Thursday, February 11, 2010
Friday, February 05, 2010
The Bible - More Relavant than We Think
After being here in Peru for just over a year, It’s amazing how much the Bible has come to life for me (Christian). In America the stories of poverty, donkeys, farming, neighbors and markets all seemed theoretical. It is hard for the average middleclass person to relate to a lot of the situations in which Jesus ministered. Here, and in most of the world, people live lives a lot like what we read about in the Bible.
Today we went and visited a leper at his home. It was something that I never expected to do. A few weeks ago Julio got to translate to this man in the hospital that his leprosy had advanced to the point that there is no hope of a cure. As you can imagine he was devastated. Julio shared that even though there is no hope physically; Jesus came and died so that we could have hope for salvation and a life with him forever. This man prayed a prayer of tears for Jesus to forgive him and save him. It is a awful and beautiful story isn’t it?
On the way to his house in a friend’s mototaxi we stopped at the market and bought him some basic cheap groceries. We got to his house, a 15’ x 15’ room with a corrugated roof. He was much less gruesome than you would think. While there, it hit me that lepers are real people with real lives and personalities, not just caricatures in the Bible or a movie. I found myself feeling a mixture of respectful pity and envy. I in no way envy his position now but I truly am envious that he will be able to meet our creator sooner than me.
We plan on continuing to keep in touch with him. But it was an amazing privilege to be used by God in a small way which allowed me to experience the Bible being lived out. I hope that God will continue to show me and you that the American experience is a blessing that can keep us from really being able to relate to His word.
Today we went and visited a leper at his home. It was something that I never expected to do. A few weeks ago Julio got to translate to this man in the hospital that his leprosy had advanced to the point that there is no hope of a cure. As you can imagine he was devastated. Julio shared that even though there is no hope physically; Jesus came and died so that we could have hope for salvation and a life with him forever. This man prayed a prayer of tears for Jesus to forgive him and save him. It is a awful and beautiful story isn’t it?
On the way to his house in a friend’s mototaxi we stopped at the market and bought him some basic cheap groceries. We got to his house, a 15’ x 15’ room with a corrugated roof. He was much less gruesome than you would think. While there, it hit me that lepers are real people with real lives and personalities, not just caricatures in the Bible or a movie. I found myself feeling a mixture of respectful pity and envy. I in no way envy his position now but I truly am envious that he will be able to meet our creator sooner than me.
We plan on continuing to keep in touch with him. But it was an amazing privilege to be used by God in a small way which allowed me to experience the Bible being lived out. I hope that God will continue to show me and you that the American experience is a blessing that can keep us from really being able to relate to His word.
Sickness and Salad
Some of you know that lettuce is to be avoided in this country . . .I got VERY sick from it in Arequipa, but when you have had 3 salads in the past year you might do something foolish like buy lettuce and try again. I made the best, let me rephrase that, the closest thing to taco salad I could yesterday. It was so good and definitely satisfied a craving many of us had. Unfortunately today Beth is throwing up, others have stomach aches and several have diarrhea. I am not positive it was the lettuce (I washed it twice and I am feeling fine) but you can be sure we won’t do that again anytime soon. Maybe again next year right before our annual dose of amoeba medicine. (Post Script: Just found out several friends have had a virus lately involving fever, headaches and nausea . . . . it was probably that . . . . maybe I will try lettuce again sooner than later. That salad was good.)
Sanity Check
We spent last weekend in Lima with our friends the Dillons. It was a lot of fun. They came down from Huaraz and we spent 4 days together in the pseudo-normalcy of Lima. Christian and I planned this mini-vacation during our first 3 weeks in Pucallpa. That was a very rough time. As Christian explained to someone the other day – “The tickets to Lima are what kept us from buying tickets to Miami and beyond.” We were desperate for a break and cheap tickets to Lima seemed like a good solution. The greatest part about our long week-end (besides the Dillions, por supuesto) was the fact that now, 2 months after purchasing the tickets, leaving Pucallpa was hard. We had things to here and it got in the way of our “normal life”. For now we belong in Pucallpa. God is faithful to remind us that He brought us here – never would we have chosen this place. So glad God knows best.
We are still here
Sorry it has been so long since I’ve let you in on life down here. I need to be sure to update more often because the longer I wait the harder it is to describe all that has been going on.
Some days are so terrible and I want to leave – I don’t want to write on those days because I know I would be very negative.
Some days are amazing and I love it here – I don’t write on those days either because I would be overly optimistic.
Today is a good day to write because it had good, bad, frustration and peace . . . all in the same day.
We are keeping very busy with meetings, getting to know the core group of leaders at the church, understanding Peruvian culture as it is in Pucallpa (very different from the mountains), and keeping our house clean and food on the table.
Christian still feels hindered in ministry due to his Spanish but really it is coming along. Today a 17 year-old college girl came over to practice her English. Her name is Naysha. Her dad owns a small dirt track and restaurant just outside of town (at km 13) and also a garage pretty close to our house. She is very sweet and she spent close to 4 hours at the house with our family. She is very open about who she is, her family, and religion – hoping next time we can talk more pointedly about Christ. Half of her time with us was speaking English and the other half was Spanish with Christian. I am excited to see how this friendship will grow.
In the last month Christian and the kids purchased the first of what I am sure will be many motorcycles. Christian, unfortunately, had to take his bike apart to fix some things and he found a hole in the engine case . . . . not good, but not the end of the world. The kid’s bike is just right for Gabe and Emma. Emma just learned how to use the clutch and loves to ride (especially now that her good friend/neighbor, Mimi, just got the same kind of bike this week and they can ride together.) Gabe hopped right on and picked up where he left off. He can’t wait to race. He and his friend Oli have already built a track right near the house, out behind the school. He loves to ride. It is so good to be in a place where they can get their bike out and go. The younger three are still looking for a bike – I am sure one will come along soon.
We still have days we want to pack up and leave but we now are at a place where we would miss many things about Pucallpa . . . .that is good we have a connection. Still I wonder at times, “Why does God want us here?’ - but He is faithful to reveal just a little at a time the answer to that question. We are no one special or extraordinary – just Christ followers that make mistakes and love God. Our prayer is that HE would be glorified through our family and that others would see HIM through us . . . (not just our red VW or cute gringo kids).
Some days are so terrible and I want to leave – I don’t want to write on those days because I know I would be very negative.
Some days are amazing and I love it here – I don’t write on those days either because I would be overly optimistic.
Today is a good day to write because it had good, bad, frustration and peace . . . all in the same day.
We are keeping very busy with meetings, getting to know the core group of leaders at the church, understanding Peruvian culture as it is in Pucallpa (very different from the mountains), and keeping our house clean and food on the table.
Christian still feels hindered in ministry due to his Spanish but really it is coming along. Today a 17 year-old college girl came over to practice her English. Her name is Naysha. Her dad owns a small dirt track and restaurant just outside of town (at km 13) and also a garage pretty close to our house. She is very sweet and she spent close to 4 hours at the house with our family. She is very open about who she is, her family, and religion – hoping next time we can talk more pointedly about Christ. Half of her time with us was speaking English and the other half was Spanish with Christian. I am excited to see how this friendship will grow.
In the last month Christian and the kids purchased the first of what I am sure will be many motorcycles. Christian, unfortunately, had to take his bike apart to fix some things and he found a hole in the engine case . . . . not good, but not the end of the world. The kid’s bike is just right for Gabe and Emma. Emma just learned how to use the clutch and loves to ride (especially now that her good friend/neighbor, Mimi, just got the same kind of bike this week and they can ride together.) Gabe hopped right on and picked up where he left off. He can’t wait to race. He and his friend Oli have already built a track right near the house, out behind the school. He loves to ride. It is so good to be in a place where they can get their bike out and go. The younger three are still looking for a bike – I am sure one will come along soon.
We still have days we want to pack up and leave but we now are at a place where we would miss many things about Pucallpa . . . .that is good we have a connection. Still I wonder at times, “Why does God want us here?’ - but He is faithful to reveal just a little at a time the answer to that question. We are no one special or extraordinary – just Christ followers that make mistakes and love God. Our prayer is that HE would be glorified through our family and that others would see HIM through us . . . (not just our red VW or cute gringo kids).
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Christmas Pagent
The kids got to perform in their first Christmas play ever - here at Mil Palmeras. They did a great job. Here is a video of the beginning. Max and Emma are in the back row, Beth is in the middle and Gavin is bottom left . . . .my videography is shakey at first but it gets better.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Our First Jungle Christmas
Our first jungle Christmas has now come and gone. It was very memorable for many reasons. I am not feeling very creative tonight so a list of bullet points and pictures are going to have to suffice. Hope you all had a great Christmas and we wish you a very happy New Year!!!
Memorable first:
*First fake Christmas tree
Memorable first:
*First fake Christmas tree
*first year for colored lights (they could sing and were all broken by Christmas morning)
*first Christmas morning with no working lights on tree
*first time in years all the kids didn't sleep around the tree (Gabe needed his own bed and insisted on sleeping. We had to stop him from showering before presents, that would have broken too far from the few traditions our family does have.)
*first time decorating the tree in shorts and sweating
*first Christmas without Walmart and Target
*first Christmas Eve spent in a lake tubing
*first time we planned presents a month ahead of time (Christian bought many of the kid's gift while he was in Lima over Thanksgiving.)
*first time we bought Emma real jewlery. (silver daisy earings we bought in Arequipa before we left.)
*first time ants invaded the candy stash
*first time we froze boxes of Nerds (brought from Lima) to kill ants and picked them out
*first time our kids were happy to receive candy mixed with dead frozen ants (we only missed a few . . and what didn't have ants did 12 hours later when they forgot to close the Ziploc baggies their candy was in.)
*first time our dog ate a nativity scene and ornaments off the tree (Libby is cute but she eats everything - we are starting to think she is partially goat . . .which is good and bad. I've always wanted a goat)
*first time my oven didn't cook well and after 4 hours we had to cut off the turkey breasts and cook them in my neighbors oven
*first time the turkey feet and head were included with the turkey (Libby ate everything we didn't . she loves turkey feet.)
*first time our kids have been in a Christmas program at church . . . their debut was in Spanish.
All-in-all, it has been a great holiday . . .difficult at times missing family and friends, but amazing when we realize the friends God has given us here. So glad he came to earth so we could know him.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!!
We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful 2010. We had a great evening with friends and the kids got to go out on the lake at the airbase, tubing, for Christmas eve. That is a first and a great memory for years to come. We are planning a meal tomorrow for friends and we will be cooking a turkey, flown here from Lima. Can't wait.
Santa has presents to wrap before they get opened in eight hours . . . .so buenas noches a todos.
p.s. Gabe found the camera cord so I will post pictures soon.
Santa has presents to wrap before they get opened in eight hours . . . .so buenas noches a todos.
p.s. Gabe found the camera cord so I will post pictures soon.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Bus Trip Observations
Christian just recently returned from an unplanned, short notice trip to Lima to help import our crate of belonging that recently arrived from the States . . . For those of you wondering why he had to go back to Lima so shortly after arriving, know the timing of everything has not been in our control for months. The trip was a very frustrating one but it is over now and Christian is home and our crate finnally arrived at our house yesterday. As difficult of an experience as it was it was wonderful to open boxes and rediscover our belongings. One million Matchbox cars again litter our floor and Grandma's quilts once more adorn all the children's beds.
One really great thing is that Christian took notes while on the bus for the first several hours. They were hillarious and we thought we would share the laugh with you.
" With-in the first 10 minutes they served cow's stomach for food and some warm chicha stuff. I only ate the rice and one bite of stomach.
It looks a lot like Pucallpa so far.
The junge is beautiful!
The bus smells like urine and cow's stomach.
A boy was begging [ouside] as we drove buy a 5 miles at 5 mph.
They handed out barf-bags. Not a good sign.
Tried to text Dan (Lawrence in CT) about construction methods.
Wow. White brahma bulls on a green hill.
We just drove through the river because the bidge half feel down.
We just passed a dog and a pig hanging out on the side of the road together.
A man just got off the bus to guide it over the river and he took a rifle with him.
We just got a speach about the about the dangers of the road because of robbers.
I paid the man with the gun s./20 ($7).
Thus end Christian's notes. He had a good chicken dinner on the bus and when he started to here the noise of people vomiting he took his sleeping pill and prayed to sleep through the worst. He woke up on the other side of the mountains.
One really great thing is that Christian took notes while on the bus for the first several hours. They were hillarious and we thought we would share the laugh with you.
" With-in the first 10 minutes they served cow's stomach for food and some warm chicha stuff. I only ate the rice and one bite of stomach.
It looks a lot like Pucallpa so far.
The junge is beautiful!
The bus smells like urine and cow's stomach.
A boy was begging [ouside] as we drove buy a 5 miles at 5 mph.
They handed out barf-bags. Not a good sign.
Tried to text Dan (Lawrence in CT) about construction methods.
Wow. White brahma bulls on a green hill.
We just drove through the river because the bidge half feel down.
We just passed a dog and a pig hanging out on the side of the road together.
A man just got off the bus to guide it over the river and he took a rifle with him.
We just got a speach about the about the dangers of the road because of robbers.
I paid the man with the gun s./20 ($7).
Thus end Christian's notes. He had a good chicken dinner on the bus and when he started to here the noise of people vomiting he took his sleeping pill and prayed to sleep through the worst. He woke up on the other side of the mountains.
Life in the bayou
READER ADVISORY: Please don’t interpret any of this entry as complaining. . . I simply want to give you all an idea of what life is like here.
The best way I can describe our move from Arequipa to Pucallpa is to put it into perspective of where you live. You could say that we just moved from Manchester, CT to Woodstock, CT; or from Ada, MI to Lyons, MI; or from Fort Mill, SC to Union Mills, NC . . . . only not only are there very few places to shop in your new town you can only park your car on the street in front of a few of them (lest it be gone when you return) and you can’t really go there after the sun goes down, and down town is only 2.5 miles away but it is an action-packed 10 minute drive.
Our house is very nice. It is on the SAM property where we have a huge concrete wall, a watch man and a remote control gate for our cars to get in and out (the remote is new since we arrived). The surroundings give us a good sense of security that the kids can run around and play like they could in our yard back in the States, but we still have to bring in laundry at night, lest it get stolen. We don’t usually lock our doors during the day while we are around, even if we are not in the house but they are well locked on Sunday morning during church hours . . . everyone knows you are there and that is when a lot of theft occurs. Our house is the back half of what used to be the girl’s dorm way back, when SAM Academy functioned as a boarding school. To most of you it would look like a glorified summer cottage but as a missionary friend put it, “we have a real house” compared to their small rental in another neighborhood.
The house has screens and bars for windows, no glass. Ceiling fans in every room, but no a/c anywhere. Cockroaches were regular visitors for a while but the two huge ones we killed the other night were the only ones we’ve seen in a while . . . however you know you’ve seen a lot when the kids can calmly come out of the bathroom and tell that a roach is in the shower or in their toothbrush container (our very first night). You can’t put down your empty lemonade glass and forget it for an hour or two because it will be crawling with these little tiny clear-ish ants that are super fast. I am going to start charging them rent because there are so many in the house. I set a “trap” for them the other day and have been watching the steady stream of ants to and from the plate of boric acid and powdered sugar. Either I have just nourished the entire colony or they will soon all be dead. I am hoping for the latter.
As I sit here and type the drop in temperature (to 93 degrees F in the house) and the high setting on the fan are making me chilly . . . normal daily temp here is about 90 . . . in our house today it was 103. All and all Pucallpa is really a neat place to live. The jungle and lakes are beautiful. The city is very dirty and everything looks half built. The people are very friendly for the most part, but we have also found people here to be the most critical of our Spanish (which is interesting since everyone in Arequipa warned us about the improper jungle-Spanish spoken out here). After living in Arequipa I kind of feel like we went to a fancy prep-school and have now just returned home to the reality of our back woods home in the Louisiana bayou. We have a lot to get used to.
The best way I can describe our move from Arequipa to Pucallpa is to put it into perspective of where you live. You could say that we just moved from Manchester, CT to Woodstock, CT; or from Ada, MI to Lyons, MI; or from Fort Mill, SC to Union Mills, NC . . . . only not only are there very few places to shop in your new town you can only park your car on the street in front of a few of them (lest it be gone when you return) and you can’t really go there after the sun goes down, and down town is only 2.5 miles away but it is an action-packed 10 minute drive.
Our house is very nice. It is on the SAM property where we have a huge concrete wall, a watch man and a remote control gate for our cars to get in and out (the remote is new since we arrived). The surroundings give us a good sense of security that the kids can run around and play like they could in our yard back in the States, but we still have to bring in laundry at night, lest it get stolen. We don’t usually lock our doors during the day while we are around, even if we are not in the house but they are well locked on Sunday morning during church hours . . . everyone knows you are there and that is when a lot of theft occurs. Our house is the back half of what used to be the girl’s dorm way back, when SAM Academy functioned as a boarding school. To most of you it would look like a glorified summer cottage but as a missionary friend put it, “we have a real house” compared to their small rental in another neighborhood.
The house has screens and bars for windows, no glass. Ceiling fans in every room, but no a/c anywhere. Cockroaches were regular visitors for a while but the two huge ones we killed the other night were the only ones we’ve seen in a while . . . however you know you’ve seen a lot when the kids can calmly come out of the bathroom and tell that a roach is in the shower or in their toothbrush container (our very first night). You can’t put down your empty lemonade glass and forget it for an hour or two because it will be crawling with these little tiny clear-ish ants that are super fast. I am going to start charging them rent because there are so many in the house. I set a “trap” for them the other day and have been watching the steady stream of ants to and from the plate of boric acid and powdered sugar. Either I have just nourished the entire colony or they will soon all be dead. I am hoping for the latter.
As I sit here and type the drop in temperature (to 93 degrees F in the house) and the high setting on the fan are making me chilly . . . normal daily temp here is about 90 . . . in our house today it was 103. All and all Pucallpa is really a neat place to live. The jungle and lakes are beautiful. The city is very dirty and everything looks half built. The people are very friendly for the most part, but we have also found people here to be the most critical of our Spanish (which is interesting since everyone in Arequipa warned us about the improper jungle-Spanish spoken out here). After living in Arequipa I kind of feel like we went to a fancy prep-school and have now just returned home to the reality of our back woods home in the Louisiana bayou. We have a lot to get used to.
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