The Waves of Summer

Summer, Summer, Summer! I have to throw out an apology because it is summer, because I haven't been very consistent in dropping updates to anyone. My excuse for you is that is is summer, there is no schedule, and I get easily distracted doing all sorts of things.

But as far as summer is going, it is pretty fun. I started staying in the girl's house on the night shift, which means I again have the baby at night. The baby has caught up physically and developmentally rather well, and is starting to eat food- he loves rice cereal! The girls are always asking me to stay up later, but because someone wakes me up early everyone goes to bed at 10. At least I am not in the boys house, because Kevin gets a pouncing 5 year old on his stomach every morning. But I am really enjoying it, when I was in Lima with Mom and Jason I found some Disney story books in Spanish and so the girls demand stories every night, and I am working on reading with prosody in Spanish (not completely skilled yet but getting there). It is fun and interesting being the mom of 18 girls and a baby all by yourself.

It is interesting and beautiful how the Lord works. I came to Peru with the understanding that God wanted me to teach English and work with the orphanage kids, but recently I found that he is turning my direction a little. A few months ago I knew God did not want me to teach English in the school this coming round- for many reasons some with the school and some with struggles within the ministry, and for the time being He had me doing as much as I could in the houses with the kids, and now I have a shift. A few weeks ago I was really battling with what God wanted me to do come the start of school in March. Unfortunately I was allowing myself to be swept away with other people's ideas and I found myself planning and adjusting myself to what other people thought would be good for me to do or continue. However, I took some time with God to find out He wanted. He told me to clear my mind of everything, to take people's ideas as they are, look at them, and set them aside to wait for God's idea, His plan. So, I did, which is tough for me because I can take an idea and plan it to it's fullest potential and develop something great out of it, it might just not be what God had in mind.

So, I would like to share with you what God has in mind for me in my time in Peru. I have mentioned several times my friends, Wendy and Auden, to you. They are currently starting a ministry in Trujillo- a city about and hour and half from Pacasmayo. There plans are to have start a chruch, and a missionary school- training program for young adults in the areas to go back to their towns and churches working in the ministry as missionaries to their own people. One other thing they wanted to do is la Programma de PEPE, which is a preschool program for the kids that can't afford to go to preschool. The program is set up where church members support a student for their tuition- which is books, supplies,and uniform,and brings them their lunchera daily. As well as teaching the kids the required preschool curriculum, they teach the children about God, and there are frequent home visits where the Pastor of the church- and sometimes the teacher- go and make sure the family is doing well, offer some helpful advice, etc, with the hopes to help the family sustain themselves and come to know Jesus as their Saviour as well. With that said that is the direction God is sending me.

I am going to be the PEPE teacher for their new ministry. Until the buildings are all build- with the housing facilities, they will be renting a house in Trujillo where I will be able to live with a monthly food stipen. Having the food money will allow me to at least twice a month go and visit my kids in Pacasmayo and do some fun things with my kiddos.

So, my life in Peru is taking turns that I never expected to happen- I wasn't expecting any turns, but I know it is what God wants. It is a little hard because I am having to leave the kids and it is hard for them to understand, but at least I have the rest of the summer to hang out with them.

But I will continue to try and keep you all updated at a more consistent pace, but you will have to forgive me during the summer because I tend to side on spontaniety and my days change 16 times in an hour and then I am somewhere else.

Who knew it is 2011!

Well the New Year got here quickly! It didn't really click that it was 2011 until today, so I am a little slow, we did sparklers and everything the wheels in my head just didn't make the full turn in time. It may have been because I had just gotten off a 12 hour bus ride after doing an unexpected Lima trip to pick up my Mom and kid brother, Jason. Who knew that when my mom said midnight of the 30th she was talking about the turning of midnight from the 29th to the 30th. I was mistaken and thought I did good getting them a day bus on the 31st and Gaby could just take them straight to the station because she was going to be in Lima anyways for the holidays and I was saving myself sitting on a bus an extra time. Well I failed. So, as my mom was walking out the door to go to the airport I called her to settle out all the wrinkles and tell her every detail that would go down, when we both figured out we were thinking different days! Well, God was able to set me straight and work things out, and he blessed me with some good friends who also have good friends in Lima. So, I worried my mom and made her more nervous than she was to begin with, but it worked out. Since Gaby was leaving that night to Lima I was able to get a ticket beside her. My mom and Jason were picked up by Wendy's friend's son and taken to the hotel he owns. I got a taxi to their hotel and woke them up early Thursday morning. I forgot how tall Jason was, I have not been accustomed to anyone towering that high over me these past six months! But we had a fun day in Lima, I took them on a crazy detoured taxi drive (cause the straight shot highway is under construction), to the plaza de armas- which is where the presidents house is and the national catholic church (which is also an art museum when mass isn't in session), the Archbishop's palace is there, and so are a bunch of other legislative type buildings. So we went in the Catholic church and saw some amazing wood carvings and mosaics, and we walked around and they had their first meal in Peru- Pollo a la brasa (rotisserie chicken), ensalada (salad), and papas fritas (french fries). It was a good ease into the other things they get to eat. We also went behind the main part of the plaza to the building full of artisans from around the country and mom did a little shopping- she even bought beads for her baskets!!!!!
The next day we got on our bus to go to my home and they enjoyed breakfast, lunch and five movies in Spanish along with some cool senery for 12 hours to Pacasmayo.  We got to celebrate the New Years with the kids but to be honest we didn't mke it to midnight- to tired. But the next day we played with the kids. They all just love Jason they can't believe how tall he is and his red hair. On of the little girls who is 4 was quite frightened of him but then when colring with them yesterday she colored the boy in the picture with red hair and then his chin red and slowly moved toward Jason and leaned up against him as she finished, now when his lap is free she tries to take it. But she has some competition they all want to be held by him espectially on of the little boys who while Jason was eating the first night was just rubbing the hairs under his chin as he ate, it was cute and he came knocking on the door today wanting to play with them.
Needless to say they re enjoying their visit and I am enjoying them too, the kids love mom too, and want her to play jacks or push them on the swings. We are going to do a quick vacation to Cajamarca, a little mountain town with ruins and Incan hot baths on Tuesday.
Just thought I would let everyone know they indeed arrived safely and made it to my house and are having a good time they just want to go to bed early every night cause the kids wear them out! Hope you are all enjoying your new year!