Piura Days 10-14

Our final destination of our cross-Peru travels was the desert agrarian city of Piura. In 1983 el Nina floods caused widespread catastrophe and many Mennonite Brethren from Canada came to help with relief work. Out of this act of brotherly/sisterly compassion a few MB churches were birthed. Once again el Nina floods devastated the area in 1998 and a few churches were re-rooted on higher ground and more help came from Canadian MB's and more churches were built. We were able to visit 9 churches in two days of touring, meet their leaders and pray with them. The other MB churches in Trujillo and Lima were birthed from people of Piura moving south into the larger cities.

Paraiso Church, the woman in this picture donated the land for the church and her corn-stalk home is right beside it to the left. 

Chatochico church was buried under a meter of mud in the 1998 floods. It has been excavated and a wall built to sustain it for now. 

Otto Funk waits for the doors to El Indio church to be opened. This building was built constructed by a Canadian businessman. 

Our Vision team poses at El Indio with local leaders. 

Piura is hot and dusty, it only receives around 2cm of precipitation/year. However, while we were in Piura, it received unseasonable rains... almost el Nina style. There was some minor flooding and roads were washed out. Check out this video and pics of Piura's response to rain.

Perry and I walk with shoes in hand after pushing out the van. We got stuck 4 more times on the way to the churches.

In addition to seeing the many MB churches in the Piura area, we were also asked to a meal by one of the pastors. She invited us into her home and served us soup. It was delicious. Below are a few food shots.

Chicken foot gristle and tendon... nothing like it!

This Little squid went wiggly, wiggly home.