Sarah came to Wayumi as a Freshman probably 4 years ago. She graduated from high school this past June. She has traveled to Peru to live in the jungle with a missionary couple for 6 months. They did their training at Jersey Shore before it was Wayumi.
Sarah is serving the family by helping to home school their son and to help around the house so the parents can focus more on language study to reach their tribe.
Jim!
I've been wanting to email you for a while now about Wayumi! I know that you announce the summer trips in December and I really wanted to put in a word of encouragement for all those freshmen thinking about going. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Wayumi to everyone! Being here in Peru, especially when we were in Nueva Luz, really made me think back to my freshmen year when I went on that trip! I think Wayumi does an excellent job of giving a short (yet accurate) representation of what life is like for a tribal missionary and also of teaching kids about a mission-minded world view. Sleeping in new arrangements, living in scarcely furnished cabins, battling wolf spiders in the outhouse, cold showers, and communicating with "tribal people" are all things that really happen. Someone asked me if jungle living was what I expected it to be and surprisingly I was able to say "yeah, pretty much" because I was comparing it mostly to my Wayumi experience (also my host family gave me the low down so I knew what I was getting into).
Granted, it's not the same as the real deal, the real thing can be a lot more draining and discouraging (and also more fun), but they do a pretty good job of at least giving a taste of most of the elements involved in living with a tribe in the jungle. My host family went through Ethnos360 training and they can't speak highly enough of the organization and its teaching. Even if kids don't feel any interest in going and living in the jungle (something I never thought I would EVER do.... that's God for ya) I would still recommend it because it causes kids to become aware of what some people are living out on a daily basis for the sake of reaching the unreached and making the gospel known to all nations.
I have so many different specific reasons that I would recommend Wayumi and already I told my parents that they need to make sure Austin goes on the trip. Haha, if you need me talk some sense into those 9th graders, let me know and I'll call some Wednesday night and help them to see the light. I'm serious, I am more than willing to call to encourage them to go! It's an experience that they don't want to miss out on.
I hope things are going well at student body and also with your family! I miss you guys a lot!
Swag walking through Christ daily,
Sarah