The situation with the roads has been a gently slowing pendulum. Things were really bad for a while, but then they would open up for a bit before closing again. Each time has been somewhat less. It seems the people may be losing steam in their protesting, and the President hasn’t budged at all.
In fact, she issued some sort of law/decree that the military would clear the roads of protesters and blocks. The police here locally have been clearing roads only to have the blocks put back, sometimes the same day. However, this week things seem to have stayed open so far.
We were without fuel in the area, both for vehicles and propane for cooking. That may have been about two weeks. Supply trucks were not permitted to come through from Lima, meaning that groceries became more and more scarce and prices were rising incredibly. But in the last week, trucks have been coming back through and the stores are filling up with inventory again, allowing prices to fall back near normal ranges.
We’ve had some precarious moments along the way with running low on supplies, but we would pray, and God would answer. It’s been amazing to see His great hand in such small details. We have been able to get everything we’ve needed as we’ve needed it.
The rising prices really cinched our already tightened belts, but God was taking care of that, too. To us, it seems like He sends so very exactly what we need so that we cannot forget that He is the one orchestrating things, sometimes to the exact dollar and date. We want to thank those of you who have stepped up with extra help over the past couple of months: both sets of our parents, Taz, Uncle Joe, Aunt Sue, the Strasburg church family, my dear friend Wyan, and others.
And a big thank you to the Patron blog supporters. Giving $5 really makes a big difference for us when there are several of you, and several of you are giving more. Your monthly support has been critical in these times.
We also want to praise the Lord for opening the animal market again. We had a business meeting for the farm in early January, and I laid out the financial situation in complete transparency (more red than transparent…), which has been really good for the whole group. Everyone has stepped up to do a bit more to make things successful. Between Percy and Esmeralda, we were able find buyers for three bulls, a cow, and a pig in the last six weeks. That has taken a big load off the farm books.
Right now, we’re waiting until closer to April to buy replacement bulls as the market tapers off into the winter prices. If things stay open, we plan to sell another pig and a bull this Friday, Lord willing.
We have a full sack each of rice, oatmeal, sugar, and flour, so that feels good again. Sadly, Percy’s lost a cow, but that meant we got to fill the freezer with beef that we bought from them. It is so easy to take infrastructure and trade for granted, but we are feeling especially thankful for the reopening of the country.
At the moment, Konrad and China are scheduled to fly in on Thursday, and everything is open for them at the moment. I was praying this morning, and felt an impulse to check with China about if they were ready to head to the airport tomorrow, and thank the Lord that He directed me to check in with her. They had thought their flight was Friday! I guess they have a bit of scrambling to do now that their flight is bumped up a full day; they will begin traveling tomorrow afternoon.
Again, a heartfelt thanks to all the brothers in all your places who are concerned with seeing the church here cared for. The Father’s blessings on each of you.
Juan David 