sent me on my way home.

One day after I went to a countryside camp I went to a state run orphanage. We checked in at the police station
that was at the door and went in. 50 kids in rags watching a very violent
kung fu movie. Half the staff have police uniforms. The kids really
brightened up when they saw the colored strings. We had a ball. They were
very involved and wanted to learn more and more. It is such a little
thing, but it brightened their day and probably for many more.

Went to a Vacation Bible School in a Gher, the round felt and lattice portable home that the
Mongolian people live in. There was the Gher that was the church and one for living in. There was also an out house…just a hole in the floor. It was a 3 hour train ride outside of the city.
It was run by youth from the church that I went to the next Sunday. Gave
4 programs at their church.. They were pumped with the idea that they
would learn more things. One program was for 50 kids at Kids Church,
then Adult Church, then Youth Church and then the Homeless Church. It was
a very long and busy day.

At first I was put off by the idea that the homeless church was separated
but when I was working with them I understood. For one thing, they needed
to be last because the women of the church provided them a meal. The
other reason was that they stunk. They were some of the saddest cases
that I have seen. Almost all of the 25 had no skills with their hands.. 5
year olds can do more than them, but they loved the attention, the
colored strings and doing the most simple things and succeeding. God
loves all of us and this church is reaching out to them.

I had a mix up in my schedule and double booked myself in two places one
evening. God was in control and I was supposed to be at the 6 PM AA
recovery meeting where there were two men who had gone through some of
the same things I have dealt with in the past. He is using my past to
help some people. What an awesome idea. I was able to bring some
literature in English and Russian that could be translated to help then.
I made it to the other booking to work with some youth workers and the
timing was just right. They were still filing in at 7.

Another day I was picked up at my apartment and we drove 100 km West on
the highway. Except for the 10 km at the edge of the city that the
highway was closed for construction with no alternate route. Cars had
made a new path across the countryside, along the train tracks, through
Gher neighborhoods on terrible rutted and twisty dirt roads and then back
onto the highway. After 100 km we saw a set of tracks going off to the
South. “Here’s where we turn” was the word. We drove over the steppes
sometimes choosing one track or the other, sometimes not seeing where it
was going and sometimes going through impossible mud holes. We stopped along the way for coffee. Miles from anyone…just us with a thermos of coffee, some crackers and space.

We finally came to the prison..in the middle of nowhere. Only the prison,
a quarry near by where they get marble to make paving bricks, carvings,
building blocks and more and staff housing. It is just as desolate for
the staff. Until 2006 it was a place of torture and misery. They have
stopped that and actually have what seems to be a very caring staff.

The warden greeted us very warmly. It was myself, an English woman working with prisons, a translator and another helper. We were escorted to a reception room where we were served Mongolian Milk Tea, a micture of Ceylon tea, milk and salt. It is an acquired taste.

They then brought out the Arrak or fermented horse milk. It was in a big container that they ladled into a bowl and served the warden. He drank from it then handed it back and they added more and gave it to me. After each of us drank from it, it was refilled and served to another. They had a couple of bowls going around. It has about a 7% alcohol content. I was told to go very easy as it is in emetic. It is also an acquired taste.

We were then served a traditional dish of fried pies filled with mutton, onions and a little carrot. They also had pickles. I was warned to save room because later we would have a meat feast. We did. Mutton shoulder bones in assorted pieces, potatoes and carrots cooked in a large pot with very hot stones put in to aid in the cooking.

When done cooking they pass out a stone to each person. First you toss them from hand to hand till they cool enough to hold. By now you have oiled your hands. You then rub them on your arms and hands to soften the skin and help the arthritis. Then you grab a bone and start gnawing. There were some knives to help in eating as the meat is not as tender as I am used to. If you were a true Mongolian you would have a sheath knife on your belt or in your purse. This is the country side so it was mostly meat with just a few pieces of potato and carrot.

I ask if I could give a workshop for the 40 staff as well as the prisoners since they are so isolated. They brought in about 40 staff and families.
I also did an impromptu program for the kids outside the building we were staying in.

We slept on sofa’s with our sleeping bags. Washed out of a water bottle and prepared for the day. They brought in breakfast of pickles, leftover meat and some bread and hot water for coffee. We ate and then were invited to the social workers apartment for a second breakfast of bread, salami, cold fried eggs and pickles and cookies.

We thought that I would only give a program for the 15 Christian men
there but on Saturday morning the commandant called all 260 prisoners to the mess hall and I got to meet with them all for one and a half hours.
It was against the rules to do it on Saturday but he ok’ed it. We had so
much fun with each group but especially the prisoners. They laughed,
stood up to show me what they just did, wanted more, and in the end three men learned to make the Cross and Jesus on the Cross. One of them is a Christian and the other two were not but they could make the figure and were teaching others how to do it. Do I now have 3 disciples or one or????

One weekend I went by overnight train to Erdenet to work with youth there at a Christian coffee shop and the church service, I stayed with Patrick and April whom I met in 2000 and again in 2005. Patrick loves the string figures and needed to be reminded about a few, but knows so many of them. They work with youth and run the coffee shop.

We took a taxi and bought my bus ticket and then went to the church. Patrick helps with the sound system. They have Power Point for the hymns and lots of volume. The reader of the scripture pulled out his blackberry phone and read it from there.

After the church service a young woman came up to me and said that she was a missionary in Afganistan and worked with children. She wanted to learn more figures, especially the cross. I worked with her for a little while and gave her the strings I had in my backpack. Later, Patrick told me on the phone that she had him teach her more and he also gave her some strings that I left with him. This does get passed along. I now have a disciple in Afganistan.

I took the bus back o UB on Sunday afternoon. I was sitting in the front seat and there was a girl in one row back and across from me. I started showing her some string figures and in a little bit, two boys came from the back with their strings. They had them from church that morning and wanted to learn more. We added a teenager and they were all standing in the aisle careening from side to side as we dodged cows and horses.

We stopped about an hour later at a restaurant with outhouses. I pointed to something that look familiar and talked with the family from the church. They were moving to another town to start a church. The wife spoke English and wanted to learn more so I moved back to where they were sitting and her husband and the baby moved up to where I was. The girl from the front came back and stood in the aisle and when she would learn something, she would go to where the teenager was sitting and teach him.

Here in UB I am working with rescued prostitutes, Vet Net teachers, Eagle TV, another men’s prison outside the city and a womens” prison. I have also done a couple of other churches and youth groups.

I worked with alcoholics in a state run facility 3 hours away by train. The medical director, a woman doctor visited with us for quite a while then sent us to have lunch in the dining hall. After the program we met with the director who was so gracious and gave me a very nice painting of a storyteller. He enjoyed learning one of the string figures. Of
course, on the train and bus I am sharing the gift of string with a
number of people. The train ride out to the prison was pretty normal ride. The compartment has a bench seat for 3 on each side with two seats across the aisle with a little table between them that comes down to make a sleeping birth. Above each of the bench seats there is a birth that comes down for sleeping.

Usually there are about 12 to 15 people filling the space. A couple of kids on the upper births, nursing mothers with toddlers and maybe some older kids and grandparents. Needless to say it is a little close. I start to do a figure or trick with one and then another wants to see. Soon I am friends with that compartment and the adjoining ones. Such friendly people.

Went to a picnic in the countryside with seniors from the Hospice office.
Take a van and look at how many it holds and double it. Go over ruts in
the dirt lanes that cross country dirt bikes wouldn’t try. Drive three
lanes in a two lane road and dodge cows, horses, and oncoming traffic
also three lanes in two. If no one is coming you can pass. If someone is coming, blink your lights and then pass. 3 to 5 vehicles can get through the light after it changes until someone brave pulls out and stops the flow.

When you get to the camp, take the wood stove out of the building and put it together. Start tea and when it is done use the pot to make a stew, When it is done warm water to wash dishes,
and they are done, make Mongolian milk tea in the pot. We had a good
time. People played cards and dominos, walked in the woods and found
herbs to take home, pine nuts to snack on, and some berries that are good
for tea or something. I did strings, ate, laughed and just had a good
time. It was just like a church outing with the seniors except for the
woman offering me her snuff and women carrying a sheath knife in their purse to cut the meat from the bone.

Everyone is impressed with Goodwill Industries making the 4,000 strings
that I brought and thanks me for coming. It is because of your support
and prayers that this is effective. Some of you are watching the house,
filling the birdbath, praying, doing the things that I might do if there
and I appreciate you all so much.

David Titus <*} }>< Cell 580 695 0782
This is the original "digital storytelling"
www.Storyteller-Wordsmith.com
www.StringFigureStore.com
www.StringMinistries.org www.PakistaniSchool.org

Took a 4 hour train ride to get to a small village. Had so much fun doing strings on the train. Was to stay at a farm and they met the train with an ox cart to carry the luggage. Walked quite a distance to get to the farm. Over a rickety people bridge. The ox cart went through the river. A family with 6 girls from 23 to 3. They raise vegetables for market. On the day we left the girls were sitting on the ground with a roll of plastic between their feet wrapping long cucumbers like you see in the store. (Wash them when you eat them.)

They have 3 ghers and a small one room house with the stove with brick walls around it to hold the heat in winter. They had taken the stove out of the main Gher so they could cook outside. One pot at a time. Like a big wok that fits in the hole on the top of the stove. They make a wonderful soft cheese out of yesterdays milk. Cook it and ladle air into it constantly. It is the consistency of soft scrambled eggs. Rich and with a light cheese flavor. The leftover cheese is made into patties the size of small cookies and put on top of the Gher to dry to eat in the winter. It is hard and strong. Also great yoghurt. We had more fermented horse milk...the farm is alcohol free but horse milk is just a Mongolian food.

Out house, 4 cows, one ox, 50 sheep, 5 dogs and lots of space. They raise vegetables for market. Cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, onions, beets, tomatoes in a plastic greenhouse and other assorted things. Water from the well and wash in the river. Life like 150 years ago except for the solar panel at 2 of the ghers and house for a single light bulb and to charge the cell phone and MP3 player
.
Did strings with the family each evening when work was finished, Walked to Sunday school in the village on Saturday and did a church service on Sunday. The pastor gave us some fish he caught so we had a fish fry.

Monday took the train back to UB and did more strings on the train. When we got to UB it took us 2 and one half hours to get to the apartment because the president of Korea and Joe Biden were visiting. The traffic jams can be just terrible.

There was a lawyer from Singapore living at the farm and teaching English at the school in the village and evangelizing in the area. He was really taken with the string. I am now booked to spend 6 weeks in July and August in Singapore and Indonesia. God works in mysterious ways.

David Titus <*} }>< Cell 580 695 0782
This is the original "digital storytelling"
www.Storyteller-Wordsmith.com
www.StringFigureStore.com
www.StringMinistries.org www.PakistaniSchool.org

I am winding down. Saturday I was supposed to work with 250 football boys but they had some kind of tournament so it was cancelled. Walked to the Black Market and back. About 6 miles. It is about a mile square with booths set up with everything...everything available. If you need anything you go there. All the pickpockets are there also. I just took 3 pain pills. My arthritis is acting up. I’m in good shape for 72 but I’m not 35 any more.

On Sunday I had 3 programs at a Methodist church in UB. An American teacher at the International School who helps with the church picked me up in a taxi. The pastor is Korean so he preaches, a man translates it into Mongolian and then a young woman translated it to me. I finally said that I would just sit and listen. It was getting too confusing. I gave a short program at the church service and at the end the pastor ask if I would stay because some of the people wanted to learn more.

I also did kids church. A couple of ladies made noodles and mutton for the teen music team and Holly and I. Then the music team practiced and after that I worked with the teens. It was another busy day. Holly took me home and I finished packing.

I have to meet my taxi at 4:30 am on Monday.

The Mongolian people really do love the string stuff. JCS, Joint Christian Services, an organization that works with some of the NGO’s has invited me back for next year. They will organize everything and want me to get out to the other towns and areas. Genisis is another organization that wants me to work with training the people that they have in all the Amigs, or districts.

This trip has been so great and they are excited that I will be back and able to get to the hinter lands. I really need to work on my Christian book and have it done for when I come back. I have some new stuff for it also. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit keeps adding stories or parts to the stories I already have.

David Titus <*} }>< Cell 580 695 0782
This is the original "digital storytelling"
www.Storyteller-Wordsmith.com
www.StringFigureStore.com
www.StringMinistries.org www.PakistaniSchool.org

God is so good to me. Coming here I came through Newark. Newark will be closed for the hurricane on Monday or at least very bogged down. But no, instead He scheduled for me to go through Chicago and then to Cleveland on the return trip. I guess He knew ahead of time what conditions would be for flying.

Why do I ever doubt.

David Titus <*} }>< Cell 580 695 0782
This is the original "digital storytelling"
www.Storyteller-Wordsmith.com
www.StringFigureStore.com
www.StringMinistries.org www.PakistaniSchool.org

I am now on Facebook. Look me up. David Titus

I have been traveling by car the last few days around Eastern Germany. Lutz Rochlitzer and his wife Sabine have been my hosts in Hartmannsdorf. Their children Juliane, Anton, Franz and Klara are taking good care of me. I have a flat right next door to their home and come over for meals and company. We have been all around the Zwickau area.

One day we went within 50 feet of the Czech Republic. We had time so we went to the top of the tallest mountain in East Germany to eat lunch at a ski resort. One side were German ski slopes and the other side were Czech slopes. Still snow and skiing in the mountains. Yesterday we were around Leipzin and Halle, about two hours by car. Got home about 1 am.

Each village or town has turned out for a good group of people interested in the String Ministry. Many of them are youth and children’s workers. Some are parents with their children and some are members of the host church out to see what is going on. At Halle the pastor said that he only knew about 40% of the people so we are reaching a wide audience.

Many people here know the Cat’s Cradle game. It is fun to see some of the older people making the figures for the first time in 50 or 60 years. There was one man the other night that was 85 and joined in and has so much fun.

I am eating all kinds of good German foods. Sabine had home made sauerkraut and wurst for me. The next night we had home made spatzle with a great cheese, sour cream and onion sauce. Lots of kinds of cheeses, jams, rolls and breads and lunch meats for breakfast and supper.

I was invited to a birthday party for one of their nephews. We walked to the home and had so many good pastries and fruits. The extended family was there and I did strings with some of the men. It was fun to catch them with some of the tricks. I am sure they went to work the next day to show off something they had learned.

Enough for now.

Thanks for reading.

Dave

I have been remiss in not writing in my blog. It is not because things have not been happening in my life.

Because of the economy in the US, my bookings have been off by about 80%. Schools just do not have monies to bring in an author or storyteller for programs. I have been working in schools in Öklahoma, Texas and Alaska.

Right now…and it is March 2011, I am in Germany. I came on February 15th and will leave on March 31st. I am working in schools, mostly in with the religion classes, churches and with the US military chaplains. I am in a lot of small villages and seeing a lot of Germany.

I first arrived in Frankfurt. I took the train and underground to my friend´s home. Kevin and Carol Seckel are Methodist missionaries to Germany from the US. I first met them in Alaska 13 years ago. Carol is working with the imigrant churches here. Kevin is pastor of the English congregation in Frankfurt.

I have already been to Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart and Ulm. In this area I worked with Brigitta Heltzner and stayed at her home. I did a day long workshop for youth leaders in the area.

From there I took the train to Switzerland. The US Methodist chaplains were having a family retreat in Interlaken and I presented String Ministry to them. I then went back to Frankfurt and traveled by day to Offenbach and another day to Hanau.

On the 3rd I went from Frankfurt to Nurnburg and then to Hof and was met by Lutz Rochlitzer, the youth leader for this area. He has arranged for me to have a flat next to his home for myself. I go over to his home and eat with his family. His wife and four children are most hospitable.

i have had home made spatzle, home made sauer kraut, wonderfull breads and rolls and other good things. I was invited to a birthday party of a nephew where I had many kinds of sweets and pastries. Wow, do people take good care of me.

Each of these 6 days I have been, or will be in different towns and villages. I am staying in Hartmannsdorf but have gone to Drebach, Naila, Zwönitz, Cranzahl, Leipzig, Halle and Aue. in each of these places I have presented programs in churches, Wesley Scouts, schools or after school programs. Each day usually has two programs either in the same town or village or in different ones. I am really getting to see so much of the area.

It is cool here. Below freezing at night and cool in the day. Piles of snow are around and the spring flowers are just beginning to come up. Buttercups, crocus and the Christmas Rose are in bloom. Everyone has flowers in their home. Pots of daffodills, tulips and orchids are everywhere. things ae so artistic and tasteful here.

More later.

Dave

We took a sightseeing trip to inner and upper Peru. We all were to fly to Cusco from Lima but my name was not with the others. Nancy tried to get me on but at the last minute had to leave to go with the group. She gave me the name of the tour company to try to get me on another flight or to get me to the States.

After much trouble with the phone system and getting the right numbers, I did get the tour company and they said they would call back at the pay phone in 15 minutes. Later, someone said that the pay phones cannot get incomming calls, so I called back and said I would turn on my cell phone. It is expensive but worth the effort.

They did get me on a flight and the company met my plane in Cusco and took me to the hotel where I met up with the group. That evening a group of us went to the town square to the Inca Grill. Cusco is an ancient Inca city with stone foundations that are very impressive. The Spanish took over and build over these foundations and then modern civilization built on top of that. Some of the origional foundations can be seen on some buildings.

It is very mountainous here and we walked up and down to get there. Cobblestone streets that are very narrow and winding. The square had a Catholic church in the center with shops all around. It is very tourist friendly. Vendors everywhere but not in your face. Very polite and if you say no thank you, they go on.

Of course our group had to try some of the local specialitys. I had Alpaca, which was very good. Like a rich veal. Johathan had the Guinea Pig and of course we traded samples. I was very glad I had made the choice that I did. His was sort of strong.

The next morning we got up and were met by a bus that took us to the bus station. There we took a bus for 1 1/2 hours to the train. They are working on part of the train track. We then got on the train. Wow what a nice modern train with glass on the roof so you could see the mountains. We rode about 2 hours on the train to the town of Cuidad Inca Manchupicchu.

Again it is touristy but polite. They have a big market with a couple hundred stalls of people selling beautiful woven cloth, crafts, jewlery, hats and whatever else you might need. It was very relaxed and calm with no pitch men.

We took a bus up to the ruins. Wow was that a winding hairpin road. The mountains here are very straight up and down. On the train ride we went through a couple of climate changes. We were in desert, cloud forest and jungle. Snow capped peaks were in the background and it was pretty overwhelming. That was before we saw any of the ruins.

Manchu Picchu itself was thought to be a temple and villa for the rich Inca. It was not found by the Spanish and only known outside of the area in the early 1900’s. You enter from above and have a panorama view of the ruins. In some ways…if you have seen one… In some ways it was very individual. I have a great picture of a LLama on top of one of the buildings and chinchillas in the buildings. The craftsmanship is amazing.

I did not feel like walking through the whole area so sat and squinted and imagined. I watched people and thought of all the people that had been there for so many years. It was a great experience. Very calm and cleansing.

After that I took the bus back down the wwwwwwwwwwwwinding road to the town. I had fun walking through all the stalls of people selling things that represented their lives and those before them. I then found a restaurant to sit in and relax. I had refreshment and visited with the owner. Showed him some strings and he taught me one that I had not seen before…at least not made that way.

We had a good time with strings right there in the restaurant. The owner, cook and waitress all learned strings and showed me some. What a good way to connect with people. I then ate there…trout and the fixings. I met up with the team for the train and bus ride back to Cusco. It was a long day but a great one.

Because of the ticketing snafu, I left the next morning before the group for Lima. I was there for a couple hours before they came. We had about 8 hours in the Lima airport. Most of the group took a tour of Lima. I had met a Jesuit missionary who works with Lima prison kids and he came to the airport and we visited for 3 1/2 hours. I taught him strings along with a couple of onlookers. What a great ending to the trip.

Went through all the inspections, payments and paper stampings necessary to leave a county and headed for home. Tired but felt that I had served where I was needed. No bells and whistles, just good basic service.

Dave

On Monday after breakfast…we loaded up on two busses to go to the work sites. When we got there the surveying at the construction site was not done. Nothing for that team to do but wait. And they waited most of the day.

We set up the clinic in the Library (Which was an empty building of one room. We also set up the PortaPotty. It consists of a pop up tent that is about 4 feet square and 7 feet high with a portable potty inside. That was set up out back.

There was no place to have Bible school so the team set up a tarp on the sand and the kids colored and made wind socks with colored streamers for the rainbow after Noah’s Ark. The kids were happy and some made 3 or 4 wind socks. They tried to show a Spanish Vegetales cartoon video but it was difficult to see outside.

I wandered around and did strings with some of the older children and some of the adults that were standing around. We had lunch and continued on with the same activities.

The medical team had two Doctors, two translators and a pharmacy with nurses or pharmacists dispensing medications. We also had a couple of people testing people for reading glasses. Janice, one of the team stepped in and translated as best she could at that station.

John, the local person is a physicain in the states 6 months of the year and in Peru for 6 months. Instead of going to a new site, he decided we should stay at the same site. At the end of the first day we packed everything up and headed back to the Methodist camp.

When we got there we had rice and a piece of chicken again and some cucumbers and tomatoes. People were in hopes of getting more a taste of Peru. There was a little discontentment over the camp situation.

The next morning was hot water for tea or instant coffee and rolls and jelly. Sid was the savior with real coffee. He had set up the coffee maker and could make 12 cups at a time. Everyone took turns and did get a second cup.

We loaded up after the busses finally got there. They were late by about one hour. We set up the clinic again and the construction people continued digging for the footer. One person on the team had a medical problem that the doctors could not take care of and suggested that she return to the States.

It was her first time to travel out of the US and she was timid about buying a bus ticket to Lima and transfering there so I offered to travel with her. I have enough Spanish to handle most situations. We went by taxi to the bus station and bought out tickets to Lima. The trip was in the day time so I got to see what I had missed on the night trip to Chincha. John had arranged a taxi driver he knew in Lima to meet us. He did and I paid him and he asssured her that he would get her to the airport where people spoke English. She was comfortable with that so I did an immediate return to Chincha.

I took a little 3 wheeled motorcycle to John’s appartment near the station. I checked my email and waited til they could get a ride for me to the camp. When I got there I found that someone had entered the compound and stolen a suit case, camera and some other articles. That was the last straw and they decided to move to a hotel. It still was within our budget of $10 a day.

The next morning we packed everything so we could come get it after a day of work. Hot water for tea and instant coffee and a roll with jelly. They added margarine. The busses were late and we headed off. Each day we had to stop by John’s appartment to pick up the medications that he restocked. That took time and then one group went to the construction site.

They were having trouble getting supplies. The wrong things were sent or did not get there. They did accomplish an amazing amount of work in the 5 days were were there. I think that John did not believe them when they said they needed some of the supplies. As a team they were very fast and competent.

The medical team went to a new area and John had to ask where we could set up. This should have been done the week before. We found a thatched building that was quite large. Large enough for the clinic, eye glasses, intake and the portapotty all in one room.

I did strings with some of the people standing around and then with some of the people in line to help them pass the time. Later that day John decided that we would be there the last three days of our time and went off to type up flyers for us to hand out. That too, could have been done the week before.

We finished and packed everything up because there was no where to lock it up. Stopped by the appartment to drop off the drugs and then went to the camp to get our things. We then went to the hotel and needed our passports to check in. I had mine since I took that trip to Lima so I checked in right away and had a hot shower. Some of the later ones had cold showers.

The rooms were nice and they had wifi. We went out to a chicken place…rotissorie…whatever or deep fried or flank steak, fries and a salad. Some did not eat the salad but I did. No problems. A stop at the ice cream store and back to the hotel.

We had the “American” breakfast in the hotel. Scrambled eggs and ham, rolls, jelly and real coffee.

Off for another day at the clinic. I ask around and found out there was a school near so after checking it out with our leader I ask a man in a taxi to take me there. It cost a dollar US.

I met the headmistress and they were happy to have me work with the kids. It was an elementary school of 5 classes of about 50 in each class. I met with each of the classes and did strings. Boy were they happy with that. One of the kids had a string from the clinic. I really enjoyed the morning.

I thought that I might walk back but saw it was much too far. I stopped at a market area and there was a man on a motorcycle and his wife. He ask what I needed and after I explained, he took his wife home and came back to take me to the clinic.

When I got back to the clinic I found that some of the women at the camp had prepared a meal for us. Flavored spagetti and pieces of fried chicken and a sauce with tomato, pineaple, other things and spices. The one doctor suggested that we not eat it but the other one got a plate and ate. I ate some as did a few of us. We were careful to explaine that some had very weak stomaches and could not eat the spices. None of us got sick from the food.

I talked with John about going to another school on Friday and he said he would take care of it. Guess what. It didn’t happen. If I had known I could have gone with the construction team and done the school in their area. I spent Friday at the clinic seeing the few people that we had. This was a good time to bond with some of the team members.

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in numbers that I don’t notice the two or three boys that were completely enthralled with the string. They came back again and again to learn more. They learned so much…the spider…the cross…the porcupine and much more. How do you put value on their interst ad the time spent with them. One of the team members…a boy 15 also became enthralled with the string and learned many things and was teaching others.

Sometimes I need to let go of how much can I do and just enjoy what God has for me to do. I am enough and do not have to perform for him. I did meet some neat people in these two areas. I helped in the clinic and wherever necessary. Even made peanut butter sandwiches.

Back to the hotel and get cleaned up to go to the same restaurant because it was close and fast. I had a grilled chicken this time.

Our oficial VIM trip was over and we were to get up at 4 to go to the airport to fly to Cusco and see the ruins of Machu Picchu.

Dave

I did not blog during my trip to Peru because of time and wifi connection availability. My trip was from Sunday July 17 through July 27 of 2010. It was a Volunteer in Mission (VIM) trip organized by Nancy Reynen of First United Methodist Church of Edmond, OK. There were 34 that went on the trip. Some of the members were on a trip that I took with Nancy to Venezuela. It was good to reconnect with them.

Some members of the trip were going to start construction on a community center, some members were to work on a medical mission team and some of us were for a Bible school. I was with the Bible school but also helped out other places.

We met at the church and drove to the OKC airport for our flight to Houston. We then flew to Lima, Peru and got on a bus to drive the 150 miles to Chincha. It was night but the drive was along the Pacific coast line. We arrived at a hostel built by the Methodist church of Peru. They had wooden beds, cold showers and dining accomodations for us. We were one of the first groups to use this place and they were still working out the bugs.

It was right on the ocean. Speaking of the Pacific, did you know that if you went straight South from Florida you would hit the West coast of South America. There was a high wall around the compound but we could walk around to see the go to the beach. We could hear the breakers all night. Quite a refreshing sound.

Our first day we arrived about 10:00 AM and they said they would have a meal at 11:00. At 12 they served us tea and papya juice. Some of the tables got a plate of small hard rolls but mine did not. They ate the rolls and got up. I said “when are we going to eat?” and was told “We just did.” At 6:00 we had rice and each had a piece of chicken. We also had some canned diced beets.

We found out that they were not going to fix our lunches so some went out to buy bread, peanut butter, jelly and some chips to make our lunches. We understood that that was included in the price of the hostel. Some were beginning to not be happy with the place.

That afternoon two busses took us to the work site where we were to start. The construction site was just a few blocks from the clinic area. The lot for the new community center had not been surveyed but we were told it would happen first thing in the morning. At the (library) an ampty building they called all the community people together to tell them of our plans. The leader from Peru talked a long time giving credits etc for things.

The community is built on a flat land fill. It looks like a desert. Sand and no vegetation except along the river about a mile away. That is their water source. They have electricity. Since it does not rain there their houses are made of panels of woven bamboo bigger than a sheet of siding. These are the walls and roof. One room for everyone. Sometimes they have planted a tree, cactus or geranium in front of the house. They are in neat rows with well defined dirt roads.

They have made a park with white painted rocks outlining walkways, etc. They have also planted a few trees about 2 feet tall. The rest is sand. There seems to be no trash in these communities. There are little storefronts that are connected to homes where you can buy candy, pop, chips and some staples. I’m not good with estimates but there might have been 2 or 3 hundred in this community. There are communities like this surrounding the outskirts of Chincha on the desert side. Just beyond this are the beginnings of the foothills to the Andes. They are sand covered with no vegetation.

Origionally there were refugee camps from the 2007 earthquakes. The people are now being resettled in these planned communities. Things are surveyed and planned. I don’t know if they pay for the land or it is a gift. Doesn’t look like it is worth much. It looks like most of these people have only been here a couple of years.

The next morning we had tea and rolls with jelly.They also had hot water for tea or instant coffee. That was it. Someone had brought a jar of peanut butter that they shared. The saving grace was Sid. Sid likes his coffee and at 74 he gets his way. He brought along coffee and a french press and made real coffee for all who wanted it. Nancy had also brought along a coffee maker that made 12 cups that we set up the next morning.

I added a little humor to the morning. On my way to OKC Sunday I stopped at McDonalds and had a large coffee. When I finished with it I put the cup in my suitcase. Monday morning when I came into the dining area I had my McDonalds cup and everyone wanted to know which direction to go and how far was it. We had a good time with each new person that came into the dining area.

Some of the Church of Christ churches from Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas gather at Oklahoma Christian University for summer church camp. Usually they have different weeks but this time they overlapped and I gave programs for each of them on June 30, 2010 in the evening.

Camp Impact iis onganized by ///// who is a new grandfather and had to show me the pictures of his 5 day old grandaughter. We had 530 campers and staff in the main audatorium. It is amazing how the kids in the back can follow the word directions and also see what I am doing. They do so well.

I have been doing these camps for a number of years and to some I am a fixture. I tell them that my message is always the same because the Gospel message never changes. I do present it in different ways but usually with many of the same figures. For some of them, they forget from one year to the next and need a refresher. They seem to want me back every year.

Richard is over Camp Cornerstone and we had about 300 total for that group. They are the high school age and it is great to talk with them at their level. I don’t get to work with that many older kids. They are so receptive and want to be equipped to go out and share with their friends. Next year we will probably give each of them an extra string to share with a friend. That was not in this years’ budget.

Camp Cornerstone program started at 9:ish and so I was home at midnight I really had a good time.

Dave

I have purchased 4 airline tickets in the last two days. Chicago, Peru, Alaska and Germany.

I am going to Chicago from July 6 through July 11. I am on an Internation board for an organization and will be having meetings then a conflab with lots of old friends.

I had a call from the team leader going to Peru saying that they had a cancellation and asking if I could go. I had traveled with her one time before to Venezuela and she really wanted the strings to be present. I am going to Peru July 18th. We will be working with refugees from the 2007 earthquake. They are still unsettled and have nothing to do. Won’t strings be a blessing?

We are taking a medical team, a construction team and a Bible School team. I will be working with all three. Divirsion with the medical team…trying to keep the ones standing around out of the Dr’s hair. Also at the construction site…trying to keep the ones standing around out of the workers hair. The Bible School is self explanitory.

It will be my first time to Peru. It came up so suddenly that funding is a challange but God will provide for it. I am talking to some of the local churches about it.

I am going to Alaska to work in the schools and churches in September so I purchased that ticket. Now will try to fill up the time.

I also purchaced a ticket to Germany for 6 weeks. I will be working with some of the youth workers that I worked with earlier this year. They will be bringing Community, Catholic, Pentacostal youth workers and any others that we can find. I will also be at a youth retreat for 500 youth and working with the US Military Chaplins. That meeting will be in Switzerland.

I have enough frequent flier miles left for a trip in late fall, early winter if you know some place that needs String Ministry.

Dave

In the morning I was in Purcell at the Public Library. They have nice gym area with bleachers for the families to sit on. The kids sit on the floor in front…usually. We had over 150 there and again there were some who remembered me from last year. I talk about Toby Keith and if you went to a concert of his, he would get a hand for his new songs but the biggest applause is for his old favorites.

My favorite is an Anansi story that I use a number of string figures in. People love it when it is new and when others remember parts of it they get excited and nudge their neighbor to say…
“Watch this.” Bonnie and Peggy helped me at Purcell.

Moore Library had two programs, one at 2:00 and one at 7:00. Elaine and sandy helped with those programs and we had our hands full passing out strings, taking tickets, counting everyone and getting them settled. The programs went off without a hitch and some of the grown ups had more fun than the kids. We have a few parents with very young children that stay for the program then leave when we are working with the string. They are happy and the kids are happy that they only have to be quiet for a short time.

Dave