Fun on the Fourth

Well, I'm just now blogging about the 4th of July...but better late than never, right?

There's only been one other time when I've been out of the country on Independence Day. When you're not bombarded with tons of fireworks and Lee Greenwood singing "Proud to Be an American", you really have to make an effort to appreciate the freedoms that we are privileged to have. Thanks to Elizabeth and Jen, we had a 4th of July celebration to rival all others.

All totaled, there were about seventeen volunteers at the albergue that day. Joel and Doug grilled hamburgers and barbecue chicken for us. (Of course, first we had to buy the grill first and then found that Peruvian charcoal is quite different from briquets we have in the states.)

Elizabeth made potato salad and Jen made fresh guacamole as well as "grilled asparagus". Everything was so delicious...even though the hamburger patties had a little "different" texture to them.

A 4th of July celebration just wouldn't be complete without sparklers.

We learned the coolest trick~if you put your camera on the "fireworks" setting and then make letters backwards with sparklers, it will spell out a word! Joel, HanK and I attempted to write USA. (It looks a little more like JSA, but you get the point.)

The long-term volunteers spelled out PERU. By that time, we had the technique perfected, so it turned out really cool-looking.

So even though we were in a foreign country, it was such a special celebration honoring the freedoms that are ours not only with fellow Americans, but precious fellow Believers. We are so very blessed.

Saved--Finally

So I knew I wouldn't make the NaBloPoMo goal. It was harder than I thought since I didn't have much time to think about things. Plus every time I sit down at the computer, there are tons of people around. Added to that, the internet is off/on. Anyway, I'm sort of relieved that the pressure is off....

We have been having a great time. Poor Joel has scraped and scraped and then scraped some more. Today, they were finally able to begin painting. The paint sure goes on a lot easier than it comes off. One thing's for sure, there's always plenty of help around here.

And of course, there's always an audience =)

Saved--Day 3

Ok, so I know I'm not going to be able to stick with the theme this month without really, really stretching. So I SAVED some pictures from our trip to Huanchaco today.

A rogue wave came up and got my feet wet. Brrrr...it was cold!

Saved--Day 1

So I just found out that NaBloPoMo's theme for July is "Saved". While I realize it will be pretty much impossible for me to accomplish thirty-one posts in thirty-one days, this topic intrigued me.

When we got to DFW airport on Monday evening, it began to rain...for the first time in I don't know when. Really? It could not have waited just two more hours? Anyway. Because of the rain and lightening, our flight to Miami was delayed. It appeared for a while as if we might not make the connection, in which case we would not have been able to get another flight to Lima until at least Wednesday or Thursday.

So I began to pray. I sent texts to some of my prayer warrior friends as well. And Big Joel set out to work his magic with the airlines. It all paid off. Another flight for Miami was about to depart and would arrive just in time for us to make our Lima flight.

The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful~Three flights through the night in exceptionally crowded conditions. We arrived in Trujillo exactly on time early Tuesday morning and were met by Lee and Elizabeth. But of course, no luggage. Because we had switched flights in Dallas at the last minute, our bags did not make it onto our flight.

At this point we began the long process of trying to recover our bags. Let me just say, four trips and multiple, multiple phone calls later our luggage was SAVED! We were reunited with our suitcases late last night. Hooray for the baggage claim system!

We've had a wonderful experience so far here in Peru, but it got even better once we had clean underwear.

Bienvenidos a Peru

We made it to Peru, but not without our share of drama and miracles. Our luggage has yet to arrive, but we've had an awesome day. First of all, it was wonderful to see Elizabeth and Lee! Of course I cried, even though I tried not to. She did a most impressive job of driving us home from the airport in Peruvian traffic and a standard transmission to boot.

As we arrived and toured the albergue, we were greeted with so many smiles and hugs. Joel went straight to work scraping paint off one of the casitas to prep it for painting. Hallie took off with her Spanish/English picture book and made friends with several girls close to her age. HanK and I rested up for just a minute, then we set about trying to locate our luggage with Elizabeth. So many funny details such as every time E dialed the telephone number the airline gave me to check up on the bags, she reached an elderly woman instead. We really have no idea about our luggage, but we're praying and trusting that they will arrive soon.

Today was Pablo and Pedro's fifth birthday, so Hannah, Hallie and I went with Elizabeth to take them into town and celebrate with them. We rode the "public transportation" into town. I've often joked about making a "rolling stop" to let the girls off at school or somewhere, but these guys take that phrase very literally. The bus was crowded, loud and windy; but guess who went to sleep on the way into town...yep, poor Hal. (Of course we took a picture, which I will post soon.)

We took the boys to a restuarant with a play place. Hallie and I had lomo saltado...and it was delicious! HanK had an order of french fries. HUGE papas fritas. Elizabeth showed us how to mix the mayonesa with the ahi dressing to dip the fries in. She's such a native now. She ate chicken off the bone and stuck her finger in the dressing to test it...two things I don't think she would have done six months ago.

When we returned, we were met by Joel, Lee and several of the boys riding on top of a truck full of rocks. They are still unloading them, so I don't know the whole story...but I'm sure its a good one.

The girls have both been awesome. Such a long hard trip~three flights through the night and over 15 hours of travel, yet they've not bickered or complained. Which is quite the miracle in and of itself.

I asked Hallie this afternoon if the experience was anything like she expected so far. Her reply was, "Our rooms are much nicer than I thought they would be." I guess if you prepare someone for the worst, they'll be pleasantly surprised.

There are so many things I'd like to write about in so much more detail, but 1.) it would probably bore my "readers" to death; and 2.) I know if I don't do it while its fresh on my mind, I'll overthink things and never get around to writing anything. So I hope you'll please excuse me if my posts are not so well thought out or have mistakes over the next month...and if you think of it, I hope you'll pray for our family from time to time during the next few weeks. I can already tell that God is teaching us things and revealing Himself in ways that we would have been too busy and distracted to see back in the States.

Tomorrow is our first "real" day of work. It should interesting. I'll write and post pics when I can!

Its Official

...Well, at least about as "official" as anything gets with the life we lead around here...

The girls and I have been planning to spend a month in Peru this summer working at the children's home with Elizabeth. But as of this past week, Joel will be joining us for part of that time! Can I just say how excited I am?! Actually, I can NOT~because words are totally inadequate to express my feelings. So instead, my heart is doing a little Happy Dance. (Fortunately for you, that is not nearly as frightening as if I myself were doing the Happy Dance.)

Peru or Bust

Hallie recently brought home a composition she'd written in school. It sounds suspiciously like someone we know, even though she wrote it in first person perspective. I have to say it brought a little tear to my eye, so I thought I'd share it here. She's only ten, but I think "someone" has already rubbed off on her.

Peru

by HallieB

"Snap! The lady at the drugstore took the picture for my passport. I have never liked planes, but I was willing to do anything for those poor little orphans in Peru. Every time I get on a plane I blank, so I have to take these things I call my "Happy Pills" which make me drowsy and I soon drift off to sleep. When they called my flight to get on the plane I hauled my luggage up the ramp, sat in my seat and took my happy pills. The pills sent me to sleep quickly so I am unaware of what happened on my flight.

As I awoke from my daze, I realized that I was in Peru, South America. When I emerged from the airport I was very confused and did not know where I was going, so I just walked to the first American person I could see.

When I got to the orphanage I got teary eyed seeing all the little children. I knew I had done the right thing. I walked nervously into the orphanage, when I caught the sweet innocent eyes of a little boy who's name was Edwen. He had dark hair and big brown eyes. Then I looked around and saw many sweet and precious faces. Then I heard a sad story of how most people in Peru do not want little daughters, only sons. And that most boys in the orphanage have special needs. Some poor children looked as helpless as newborn kittens. I felt like I was doing the right thing although I was going to miss my friends and family. I felt like a good person. And I think it would be pretty easy to get used to this style of living for just one year. I may not even want to leave my new family in Peru."

Simply the Best--Day 13

The BEST meal that I had this past year~outside the U.S.~was Avocado stuffed with Chicken Salad at Oviedo's in Trujillo. Its amazing how big avocados grow in Peru!

Weekly Pic--Light of the World

Haven't done a Weekly Pic in a while, so as I was scrolling through my photos tonight, this one caught my eye~ not so much for my photographic prowess, but for the feeling it invokes in me.

I took this picture in June 2008 in a little village called "New Jerusalem" overlooking the city of Trujillo, Peru. It was a very poor area. It was a very lost area. It was a very dark area... both literally and spiritually speaking.

Weekly Pic--Everybody Loves a Brown-Eyed Girl

Hogar de Esperanza

Trujillo, Peru

March 2009

A Taste of Peru

Well, I made it back from an absolutely wonderful time working in the orphanage in Peru. I'm still processing some things that I'll share more about later, but I couldn't resist posting a food picture or two.
The only sad thing about this trip is that we were so far outside of town that we only got to eat at my favorite restaurant, Oviedo's, one time. Fortunately, I was able to make the most of it.
We started off with frozen lemonade...not margaritas as some people thought. Then I had the most amazing chicken salad in an avocado bowl. Finally, we had chocolate chip ice cream. It ain't BlueBell, but it sure was yummy!

On one of our other outings, we ate at the fancy-schmancy El Mochica. Josh, who began the week as a germ-o-phobe, conquered his fear of the unknown by having "cuy" (guinea pig).

Even I'm not that brave. There's just something not right about eating meat that still has enough distinguishing features to be recognizable...

Weekly Pic--Just to See You Smile

This time next week I will be in Peru hugging on some little brown faces a lot like this one. We worked with this little guy last summer and he captured my heart. Just look at that smile...and those beautiful brown eyes! The thing about mission work is you go expecting to bless others and yet you wind up with the greater blessing. I may never see this little man again, but he has blessed me beyond measure.
So next week, when we walk through the gates of the Hogar de Esperanza orphanage, I will have every intent of being a blessing to the children and staff there. But I already know that God will place a special child or person in my path that will capture another piece of my heart...and I'll be blessed.

Weekly Pic--Sunset Silhouette

This is HannahKate on the beach in Pacasmayo, Peru in 2006. I believe I've shared another one before, but I love this one as well. You can never have too many pics of beautiful sunsets on the beach...

Weekly Pic--Worth a Thousand Words

Trujillo, Peru--June 2008
What I wouldn't give to know what this woman is thinking...

***Note: Someone mentioned to me that they'd stopped reading my blog since I'd stopped posting a weekly picture. So, since the approval and happiness of others is always my first concern on this blog, I decided to bring back this weekly feature. ***

Weekly Pic--Sunset in the Sacred Valley

Sunset? Or moonrise? Taken at dusk on the return trip to Cusco from Macchu Picchu.

Weekly Pic--Jump for Joy

I love this picture. I took it in 2006 on our first trip to Peru on the beach in Pacasmayo. HannahKate had surprised and impressed me with the way she'd handled herself on the trip. She was only 10, but had demonstrated wisdom and maturity beyond her years. One evening on the beach, I saw her knelt down thinking, observing and looking very grown up. I wanted to capture that moment, however, the instant I snapped the picture, she gleefully jumped up unexpectedly. What a sweet reminder of the innocence of child-like wonder!

Random Peru Lesson 2 (and also 3 & 4)--Be Careful What You Pray For

People ask, “How was your trip?” to which I reply, “Good…(long pause)…intense.” This is the point where most folks smile politely and change the subject to something safer, more comfortable. I can’t necessarily say that I blame them. I’ve been on many mission trips, even been to Peru before. This time I asked God to show me something different. I wanted to gain more than just an appreciation for how blessed I am to live in the USA; more than just the understanding that even though these people are poor, they love God with their whole heart; and most of all, more than just the inner satisfaction of knowing I stepped out of my comfort zone to share the gospel. All of these are indeed valuable lessons, but I specifically asked God to allow me to be part of something that only He could take credit for. And so, this trip became an exercise in faith…a test of whether I really believe what I say I believe.

We worked in two relatively new areas. In Alto Trujillo, a man who’d lived much of his life battling drugs and alcohol before his conversion to Christ, opened his home for us to hold our meetings. His house consisted of two rooms with dirt floors and a patchwork roof. There were 30+ women who attended Bible study in the back room while over 120 children joined us in the front room for VBS. Services were also held there each evening. God asked me, “Do you really believe, like Julio, that everything you have is a gift from Me? Will you allow Me unlimited, unconditional control of all that you have?”


The second place we worked was New Jerusalem. This area was much poorer, not only their living conditions, but also their spiritual conditions. The people were not as receptive to the Gospel as previous groups I’ve worked with. They were more difficult because they were neither as gracious nor grateful for our presence. We saw little return on our investment. In fact, we did not go back to that location for our final evening service due to concern for our safety. It was at this point, I heard God’s voice saying, “I love these people, too. They desperately need Me, too. Don’t dismiss them because their hearts are hardened.” I realized that He was asking me to examine my motives, “Are you spiritually mature enough to do the right thing even when you don’t receive the instant gratification of seeing dozens saved or feel the gratitude of the people you are serving?”

The final, and possibly, most difficult test came our last day in Peru. As we were preparing to go home, Ms. Mola, a precious lady still serving Jesus at age 85, suffered a fatal heart attack. It goes without saying that one does not really think something like this will happen while on a mission trip (especially not a trip on which you’ve brought your twelve year old daughter). For a split second that morning in the hotel room, I was afraid. I had assumed that God’s protection included safe passage for all of us. It frightened me to suddenly come face to face with the reality that His ways are not our ways. It was as if He said, “Do you really trust Me? Do you understand that I do things for My glory that may seem tragic? Can you accept that you will not understand many of those things this side of eternity?”

The verse I claimed for this trip was Isaiah 26:8, “Yes, Lord, walking in the ways of your laws we wait for you. Your name and your renown are the desires of our hearts.” I asked Him to teach me something new and allow me to be a part of something much bigger than myself. I learned that claiming His name and His renown as the desire of my heart is not always convenient, comfortable or even safe; yet there is no place I’d rather be than waiting for Him while walking in the ways of His laws.

Weekly Pic--The Narrow Way

Ok, so I'm not a very good, photographer. I would like to be, but that would probably involve reading the manual for my camera which doesn't really excite me. So instead, I'll just continue fiddling around with the settings, taking dozens of pictures in hopes of getting one really great one that captures "the essence" of whatever moment I'm trying to immortalize. I've decided to start a Weekly Pic thread in which I choose one photo to post. These are the photos I say to myself, "One day, I'm going to enlarge this one and frame it." Of course I don't really ever do that, so maybe this will help me feel a bit less guilty about all those amazing pictures that are hung in digital Purgatory on my computer.

So, for Week 1, I present "The Narrow Way". It was taken in Pisaq for no other reason than that I was fascinated with the Incan water canals. I think it turned out pretty good considering I was in a bus traveling down a street almost as narrow as the one pictured at about 50 mph.

Random Peru Lesson 1: The Journey

I've been rather deliquent in posting partially due to the fact that I was gone to Peru for two weeks on a mission trip. My friend, Elizabeth, has been chronicling our trip day by day; however, I'm not that committed or organized nor is my memory good enough to give a detailed account of what happened on what day or even who was there. (I'd be a terrible eyewitness at a crime scene...to me, everyone has a mustasche and is wearing red). So I'll just be writing about random things as they come to me.

Let me say that of all the mission trips I've been on, this one was by far the most physically strenuous and mentally exhausting. We spent 6 days in the Trujillo area doing medical clinics, door to door visitation, Vacation Bible School, women's studies and evening worship services. It was wonderful. I'm sure I'll go into more details and share a few pictures in later posts. Rewarding, but demanding for someone who enjoys sleeping late and taking afternoon naps.

The second leg of our trip took us to Cusco. Since it was primarily "sightseeing", I thought the pace would slow up a bit. I could not have been more mistaken. Our tour guide, Edith, was determined that we see and learn everything about the entire Sacred Valley and all the various "most important places." She was extremely informative and very helpful, however since she had been born and raised in Cusco, the 11,000 ft altitude did not cause her lungs to constrict and her head to explode like the rest of us. Thankfully, she was patient.

The first day, she took us to the Temple of the Sun (one of several by the same name). Edith said it was only 200 steps to the top. She was mistaken.... HannahKate counted. (see pic at right) She made it a point of broadcasting every 25 steps or so from up above me, "Come on, Mom. Only 75 more to go!" I think the Incas might have had a different numeration system, because their idea of 200 steps and mine were not in agreement.

The next day, Edith cracked her whip at 6:30 a.m. We rode a bus for 1 hour 45 minutes to get to the train station. Then we rode the train for 1 hour 30 minutes to Aguas Calientes. Then we rode another bus up a one lane road on the side of a mountain for 25 minutes. Then we climbed "200" stairs (at this point, I learned my lesson about Inca counting, so it may have been 20 or it may have been 2000. In that altitude its hard to say.) I was beyond exhaustion by the time I reached our destination, but then, I saw it...the ancient city of Macchu Picchu. Edith had taken us up a rigorous, less traveled route to the "Guardhouse" so that we would have the most amazing view of the city below. In that moment, it was worth the lost sleep, bus ride, train ride, scary mountain road and countless breathless steps.
It would have been so easy that morning to turn the alarm off and stay in bed. It would have been so easy to stay in Cusco and just shop and eat. It would have even been easy to stay at the foot of the mountain, but in the end, the journey was worth it all. So even though Edith wanted me to learn all about Inca civilazations, this is what I learned instead: I pray that at the end of my earthly journey, I can look down and say, "It would have been easy to stay safe in the low places, but I took a risk, chose the Higher Path and oh, how sweet is the reward!"