The Life and Times

February 2009 Of a Peru Mission Intern

I hope you can Remember my Name
I find that It’s traditional for me to begin my newsletters
with an apology for the obscene amount of time
between each one. So. Yes. I am sorry. But I’m
including a ridiculous amount of information to catch you
up on as much as possible. This newsletter could keep
you busy for hours…days if you read slow.
Ok I’m just going to start updating you from 2009 on,
because I don’t like to live in the past too much. That,
and I can’t even remember 2008 very well right now.
Truth be told, I stumbled out of the starting gate in 2009.
January sucked. I went through more highs and lows that For this reason we maintain joy through stress, perhaps we
month in Peru than you could shake a stick at. However, I don't always do the best job of showing it on the outside,
know that the month taught me lessons and that Christ but the joy is there! WHERE? Down in our hearts to Stay!
grew me in more ways than I thought possible. Struggles (Come on, you know you're singing the old Sunday school
aren't fun, and those life annoyances and hardships are, song, and if you weren't the first time, you should be now)
well, annoying and hard, but surprisingly, they are what I hope that you enjoy reading about the work God is
give us comfort. We can take comfort knowing that doing here in Peru, I know it’s a long newsletter, but hey,
whatever hardship may come, God is working through it God Is doing a lot of work here.
and doing something much grander for our good!
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who
2 Corinthians 4:8- We are hard pressed on every side, but not loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement
crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen
abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always you in every good deed and word.
carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are
alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, Gillian
so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then,
death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Suzuki Music Festival 2009

One of the ministries that I am most involved with here is
the CompArte Peru Music Ministry in Porvenir, an
underdeveloped neighborhood in Trujillo. The program
started a couple of years ago and has a simple purpose:
to teach music to children who could not otherwise
afford instruments or lessons.
In the economic state these children are in, being able to
go to concerts, buy supplies, instruments, or even being
able to buy music is a luxury that the children do not
have; so being able to attend a week long music camp
in Lima is basically impossible. However, with Ronald
Serrano, director of the ministry, impossible is a word that
doesn’t exist.
Every year during the Peruvian summer (January &
February), there is an International Suzuki Music festival
that invites professional musicians and music teachers to
come to Lima to hold workshops and master classes for
students and teachers.
As you can imagine this can be quite costly. The
registration alone is 70 dollars, and the travel and food
costs are another 55, an impossible fee for a Porvenir
Income- the official minimum wage in Peru is about 500
Soles or $156 monthly. But thanks to many donations, we
were able to pay the fees for the kids to go.
2 days before the festival however, I received word from
Ronald, the program director, that we were short on
money for 5 children who wouldn't be able to go. We were
a little panicked but I am happy to report that God is
faithful and thanks to some unexpected generous
donations, all 5 of the children who were not going to be
able to go to the Suzuki Music Festival in Lima Peru were
able to attend, giving us a total of 21 kids who went to Lima
for this incredible musical opportunity! Read More on the
next page and continue to pray for the kids in this program!
 The Life and Times… Page 2 of 4

Gaining Momentum with the Porvenir Music Ministry

Over the past year and a half, Ronald Serrano Moreno, the founder of a meaning share, and arte meaning art).
music ministry in the very low income district of Trujillo called El Porvenir.
An exciting milestone for us was about 2 months ago, we were
another volunteer, Rachel Jurkowski, and I have been working hard to
interviewed by the Trujillo Newspaper “La Industria” about CompArte
for the music program
Peru. A large article was printed in the Culture section of the main
We recently have some good steps towards the organization of the newspaper of Trujillo, meaning that we are also gaining more
project by becoming an official NGO, as well as deciding on our official recognition in the city.
name- CompArte Perú (a fusion of two spanish words- comparte
Here is the translated article, as well as a color copy of the photo that
accompanied the article:
When Music changes Soccer for Violins”
Something is changing in El Porvenir. Now, in some goals for his or her life, a way to grow as a person,” says
corners of this heavily populated district, in place of Baikie.
traditional games of fulbito (soccer played on a court),
Above all, she takes pride in seeing the progress of her
children come together to play violin, treating it as if it
pupils. To watch them as they are able to play
were a small party. The motive? The results of an
beautiful notes on their instruments and to see the
innovative new project called “Comp-Arte Peru” that
smiles on their faces. “They want to play, they love it
well-known Trujillo violinist, Ronald Serrano Moreno
and that love is contagious,” recounts Baikie, “I
directs.
remember one Saturday, some girls from the
“The idea,” says Serrano Moreno, “is to give children neighborhood found out about our project and came
and youth with little economic resources the by because they wanted to part of our group. The kids
opportunity to accomplish their goals through music. in the project are an example for the other children.”
Obtaining that kind of discipline, that confidence in the
Miss Baikie came to Peru with Peru Mission (Misión
work they put into music can then be applied to other
Reformada en Perú) and now, in spite of the meager
aspects of their daily lives as well.
state of the area, wants to stay another year and
The results are easy to see. Not only have the children continue working with the children of lower income
accomplished learning a musical instrument, but now families. It has been here in Trujillo that she has made
they also look at the future with much more optimism. many friends who have helped in everything, even in
“The purpose of the project is to stimulate and procuring a cello for her to continue practicing her
motivate the lower class children using music. They passion.
come underprivileged, they don’t have many toys or
“This project gives children the opportunity to rise to
games, but through music, we hope to help them set
greater heights, to appreciate music more, to discover
higher standards and reach their goals” explains
talents and to be an example for the other kids,” she
Serrano Moreno.
said convinced.
However, the motivation does not stop there as the
Likewise, her compatriot, Rachel Jurkowksi, who
most outstanding students of the project advance to
graduated from the University of Notre Dame in
be a part of the Teófilo Álvarez Dávila Youth Orchestra
Indiana with a degree in Music and Philosophy, came
(a group that has already given commended musical
to Trujillo with the intention of doing volunteer work.
concerts around Trujillo.
“Ronald told me about the project and I told him ‘Sure,
The project has even pulled in two young volunteers
let’s go see,’ reflects Jurkowski.
from the United States who have been working in our
"Project Comp- city (Trujillo) for over a year- Gillian Baikie and Rachel The beginning, as with everything, was difficult.
Jurkowski. Jurkowski was quiet, shy and the economic disparity
Arte Peru takes
was an obstacle for her assimilation in Trujillo and with
Gillian Baikie is a cellist who graduated from the school
the Arts to poor the children. However, with time, she and her students
of Education (correction: School of Interior Design) at
children- Two US Anderson University of South Carolina. Before living
began learning. “They loosened up a lot,” she says,
“Now they laugh, converse, and there is a connection
cellists are part of here, she had already visited Trujillo and had seen the
between them that allows them to learn more quickly.”
condition of some parts of Trujillo and wasn’t shocked
an important
by the poverty of the area. Her only problem upon In fact, the majority of the children in the same position
cultural work" arrival was in fact the language barrier, a stumbling have a common, passionate desire to learn more and
-La Industria block that she has overcome, as she is already more about music.
speaking like a “Trujillana.”
September 2008 “These children work so much harder because it is all
Gillian teaches cello to the children and youth in El they have; and for that, they dedicate themselves
Porvenir and is happier for the experience she has had. wholeheartedly to practicing,” concluded Rachel.
“It’s been great, a child gains confidence and then
that ability in music serves as way for him or her to set

Page 3 of 4
How do you say Gallbladder in Spanish?
Peru Mission was very excited to host
a team of 22 doctors, nurses, and
assorted other people from
Independent Presbyterian Church in
Memphis, TN February 16-20. The team
from IPC came down to do a series of
medical campaigns in some of the
more impoverished areas of Trujillo.
This is the team’s second year here,
and after the success of last year's
campaigns, everyone was excited to
have them return. The team worked
non stop 5 days straight ministering,
bringing down their own mobile
pharmacy and consulting in the areas
of general medicine, dentistry,
nutrition, obstetrics, and even minor
surgery to help out some of the
severely underdeveloped parts of my
wonderful city of Trujillo. Everyday the
team saw well over 150 patients, and
touched communities in extraordinary
ways in the really underdeveloped
areas, including a few squatter towns
that have only been established in the
last few years.
I spent the last week translating for the
doctors that came down here. It's
such a great privilege to meet so
This probably doesn’t count as missionary work…
One thing you should know about me is that
I have always had a medically odd frenulum
(you know that stringy part under your
tongue?) Well, mine was always attached
too far up- I could never really stick out my
tongue. It never bothered me, it just made
me less likely to get in trouble as a child.
The last day of the medical campaign, Dr.
John the dentist was checking out my boca,
looked at my tongue, and said “Gillian!
You're frenulum is tethered, why didn't you
tell me? I can't take care right now."
Um. Excuse me?
It turns out there is a minor surgery that can
cut and free my tongue from the slavery of
the frenulum. He told me he could do it that
day after lunch. I was un poco nervous
!"#$%"&'()!*$+ $) )
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2%34',,$5)!/ %3 )
The Life and Times…
…
many more people in the Peruvian
communities that I don't get to visit
very often as well as to be able to
spend some time with some really
great doctors from the States at the
same time. We were able to listen to
the stories from the patients and
after many exams, the doctors
prayed with the patients as well.
I met one lady- Rosa, a single
mother who has anemia and about
a million other problems that could
very easily destroy a person's spirit,
but Rosa continues on. She is outside
of the church right now and seeking
peace, seeking comfort, and
seeking anyone to make her feel
like she is not alone in this world. We
talked for a while and I tried to share
the light of the Gospel with her and
give her passages so that she could
see the hope she has in Christ alone.
We prayed for awhile and I
continue to pray for her as I ask you
to do the same, for Rosa, and for
everyone else that has similar stories.
This week was tiring but filled with
profound and abundant blessings!
So I thought about it a little, and then the
dentist told me that a procedure like that
would cost between $500 in the States. So I
decided that having that procedure in a
third world country for free beat the heck
out of paying for it. So after some delicious
Peruvian food, Dr. John and Dr. Mel numbed
me up, laughed as I struggled to pronounce
my th’s and then…Snip. My first surgery ever.
After 3 minutes, I was freed from my former
handicap. I now can pronounce things
clearly, though I was unaware that I talked
funny before, and good news, I can now roll
my R's faster in Spanish! So all in all, I think not Pictures from The 2009 IPC
paying a dime for this thing was worth it. Medical Missions Trip
So there you have it- Medical Campaigns
and a free frenectomy. All in all, another
great week in Peru!
 Too many words, what if I just use this page for Photos from Peru?

Since July 2007, Gillian

has been living and
working in Trujillo, Peru
with Peru Mission in the
San Agustin Language
Institute as well as
teaching cello as part
of a music ministry in El
Porvenir which teaches
music to children who
can neither afford
instruments nor lessons.

If you would like to

donate to Gillian's time
with Peru Mission or to
the Porvenir music
ministry, please send a
cash or check donation
at anytime to:

Christian Missionary
Society (CMS)
PO Box 53363
Knoxville, TN 37950

*Please make checks

payable to CMS with
Gillian Baikie written in
the memo line*

! ! !
Peru Mission-
www.perumission.org

Phone:
303-242-5543

E-Mail:
gbaikie@gmail.com

Web:
www.peruviangillian.
blogspot.com