When we arrived in Arequipa, the country was in a financial free fall. The inflation rate was from over 500% to the thousands. The people were suffering terribly. The law stated they had to make all contracts in Intis (the national currency). 

When Betty and I rented our first home the day I rented it, the exchange rate was about $325 to $400 a month. The Peruvian contracts all had clauses that added like 25 to 30% increase in price every quarter. That was to help them make up for inflation, eating away at the rent they were charging. 

A person could effectively pay all the increases and still end the year paying only $40 or $50 US for their rent. I didn't feel like that was right, so when it was time to pay the second month, I told our landlord that I would pay him the equivalent of $325 US each month. He was very appreciative.

After we had been renting the house for three months, he said he wanted me to increase our rent by 30%, as the contract said. I agreed if he was willing for me to pay the exact amount the contract called for instead of the $325 I had promised. He relented and allowed me to pay the $325 each month, but he did come and complain every three months that I was cheating him. I had friends paying less than $50 monthly on a contract starting at over $200. I explained this, but he was never satisfied.

At the end of the year, he wanted me to up the rent to $500 US monthly. I told him that I would find a new place to live. He was pretty angry with me for ripping him off and leaving. He was furious because he was losing an outstanding deal, and my Peruvian landlord had thought he could bluff and bully me into paying much more. 

The wildest thing was that one day when Betty and I were out riding around the city exploring, we stumbled across a place called Sachaca. Sachaca had large lots with each house. Most are on up to and over an acre. 

Where we lived, houses touched, or nearly touched for most of our time in Peru. A house was more like an apartment or condominium instead of a house. Our walls were inches from their walls. When they moved their chair in their kitchen, we could hear it drag across the floor.

As Betty and I drove around, I commented that one day we might move to a place with such a large yard. The property was all walled, but there were large yards and patios. I loved it, and so did Betty. 

Now God is the sweetest God you could ever imagine. He knows what you like, and He likes you. I knew we could never afford to live in that area, but it was worth dreaming about.

Our landlord had become quite unbearable by the end of our first year. He felt that I had cheated him, and I knew better. I also knew that he knew better. So I asked some of the young men to help me find my next house. You will never believe this, but they returned and told me they had found a place about the size of our current house for only $250 a month. 

The house was in Sachaca. Not only was it on one of the larger lots, but it had two lots. It was double as large. Betty and I went to visit to see the house. We would end up with lots of problems in the new house. We were still learning to understand things, but it was all I could imagine. 

We didn't know that the water was only on every day from about 6 am to 6 pm. The house didn't have hot water installed, so I had to pay to run pipes and get us hot water. Later, the landlord would try to break the contract, and it would become a nightmare, but it was so beautiful for the moment.

When we moved in, I told the kids that the lot was so big that I could buy them a horse. The whole family got excited. I am not sure how seriously I was talking or thinking, but I was out looking for a horse in a few short weeks.

The young men training with me all loaded up with me to go outside the city and see if we could find a horse. We drove to a farming community and started asking around. We found a white Peruvian Walking Horse in less than a couple of hours. It is a special breed of horse that makes for a very comfortable ride. 

The horse's name was Blanca Flor, or White Flower. I paid like $400, and we had a horse. I then had to buy the saddle etc. Our kids were ecstatic. Betty had always loved horses. Don't forget we met and got to know each other riding horses. Betty was so excited. 

Betty jumped on the horse bareback, with no saddle. She galloped around the field, the horse shied, and Betty tumbled off. We were out of practice on our horse riding, and we had no saddle or tack yet.

Our son Chris rode that horse all over the city of Arequipa. Many people knew the gringo kid on the white horse. He rode the horse downtown. He rode the horse to Mariano Melgar, where his friends in our second church lived. 

That horse about ate us out of house and home. There was no pasture. We bought a large bale of alfalfa every day or two just to feed the horse. But that horse, I think, made some memories for my children.

I am amazed that God would give us that house that I had longed for. It was tough for me to adjust to living in such proximity to our neighbors. I never even thought to ask God to give us a house like that. I would have felt it was selfish to do so. God, in His infinite sweetness, often gives us the desires of our hearts without us even asking.

This house was much closer to Hunter church, where we spent many years and much time. Chris could ride his horse to Hunter in 15 or 20 minutes. It took me at least 10 in the truck. I am just saying that serving God has always been so sweet. There is no other master like Him. He is far better to His servants than we could ever dream or ask.

Here are a few thoughts to meditate on from this particular time in our story. 

First thought.

I had bought the truck without regard for the man's loss if you remember. He had sold me the vehicle in Intis, and I got it for half price in dollars. I think now that I was probably wrong for what I did. I knew, however, that he had only paid $8,000 for the vehicle when he purchased it new. So I guess that is what helped my conscience.

I wanted to treat the landlord like I would have liked to be treated if I were in their situation. Just imagine up to 4,000% inflation in one year. The USA panics at 8 or 10%, and rightfully so.

Be careful to think of others even when it costs you. That is a hard lesson that I am always working on. I can be and have been so selfish so many times. God is generous. I want to be like my Father.

My second thought and main thought

God loves us beyond anything we can imagine. He knows you. You will never out-give or out-sacrifice God and His love for you. He loved us first. We do not deserve His love.

Our God hears even the prayers we do not pray. I only told Betty how I would love to live in that place with wide open spaces, no one else. God was listening. He knows my heart. We would spend the next two years living in that house. Our family would have a great time there.

Third thought

Make memories with your wife and children. I know that I incredibly failed in this. I was always so busy trying to start another church or reach another area that I failed my family, but that wasn't my intention. I did want to make some memories, and God allowed or caused that to happen, no matter how hard-headed I was. 

Do better than I did. Learn from my mistake. Take care to spend time with your family. If you work 60 hours a week, there are still 108 left in a week. If you sleep 8 hours a night, you still have 52 hours left over. You can easily carve out time from those 50-plus hours to do something with your family.

Fourth thought

Have fun. I loved our time in Peru. I have loved almost all of my ministry time. I am not saying that there are no difficult times. You will get hurt. Things will go wrong, but the good far outweighs the bad. Have fun with the guys you work with. Have fun with your family. Have fun with your friends. 

Fifth thought

Be like your Father. Be a generous person. Forgive all that is done against you. Forgive yourself. Love everyone. Never throw anyone away. People are not "no deposit, no return!" They are always important, and God loves them. I should be like my Father.