iServe – RiverTree

A year ago, May of 2006, I had a life changing experience of taking a mission trip to Peru. The fact that I went was due to God acting in my life.

I had been working on the Compassion team with Terry Hunka from the time I first joined RiverTree in 2004. I had invited Terry to speak to my Rotary Club in January of 2005. The members were touched by his information about Hogar de Ninos in Peru and the needs of the orphanage. They presented him with the money needed to replace a water pump for a well that had not worked to supply water to the orphanage for more than two years.

At that point, Peru and Hogar de Ninos became a part of my mission at that of my Rotary Club’s. Because of my interest, I was appointed chairman of International projects for the Rotary Club of North Canton.

We did not know what we would be able to do for Hogar or the work of ChildReach in Peru at that point, but we did know that in order to be able to get matching funds from Rotary International, we would need a partner club from that country. We began inquiring with Rotary International for such a club.

In December of 2005, the Club decided to indicate our involvement with Hogar de Ninos by sending the orphanage several hundred dollars to provide Christmas for the children and staff of the orphanage. It was at that point that God told me that I needed to visit Peru.

After discussing the trip with my wife, we decided that the fall would be the best time to go for me because of business activities during the summer. But as the year progressed, the trip dates changed and in April, it appeared that it was going to be impossible for me to make the trip. On April 20, I was at church telling Terry Hunka that I was concerned about the dates and it appeared that I wouldn’t be going to Peru.

He said, “We have a trip going on the 21st of May, why don’t you come with us on that one?” I said that I thought it was too quick and that I probably had appointments for then anyway because it was a period of time when we are photographing High School Senior Ambassadors for our studio. My wife, Aletha was standing with me and said that we should at least check. I said that I thought we wouldn’t have the money at this time of year (a slow time for our business). I thought that was the end of it.

When we got home from church, Aletha checked our calendar and found that the entire time of the mission trip had no appointments. The weeks before and after were filled with appointments — but that week was empty. She told me that there was just enough money for the trip in a fund that she had found (it turned out that she had been saving it for an anniversary trip that she decided she would give up).

It seemed that God was at work to get me to Peru in May.

My mission to Peru was to record the children and environment of the orphanage and it was also hoped that we could make contact with a Rotary Club in Peru. But the prospect of finding a club seemed remote since was had not made contact through Rotary International.

On May 2, I got on the internet and started researching international projects in the Rotary International data base. I found the name of a man in Peru who had been involved in several international projects. I obtained his e-mail address and sent him an email about the project.

It turned out this man had coordinated more that 60 international projects and that his Rotary Club was the only English speaking Rotary Club in Latin America.

As you can tell, it was God’s will that I go to Peru at this particular time. It goes without saying that the trip was a success. I was able to see the new property that would become Hannah’s Home (it was purchased three days before my arrival with money raised on the weekend before I left for Peru). During my trip I made over 2,400 images and had experiences that were nothing short of miraculous.