First Week of Training

The first week of training is complete!!

So far we have been really impressed with the 5 guys we have going through the training. They have had such good attitudes about all the hard work they have had to accomplish so far, so we are really excited!!

Juan, Pedro, Felix, Nester and Eliseo all arrived in Iquitos last Tuesday, June 1^st. We let them relax from their travels and started in on Wednesday. Bright and early in the morning they all came to our house to do their physical test. They have to run a timed 4 miles and do as many push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups as they can in 2 minutes!! (Then at the end we do it again so they can see their progress). Then they took a written test, which has questions about the bible, their spiritual walk with the Lord and their call to missions (just so we can get a feel about where they are and what there desires are). Then we just had a few meetings explaining about the training, what they could expect, etc. Then we passed out all there gear.

On Thursday they began their walk into the training site. We have them walk 30 km with their packs…. Its super hard – but that is the point J We want the guys to really want to go through this training and its hard and long. If they can make it through the hike then their hearts are in the right place, and they all did with flying colors and blisters!! Several of the guys had just bought new shoes – so they were in a little bit of pain.

On Friday we had their first classes. We had one on basic first aid that Leah taught and then Jeremy and I taught a couple of classes on Survival training and intro to Spiritual disciplines.

Saturday was their day of rest – and boy did they need it! They had been working really hard. Jess and I took them to the market to buy their food. They get 40 soles (which is about $11) for the 5 of them, to live off for the week. It is to help them conserve their food and learn to live without because in the communities you are living off their hospitality and you might not always get food.

On Sunday we had a full day of class. They started memorizing the creation story in Spanish, had a class on Spiritual disciplines and a few more.

Things to Pray for This Week:

 The bugs are bad really bad. So pray that they go away!!

 They are memorizing the creation story right now (which can be one of the more difficult things we do in training) because we memorize each story word for word and by the end they memorize over 30 stories. (which ends up being over 60 chapters of the Bible)

Below are pictures of the guys and the events of this past week!

Thanks so much for all of the prayers - more next week!!

From Left to Right(Back Row First): Pedro, Juan, Nester, Felix & Eliseo

Getting their backpacks packed

Jeremy giving them the written test

Loaded up for the adventure!

walking & walking & walking

halfway through...

break time :)

resting (those packs get pretty heavy!)

walking some more

LUNCH

eatin up the bread

Manases - a local pastor who has helped us a TON in preparing for the training and with whom we hope to work with more in the future

the guys house ... the jungle is over taking it - its amazing how much can grow in a year!

you can almost see it now --- the machetting has begun!

the house

first class on first aid

the camp fire and food :) yum

free time

diggin holes for the bathroom!!

its finished - YAY.