Trujillo is normally a very busy city. It’s growing and developing rapidly. On every normal day the markets are full of people buying and selling. The streets are overcrowded with taxis and busses that hardly pay attention to the limited traffic rules and race around the city honking their horns incessantly. The traffic noise is deafening. Along the side walks there are street venders selling all kinds of things from fresh squeezed juices of all varieties to roasted nuts, ceviche, and yes even pastries out of the trunk of a car. When all the schools let out at lunch time the sidewalks are brimming with kids and teenagers that all look alike in their blue and white school uniforms. Wherever you look there is something happening.
But, on Sundays it all stops. The shops close down. The street venders can’t be found. Even the busses stop running. You can find a few taxis driving along looking for passengers, but they are few and far between. People are lazing about in their homes or at the many parks around town. The city is quite for once. Everyone is resting. And, I love it.
I love Sundays here in Trujillo. In the morning I go to the church in Wichanzao that I work at during the week. There I get to worship alongside my Peruvian brothers and sisters. We sing the hymns of our faith together, confess our sins together, listen to God’s word preached together, and feast at the Lord’s table together. And, all of this is in Spanish. It is wonderful. It reminds me of the greatness of God’s grace, the glory of his love and the vastness of his Kingdom. God is calling all peoples unto himself and redeeming his world. And, I get to be a part of it. After church I have lunch with my intern friends. We normally fix lunch together and then hang out for the rest of the afternoon. In the evenings we all head over to Josh and Robin Eby’s house. (Josh is the intern director/pastor) We all eat another wonderful meal together and spend time reading and discussing scripture. All in all, Sundays are wonderful and restful days. I love Sundays in the city.
We ended our Sunday evening intern dinner/scripture discussion with this hymn. We sang it without instruments, and it was beautiful.
Ten Thousand Times
Ten Thousand
1. Ten thousand times ten thousand
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints throng
Up the steep of light:
’Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.
2. What rush of alleluias
Fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation
And all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid!
3. O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan’s happy shore;
What knitting severed friendship
Up where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle,
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.
4. Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy power, and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations,
Thine exiles long for home;
Shoe in the heaven Thy promised sign;
Thou Prince and Savior, come.
