Missions Feature: Peru
G
abriella couldn’t believe her eyes as she
looked out of the airplane window. A few
minutes earlier, she had left Lima, Peru’s capital and largest city. The weather there was dry
— really dry. Gabriella learned that it rains
less than two inches a year there. Yet people
were everywhere, making Lima crowded and
noisy.
Now Gabriella was headed east to the rainforest. Flying over the towering Andes Mountains in the center of the country, she found
it hard to imagine that she was in the same
country. The Andes were snowcapped and
cold — so unlike the dry, sandy area along
the ocean. On the other side of the mountains
were lush, tropical forests. In some areas, the
plant life was so thick and the land so rugged
that people couldn’t even build roads to link
the small, remote villages. People here often
traveled by boats along the rivers.
Gabriella’s excitement grew as each minute passed. In a nation with such variety and
beauty, she knew the days ahead held lots of
adventure!
THE COUNTRY
DID YOU KNOW?
* In some areas of Peru, a person may be offered piranha or
guinea pig to eat.
* Some parts of Peru’s desert area are drier than the Sahara
Desert in Africa.
* Some Indian groups in the rain forest fish with bows and arrows.
* Manu National Park, located in eastern Peru, is about the size
of New Jersey, and some areas of it have yet to be explored.
* Peru’s land area is 496,226 square miles,
making it about twice the size of Texas.
* Although Lima is located in a desert, rivers
from the snowy mountains carry enough
water to the coast to meet people’s needs.
* Llamas have been raised in Peru for centuries. People sometimes call them “Peruvian
sheep.”
* Machu Picchu, an ancient city of the Inca
Empire, was discovered in 1911 in southern
Peru and is considered one of the greatest
archeological sites in the Americas.
* The largest gold mine in South America is
located in Peru.
* The powerful Inca Empire ruled for 300
years until a Spanish explorer, Francisco
Pizarro, conquered them. Three centuries
later, in 1821, Peru declared its independence from Spain.
THE PEOPLE
* Peru’s population, about 28 million, is slightly more than Texas.
* Nearly half of Peru’s people are from one of many Indian tribes. Another 40 percent are mestizos — people of mixed Indian and nonIndian ancestry.
* The largest Indian group in Peru is the Quechua.
* Spanish and Quechua are both official languages of Peru.
* Peruvians living in the mountains and the rain forest wear traditional
tribal clothing and follow the ancient customs of their people.
* Most Peruvians follow the Roman Catholic religion mixed with traditional tribal beliefs.
PRAY FOR PERU
Forrest and Clara Barker were the first Assemblies of God missionaries appointed to Peru. Although
Peru’s rugged landscape and secluded villages present challenges in reaching people with the gospel,
nearly 3,000 churches have been established. Pray that doors will open to reach more remote regions with
the gospel.
About one-third of Peru’s population is 15 years old or younger. Pray that missionaries to Peru will
find ways to show young people that Jesus loves them.
THINGS TO DO
High-Fashion Hats
The Quechua Indians are known for their brightly
colored felt hats. While the hats have many similarities, each village has its own unique style. Make a hat
to reflect your own taste and take it to a club meeting.
You Will Need
A variety of craft supplies, such as felt, yarn, sequins,
beads, burlap, a glue gun, glue, and paper plates.
What To Do
1. Use the craft materials to design a hat.
2. Glue a length of yarn to each side of the hat. Tie the
yarn strands together under your chin.
Gorgeous Gourds
Some Indian tribes decorate gourds or pottery to sell
at outdoor markets. The decorations may represent
nature, ancient traditions, or geometric shapes. Try
decorating a gourd, using a design that tells a story
from your life.
Count to 10 in English, Quechua,
and Spanish.
English
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
Quechua
uj
iskay
kinsa
tawa
pisqa
soqta
qanchis
pusaq
jisq’on
chunka
Spanish
uno
dos
tres
cuatro
cinco
seis
siete
ocho
nueve
diez
You Will Need
A clean, smooth gourd
Pencil or pen
Acrylic paint and brushes
What To Do
1. Use a pencil or pen to sketch a design on the gourd.
2. Paint the design in bright colors.
3. Let the gourd dry thoroughly.