July 23, 2010

Below is a sample of photos from 2010 delegation that visited Peru from July 1st–14th.

July 14, 2010
The synod’s delegation is home!  They arrived at the La Crosse municipal airport  in good spirits at 3:30pm CDT where they were met by family and friends.  They thank you for your prayers while they travelled (without incident!) and ask your continued prayers for the deepening relationship the members of the La Crosse Area Synod has with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Peru.  Please plan to invite a member of the delegation to your congregation soon to be encouraged in the ways of accompaniment with our global companions.

July 5, 2010
The synod’s delegation of eight has safely arrived in Lima, Peru, and we are now on our fifth day visiting the congregations of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peru (ILEP).

We have been welcomed by incredibly warm and open people who are our brothers and sisters of ILEP (Iglesia Luterana Evangélica Peruana). Our schedule has been extremely busy as we have met with the congregations of Vida Nueva, Emanuel, Galilea, Luz Divina. We also attended the closing worship service for an HIV/AIDS consultation organized by the ELCA working with representatives from the Lutheran churches in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was a deeply moving event to share communion with people from so many places; a true sign of the global Church.

Our plans are to visit Talitha Kum in Cusco for the next few days. We will then return to Lima to visit more congregations. And Saturday night we will be staying with families from three different congregations and attending worship with them on Sunday morning. We are also planning to visit the office of Lutheran World Relief.

We will be sharing more about our experiences with the congregations from the La Crosse Area Synod over the next few months. Please invite one of the delegates to meet with your congregation or church groups.