Through the Eyes of a Service Team Member

**Written by guest blogger Jill Osborne**

It’s my last night in Peru on my service trip with Kids Alive International.



I can’t believe how quickly the two weeks have passed. It’s been an experience that I won’t forget.

I’m part of a team from People’s Church, Wyoming, Ontario, Canada. There are seven of us: John (or Uncle John, our fearless leader), Dan and Nathan (strong band of brothers), Jessica and Paul (daughter/father team), Lynnae (better known here in Peru as “Nae Nae”) and myself.



We’ve had lots of laughs, incredible experiences and accomplished tons of different things.

Most of our work has been at The Juniper Tree. The children have recently moved into their brand new, beautiful home and we helped out by finishing off some tile and grout, electrical and yard work.











Check out the photos to see the before and after pics of the yard!





On Wednesday night we played “Octapus” with the kids. To see them run around in their bare feet, on the grass, in the middle of the desert, laughing and smiling, made every drop of sweat and muscle ache worth it!

On our travels to and from The Juniper Tree and The Oasis it’s hard not to notice how barren and dry the landscape is. Even the people on the street seem empty. However, when you enter The Oasis or The Juniper Tree, you notice how alive everything is. The buildings and grounds are bright and colorful but more importantly, you can see the God’s love shining in the eyes of the children and staff. I’ve been able to see firsthand what a blessing these ministries are to the families, children and communities in Peru and in turn I have been humbled and blessed once again by our amazing and gracious God!