What goes around comes around...YES!

So remember how I missed my flight in LA helping la pobrecita peruanita who didn't speak any English? Well, I'm now spending my last day here in Peru with my friend Sandra who also missed the flight. Got into Lima early this morning after taking an overnight bus, and her and her mom came to pick me up. After a nap, a wonderful breakfast and a shower we're about to head out and explore. She has a whole schedule planned out, packing in as much as we can before I leave tonight. Gotta love the unexpected blessings that come from what at the time seemed like a problem!
I had a wonderful last day in Trujillo yesterday. It was a bit sad, but mostly awesome because I had the opportunity to bless a lot of people. What is not a big deal to us, can be really expensive for the locals here, so it was cool to be able to help some of my closest friends get what they need. And I'm understanding more and more what it means to "be grateful you can give because you have been given much." For dinner last night, I made pizza with the kids in the home. None of them had ever had it before and I thought it should be corrected! It was great fun and most of them loved it. The power went out before we finished but thankfully the oven was gas and we were able to finish before it got dark...they kids didn't mind because it meant they got to eat the ice cream I gorught first. Ok, I gotta go because I don't want to spend my last day in front of a computer! Hasta pronto!

Swallowing my pride

I think I'm pretty much humbled on a daily basis here, and the cool thing is, every time I can let go of a bit more of my pride. I once heard someone say that "humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." And I really couldn't agree more. Since the moment I stepped off the plane, impressing people has never really been an option. I stumble through what I want to say because of my lack of vocabulary, I pronounce things wrong, and I blend in about as well as a red wine does on a white t-shirt. And it's been great. Since I generally assume I'm going to make a fool of myself, there's not really a lot standing in the way of whatever it is I want to do. Now I'm not a total people pleaser or anything, but I would say I generally, like most, want people to like me. I'm not shy, but at times I avoid situations were the likelihood of embarassment is high. And it's not like I quit altogther caring what anyone thinks, but more that my mind tends to be less on myself lately and more on what I want to be doing for God and for the people around me. I thought I'd include some of my recent lessons in humility for your dining pleasure:

A couple days ago I had a preschooler help me with my pronunciation. Vicki is 5 and apparently wasn't satisfied with the way I was pronouncing my "errre" when I said "rojo". First she made me repeat after here several times. Still unhappy with my progress, she went to her backpack, pulled out her markers, and took out a nice pink one. She demanded, "Abre tu boca" (open your mouth) and placed her marker across my mouth. I was then instructed to close my mouth and repeat after her again. After a few tries I apparently got it down well enough that we could go play. :)

We were at church one day and the band started to play, "Open the Eyes of My Heart," a worship song we sing in the US that is also sung in Spanish. I sang the words in English and since then all of the kids have been asking me to sing it, write it down for them, etc. Well, one day my friend Elisa was there when I was singing it for them and asked me if I would come sing at her sing at her church with her. Now I love to sing, and was in choir in jr high and high school, but I'm not one to do solos. Together, I figured I could swallow my pride a bit and handle it. So I went with to church with her last night to sing....and before we left she decided it would be better for me to sing it alone since that way we wouldn't have to worry about matching up or anything....oh, and there's no band I would be singing a capella. Whew...what have I gotten myself into? I admittedly was a bit nervous, but it turned out great. I reminded myself I was singing for God and not people and wasn't freaked out at all. That, and it turned out her church was teeny tiny, like 20 people. It was a great experience. The pastor asked if anyone had anything special to share and as it turned out I wasn't the only one to go up and sing...and those that followed me were definitely not Whitney Houston's. Many were singing out of tune and clapping off beat, but it was evident they were raising their most joyful noise to the Lord and the truth of it is, it was beautiful. These simple people are an incredible reminder of what it is all about. They come without a fancy sound system, or even a guitar for that matter to unabashedly sing praise to our Father. Sweet.

The weight of reality

Do you ever feel like you've had just a little too much reality? Seen a little too much? I'm kinda there today. While I am not one to shut out pain and suffering in this world, there is definitely some truth in the saying, "Ignorance is Bliss." I went to the house of one of my best friends here last night and it was both a heart warming and heart breaking experience. I feel like I'm always saying that here. That it's wonderful and horrible at the same time, but it's the truth. You know the story in the Bible of the woman who gave her two coins to the offering and it was a much bigger sacrifice than the extravagant gifts of the rich? That's what these people are like. They have little, but share all. Last night got me more than most because I saw that poverty here is not found only among the uneducated and/or the lazy. My friend is an incredibly hard worker that has a college education...and has lived for the past year without light or running water, in a neighborhood where you pretty much can't own anything valuable, or it will surely be stolen. If someone hears your radio or TV, they're as good as gone....but it's not a big issue, because those things aren't really affordable anyway. We went to the house of her family (which has lights and water) and they shared all of their best with me and were happy to have me in their home...their first foreign visitor! And though is was hard to see her circumstances, I was honored at the chance to literally break bread with my friend and her family...but now I want to take her home with me!

I've won the nickname Blancanieves here (Snow White) because most have never seen anyone as white as me. It's sort of the opposite of the US in regards to color. No one is trying to get a tan and they think white is beautiful, that we look like dolls :) Ok, I'll bask in my whiteness for a bit. On the other hand, I think the fact that I shave my legs to them is a bit wierd. I was cracking up when one of the kids was actually afraid when my legs were a bit prickly. :)

The days are dwindling...

Hard to believe I only have a few days left here. The truth is, I'm a bit sad to leave. I have no regrets about how I've spent my time here; I've honestly packed in about as much as I could! But I've realized in doing so I quickly became part of a family and a mission here. Originally, I thought there was no way I could live in Peru for an extended period of time, but with every day that goes by it feels more and more like home...yeah, that and I found Huanchaco. If I were to live in La Libertad (this region of Peru), that's were I would be! About a 10 or 15 minute drive from Trujillo is this beautiful little beach town that won my heart :) It's a combination of tropical paradise and my familiar Pacific, that had me thinking about SLO bunches. I went on Sunday with Marina and Aida (who knew I could have so much fun hanging out with 11 and 12 year olds?!). We strolled, shopped, snacked, and fished off the pier. It was wonderful! Quite a relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Yesterday and today it's been back to work, which I was also glad to do. Having spent the end of last week in the comedores and the weekend doing workshops and playing, I was missing my kids in the home! On top of that, I been working on translating the Nuevos Pasos video into English. Though I'm not the fastest in the world, I've definitely enjoyed the opportunity and it's nice to see that my Spanish is decent enough to do something like that! We're pretty excited to have the video in English because we can now share Nuevos Pasos with English speaking countries and, God willing, gain more support for all the work that is going on down here. Yay! It's always cool when you get a glimpse at how God is using you. :)

A girl of many homes...and kids without a single one

I think I have more homes than anyone I know. At least a couple in Cali, a few down here, and soon to have another in PA. Well, yesterday I "moved" again back into El Aposento. I'll admit I was a bit sad to leave the Bel's house. It's amazing how close we've become in the short time I've been here. But I was surprised to find I was equally happy to be back in my first house here in Peru! It just sort reminded me that it truly is the joy of the Lord that has made me so happy here. My physical circumstances don't really seem to matter that much. The Bel's house has more of the comforts I'm accustomed to- a big bed, TV, comfy couches, a loving family, etc., but I must say I also enjoy the simplicity of living in the Aposento. And of course me sweet Maruja is there filling us with delicious dishes and lots of love! The new "us" I'm referring to includes Olga, Johan, and myself. Olga and Johan are from Argentina and Sweden respectively, but both call Alicante, Spain home. I'm realizing I've become more comfortable with Spanish because Johan speaks English and I really haven't spoken with him in English at all! That, and at the prayer vigil we had last night I gave my testimony in Spanish. I was a bit nervous, but everyone seemed to understand me just fine! Yay!
This morning, like every Saturday morning here we had talleres de vida (Life Workshops). Talk about a wonderful, yet heart wrenching experience. I have done pretty well, for me, at handling all the poverty and trauma I've seen here, but today it was almost too much for me. The workshops are done at locations all around the city and when we see kids working in the streest, if we don't already know them, we invite them to join us. We started of with singing, (I'm finally starting to learn some of the songs here!), then moved into a time of prayer...and if you heard the prayer requests of these kids your heart probably would have broken too. Prayers for kids killed in the streets, for friends addicted to drugs, prayers that they could make enough money, that they could somehow find a place to live, etc... Then we did an activity with the kids, a follow'up to the movie we took them to last weekend. When we got on the topic of movies I was horrified to realized most of them have seen more porn than children's movies. I was helping one of them read the worksheet. He was twelve and couldn't read, didn't know his colors, and couldn't color in the lines. Wow. I praise God for the work that is being done to help these kids. It's incredibly difficult to see kids in such circumstances, but amazing to see people working so hard to help them rise above their cirumstances and to help them realize in a world where they have found no love that Jesus loves them. After the activity, we gave them sandwiches and juice and played with them for a bit while Carmen collected some info on new kids. They keep track of all the kids they work with, figuring out their backgrounds, who's in school, etc. so they can help them best. Sad to find many of them are into drugs, sexual exploitation, working in the streets 7 days a week, etc. Please send up a prayer for these kids and all those helping them. On a lighter note, the kids in the home brought home the first good English grades and of them have ever had!! Woohoo!

Combies, Comedores, and Cameras

Getting around here in Peru can be quite an adventure in itself. I thank God I never have to drive in this city. You know that part in Pirates of the Carribean where they say the laws laid down in the pirate code "are more like guidelines than actual rules"?, yeah, well that's kind of what laws are like here in Peru. And we all know how often the general population listens to guidelines and recommendations :) There aren't really lanes, and you can pack as many people into a xar as you can fit (we had 13 in a taxi once!).
Today I went with Diana to learn how the comedores operate and to help out. First we took a bus (micro) to the market to buy the food we were going to prepare for lunch today. I wish I could take pictures of this to show you all, but pulling out a camera in the middle of the market is pretty much like saying, "hey come rob me," so we'll have to do without. It is a hodge podge of sight, smells, sounds, some appealing and some that make my stomach turn a bit. From there we took a moto-taxi to our next micro stop. You have to understand that the bus system, or micros here are nothing like you'd ever find in the US or Europe. They are mostly VW type vans (combies) and some privately owned buses (pronounced booses) that have no exact stops, arrival, or departure times. If the caller is doing a good job and it's a busy time of day they are packed full. Some can be shady, but most are ok. Moto-taxis are a blast. Kinda like the bike taxis you can find in some college and beach towns but a yamaha motorcycle instead of a bike. We took the micro out to Laredo to the WawaWasi Comedor. It consists of 3 rooms, a preschool, a kitchen, and a main room. Dirt floors in the latter two rooms, no electricity, no running water. It seems like everyday I realize there is a lower level of poor and I have yet to experience the bottom level. I thought the kids in the home had nothing, but no they have beds, blankets, clothes, toilets. And then I realize the kids going to the comedor get at least one good meal a day, brush their teeth, wash their hands. For many, it is their only good meal. It kinda tore at me a bit to see them devour the food put in front of them. My mom was right, hungry kids aren't picky eaters. Every one of them cleared their plate and not one of them complained about what was being served. They eat a lot of rice, beans, lentils, etc. here, with some great sauces. I've liked almost everything, but today I had to brace myself a bit when liver was dished onto my plate. It's not guinea pig or anything (yeah, that's a delicacy here), but I'm really not a fan of liver. Thank you mom for teaching me how to eat even what I don't like.
The kids were FASCINATED by my camera. In fact, it was tough to take pictures, because they kept wanting to look at the ones I'd already taken! That, or look at the viewer and see their friends. After every picture, "A ver! A ver! A ver!" (let's see!!) I managed to get a few though to show what it looks like and how stinkin adorable the kids are here. I'm not looking to sell anything, but if anyone is interested in helping them out, for like 25 bucks a month you can sponsor one of the kids and cover the costs of their food and activities. Today we made animals out of playdough. I'm learning the value of these creative activities working in the hogar. Many of the kids there, and in the comedores as well, suffer from neglect and lack of stimulation, so we try to offer not just food, but developmental activities. Trying to get them to create something of their own, not just a replica is really challenging! It'a awesome that so many people are fighting for these kids. The love of God is in this places even in it's darkest corners.

Things I previously took for granted

Day by day I'm learning to appreciate things I previously took for granted. It's amazing to have your eyes opened to all of the ways your life is blessed. In the US, it's easy to assume what you have is the norm, and maybe for some reason you're entitled to it. But here, I meet kids who are so excited by things a have always considered "no big deal". I've never considered myself ver materialistic. I don't always need the biggest or the best. But the truth us, on some level I am. As an American, I think I have been so accustommed to having excess that I only occasionally recognize it as luxury. Though there are others who have it worse, "stuff" has had a hold on me. Being here, I feel both liberated by my lack of possesions and at the same time appreciative for them. This is difficult for me to explain, but I think I'm recognizing that all of the "things" in my life I can appreciate without feeling a necessity to always have them. Ultimately, my happiness is not dependent on my physical comfort, but on my closeness with God. Whether I have many things or few, as long as he is there, my life will be blessed. I've always struggled with how we can have things and enjoy them without serving them. This is one of those things we Christians talk about a lot, serving God instead of money, but I feel like I finally get it. It is in the recognition of what one has and what one needs. I have much, but I need little.

The Other Half...or the other 5%

So today I discovered not everyone in this country is poor and those with money tend to have it in spades. Some friends of the Bel's belong to a country club and we spent the day there with them. It was GORGEOUS! I felt a bit like a camp counselor with all the playing that was going on. I taught the kids how to play Marco Polo and threw them around in the pool until they wore me out :) They loved the game and taught it to the others until all the kids in the pool were playing. We had a wonderful lunch, then cakes and coffee...yum! It was so nice to just be able to walk around by myself for awhile along the paths without having to worry about safety or really doing anything. Very relaxing I was thinking about how different it would be if I was working here as a nanny for some rich family instead of volunteering with Nuevos Pasos. I guess it would be kind of like going on vacation at a tropical resort as opposed to working with the people who live there...same country, but totally different worlds. I then shot around with Marina a bit and we worked on her form and shooting. It was pretty fun and she was doing great. I feel so at home here with the Bel's. I've been thinking about why and I think it's largely due to the fact that they are so affectionate with each other. It's like being in my house. That, and they truly seem to enjoy each other's company...and thankfully mine! Semana Santa has turned out to be a wonderful, relaxing, much needed rest and I'm feeling ready to get back to work tomorrow!

What the heck do I do down here?

I've gotten some questions about what exactly it is that I do, so I thought I'd explain what my schedule kind of looks like, so you can get an idea. It's not really a concrete schedule and will probably be changing somewhat since they want me to get a taste of all their minstries, but at least I can tell you what I've been up to so far. I get up around 7, Maruja comes to the house to get breakfast ready at 7:30, and we usually leave by 8:30. As of today this will change because I'm now staying with the Bel's, not in the Aposento, since my Spanish family is headed back to Barcelona tonight. But anyway, Nuevos Pasos has a driver, Emiliano, and he usually picks us up and takes Montse and I to the Home. Then I spend the morning helping the older kids with their homework, teaching English, playing with the kids that are too little for school, and whatever Mamacita might need help with. Lunchtime rolls around, the older kids get ready for school (primary is in the morning here and secondary in the afternoon), while I help get the tables readys for lunch. The younger kids get home and the older kids leave and I usually help serve, then head back home for my own lunch. We then have a little time before we head back to the home to help the younger kids with their homework and play with the. Evenings tend to vary, sometimes going downtown, babysitting, church, shopping, dinner, etc. And weekends, well I rarely know what's going on :) Next week I think I'm going to be visiting the comedor's that we run in a few different neighborhoods. These are basically soup kitchen where kids can go for lunch everyday. They also teach them basic hygiene, and spread the hope that is Jesus Christ. I can't believe tomorrow is Easter. I hope you all have fun with your egg hunts, brunches, and families, and remember that Christ is Risen!!! Yay! Someone save me some Reese's eggs...serious lack of peanut butter outside the US :) Ok, well, I think I've given you enough to read for now with my three entries in one day. Gotta catch up!! Ciao!

Spreading Cheer

One of the minstries that Nuevos Pasos performs here is Talleres de Vida, or Life Workshops. They have volunteer instructors that go into 8 different neighborhoods in the city and do activities with the kids every Saturday. Well, this Saturday was special. Instead of doing workshops, we took all of the kids to the movies to see Ice Age 2. We rented buses and had our own private theater which we filled with three hundred kids! These are all kids who live and/or work in the streets, so seeing a movie was defintely a treat for them. We spent the morning making up bags of snacks and they were so excited. The laughing, the cheers, the clapping. It was so great. I finally got some pictures off my camera and onto a computer so hopefully I'll be able to post some soon! I was also pretty happy I was able to understand most of the movie. Of course I missed lines, but I got enough I didn't have any truble following it...nice to watch things made for five year olds ;)

Playing Tourist

It's Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Peru and as a result almost all the shops and businesses are closed. We also got a couple days off, so I got to play tourist a bit. On Thursday I went with Marina, Jovita, and a mess of youth group kids to visit Huaco de la Luna, some ancient ruins. We went by foot leaving from the church downtown and heading out of the city. Our fearless leader Jesus (no, not THAT Jesus) took us on a direct path to the ruins...until we hit the river....hmmm. What was supposed to be an 1-1.5hr walk turned into four. It was a beautiful day though and I had come equipped with hiking shoes, water, a hat, and sunscreen on every exposed part of my body, so I quite enjoyed the freedom of walking through sugar cane fields along the banks of the river. Once we arrived, we climbed to the top of a pyramid and had an amazing view. Then we split into groups with some going to hike up another mountain (much higher!), some wanting to sit and rest, and Marina, Jobita, and I went to visit the restored place of the Moche people, checking out the awesome murals, sacred temples, etc. Fun, Fun, Fun! When we got back I realized though I had put sunscreen on three times throughout the day, I managed to miss the spot behind me knees and the tops of my hands. As a result, I have some weird sunburns. I guess it's a good thing I'm only here for a month, or I'd probably have skin cancer by 27. Yesterday I went and visited some more ruins with Montse, Alvaro, and Ruth, then rested for most of the ofternoon, reading and watching a movie. It was a much needed break since they have me constantly on the go here! When we were at the ancient palace of the Chan Chan tribe, I came across a family from Oregon and pretty much made them talk to me since I haven't spoken English since I arrived (ok, I talked to my parents once).

Things I'm learning here in Peru

1. Take toilet paper with you if you want it because unless the place you're visiting in the home of Americans or Spainards, you're not gonna find any.
2. If you are white, you WILL burn. I put sunscreen on three times today alll over my body and then washed my hands...and the tops of my hands, the only part without sunblock fried (as well as the spot behind my knees that I missed)
3. Cap'n Crunch is really good in Nesquick.
4. Kids are the same wherever you go.
5. I am not poor.
6. Bargaining can actually be fun (I used to hate it)
7. It sucks to have your period in a third world country.
8. DON'T touch anything in the shower after you've flipped the switch for the hot water heater, or you WILL be shocked.
9. Freedom is something to be appreciated.
10. You learn fast when you're forced to!
I'll right more when I have time. Hasta pasta amigos

It was bound to happen...

Well I spent this morning hanging out at home rather than with the kids, recuperating from my "mal estomago". Yep, I definitely ate something that didn't agree with the system. Bummmmmerrrr! I'm starting to feel a bit better, though I'll probably keep the food pretty light for a bit. I had a great weekend. On Saturday we took the kids out to lunch (a couple from Spain that was here before paid for them all to go out). It wsa great because they rarely get treats. Afterward we walked around the Plaza de Almas in the center of Trujillo and got ice cream cones. Some of these kids are really starting to grow on me. In the evening we took the teens to a youth service and it got pretty chilly, so Jose, who's 15 insisted that I take his jacket. What a gentleman :) Yesterday were presidential elections here in Peru. Voting is obligatory, so we watched the kids while everyone went to vote. The funniest part of it to me was that they banned alcohol for the couple days before the election and you couldn't buy it anywhere since they want people sober when they vote. After spending the morning with the Kids we went to Joan and Carmen's house (the couple in charge around here) for lunch and to hang out. They are such a fun family! They have 11 and 12 year old daughters and a 9 year old son. We played murderer in Spanish which was hilarious. I'm out of time here, so I gotta run. Love to you all!!!

So I thought I was doing so good because I had thus far managed to avoid any weird illnesses, the intestinal complications I was told were inevitable, sunburn, bites, rashes, etc. Yesterday I got fried and eaten alive. The sun here is so strong that I was outside for like 10 minutes and my neck and chest are SO red. All I did was walk from the children's home to the preschool to pick up kids. Que fuerte! It doesn't really rain here but it sprinkled a bit yesterday and the misquitos came out to play. Yup, so I have lots of bites too! Oh well, at least it's not food poisoning :) It got me thinking though, I really am never outside here for more than a couple minutes. Americans and Europeans are targets for robbery is a country as poor as this, so we take a lot of extra precautions. Doors are always locked, we rarely walk places, and we're always together (so you don't have to worry mom!). Still, I can't imagine living in a place like this for an extended period of time. It definitely makes me appreciate the freedom I have in the US. And no matter how long I am here, I will never blend. Yesterday, I went with Mama Meche and Montse to the store and EVERYONE on the street actually left their houses to come out and stare at me. Makes me never want to be famous. That much attention is kind of unnerving. Maruja tried to tell me it's because I'm so pretty, but I know they've never seen a woman even close to my height. I have to find a pic of Wally and my dad and I :)

My typical day and various other things

In El Apocento with me are Alvarro (27), his wife Montse (26), and their 3 year old Ruth. I get along great with most of the kids here, but it took her a little bit to warm up to me. She was probably thinking, "who is this crazy girl that looks like a grown up but talks funny!?" Well, not to worry, I won her over with nail polish and duck duck goose. Now she wants to play all the time. Anyway, Alvarro owns a painting company in Barcelona, so he has spent most of his time here painting the new home they are building for the children. Montse, Ruth and I go to the home the kids live in now every morning after we do a devotional time together and have breakfast. Praying seems to be one of the toughest things for me to do in Spanish because I don't feel like I'm able to express myself very well and it's a time when I really want to. I guess because I'm used to talking openly, honestly, clearly to God. Good thing he knows me heart already! Still, I usually end up switching from Spanish to English in the middle. We spend the morning in the hogar with the older kids and the really little ones. Here, primary school is in the mornings and secondary is in the afternoon. We go back to our house in the middle of the day to have lunch with Maruja, then return to the hogar to be with the younger kids in the afternoon. Most of our time there is spent helping the kids with their homework and playing a bit here and there. I love helping the younger ones because I'm able to learn a lot at the same time. Third or 4th grade is good for my Spanish :) It works out well for them too because no one in Nuevos Pasos, or really anyone I´ve met here so far speaks English. At least I'm somewhat useful! Really, I haven't actually spoken in English since I left the airport, only when I write! Crazy! You'd be shocked at how quiet I am....and how much I write...but probably not by how much I want to improve my Spanish :)

Gratitude

How many times a day would you say you're really thankful? I'm in this country, I'm surrounded by poverty and yet I've never experienced gratitude like I see here. In the US I, well all of us, have so much and yet we're always thinking about what we lack. In reality, there is nothing material that I really need that I am without. Here, they have next to nothing and yet they are so thankful for the little things. There was a girl here from Barcelona named Karol that left yesterday. She is 22 and also studying to be a nurse much like me and came down here to help out for a bit. Before she left, she bought a stereo for the children's home. (yeah, I figured out hogar means home :)) Anyway, when the kids saw it they were SO excited. And that's like the understatement of the year. Mama Micha, the "mother" of the 25 or so kids that live in the house ( and I have no idea if that's how you spell her name) said a prayer of thanks for the stereo that had all of us volunteers crying by the end. It wasn't anything elaborate, but the beauty was in the simple, humble gratitude. I have so much to learn from these people.

So much to say..

I hardly know where to begin since I have so much I want to say and really not that much time to write. Well, first off a little bit about the situation I´m staying in and what I´m doing. The apartment/house I'm living in is called "El Aposento" and from what I can gather, I think it means "The Upper Room", in reference to where Jesus ate the Last Supper with the Apostles. I have my own room and it's quite nice...very simple. Honestly though, I feel like I have so much. When I was packing to come here, I thought I did a pretty decent job at keeping it light and not taking too much. I brought one medium sized suitcase and my backpack. After touring around the city a bit yesterday, and visiting some of the places Nuevos Pasos works, I realize that I have more in my one suitcase worth of stuff than many of the people here will ever have. At the same time, I don´t think I have ever encountered such selfless love and hospitalisty as I am experiencing here among los peruanos. Staying with me in el aposento is a young couple from Barcelona and their 3 year old daughter. And though we all come to serve here, we feel like we are the ones constantly being cared for. Maruja, one of the volunteers for Nuevos Pasos is amazing. She comes to our house every morning at 7:30 to make us breakfast and clean everything. Then stays to prepare lunch, and returns later for dinner. It is unreal! And we all thought we were going to lose weight while we are here, but at this rate we'll leave gorditos! We're trying not to feel bad since she says it's her joy to serve us when we are here helping the children, but still!! And the children here are wonderful. They are all blown away by my height (like everyone here) and ask me lots of questions. I am kind of a spectacle. At home I'm tall but here I'm gynormous. I have yet to meet anyone in this country who is my height. I'm going to be spending a lot of time in "El Hogar" the house for kids, helping them with their English and doing whatever else they are of me. The number and organzation of the ministries here is impressive. God is doing amazing things through these people to save the children of this country. If you are looking for an organization to support financially, let me tell you, I've found one for you. Ok, I better get going since we're heading back to the hogar soon. It's been a little tough being the only English speaker because I feel a bit on the outside, but I'm able to communicate ok. I understand most of what is being said if I concentrate, but if I drift or lose my focus, I really have no idea what's going on :) USually that happens toward the end of the day because I get so tired from thinking so much! Ok, tengo que irme! Love and hugs to you all...

En Trujillo!!!

So I made it. And Í am so happy to be here. It´s pretty funny because I´m in the middle of Peru, but am still hearing Catalan since most of the people I am staying with are from Barcelona! Makes me feel very at home. Yesterday was a long day of traveling, especially since our flight was delayed a few hours, but I spent the time in LAX with three of the peruanos that missed the flight with me the day before and we all became good friends. In fact, we´re hoping to get together in Lima before I leave. Gotta love how circumstances bring us together! I got to tour around Lima a little bit this morning before we caught our bus to Trujillo. This country reminds me so much of Ecuador. I guess that shouldn´t be a surprise since it´s just south of there! Anyway, the bus ride was long, but comfortable (it was like a flight on wheels, but with first class kinda seats). And now I´m here!! I´m staying in a house with others here to help with the missions. Ok, I have to go since we´re heading over there right now. Adios!!

My first adventure!

Hey all! So I'm sitting at a little internet kiosk in LAX....yup, that's right, right here in the good ole' los estados unidos. I was supposed to go to Lima last night, but apparently God had different plans! When I was on my flight from San Fran to LA, the flight attendant came up to me and asked if I would mind helping another passenger wh was going to Peru an didn't speak any English find the gat. Sure, no problem. enter Manuela Manuela is a sweet elderly peruana who doen't understand a WORD or English, so I thought, hey, great chance to practice my Spanish. When I met her outside the plane, she was in a wheelchair, so they called for the disability van to come and take us to the next terminal. So we waited.....and waited...and waited for about an hour until I finally said if we didn't find someway to get there we would miss our flight. We went down to the bus and I realized at that point, a little too late, that Manuela could walk. We showed up at the gate 40 minutes before our flight and 20 minutes too late to board. Now a little background, I was going on about 2.5 hrs of sleep and those of you who know me well know that stress + lack of sleep very often equals tears....it did. But we figured it out. I helped Mauela get to her hotel, explaining to her that this is LA and someone there ould for sure speak English. Then I went to my own plush room at the Crown Plaza that was only 60 bucks thanks to my discount coupon, took a hot shower and a short nap and realized life was still good, God was still here, and I am still blessed immeasureably. I'm entertained by the fact that I've spoken mre Spanish than English in the past two days even though I'm still in the US and comforted that I'm communicating just fine (albeit with horrible grammar). The people from LAN Peru said I should have just left Manuela and caught my flight, but I know i made the right decision and if you saw the fear she had of being alone in this foreign place you wouldn't have left her either. I came on this trip to help people and find it somewhat amusing that I didn't even get to Peru before God started shwing me how to do that. Answered prayers don't aways look the way I expect. :) Ok, I have a plane to catch, ciao for now!