Day 8 was a long travel day first with a flight from Cusco to Lima then on to Santiago, so a rather boring blog day. We did think it was exciting that we knew where to go at the Lima airport to get free wi-fi from our previous flight through Lima, so there was time for a quick call to our wives en route.
Enough of this, let’s go back to yesterday.
Watch Your Pockets
Two teenagers at Machu Picchu approached me when I had my iPhone out taking pictures. They asked politely if I would take a picture of the two of them with their camera. Being the kind Canadian I am I said of course, and took a great photo of them. The guys then came on each side of me to look at the photo, commented on how good it looked and asked if I would take another which I did. They thanked me and walked off.
Well twenty minutes later I reached for my iPhone and it was gone.
Bob and I were separated at this time for he was attempting to climb Machu Picchu mountain. I was without my wingman.
I hadn’t moved from where we separated and I quickly put together what had happened. I sought out a park officer and told him my story. His English was better than my Spanish but he did understand “iPhone” and “pick pocket.” He quickly radioed all the officers to be on the lookout.
There is only one exit out of the park so he sent me to the administration office at the park gate and to fill out a form there and then stay by the gate to see if the two young guys appeared.
The women at the administration office felt badly but did not offer me much hope. They gave me a book that I was to write the loss in – I didn’t like how thick the book was. As I am writing out all my information I was praying asking the Lord to resolve this as I knew we could not possibly afford this right now and it would hinder our communication ability. I was also pre-grieving the loss of some recorded interviews I had not backed up.
As I am halfway through the form one of the administrators called to me, “Are you Dr. Pue?”
“Yes,” I said with some surprise because I had not given her my name yet.
“Congratulations, your phone has been found. Cecelia, one of the tour guides has it and will bring it here for you but she is about an hour away.” (My new business card from the church was in the phone cover.)
“Praise God,” I said as we all celebrated together.
I asked her to show me where it was found and she pointed out on a map that it was in the grass about 1000 meters from where I was.
Why would they discard it?
Just two days before this incident I had figured out how to put a coded lock on my phone. I had noticed all my sons had this and I originally thought it awkward that they had to type in this code before doing anything on the phone. However without the code the holders of my phone were hooped so probably discarded it after trying several times to guess the code.
More importantly, I have a dear group of people praying for me at First every Wednesday evening along with many others that I know of.
Inca Golden Rulers
You cannot think about the Incan’s without thinking of gold – they were golden rulers with the precious metal.
The last sermon I heard Darrell Johnson preach at First Baptist Vancouver was on “Golden Rulers” and it was a great exposition on how Jesus taught very differently from other religious expressions of reciprocity.
Well I was thinking of this when Cecelia came into the office. She spoke no English but in translation through the administrator I thanked her.
She then replied with a big smile, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
We hugged and I went off to try to find Bob – his story is amazing but that is his to tell and you can read about here on Positively Parkinson’s.
Carson Pue 
Glad all is well. You will have to remember those two teenagers who ripped you off as Machu and Picchu! Were they locals or tourists? Didn’t realize you thought you had lost your phone, camera and video camera. Looking forward to hearing and seeing what you and Bob are hearing and seeing in Santiago. Still haven’t located the site where you said you uploaded a group of pix?
So glad you got your phone back, economically, but maybe you would have gotten more out of the trip without it? As Jim Elliot used to say, “Wherever you are be all there.” Vaya Con Dios!
It is not so much a phone Paul (in fact that part is turned off) it is my camera and my video recorder. I was most saddened about losing interviews I had done in Peru – but all is well both economically and recovered memories.