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I've been surfing local Craigslist ads for an acoustic guitar to take with me and leave in Peru on an upcoming mission trip.

Found a decent looking Epiphone starter model and made an offer. Told the boy that was selling it that I planned to leave it behind with someone from the church that we will be working with.

We agreed on a price and decided to meet up at the local Wal-Mart parking lot.

The boy selling the guitar shows up with his brother and the guitar. I can see the guitar hasn't been abused and it fits the bill to take on the trip. I'm ready to pay and the boy selling it says - "You can just have it - it needs to bless somebody."

His brother has been fumbling some cash (I'm thinking it must be the change they have in case I pay with a hundred). He says - "Here's 30$ to help buy some strings and a strap. I haven't been to church in a few weeks and I planned on giving this in the offering."

I promised to take some pix of the new recipient of the guitar when we are down there in Peru to send to the boys.

These guys could teach the world a lesson.....

Last edited by rockstar_not; 06/27/10 06:45 PM.
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That's excellent, Scott. I'm sure that your trip tp Peru will be quite an experience.

Don S.

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Awesome, Scott.

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Wonderful story to read this morning before work, Scott!

You never know when a blessing is going to come your way.

And the *givers* are likely to be the ones receiving the better blessing, as it were.


--Mac

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Scott, that is great. I just got back from Peru on the 4th of June. We are working with Peru Reap North which has set us up to work with a church in Tarma which is 5 1/2 hours east of Lima helping to plant new churches in the surrounding areas. Where will your team be working? May God bless you and your trip.

Steve


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I am sure that God will bless these boys mightily for giving like that. I pray that they know the fullness of their offering and loving gift, and that they see the mighty return blessing from Father.

Gary


I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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Wonderful story! I've been concerned of late that we could be losing this current generation, then I hear stories like this, and see the amazing growth in my own church recently amongst the youth and am reminded: God is in control.

Be blessed Scott, and carry the blessing with you into Peru.


--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
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Well, this story seems to be inspiring folks that I've shared it with so far. I've decided to create a blog to track the whole experience - hopefully to inspire others and unleash the dusty guitars in closets all over the world and find new owners.

Scott's Mission Trip Guitar Blog

-Scott

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Hi Scott,

Read your blog, but did not see when you would be going on your trip. Perhaps that was intentional?

Don S.

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It's stories like these that fill my heart with that special "Something" that nothing else will quite do.

Inspiring story --- so glad to hear what will be done with the guitar, and I truly appreciate you sharing this.

Just goes to show you... "He's crazy about us!"

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Don,

We are going to Peru. I wish there was a way to make the blog put posts in the opposite order, but I haven't been able to figure that out yet. The statement was in the first post, which is at the bottom of the blog.

-Scott

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Scott, thanks first of all for your response to my adjacent "Wall worts and stomp boxes" post. Appreciate your advice.
Just have to respond to your great story, however. In 1994 I went on a short term medical mission trip to Western Siberia. To be able to add to the gospel flavour of the trip in a variety of ways, I took my Morales steel string accoustic gtr, and used it in a variety of ministry settings, and also just to have fun in a totally new environment with something familair. The Morales was a moderate quality asian made instrument roughly equivalent to a Korean made Washburn or such- no pedigree but pretty flash for that part of the world at that time. Towards the end of the 3 week trip, we spent a bit of time with one of the teaching elders and his family in a very remote little village half way up the Ob river, called Oktyabriskaya. (The village name is drawn from the month of October and relates to the October 1917 Russian Revoloution, as do many place and street names in Russia). One day in that period, the Elder, whose name was, I think, Alexei, picked up my guitar and to my suprise gave it an authoritative strum and sung the opening note to a Russian folk song (I think) at the top of his voice. In that moment I knew I was to leave the guitar with him in Oktyabriskaya, and I did. As far as I know it continues to serve him and the local church there, the very first Baptist church in that region.

I want to add specifically in response to Gary and Mac's comments above about God blessing the giver more than the given. 3 years later I returned to Western Siberia, and got engaged to I girl I had met on that '94 trip. Alesya and I were married the following year and have lived in Australia since. So, yeah, giving guitars away can be a powerful thing....?!?!

John

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John,

Do you mind if I put a copy of your post into the www.missiontripguitar.blogspot.com blog? I would start it at the 'In 1994 I went', then edit out the specific PG forum comments, and add in the last 3 sentences.

I'd like to use that site as a place to collect these types of stories and to inspire others to see what awaits all of the various mission trip guitars in closets, under beds, in storage units - awaiting their new owners.

-Scott

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Of course Scott. Feel free.

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John,

You'll see it there if you check-in. www.missiontripguitar.blogspot.com

-Scott

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