PERU '09 ~ Day IV ~ Santa Maria Virgen & Lectures

Greetings Friends,

Well...one our of faithful team members got a stomach bug. Please pray for Mark Polley, he's been rather sick since last night and so stayed home today to rest and take medicine. He's an incredible brother, the first to pray and always joyful and...he still gave his lecture tonight. Please keep him in prayer as he's not out of the woods.

(Fr. Aurelio leading us in singing on the bus...the "John Wimber of Peru")

(A beautiful icon of the Holy Family in the Church of St. Maria written by Peruvian seminarian Marco)

(The women's ministry which makes beautiful hand crafts at St. Maria la Virgen)

This morning we made Pastoral Care Visits again with Fr. Aurelio. (Ironically, last year the day we visited Santa Maria la Virgen was the day I stayed home sick.) We walked into Fr. Aurelio's beautiful Church and were immediately greeted by a sanctuary complete with tabernacle, sanctuary lamp and icons. As he greeted us he described Santa Maria as "moderately Anglican, extravagantly Catholic"...a sentiment we at Nashotah House appreciated and got a chuckle out of. Fr. Aurelio also keeps beautiful gardens. And so between his love of gardening, the Catholic expression of Anglicanism and wearing an Orthodox style beard he said on the bus, "I sense a Deacon from Nashotah House may need to come to Peru to work with Santa Maria..." and which point all of us on the bus pointed to David Reamsnyder!!!

(Back: Jude, Joel, Ana, Fr. Aurelio & David R. "his future vicar" , Fr. Allen, David A & seminarian & artist Marco. Frt: seminarians Manuel and Mariela...standing on the site on

his newest mission carved into the side of a rock wall he jokingly called "Machu Picchu.")

As Fr. Aurelio was describing his ministry he said he has one parish (St. Maria) and seven missions. I interrupted and said, "Father, when our group was here last year they said you had four missions? You have three new missions in a year?" He replied yes, with a big smile. He's an incredibly creative, passionate and visionary man of God.

(Hiking up the steep incline - steeper than it looks - to visit a mission. L to R: Fr. Aurelio and Jude holding hands - they're buds now - Joel, Tammy and Mariela)

(The view about halfway up the hill we needed to climb)

(Receiving a warm welcome our brothers and sisters at Epifania)

Once we got to the top of the hill / mountain we received a wonderful reception by our hermanos at Aurelio's newsest mission...Epifania. It is on the highest inhabitable hill in the area and they've been there for four months. We had a great time of sharing and had a chance to prayer for the sick with the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. One incredibly kind brother gave Jude a beautiful traditional Peruvian sweater, we were so touched by such generosity. It was a wonderful visit. Fr. Aurelio got out his "Book of Gold" before we left, which is his guest book. It was really cool to see the signatures of our group in there from last year.

(Ana signing the "Book of Gold")

(Jude has absolutely loved these little "moto-taxis", a kind of scooter-rickshaw. Since it was quite a hike down he got to ride down in this with Ana & Tammy. What fun!)

(David A. serving as deacon & presenting our gifts to Fr. Allen)

Tonight was our last night for lecturing in the seminary and like every night we begin with the Holy Eucharist. The seminary has existed for many years on the grounds of the Cathedral and just last year got its own campus. With their new space they are in need of furnishings for their Chapel: vestments, sacred vessels, etc and have had to borrow what they can from local Churches on a temporary basis. Nashotah House was able to donate some altar linens, stoles and chasubles but the one thing the seminary still didn't have was a Chalice, Paten or Cruets. So this afternoon the Lord provided the means for us to purchase these for the seminary. I can't tell you how blessed we were to be able to provide these basic, but incredibly meaningful, needs for our dear brothers and sisters. And to know that when they gather around the Lord's Table there will be these symbols of our partnership in the Gospel, a partnership which we at Nashotah House truly cherish. Praise God!.

That said, they still need furnishings: processional Gospel Book (it can be in English), altar book/missal stand, chasubles, dalmatics/tunicles, stoles, ciborium, pix, thurible and boat, lavabo bowl (additional chalice and paten possibly), crucifix, etc. If you or your Church have any of these items you'd like to donate please contact me and I can arrange to get it there. As an Anglican Seminary having a full supply of liturgical items with which to train the future clergy is incredibly important so thank you in advance for helping in this way!

(Joel, Jhonny, Jude and Tammy)

Since this was our last night of classes Peruvian seminarians Juan Carlos, Dimas and Edith prepared a lovely dinner for us. A real treat was getting to spend time with Jhonny. Jhonny is a member of the Peruvian Christian musical group Nazareno which is one of mine and Jude's absolute favorites! I told Jude this was Jhonny who sings "Peru music" (as Jude calls it). Jhonny started singing one of Jude's favorite tunes and you should've seen the look on his face! It clicked for him that "This is the Peru music man!" Thank you Lord for such simple and sweet gifts and dear brothers like Jhonny. (Not a typo, to make an English "J" sound they write it "Jh").

(Fr. Allen translating for Super Mark)

Let me just say that Mark Polley is my hero. He was terribly sick all day and came out and presented his curriculum with energy and a real love for the Peruvian seminarians. Mark taught on how to keep a Rule of Life with a particular funny yet true analogy that a Rule of Life is like a belt. If you gain a little weight you adjust it. If you lose a little weight you adjust it. A Rule of Life should be equally as appropriate to the circumstances of your life. Fortunately, the analogy didn't include a visual for what happens if you lose your Rule / belt and drop trou'. =op

(Our dear brothers and sisters taking notes while Mark lectures)