Rich & Ramona Wagner

You may remember us referring to Bud and Laura Lenz, the independent missionaries who have 50 children in the orphanage that they made their home into.  They are starting to build a new home in the jungle near Puerto Maldonado Peru.  I was scheduled to go down there this weekend to install a water purification system, help with clearing a home site and dealing with a local wildlife problem.

Bud and 15 children from 4 to 12 years old were in the jungle about 6am this morning (Thursday) when Bud had a heart attack, or something.  Somehow he got to the hospital in Puerto Maldonado, but they don't have the capability to even do an EKG, much less blood gases or any other testing.  They have stabilized him and will send him to Cusco on the only plane out tomorrow morning.  We have worked it out so that Bud's plane will be met by MTW missionaries.

That leaves the 15 children in the jungle, 17 kilometers outside of town, and 4 kilometers off of the unpaved jungle road all by themselves.    I will leave Cusco about 3:30 tomorrow afternoon going into the jungle to bring the kids back to Cusco.  I can't go any earlier because the only road is closed all day until midnight for construction.  It will take me almost 24 hours to get to the jungle where they are.

I just got back last night from an eight day medical brigade trip eight hours drive up into the rural mountains south o f Cusco, so I am tired.  Please pray for safety as I make this trip.  It is all on unpaved roads.  Pray for the safety of the children.  Other than the obvious problem of being alone in the jungle with the local wildlife, I keep thinking about "Lord of the Flies" and all the mischief 15 little boys can get into when unsupervised.

Thank you for making this a matter of prayer.

Lord Bless,

Rich Wagner
Cusco Peru