Rays of Sunshine

At four minutes after nine I dragged myself into the conference room, trying to convince myself that I was ready for breakfast after only five and a half hours of fitfull sleep. With my eyes half open I tried to locate the end of the buffet line, and when I finally found it, my eyes widened more than they had in the last 12 hours.

At a time like this, food seems to be low on the priority list and standing in line for food is just about enough to send you back to bed.

But then our hosts began our formal welcome, desiring to share a bit of their Peruvian heritage with us. And as the music began to play, I was swept up to soar the Andean passes with the classic strains of "El Condor Pasa". Who knows how the crisp mountain air can be brought to the closed space of a crowded conference room? And why is it that the sound of the breeze whistling through the green freshness of a sun splashed mountain side is so perfectly brought to earth with Andean pan pipes?

And before we know it, the song has transitioned and a dance has begun, and we find ourselves celebrating new life in Christ with the instruments of ancient Peru.

Later I corner Elizabeth, the director of our partner organization Corazones Unidos, to introduce myself and build further on the relationship begun through a poor telephone connection and a host of emails.

In between her enthusiastic appreciation for all we've done and are about to do, I manage to squeeze in a poorly executed thank you, remarking that we only come to Peru for a short time, and the work her ministry does makes what we do possibe.

She tumbles on in the gracious flow of the Latin American speaker, admitting that yes, our time in Peru is short, but that time is like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, bringing hope and life.

And five minutes after ten I step out of the conference room, humming the tune of the wind in the Andes and thinking about rays of sunshine.

~Rebecca