508 official salvations
We are done with my Church’s missions trip. We have an Iglesia Bíblica Emmanuel here in Arequipa and that is where I have been staying since I got here. The pastor lives in the second story and they gave me a room 
We had around 160 people between 14 - 40 years old maybe. The trip was for the 3 youth ministries from my Church.
A group stayed at the Church doing medical attention, another group just gave out flyers and did some evangelism, another group held a kid’s program and my group performed evangelistic dramas. At night we had two concerts and one healing service.
Working 2 days and half we presented a total of 508 contact cards of people who prayed the salvation prayer.
It was funny because I was struggling to get contact cards and one of the trip leaders told me he only had 200 and that would be enough… ha!
We would have to add that the first night I didn’t have contact cards and about 30 people came to Christ too.
We had all kind of experiences, security officers trying to kick us out and people yelling sometimes, but three of the times that stood out for me were:
1.- When once I took around 50 people and after performing, preaching and talking with people one on one I gathered my team and gave them some directions and words of encouragement and told them we would pray for what we were doing. We gathered huging each other and as we were praying I saw people coming to see what we were doing and about 10 more received Christ!
2.- Another time, I took the group to a plaza infront of the Palace of Justice, it was so empty! Maybe 5 people sitting there, but plenty of space to perform. A lot of people was telling me that was not a good spot… but I felt like God cared for those 5 people sitting there by themselves in that quiet (not for much longer) plaza. That evening we had 40 people coming to Christ right there.
3.- The third experience was that we went to that same place and it was crowded, but, there were street comedians doing their show and we couldn’t do our thing until they were done. It was a tough decision, stay or leave? I knew that if we took too much time it would affect the entire schedule for the entire 160 people. But, while we were waiting for the comedians to be done… people just went to evangelize one on one and I didn’t count officially, but I would say around 25 people came to Christ then. After we performed and preached we had a total of 67 filled up cards… Muahahaha!!! Praise God or what?!!
I had such a hard time finding pens for everyone! Hehe… I gave out a bunch that did not make their way back to my hands… so, almost at the end of the trip I walked around yelling to 160 people: “RETURN THE PENS I GAVE YOU PLEASE!!!” over and over again…
I don’t know how, but I gave someone a blue pen, and I got back the exact same pen but…in black! LoL… and someone did not return my chinesse pen.. 
Gatito!!! This is where I let someone use your pen and then… I didn’t have it back, but! After all my yelling around… I DID get your pen back!!
Also, as some of you know, Peru celebrates Independence Day on July 28th. What happened is that our last day of ministry was on Monday, and we had a great rock concert with 3 bands (1 local, 1 from IBE Arequipa, and 1 from our Church IBE in Lima) and we danced…well, most of us, and I am sure I did dance like it was our last chance to do it… hehe… After that, we were so tired!!! But!!! It was not over!!!
We had dinner and went to the main square bringing a guitar, a drum box, a drum, a cymbal, and a violin… to sing a lot of peruvian songs until midnight. Then, we sang the National Anthem!!! Happy 28!!! It was awesome… A bunch of tourists came over and some preached to them, and some peruvians as well too. Maybe 4 people received Christ? I don’t know…
Oops… I almost forgot something.
So, since our mission’s trip in February I was asked to lead the Youth Drama Team. Somehow, I managed to do that while traveling. But I could not do it anymore. I have to say, drama is not my passion (I think?) although everybody says I do it really well. The thing is, the last day before the 160 left, I gathered those that were still here to give them the news. I told them I would not lead the group anymore and that I was probably moving to Arequipa. I realized that all through my life since I met the Lord, I have been looking forward to have the opportunity to show my devotion (like the “Love Song for a Savior” song by Jars of Clay) and how much I want to give Him my lfe. I feel like God is giving me a really easy shot with Arequipa. I have a IBE Church here, the pastors are young and know me and my family and we get along perfectly, Arequipa is probably my favorite city in the Andes, and is not far from Lima… is just so easy!
I felt like giving the Great Comission. I asked them to remember somethings over any other thing from the time I was with them.
I reminded them about our last meeting in Lima.
The last Sunday before this trip we had our last practice meeting. One of the guys was anxious to practice, he set up the boom box and asked for the CD to start playing it. I told him we would not practice, yet. We had not practiced enough but first thing’s first. We read the Bible and talked about it, and specially, we spent about an hour praying hugging in a big circle.
I told them what we do is not drama. We are expressing a message, the reality of life. Therefore, we don’t need talent. All we need is a heart after God’s. The passion to please Him.
I remember a friend mentioning how much he loves to make his dad laugh. The feeling of satisfaction that it brings. I have to say, I haven’t had a lot of chances to experience that with my own father, but that is exactly how I feel whenever I do anything in ministry. I want to make Him smile and laugh of pleasure!!! And I will do anything and everything I can to accomplish that. And that includes performing drama… But to do that, I need to connect to His heart first. So, we don’t need to practice as much as we need to know what we are doing and why, and then prove it. We have NOTHING to offer. Anything good in us is because of Him, and we need to remember that. Coming to His presence is to remember who we are and what we are doing and that we so need Him to be and do everything we are and do.
After that they said they wanted to pray for me, and I cried so much. Then each of them expressed their personal words of appreciation and encouragement… we all cried… the guys too! Some of them I have only worked with for the last two weeks. After that I also apologized for the times I raised my voice and I told them I felt so humbled hearing them pray for me and encouraging me. I was nobody to deserve such beautiful friends… Then, as they left the bus yelled a typical peruvian cheer phrase: “¡Inés, te queremos!”
¡¡¡They made me cry so much!!!
Maybe drama is not my passion, but people… ah! They know how to move my heart.
So, that was our mission’s trip, and today I visited the Girls’ Home. We went to a fair and it was fun!!! They do have a space for me and tomorrow I will move there. I will have 3 main responsabilities:
1.- Be a mom for 14 teenagers. Their substitute mom is on vacations all of August. When I suggested Rick I could stay with them his eyes were wide open and he asked: “Are you sure you want to do that?!” hehe… trouble makers… I love them!!!
2.- While the girls are at School I will be an assistant for the social worker, Sandra.
3.- I will help the volunteers know what they have to do, because they don’t speak spanish.
That is for now…. phew! I have to pack and sleep some would be good!
Jouman!
Well, i don’t know exactly what to say, i only can say that you’re special for anyone who know you.
About the mission’s trip, it wa awsome, God’s tell us in different ways that we don’t have to worry about waht we have to say, because he will put the words in our mouth, we just have to trust in Him, and He will do.
I really thank’s God to know you, because i have learned to much from you, and thank you for help me and be there when i was need someone to tell how i was feeling.
I admire you Ines, because you always “put” (i don’t know another word for that =D)God in first place in your life, and that is not easy, you always teach us with your way to be that we have to leave our human nature and let God make us again in His way.
I love so much, and keep writing, i like it.. hahaha
Wow! Praise God for all the wonderful people added to His kingdom!
I also am so proud of you and thank God for you. It is a privilege to know you. God has given you so much wisdom beyond your age. When you write I see the maturing in you , even more since you were here with us. I love you!