Arrival

We arrived in Iquitos on Monday, flying in over a seemingly endless sea of trees—the Amazon Rainforest. David, the pastor, met us at the airport along with his brother Juan Carlos and a friend who drove us to our new home in his motocarro (a motorcycle taxi, called a “tuk-tuk” in other parts of the world).

The compound where we live is home to David and Cecy, Juan Carlos and Cielo, and their children. In addition to their apartments and our small studio, there are also two separate bedrooms for other service workers, one of which is currently occupied by a young man from the church. Aside from the people, we also live with a dog named Amber, two cats, and a large turtle.

Our first few days have been spent acclimating to this new place, which involves lots of napping alongside the exploring. On Tuesday morning, we were given a tour of the city by motocarro, from the poorer district of Belen with its stilted homes and floating houses to the Plaza de Armas at the center of the city, which is surrounded by shops of all kinds. And, of course, we stopped at an overlook of the Amazon River itself.

We attended a weekly prayer meeting Tuesday night, which is held in a small gathering space just outside our studio, as well as a Wednesday evening church service in the neighborhood of Monte de Cion. Also on Wednesday, Serena went with Cecy to the women’s group that meets in Rumococha, another part of the city.

Our transition here has been as smooth as could be hoped for, and we are extremely grateful to our hosts for helping us ease into our new lives slowly. It is always a challenge to adjust to a new place, especially when operating in a less familiar language. Thank you for continuing to pray for us as we settle in!

The Countdown Begins . . .

Our journey to Iquitos is becoming more and more real as it draws nearer, and we are happy to say that we finally have a departure date! After visiting family on the East Coast for two weeks, we will leave from there on August 19 and arrive in Iquitos (after two layovers and many hours in the air) on August 20--less than a month away!

In the meantime, we are paring down our belongings, wrapping up our work, and preparing to say farewell to many beloved people, places, and pets.

Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement, support, and overwhelming generosity. Your enthusiasm fuels our own, and your donations to MMN have surpassed our fundraising goal. A month from now, we'll be on the other side of the equator, and we couldn't have done it without you.



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Preparing for the Journey

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:

Donate Here

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!