Dream big, fight hard, and go live!

 Dream big, fight hard, and go live!

I woke up at 4:00 in the morning when my bed started violently shaking. It only took me a second to realize it was an earthquake. It lasted no more than ten to twenty seconds but it sure was scary. We got dressed and ready to leave just in case something bigger was coming but that was all. I couldn't sleep the rest of the night because every sound or movement startled me. We found out in the morning there was a 6.2 earthquake about 100 miles from here and twelve miles under ground. There are warnings all over the city for earthquakes and tsunamis, and the people constantly live in fear. My taxi driver the other day was explaining that certain villages that are built on the sides of hills are very old and in horrible condition. The people don’t move because they can live there free of rent, but if a big quake ever hit they would be utterly destroyed. The following day there was an earthquake off the coast of Chile and they evacuated the streets here for fear a tsunami would hit.

After a lot of ground work, we have received a number of opportunities to perform and minister in this city. We got permission for a circle where artists from around the world perform. Normally it takes years to get a spot so it was pretty cool. My mom, sisters and I do a ballet dance with the theme of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. It is so beautiful to see hope dawn on a face that has completely given up. I spoke with a women who had epilepsy, had been in prison, and whose son had been killed. She told me she was a destroyed person but for the first time after seeing and hearing us, she found hope especially when we shared about how living in the past will steal your future.

There is an older man who is blind, and sits on a busy street corner. His name is, “Feliz”(happy) and he has a little puppy named Prince. He has a little amplifier that he use to call out to the people passing by. He will say, “please my brother, could you help me?” or “hello there my mother, could you spare something?” He is just trying to guess who might be walking by and make them think he is talking to them. It is really sad to see waves and waves of people ignore him. Especially when so many claim to love God.

Theatrical magic routines we do. 

Here in Peru compared to other places I have been, there is the influence of so many religions and churches. From Jehovah witnesses to Mormonism to evangelicalism and Incan Indian beliefs that so many people are just confused and somewhat angry. So many religions have come here promising them answers and hope but they are left with nothing but more questions.  There are many evangelical Christians that claim to know the Gospel because at some point they recited a prayer, but they have no answers, joy or care for others. It is a great privilege to share of the Fathers love for each of them and to tell them that He hears them. To show them there is an answer and they do not need any religion to find it.

We got the chance to visit a really poor village built on the side of a mountain. If a big earthquake ever hit, this whole village would be completely wiped out. 

After a long day we were looking for something already cooked we could grab to eat. We went to a street vendor to see what he had and saw this. Basically cooked rat. We found some chickens instead. 

I have been working hard to try to get into the prisons here and it is really complicated. Talked to a director at the largest prison here yesterday and it seemed like there might be a chance we could get in but we are still waiting and praying it will happen. One of the prisons here holds over 10,000 men in a space built for 3,000. It is one of the top twenty worst in the world.

We were out on my moms birthday last week and my brothers and I dedicated a dance to her. Someone in the crowd got a cake custom made for her and gave it to us after we were done. It meant a lot to her. Our Irish roots come from her side of the family and I owe my love of Ireland and Irish dance to her (but my love for Notre Dame Fighting Irish football to my dad) Just got back from being down town today and having a really good night with a huge crowd. I danced Irish step dance and it was cool to see how much they all got into it and felt the energy. Happy Saint Patrick’s day to any fellow Irishmen or women out there. Go Irish!

An artist down town painted these drawings of some of the local people.