Well can you believe it the Bogle Band is out on he road for the second time this Summer. Carberry Featival last month and ” Doon the Watter” this month. Tomorrow evening Iain and I will be performing on the world famous Waverley Paddle Steamer. Have a look at the picture above. She really is a bonnie boat.

Anyway all the money being raised tomorrow will go to the work of the Vine Trust. Keeping close to the Vine is a good thing. You know, our motto is ” Connecting People to Change Lives” However for me there is a wee sermon in that phrase, it is really all about connect people to the VINE to change lives. What we are really saying is, when people get connected to Jesus their lives are changed. I never cease to be amazed at the number of people outside of the church who have drawn alongside us to help us fulfill our purposes.

I convinced that God sends them our way. Tomorrow night is no exception. What a wonderful step of faith one guy thought to himself. I could rent the Waverely for an evening and raise money for ssomeof the poorest children in the world. Guess what? He took the risk hired the boat, and believe it on not he has sold his 650 tickets. Not bad for someone just thinking up an idea. Makes you think. Just think Lilias our Youth Worker last year promised to take some of her teenagers to India, and guess what ? Yes she did it, well worth reading their blog. Go to India

I came across a fellow blogger while on holiday in Orkney. Andrew Jones is quite a well known writer especially on the topic of the Emerging Church . He was telling me that he set Jonny Baker up with his first blog

Anyway I looked up the Skinny Kiwi and found he was writing this week about an article that appeared in the Washington Post about churches in America rethinking their short term mission projects. One church spent over $30,000 in airfares to build a $2,000 dollar house. No doubt the economics need to be looked at, but what was missing from all of these American programmes was the recognition that the mission is not just the house building but it is the journey and the mix of people who go on the journey. The journey itself is mission. We always need to allow space fro the seeker and the doubter to journey with us on mission.

However used in the right way, going on a short mission trip can change the outlook and purpose of many a person. When it comes to the Vine Trust just think how many people who started out on the journey to Peru with no faith are now discovering that God can be encountered in the face of the poor. Just think how the work party trips to Peru has influenced someone like Erica. Today she and Lorna ( Known in the blogging community as Soultouch ), are in the forefront of the new missionary movement. Using technology to help bring about change by allowing ordinary people to have a voice.

I think it is really exciting when we begin to think what we have achieved to date. However there is a much bigger prize awaiting those who are prepared to think “out of the box ” when it comes to engaging with the Spirit of God. Have a look at our present worldwithoutwalls web page its only the beginning but already we have over 130 movies up with around 30 partnerships all telling their stories. Before the end of the year I hope that we will be engaged in a couple of projects that will take WWW to another level. And you know what when something is missing you go looking for it. You don’t give up. So ell me what do you think ? What’s missing from short term mission?

Let me tell you about my day yesterday. We were up bright and early because we had a lot of things that we wanted the group to experience.

Peru is certainly a land of contrasts. The previous morning we had all witnessed the majestic splendour of the high snow-capped mountain known as Hauscran as we flew back from Hauraz in the small plane.

Today we travelled to Peurto Belen and witnessed what must be one of the saddest places on earth. What a contrast between the beauty of natural world and the sheer ugliness of a contaminated environment. I’ve been trying to work out which is the worst: the sheer hell of living in a place like the Atacama desert where over a million people try to scratch out a living on the parched dusty dry land where there is very little water and work is scarce; or to live in Belen surrounded by contaminated water that is dangerous to drink.

For me it’s an academic question.For the people living in these places there is no choice, it is equally academic. However it impinges on their dignity as a human being. Surely in this world no one should live like this? Yet millions who live in the world’s shanty towns do.

Clean water is a major factor in bringing about a changed environment in both these places. It is important that we as a Trust don’t forget about the underlying causes of much of the poverty and disease.

We made our way to the medical centre in Belen erected by a generous donation from Lloyds TSB Foundation Scotland. Here in this clinic up to 40 or 50 people are treated daily. The centre seeks to work on close harmony with the other two governor sponsored clinics.

Belen is a shanty town built on the sewer that flows out of the city of Iquitos. It has two parts to it Upper Belen and Lower Belen. Our clinic is in the heart of lower Belen. At this time of the year the water rises in the lower part of the settlement. The people move around on little dugout canoes. It all looks very picturesque until you look closer and realise the water all around the houses is untreated sewage. About 66,000 people live in this community 26,000 of them are children. The death rate is high. You don’t see many older people, life expectancy is not very high.

It is from this shanty town built on a sewer that Union Biblica in partnership with the Vine Trust run a free health care service seeking to help over 100,000 people in this part of Amazonia.

Today as we visit there is a medical team from various parts of the UK who have arrived to help augment the work that is being pioneered by a group of dedicated Peruvian medics. This team under the leadership of Vanessa Bone (a Peruvian who is married to Martin Bone who hails from the UK) is seeking to develop realistic strategies to help improve the health of those who live in this area.

After visiting the centre it was back on the canoes again and we headed to the market to get an opportunity to see how many earn a living. Have a look at these pictures. The woman making the turtle soup was using the shell of the turtle as the pot to boil the soup. Another woman was eating a bowl of soup with the claw of the turtle on the plate to add flavour — I think!

I took this picture of the policeman who escorted us through the market. I guess he was seeking to do a bit of crime prevention. It was on to the bus for a visit to the Casa los Tigres. This is a centre which seeks to feed and educate children and thus prevent them from being put on the streets by a mother. We heard a few stories which I will relate on the blog over the next few weeks.

From the Casa Los Tigres we headed off to pick up a wooden thatched boat go make our journey to Puerto Allegria to meet up with the 30 children who have now made this jungle oasis home.

Once again take note of the contrasts. Here in this peaceful settle 30 little boys have been given a shelter a home and parents to look after them.

As I come to the end of this my sixth trip to Peru I am amazed at the work that has been accomplished. There is still much more to be done but what has been achieved acts as an incentive to us all that we can achieve even greater things if we continue to live and grow in the Vine.

Finally we arrived in Iquitos tonight. Here we are in the Jungle after an eventful day of flying. Huascran is the highest mountain in the Peruvian Andes and earlier this morning I was able to take this picture from the small twin engine air craft flying at 26,000 feet.

It is absolutely breath taking. The psalmist was right when be said, the heavens declare the glory of the Lord

Reflecting on the visit to Kusi it is such a contrast to the heat of the jungle. A number of the party felt the results of the high altitude,but on returning to sea level they all seem to be on the mend.

Today was one of those travel days. When we arrived back from Kusi it was around 11.15am we had to wait around the airport for the flight to Iquitos which was not due to leave until 4.15pm.

This was an interesting flight we encountered turbulence which was a bit scary. But hey  we’ve survived to tell the story. The  guy sitting next to me started to make the sign of the cross the woman sitting next to Paul Clark started popping pills. She told him she was on a short visit to Iquitos but she had decided to make Iquitos her home. She said she’d never go up in a plane ever again. I think it was the scarest moment of my flying experience

This evening I was nearly robbed but for my quick thinking and speedy hand. A wee lad in blue jumper banged into Willie and then into me. I knew what he was up to I grabbed him and took my wallet our of his hand. An instant slower and he’d have been away.   I think he was absolutely shocked that I got it back. It is absolutely right what they  tell you about the street. You’ve got to keep your wits about you in the jungle. Stephen I{m sure you´d have been proud of me. Not so old as you may think.  Tomorrow will be an interesting experience as we move on to the river boats.

We had an early start today. We were up at 5.00am and heading for the airport at 6.00am. Here is a picture of Paul Clark and myself boarding the 18 seater plane. Here is an interesting thing: you can take 18 up to Hoarsz in the Andes but only 14 people can come back. So Willie Gregor and Gavin are heading down the steep mountain pass on the service bus tonight.

We have had a most eventful day. Coping with the altitude affects people in different ways. People can feel dizzy or even drowsy breathless and headachey. These are the symptoms that some have been feeling today. Fortunately todate I’m holding together. It was great to hear that the school at Kusi now has 100 children in attendance. Now is their summer holidays but parents and children all turned out to welcome us. Here are some of the pictures.

However this is a stunning place it is just a couple of miles from Yunguy the town that was devastated by an earthquake in 1973 and I believe over 70,000 people lost their lives. It is so moving to meet Carmen one of these survivors now helping to plan and co-ordinate the building of the little village. Just I believe means happiness and it sure was a happy place today. Have a look at the progress.

Got me thinking Jesus took his disciples up to a mountainous place to help them reflective about their lives. Today we had 18 people challenged to reflect on the contribution their lives can make in our world. The scenery is literally breathtaking. The children such a blessing. As usual everone has gone to bed. I’ll sign off with the sound of the pan pipes in my ears and pray that Willie and the boys are safe as they travel the 10 hour trip back to Lima. We’re up bright and early heading out for the airport at 8.00pm.

I’ve been introducing the group to the 15th Century mystic Thomas à Kempis.

We’ve been looking at his work entitled, “The Imitation of Christ”. The idea is that I use some phrases from his meditations to focus our thoughts for the day. Thomas was always trying to encourage Christians to develop simple and less cluttered lifestyles. At the same time each day I’ve been trying to keep the reflection centred on Jesus and the places where he was to be found. It has been a remarkable study to find ourselves in the same sort of places. Jesus in the desert, Jesus out with the outcasts mixing with the wrong people.

Today the thought from à Kempis was as follows. He invites us all to weigh carefully the words of others and not to be easily persuaded to do things. He suggests that we do well if we keep focused on what we know to be personally true.

Now I know that some people will see this as a kind of shooting ourselves in the foot especially as we are trying to persuade others to become involved with supporting the work However it seems to me that we all need to do what we do because we know it to be right rather than because we are trying to please another. Anyway today as a time to relax and chill out a little. The group was able to experience a sail from the hotel Paracas, unfortunately this beautiful hotel was reduced to rubble during the earthquake. The boat sails still continue taking tourist to see the famous wild life sanctuary on the Pacific Ocean. So it was Jesus on the boat and thankfully no one tried water walking!

Today was a very special day in the life of Cupar Old Parish Church. Left, is their minister Ken Jeffrey opening up the latest Girasoles home in Ica Peru.

People say to me "why do you go to Peru, would you not be better just giving the money?". My reply to that question is that it is important that people go in order to encounter the injustice and the poverty. It is often only from such encounters that people are moved to do something. As you know the main reason for this blog is to encourage all who read to make a difference in the world. Just take a look at the grinding poverty that we encountered yesterday. Whether caused by natural disaster or not there are places in this country of Peru where sadness pervades the atmophere. The settlement we visited to hand out water was one such place. You get the feeling that the people here are trapped. You can’t help thinking, what is their future? As we continued to give out water in this desert place we passed a cemetery. Here was a stark reminder to us that people live and die in this desert without perhaps moving a few miles from where they were born.

Today at the opening of the home it was fantastic it proved beyond a doubt that individuals can make a difference. Ken Jeffery and the people in his church could have legitimately said they had too much on their plate, as they prepared to build a new extention. Instead they gifted one hundred thousand pounds to build a home for abandoned boys. Today saw the fruition of the vision begin to impact on street children. Some of these of had been orphaned by the August 2008 earthquake and the tsunami that followed.

However what really touched me was the performance of the Girasoles. Have a look at the picture below. The Girasoles for those who don’t know means Sunflowers. To be called a sunflower is an open compliment. The boys are delighted to have such a name.

Of course the exciting thing is that these children some of whom had no bed to go to now not only have a bed but also a loving family of which to be part.

Well I asked you all for a big bag of money to buy blankets for the Leprosy Colony. In just over a week I’ve received well in excess of £1300.00. The money is now in India and the blankets are being purchased. A big thank you to those people who sent in their contributions. It got me thinking that we can make a difference in the world when we work together. We can bring about change. The power of ordinary people is quite extra - ordinary. We need to remind ourselves that the first Christians were not powerful or even rich but they changed the world. It was said of them that they “turned the world upside down” Now there is a thought. What do we need to do to start the same rumours?

A big thank you to all the people who have started to give me a fiver for the Leprosy Colony to buy blankets. I need a big bag of money to do all the things that need to be done in India. See my article on the church home page. We’ve raised to date around £170 I’ll keep you up to date as we go along. I’m hoping to raise £1250 by the end of next week, so that I can forward it to India before the winter really sets in. Its certainly beginning to feel like winter here in Scotland. especially since today is “Guy Fawkes”.

There is a kind of soundtrack that goes with the cold nights. Fireworks exploding in the distance and rockets whistling as they fall from the dark winter sky. I remember as a kid in Glasgow you’d start saving up the firewood for the bonfire a few weeks before, however today that kind of project is frowned upon. Too many fires have gone out of control and too many children and adults have been injured. Just think of the millions of pounds that will go up in blue smoke tonight, and what that money could have achieved. I do think we are all bonkers! Maybe its time we drew a line under the whole gunpowder plot affair. What do you think?

Anyway winter is well and truly here and I’m glad I’ve got a coat to wear so i hope i can raise the money to help the men and woman in the leprosy colony get a blanket to wear.

Its Saturday afternoon and the trip to India has to take a back seat for the moment as I catch up with all the various stands of parish life. However the picture that I’ve posted is a constant reminder of the reason why we get involved with this overseas work. We live in a world of plenty and the majority of the people in the world live off less than a dollar a day. Street children don’t just exist in Peru, they are found all over, in all the major cities in the world. Here are two young barefooted children doing a bit of window shopping in Chennai, their having a look at the trainers. If corse the whole thing is shocking when we realise that literally thousands of children all over the world are being used in `”sweatshop factories to produce these fashion items for the west. Have a look at this web page nothing changes and nothing seems to get done even by the people who have the slogan “Just do it! click here Here is a video that is designed to make us all think about the brands we buy

The phone rang earlier this morning and my sister tells me she is running a fundraiser in her home for india next Friday. She’s actually quite incredible. Over the past few years she has literally raised thousands of pounds for charity from her home. She is such an example to us all, you don’t need a big house, you need a big heart. Tonight Martha and I are off to the Gospel Mission in Falkirk to talk about the work of the Vine Trust. It will be like old times. I believe we’ve even got a Branches stall. When we first started the Trust over 20 years ago we used to go on deputation work and it was always a worthwhile effort. These days somehow time limits the number of speaking engagements that can be taken on. Thankfully though the trust has a few people now trained up in this area.