Day Six: From Pucallpa to Iquitos – New Friends and New Mission Fields

✈️ Saying Goodbye & Starting a New Chapter

This morning we said our goodbyes to GoGo, Dolly, and Dillon—three incredibly kind people who made our stay in Pucallpa so welcoming and smooth. Then it was time for our final visit before leaving: sweet Sarah.

❤️ Meeting Sarah: Prayer Warrior with a Giant Spirit

Sarah is in her 70s and has been completely bedridden with arthritis for 32 years. She’s tiny in frame but absolutely huge in personality! Right away, she had us laughing—asking us to bring her a husband the next time we visit.

But the most touching part? She said she wants everyone who visits her to leave feeling joyful. I had to step outside the room for a moment to collect myself when she said:

“Most people in my condition would pray to be taken home, but I pray to stay because I know my prayers are important.”

This beautiful woman of God prays for our church every single day, especially in the early mornings when she’s less distracted. She uses a stick with a nail in it to adjust her clothing and glasses. Her spirit is just incredible. We brought a new fan for her room (she said her old one was in worse shape than she is—ha!) and food for her caretakers, since she lives on a mostly liquid diet. Kim and Juan always have to “track her down” since different family members take turns caring for her. She was full of thanks and joy—what a visit.

🛫 Off to Iquitos

After visiting Sarah, we headed to the airport for a short flight to Iquitos, a city deep in the Amazon rainforest. You can only get there by boat or plane—it’s completely cut off by roads!

We got settled at our hotel and had a quick lunch before packing 14 food bags for the afternoon’s outreach visits. (The food had already been shipped to the hotel.)

🛶 House of Natives: A Place of Hope

Our first stop in Iquitos was the House of Natives, located on one of the rivers that flow through the city. It’s a temporary home for families and young adults who travel—sometimes 25 days by boat—to access medical care, legal documents, and schooling. They rent small rooms for a few weeks, months, or even years while they take care of the things they can’t do back in their villages. It’s an essential resource for many, and we were honored to visit and bring food.

🎂 A Birthday Visit to Celiolito

Next, we celebrated a very special first birthday—a baby girl named Celio, lovingly called Celiolito, which means “little sky.” She was born on this exact day one year ago when our church’s team was also in Peru!

Celiolito was born with only partial arms and no hands. Her parents were not aware of her condition before birth, so it was quite a shock. But God had something beautiful in store. That same week, the team had been meeting with a woman who also has partial arms—and uses her feet to create incredible artwork. The connection gave this young family hope.

Today, we celebrated not only Celio’s birthday but also her mom’s. We sang in English and Spanish, and brought food for the family. Celio has five siblings, and her parents work so hard to provide for their children. She slept peacefully in everyone’s arms as we passed her around, each of us getting a turn to love on her. What a sweet moment.