Friday, May 2, 2014

Pastors and Spouses' Retreat in Huancayo

Plans weren't going well for a get-together that was scheduled for Peruvian Free Methodist pastors and their spouses for April 25-26.  None of the pastors who lived farther away would be able to make it.  Speakers we had invited couldn't come.  Lodging arrangements fell through at the last minute. And then the organizers were driving around the city in a rainstorm complete with hail looking for an alternate hotel.  But God still had plans for this event.

Five pastoral families from the central area of Peru met together for a day of training, encouragement, and fun.  The pastor of the local Huancayo church was encouraged by the presence of the visitors.  National director Pastor Miguel Algorta and his wife Maria presented workshops on staying true to your calling and how to maintain family priorities while in the ministry.  We played a couple rounds of a charades/Taboo type game.  (The ladies tromped the men!)  During one round a couple of the ladies were missing as Pastora Maria was talking outside the room with the step-daughter of one of the pastors.  We didn't mind their absence since we found out that Jacqui (the young lady next to me in the photo) was praying to become a Christian!  And everyone was satisfactorily fed and housed for the night.  We thank God that His plans prevailed!