The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
--from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Although we applied to go to Iquitos, Peru, through Mennonite Mission Network in the spring of 2017, our journey to the Peruvian Amazon began long before then. Paul and I have been looking for the right opportunity to serve together in Latin America since we married nearly five years ago, and indeed for both of us, that dream began well before the two of us met. In fact, I have been dreaming specifically of the Peruvian Amazon since I was about 9 years old.
And here we go.
Later this summer, Paul and I will be setting off for the city of Iquitos, Peru, to serve with Iglesia Cristiana Menonita del Peru (Mennonite Christian Church of Peru) through children's ministries, education, and gardening. We hope not only to experience a new place, but also to learn and to serve in whatever capacity we can. We invite you to follow along on our journey through this blog, and you can sign up for email updates in the sidebar.
We would also like to ask for your support as we embark on this journey. Most importantly, please pray for us as we prepare and as we serve. As much as we have been looking forward to this, we know that it is a big leap and that there will be some challenging moments in the months ahead. We humbly recognize that we cannot do this alone.
We also ask you, if you are able, to please help us reach our fundraising goal. We need to raise $28,000 for MMN's work in Iquitos before our departure this summer, and every little bit helps. Please consider giving a one-time donation or setting up a recurring monthly gift by visiting our donation page at the following link:
You can also send a check made payable to Mennonite Mission Network, PO Box 370, Elkhart, IN 46515 with "Peru -- Manickam" in the memo line.
Your prayers, encouragement, and financial support are all very much appreciated. Thank you!