Two weeks from today I will be in Lima, Peru.

Right I know.

Chad and I are traveling with Compassion International to visit Compassion’s child poverty relief projects in some of the poorest parts of Peru. We will be leaving on Sunday, January 29 and returning that Friday the third of February.

I have no context for this at all. No reference point. No solid spot to stare at and breathe: I can do this. I can do this. We can do this.

So I don’t know what to say about it all yet. Bear with me as I fumble for words (now and in the future).

I’m traveling, not on a blogging trip like we are all accustomed to watching or participating in on the Internet, but on a speakers’/sponsors’ trip. We will be visiting several of Compassion’s projects near Lima including a Child Survival Center (that works with mothers and babies up to age three).

The purpose of our trip is to allow people to get a first hand, on the ground, full sensory view of the needs in this area of the world.

I’m planning on blogging through the week if possible and I’d love a couple things from this beautiful community:

1 – I’d love for you to follow us through the week by reading and sharing my posts. Please come with us on our journey by clicking back here once or twice during that week and watching our trip on twitter and Facebook. We will have a chance to to meet our sponsor child so words can’t express my nervousness and excitement at the same time.

2 – Please pray for us. We need your prayers: for grace and for protection. Pray that we will “see” the people, their stories, their beauty, their grace in the way that God wants us too. Pray that we will be affected for action in appropriate ways and that we can carry a bit of this trip around with us for the rest of our lives.

3 – And last, I know this is so much to ask, but can you ask yourself if this is the catalyst for you and your family to support a child in abject poverty in Peru. Don’t click through if you don’t want to. And I know your money is precious, but if it is something that has been tickling at your heart and this blog post is just part of the drawing of you to do this, please consider it.  Click here to sponsor a child through Compassion.

Links:

Compassion International

In depth Peru Ministry Focus post on the Compassion blog. (Excellent post on exactly what Compassion is doing in Peru or simply click the Compassion box in my sidebar to be taken right to a child in Peru.)

Sponsor a child in Peru (on right side, search “Peru” under “where in the world.”)

My twitter, Facebook and Facebook community links.

Chad’s twitter and Facebook.

(If you are interested in booking me for a speaking engagement in the future, email booking @ sarahmarkley dot com.)

Photo source