Beauty in the Mud

I can not believe I am at the halfway point of my time in Peru. When I first returned, I told the stories of my 20 shots for rabies and how it was Gods providence I was sent home for them because I was able to help with my grandfather in the hospital almost every other conversation. Everyone was so glad to have me back but also so glad that I was there for my family during that trying time, they fully believe it was Gods providence I was bitten and I must say I agree. Tula (my madre Peruano) bought me a Pizza Hut pizza and balloons for my first night back in my home here. I love my Peruano family, they are without a doubt some of the nicest people I have ever known.

Since my return so much has happened. The first week I got back I was blessed to help lead a team from North Carolina with their work in Manchi. Manchi is a town in Lima about 30 minutes from where I live. It is not very large and all the houses are little more than plywood and metal with the streets inbetween muddy with excrement. It is not a "nice" place, but it has a strange sense of peace and beauty unlike anywhere else. I think it is because of how still Manchi is, even the people there are just still, content, and calm. I feel like I learned so much more than I taught during my time there. We were blessed to be able to work in this community. We put on an "EBDV" (VBS) and every morning would split up into 4 groups of 3-4 people, I got to lead one of these groups and we marched through the streets while I strummed the only chords I know (Wagon Wheel and White Blank Page, of course) and when people would poke their heads out of their houses I would eagerly say, "Que Paso!" and explain to them that we would begin EBDV at 3 on the court in the middle of the town. The first day I got many confused looks and laughs and later learned it was becuase in Peru, "Que Paso" is equalivent to "Hey, you there. What is your problem. You want to fight?" Luckily, all the people I talked to were children and mothers so no trouble came of it. Once 3:00 hit we would gather up on the courts and just play with the kids for about an hour. Futbol, Volleyball, Swinging in the air, or just tag. Then we would sing songs, the team would perform a short skit from the Bible, and then Maestro Bob would teach a lesson in English while Alex translated it for the gathered crowd. After the lesson we did a craft and worked on memorizing Juan 3:16 and by the end of the week many kids knew it and its deep importance. It was very sad leaving Manchi at the end of the week but I may return with another of the 2 teams that will be coming during the rest of my time here.

While the team was here the songs we sang in church were even more beautiful, I would close my eyes and just listen to the intermingled crowd of Peruvian and North Carolinian family singing in both Spanish and English and it was absolutely beautiful, the difference in the words being sang did not matter becuase the purpose and praise behind them was the same. The team has left now and I have been working at the MTW office and in my free time explored Jockey Plaza (a HUGE area of stores) and spent time reading in the park beside my house. It has actually been raining the past few days, not just the typical grey skys of Lima, legit rain. Today is the first day the rain has stopped and it feels great and Lima looks as if I got a bath.

My computer broke and wont turn on so no pictures for a while, hope my words will be enough to hold your attention. I love and miss you all!

"I am with You and will watch over you wherever you go" Genesis 28:15

Back in Lima

Hello all, I am back in the wonderful land of Peru! It feels like I never left, its a little colder and the skys ares still white but I love being back! This afternoon I will be working on VBS with a missionary team from ATL! Maybe I can make an Auburn family connection with this team! I can't wait to see my Peruano family and Dylan and Lindsey and Alex and Paulo and everyone else today! More stories to come later this week, hopefully no hospital involved this time. Hasta Luego, Chao!

From Home, to Home

The last post on here was June 7th and its now the 17th, the past 10 days have been some of the most trying days ever. My passion and my heart for this summer was Peru and being abroad, I was prepared mentally and fully ready to not be back in the states for 3 months. As you all know, I have been undergoing treatment for rabies and as of Sunday I will be fully vaccinated! I had to get 5 shots total for the Rabies Vaccine and 16 shots into my legs for the RIG-shot.

Now I can hunt down that dog in Peru and play with the monkeys and have no worries. (kidding mom) The second day I was home we got a phone call at 4:00 am and Pops had stopped breathings, Mimi called a HEMSI and they were off to the Hospital.

That was a week ago Wednesday so its been a week and two days now and Pops is still in the hospital. He had surgery and thankfully they were able to do it all Laparoscopically! Recovery time has taken a while and he is still on a liquid diet, hopefully he will be out before I go back to Peru this Sunday. I am not a fan of hospitals, I love the work and relationships doctors and nurses have with their patients, but the unspoken fear of the occasional inevitability of avoiding death is felt in every fake smile and dark corner in every hospital, be it in Lima or Alabama.

I am more than ready to be back in my room on the roof of Tula's house in the foothills of the Andes mountains, eating delicious Peruano cuisine and singing Spanish Hymns with my Peruano friends and family in the open aired church in the heart of the town of Salamanca, Lima, Peru. Only two more nights in the states, three airports, 10 hours of flying, and I will be home again.