Eight years ago my wife’s parents came to visit us in Ecuador. At that time we were working in a small mission hospital on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains. Shortly before their arrival, the Tungurahua volcano erupted after 100 years of inactivity and consequently the roads to the hospital were blocked off.
Once again my wife’s parents have come to visit us here in Curahuasi and have spent the last 2 weeks encouraging and entertaining our family. Their return journey to Germany via Cusco and then Lima was planned for this morning. However a national strike, announced with short notice, threatened to close all major roads in Southern Peru. Therefore, they had to frantically pack their luggage in order to make a mad dash late yesterday afternoon in order to avoid the impending danger.
Life in South America is very different and always good and giving surprises. Possibly in Peru a person can feel much more intensely, that he can never be fully in control of things. However, as Christians we need never be afraid. Regardless of erupting volcanoes, landslides that block highways or riots that disrupt whole regions, our life is always safe in God’s hand.
In a country like Peru, asking for God’s blessing is more than just a casually offered prayer.
Klaus-Dieter John
