Peru Update 10 - The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

Happy Belated Easter!

It's amusing to look back on my previous update and see the glaring difference between my plans and expectations for the future and the actual reality of what transpired. The best laid plans of mice and men... 

Two weeks ago my church, Camino de Vida, launched a day of city-wide outreach called Servolution. I signed up as a volunteer interpreter to accompany a mission team from the States. The mission team was comprised of about fifty high school seniors and church leaders from a Pentecostal church in Oklahoma. We all loaded up in a bus (where I received a crash course in all the hip, new youth group games) and drove about an hour to the beach. Upon our arrival we split up into teams and handed out church flyers and free ice cream, played soccer with kids, and talked and prayed with people. Unfortunately, I was not sage enough to pack sunscreen so I received a hideous sunburn on my neck. (Which provided the perfect opportunity for my one American high school student to crack "redneck" jokes.) The photo below reminds me of Where's Waldo. 

The following weekend (Easter weekend) I had two days off and was itching to travel, so at the last minute I pulled together a group of people to spend a day in Ica (a desert oasis about four hours south of Lima). The travel Groupon consisted of sand-boarding (surfing on sand), ATV-ing, a boat tour of the islands (which have seals and penguins), and a free lunch. However, the afternoon before the trip, I was treated to a Marciano (homemade ice pop) from a street vendor. Never again. I spent the greater part of the afternoon with my head in the toilet. By evening I still felt awful, so I chalked it up as a loss and gave my ticket away to a friend who was unable to go for financial reasons. I spent the majority of my Easter vacation sipping Ginger ale, doing taxes, and binge-watching Downton Abbey. (Not as glamorous as a desert oasis, but certainly more restful.) By Sunday I was feeling well enough to go surfing at the beach with a friend. Unfortunately, the waves were rather turbulent and the surf instructor advised us against going out, so we contented ourselves with sunbathing and walking around the park. (Where we took this epic cat selfie!) 

Then this past weekend I was planning to attend a pajama party with some friends (which got cancelled at the last minute) and visit a few museums with another friend (who also cancelled on me). Not to be deterred, I went to the museum by myself only to find...it was closed for a special event.  At this point I was so blasé about ruined plans that I spent the afternoon popping in and out of antique shops and mooching off Starbucks' free wifi before heading to church. It made for quite a relaxing close to the weekend.  

Contrary to what you might suppose, the accumulation of spoiled plans did not embitter or frustrate my type-A personality; in fact, quite the contrary. I feel that living in South America has made me more flexible, spontaneous, and open to change. A friend once gave me incredibly sage advice: "It's okay to make plans. But learn to be okay if those plans change." I have absolutely no idea what the next two weeks, two months, or two years hold, but I do know that whatever plans I make are almost guarunteed to change, and I'm okay with that. I know God has lots more adventures in store regardless of whether they are meticulously planned-out in advance, or spur-of-the-moment, wild-hair whims.

And to end on a happy note, I did finally get to see a museum (though not the one I originally planned). After school one day, my friend Estefany and I decided to go the Car Museum in La Molina on our way home from work. The museum is a private auto collection owned and maintained by an elderly Italian man who made his fortune as a noodle tycoon. It was fun seeing all the old cars (130!) and laughing about noodles. Sometimes spontaneous adventures are the best ones. 

Peru Update 9 - Patty's, Padres & Gradschool

Happy Saint Patty's Day!!!

Life continues in full swing here. Last Saturday we had Parent's Orientation at school. In addition to leading everyone in the pledges (a somewhat humorous spectacle considering how few of the parents speak English), I gave a brief presentation on Learning Center procedures for the new parents and reviewed some of the basics for the veterans. Work keeps me busy from 8 - 5 during the week, and life keeps me busy the remainder.

One of the things that's kept me busy this past week is reviewing my application for Wake Forest University. Last Wednesday I received a formal offer from WFU to join them for the 2016-17 school year. In addition, they offered me a partial scholarship which will cover over half of my tuition costs! I credit this to a gracious God and my personal army of prayer warriors (you all!) Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your prayers and support from the bottom of my heart. I could not be more thrilled for this next phase of my life. 

  

This Saturday my church is conducting a city-wide outreach event called Servolution. We will be breaking into groups and performing different social services such as painting the police station, cleaning streets, giving out care baskets, and hosting block parties for different communities. I will be joining a short-term mission team from the States and serving as an interpreter and guide while working alongside them. I'm looking forward to fellowshiping with my compatriots.

Next week I get two days of vacation for Easter (Hallelujah!) which I will be using to travel, hang out with friends, and do taxes. (Yay!) Hopefully after Easter weekend I will have some more exciting pictures to share. 

Peru Update 8 - Books, Beaches, & Bird Bombs

Things are getting back into full swing down here! Tuesday was our first full day back to school. Since the other American teacher left, I am in charge of leading the student body in the American national anthem and the three pledges (American Flag, Christian Flag, and the Bible--thank you, AWANA!) 

This year I have been paired with a different teacher, Ms. Veronica. (See photo above). She is a Peruvian who lived in the States for many years so we often jaw about all the things we miss (mainly food items and air conditioning). The healthy sheen you see on my face is sweat. It is summer time down here, which means 80-90 degree conditions with minimal or no air conditioning. In our large classroom there is one small air conditioning unit mounted on the wall and two fans. Every once in awhile, the electrical system overloads and the power shuts off. Needless to say, it can get a little warm at times.

On the bright side, week before last I took the GRE test at ICPNA (Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano). By God's grace (and your prayers!) I got a 148 in Math and a 160 in Verbal (which is an 87 and 94 respectively). Considering I was getting 60's and 70's in Math and 80's in Verbal on the practice tests, my scores were pretty miraculous! Then on Saturday I took the Spanish Aptitude test and got a 93, which means my application to Wake Forest University is finally complete! (Hallelujah!)

After being holed up for a month studying, I have greatly enjoyed getting my social life back. Friday before last I attended a small Karaoke party with some friends from church (where much Michael Buble and Gloria Estefan was sung). Then on Saturday we went to the beach. I wasn't planning on getting in the water, but a bird poop bomb changed my mind.  

 

Last weekend I went with some of the teachers to TGI Friday's to celebrate our first week back to school. Their filet mignon, mashed potatoes, and broccoli with cheese tasted like home. Afterward we went to Tottus (the Peruvian equivalent of Wal-Mart). It appears "Wal-Mart runs" are an international pastime.

Since my test is over and school is back in session, I finally have time to apply to a ministry in our church called Doctores Marabarisas. It's a team of people that dress up as clowns and go to hospitals to cheer up sick people. In order to be accepted, I have to go through a psychological test, get some vaccines, and attend the trainings. If all goes well, I should be able to start by the end of March!

Peru Update 8 - Plaintains, Peruvian Monopoly & Pink!

Happy Valentine's Day! (Or as they say in Peru, "Feliz dia de la Amistad!" which means "Happy Friendship Day!")

When reviewing my photos for the e-mail update, I realized the past two weeks have been fairly quiet. Since I stopped giving private lessons and am only working three days a week at the school, I have had a lot more free time on my hands. On my days off, I have been averaging 4-6 hours a day studying for the GRE exam. For the remainder of the day I go to the market, cook meals to take to work, clean up around the house, do laundry, go running, or go out with friends. 

One of the nice things about living in a country with a jungle is the fresh fruits and veggies that are shipped in each day. Here I made a mango smoothie (literally mango and water--the mangoes are so sweet that no additional sugar is necessary) and fried plantains for breakfast. Some of the other common fruits are: peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, papayas, aguaymanto, figs, melons, canteloupes, and ten zillion different varieties of banana. 

For summer school all the kids are lumped together, so I've been working with both primary and secondary (I usually just work with the highschoolers.) I arrive at 8 am, classes are from 9 - 12, then the rest of the afternoon is spent doing administrative work and preparing for the upcoming school year (classes start back on March 1st). I snapped the above photo during our morning snack break. This is Johnny and his little sister, Sofia. They are six and eight-years-old. I've contemplated taking them back to the States with me, but I doubt I'd have enough room in my suitcase. 

For Valentine's Day I went to a friend's house with a group of people where we ate lunch, made chocolate chip cookies, and played Peruvian Monopoly (it's the same game but the properties are different attractions/destinations from Peru.) Here Bob (left) is meticulously explaining all the rules for those of us who haven't played Monopoly in awhile. (And for those of you wondering, I had milk with my chocolate chip cookies.  ). 

Later that day I went to church and listened to a great message by pastor Robert about (can you guess?) love! He preached from Luke 10:25-37, which is the parable of the Good Samaritan. (A Jewish man is beaten, robbed, and left for dead by the highway. Three men come along: a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan. The first two do nothing, but the Samaritan helps the injured stranger.) 

While most people are familiar with this story, without understanding the cultural context behind it, it seems like nothing more than a trite altruism. Samaritans were considered to be half-breeds (and were often called "dogs") by the Jews. There was extreme racial prejudice between the two groups. The fact that a Samaritan would lift a finger to help a Jewish man (in every right his enemy) in itself is astounding. Even more astounding is the fact that the Samaritan feeds, clothes, tends the wounds, and pay the bills of a complete stranger while he recovers! These unconditional acts of generosity without expecting anything in return are a textbook example of love. At the end of the parable, Jesus sums it with this challenge: "Go and do likewise."   

Prayer Requests:

- Health: on Saturday I came down with a slight cold, which I am trying my darndest to fight off. Would appreciate your prayers!

- GRE Test: My test is a week from today (February 22nd) at 12:00 noon. At this point I am between study-like-a-maniac and what-the-heck-Netflix-binge. Pray for peace, focus, and self-discipline. 

Praises:

- Fresh fruit, ramen noodles, and prescription-free pharmacies on every corner---a cold's worst enemies;  my beloved fan which is keeping me cool in the 80+ degree heat (there is no AC), a safe neighborhood where I can run my stress off, fun with friends, Skyping with family (how did people survive before Skype?), chocolate chip cookies, and the internet. 

Bendiciones! <3 span="">

Peru Update 7 - Postgrad, Parks & Poverty

Greetings from Peru!

I know I say this in every update, but the past few weeks have been a whirlwind! Between the craziness of work, gallivanting all over Lima giving private English lessons, night-time studying, housekeeping tasks, and weekend social life at church, I’ve barely had a free moment to catch my breath! However, the month of February will be quite different.

This month I am taking a break from giving private lessons in order to buckle down and study for the GRE test, which I will be taking on February 22^nd. For the past two months, I have been in the process of applying to Wake Forest University’s graduate program of Interpretation and Translation. It’s not set in stone as there is still the issue of GRE scores, finances, and whether or not I am accepted, but Lord willing, I will be enrolling fall of 2016.

Notwithstanding, all things in moderation, so I am balancing work and study with a bit of play. This week I had the chance to stand atop the famous arch in Parque de la Amistad (Friendship Park) which I posted a picture of in my last update. Below is the view from the top. You can see the Ricardo Palma University campus (the tall building on the left), the park's main building complete with a collection of wax celebrities and movie characters inside (large building bottom center), and the park's mini train station (bottom right).

On Friday I was invited to eat lunch at the house of one of my students in San Juan de Lurigancho. San Juan de Lurigancho is one of the poorest, most dangerous, and highest-populated districts in all of Peru. (To give you an idea, the average household income is about $280/month.) On the way there, we stopped by the public school where Paul’s father works. Because it is basically free (tuition costs about $15.00/year), there is a huge student body (1200 high school students alone). For this reason, the school shares its facilities, holding primary classes in the mornings and secondary classes in the afternoons. The grounds are littered with broken glass, stones, and discarded bottles. In one of the hallways, a mother cat had killed a bird and was eating it with her kittens. It was a stark contrast to the well-manicured, upper-class neighborhoods of La Molina where I live. Notwithstanding, I passed a pleasant afternoon with my student's family eating aji de gallina (one of my favorites!), listening to Christian music (in English, Spanish, and Hebrew), and praying together (their prayer included the following: "God bless Ms. Catherine and please help her to find a husband!"  )

Yesterday, I took a break from studying to go downtown with a friend. We visited the Peruvian equivalent of “Chinatown,” (a block of Chinese restaurants with street vendors and pagodas), a chocolate store cleverly disguised as a museum (where I sampled chocolate tea and the best chocolate bar I have eaten in my life!), and a train station which doubles as a library/literature museum. 

Prayer Requests:

- Self-discipline and time management: that I would be diligent to study and wise in managing my time/resources.

- GRE nerves: I have had approximately 2 months to review 8 years of math content (which I also have not touched in 8 years) and to learn about 600 vocabulary words that the general public never uses (and likely never will). Now I get to go take a (timed) four hour test in a strange place--yippee.

Praises: 

- God's provision. In one month I was able to earn enough giving private classes to get me through February until school starts back full time in March!

- Continued good health (since it is summertime here, there is the added bonus of no winter colds!) 

Bendiciones,

Catherine

Peru Update 7 - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! (Two weeks late!)

Last week I rolled into my new summer schedule! (Here in Peru, summer is from December through February.) January through February I will be teaching in the summer school program 3 days a week and giving private English lessons on my days off. So far I have six students!

I passed a wonderful Christmas in Trujillo with my host family from 2012! We went to the beach, a water park, and ate our weight in Paneton! (the Peruvian version of fruitcake.) Above is a picture of the caballitos de totora (little reed horses) on San Pedro beach. Totora boats are small watercrafts made of reed (heavily insulated with the modern wonder of styrofoam) which are used by local fisherman. 

After Christmas I returned to Lima where I joined a group of young adults from my church in Kawaii, a beach campground several hours south of Lima. We pitched our tents and stayed for three days, swimming in the surf, climbing on the rocks, walking along the beach, eating in the mess hall, and playing Werewolf (an updated version of Mafia) in the lounge. 

On New Year's eve the beach was packed with hundreds of people setting off spectacular firework displays. After the countdown, everyone cheered and exchanged saludos (a hug and kiss on the cheek accompanied by a "Feliz Año!") It was a wonderful time of fellowship and I met lots of new friends. (In Peru you bypass "acquaintances" and skip straight to "friend."  )

After the social whirlwind of the holidays, it was nice to settle back into the mundane domestic routine of cooking, doing laundry, and studying. (And exercising off all that Paneton!) I even had time to do a little post-Christmas shopping and wander around Surco's Parque de la Amistad. (Friendship Park). It's a quaint park with a duck pond, a giant arch (above), a food court, vendors selling popcorn, candy apples, and snow cones, meandering paths, and a miniature train track with a series of bridges (I even saw one that was manufactured by the New York Bridge Company!)

Prayer Requests: 

- Self-discipline in my time management and also physically.

- That I would trust in God's provision. (Although I have six students, the income is irregular.)

Praises:

- Good health & new friends.

- Finding six English students!

Bendiciones!

Catherine

Peru Update 6 - Pre-Christmas Preparations

Merry Christmas!

In a few hours I will be traveling north to the coastal village of San Pedro to spend Christmas with the host family from my 2012 internship. After the chaos of the past few weeks, I´m looking forward to relaxing on the beach.

Amidst the fracas of administering tests, grading exams, calculating averages, archiving records, and inventorying class supplies, I set aside a day to tour Saint Cristobal´s Cross, an iconic monument overlooking the city of Lima. Aside from the breathtaking panorama, I obtained a better grasp of the city´s outlay as well as an entertaining history lesson from our tour guide.

 After a spine-tingling descent in our rickety bus, I walked around the plaza with a friend, taking in the Christmas lights, crèche scenes, and watching church members observe mass in the cathedral. 

 

Notwithstanding the roiling masses of shoppers, decorations, and Christmas propaganda, it didn't feel like Christmas until I arrived in Trujillo, the city where I spent my summer in 2012. Only after attending the Christmas cantata in my old church (complete with hot chocolate and fruitcake), filling goody bags for the children's ministry in a neighboring village, and going Christmas caroling with friends (see photo above), did it finally feel like Christmas!

Since Christmas caroling is primarily a Western tradition, people were surprised when we knocked on their door and told them we wanted to share a Christmas serenade (for free!) It was interesting to see their reactions ranging from joyful surprise to cynical suspicion. Some didn´t answer the door, or closed it in our faces. Others received us with joy, sending us away with small gifts like marshmallows or notepads. Still others invited us into their home, walking a block to the store to buy us all juice. It struck me that Christ is received in the same way. Some ignore His persistent knocking, others close the door in His face saying, ¨I´m busy. Go away.¨ Others receive His free gift of salvation with unexpected delight, inviting Him into their hearts and giving freely of themselves.

Amidst the hustle and bustle that comes with the season, don´t forget to carve out time to meditate on this:

¨The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed.¨ --Titus 2:11-14 

May Christ´s peace dwell in your hearts this Christmas.

Peru Update 4 - All in The Familia

Happy Thanksgiving! Since it is the season of family, I thought it would be fitting to share a little about my Peruvian family and home life. I live in La Molina (an upper-class suburb of Lima) with the director of LISOFT and her family. The director, Elizabeth Lopez, is a single psychologist in her late 40's. Aside from Ms. Lopez and myself, the permanent inhabitants of her apartment include her elderly parents and her niece, Leidy. To an American, the fact that I live with my boss might seem strange, but in Peruvian culture, there are no separate spheres: professional, personal, and home life are meshed in one messy "masa."

In the professional sphere, 9 times out of 10, businesses are owned and run by the family. In 1994, Ms. Lopez founded LISOFT at the ripe age of 27. Wasting no time, she instigated her older brother, Daniel Lopez, as the school administrator. He is in charge of paying the bills, staff payroll, and relations with the bank. In addition, her younger sister, Esther Lopez, is the school accountant. She is responsible for collecting tuition payments from the parents. Finally, her younger brother, Josue Lopez, is the maintenance man--he does upkeep and repairs within the school. Josue's wife, Patti, also works in the school where their two daughters are enrolled. I could give you numerous other examples of businesses that are all in the "familia," but I think you get the picture.

Just as professional life is family-oriented, so are personal issues such as health and finances. As the family psychologist, Ms. Lopez frequently doles out parenting advice to her three siblings. In return, Daniel & Esther provide financial counseling and support, and Josue can be counted on for any small home repairs that arise. Functioning as one "organism," so to speak, loans, labor, and unsolicited advice are all interchanged "gratis" within the family unit. To facilitate this interwoven support system, many families even live in the same house or apartment complex: grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, and cousins.

Although each of the Lopez siblings have their own separate house, (a somewhat rare occurrence in Hispanic culture), each location operates on the "revolving door" philosophy. Nieces, nephews, cousins, and grandchildren drop in unannounced for meals, sleepovers, and even extended visits (think years). Grandparents, aunts, and uncles all serve as parent figures, providing meals, homework help, and even financial provision (taking children out to eat, buying school supplies, gifts, even plane tickets). While immediate family enjoys all these benefits with no strings attached, extended family holds a slightly lower status. It is not uncommon for extended family (old or young) to be found working within the immediate family's households or businesses as nannies, cooks, cleaning ladies, chauffeurs, or handy-men.

The tightly knit infrastructure of Hispanic families may seem strange to outsiders and certainly it is not without flaws. (As one might imagine, when everyone's nose is "metido" in everyone else's business, sometimes toes get smashed and feelings get hurt). However, in general the warmth, love, and support demonstrated within Hispanic families is a beautiful thing to behold. When they invite you to their house, they mean for several days. When they ask if you want seconds, it's not a question. And when you leave, your hands will always be full--be it with fruit, toilet paper, or a household item you happened to admire. On a scale of Yankee to Hispanic, Peruvians take the hospitality cake.

Peru Update 3 - Conciertos & Cabalgatas

Greetings from Peru!

The past two weeks have been busy ones!

 

 

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a free Evan Kraft concert at my church, Camino de Vida. Before coming to Peru, I had never heard of Evan Kraft--apparently, he is a Christian artist from Texas who is quite popular among the young adult crowd here. He has a nice repertoire of mixed acoustic/upbeat, bilingual, Christian songs.

This past weekend was by far my favorite--I had the opportunity to fulfill my long-cherished dream of riding on the beach! My friend Carla, her brother Nicolas, and I drove to the southern outskirts of Lima where Carlos Montoya, a vet at the Southern Scientific University, took us "cabalgando" on three Peruvian Paso Finos! Click here to see the video. (If the link doesn't work, check my facebook wall). The University is located beside the Pantanos de Villa Wildlife Reserve. (Picture a swampy coastal plain).

 

On Sunday, I went with several friends to the Martin Chambi exhibit in the Lima Museum of Art (MALI). Chambi was a famous photographer from the late 19th/early 20th century who is credited with documenting the indigenous culture of Cuzco. His portraits are particularly striking. (He is like the Normal Rockwell of Peru).

 

Prayer Requests:

 

- There are only three weeks left in the school year, so pray for health, stamina, and renewed focus to finish strong!

- Pray for me to steward my time, finances, and talents wisely.

 

Bendiciones!

Peru Update 2 - LISOFT

Dear friends and family,

 

Greetings from Peru! Many of you have expressed a desire to receive monthly updates from me. (If you do not wish to receive updates, please let me know and I will remove you from my mailing list!) I am going to attempt two updates per month: one general and one specific. In this update I will be talking about LISOFT - the school where I work.

 

LISOFT (Lima International School of Tomorrow) was founded in 1994. It is a small branch of the international "School of Tomorrow," educational system (there are around 110 students total). LISOFT uses the A.C.E. curriculum (accelerated Christian education) which is an individualized self-study program. (Think crossover between homeschooling and AWANA). Each student takes a diagnostic test and is prescribed a curriculum plan based on their results. They are then assigned workbooks in Math, Social Studies, Science, English, & Etymology (vocab) which they work through at their own pace (notwithstanding, each student is required to complete 72 workbooks per year).

 

If you would like to learn more about the school, here is a link to their website and a link to a (extremely outdated) youtube video which talks about the A.C.E. curriculum:

 

1. http://aceperu.org/ 

 

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of7MUdBPAZk 

 

 

  

Each morning I wake up at 6:30 to get to the school by 8:00 o'clock. At 8:15, the opening exercises commence (see photo above). During the opening exercises, the children sing the national anthem of America, Peru, and La Molina (the district of Lima where the school is located); they recite the pledges to the American Flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible (identical to the AWANA program in the States); then they head to their classrooms for a brief devotional given by the teachers. After prayer and devotional time, the children split up and head to their corresponding classes. There are two types of classes: individual classes (this is a traditional student-teacher lecture setting) and the Learning Center (this is the self-study time where the students advance in their assigned PACE's).

 

 

This is a typical Learning Center. (Note the partitions designed to minimize distractions). I work primarily in the high school Learning Center (see photo above) where on any given day we have 8-35 students ranging from ages 13-17. Although the students (ideally) set their own goals and work at their own paces, I am responsible for ensuring they are completing those goals and advancing at a sufficient rate. 

 

As you would expect of high schoolers, most of them would rather sleep/play/talk with their neighbor than advance in their workbooks. To help motivate the students, there is a system of merits and demerits. When students complete their goals, memorize their bible passage, and arrive properly attired in their uniform, they receive merits which they can use to buy toys/food at the merit store. If they are caught sleeping, cheating, talking, not wearing their uniform, walking around the room without permission, and/or harassing their neighbor, they receive demerits (three demerits is a detention.)

 

When the students have a question, they raise their flag and myself or one of the supervisors goes to help them. Since LISOFT is a bilingual school, all of the workbooks are in English. However, because the students are at varying levels of English proficiency, sometimes they don't understand the instructions or the vocab. Needless to say, I have been dusting off un-used grammar and math skills as well as random history and science trivia that has been stored away for 10+ years.  

 

During our short lunch break, I eat and talk with the kids. (Apparently, teenagers have no problem taking selfies, but the minute you want to take a candid photo, they wish to remain anonymous). Sometimes I play Uno with the freshmen, volleyball with the girls, or soccer with the boys. (Or sometimes I hide in the empty Learning Center to steal a few moments of peace. ;)

 

Aside from the Learning Center, I teach a Public Speaking Class on Fridays and tutor a high school senior who is studying to take the SAT. At 3:15 pm after our closing prayer, the kids leave and we begin the daily task of re-organizing the Score Keys, grading and filing PACE's and tests, and recording test scores and behavioral issues. Depending on the week, the teachers generally leave between 4:00-5:00 pm.

 

Though teaching was not my original plan when I decided to move to Peru, I have a new appreciation for the profession. The job is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting, the hours are long, and the pay is (literally) peanuts. However, it is challenging and fulfilling at the same time. Getting to know each student and seeing them achieve their goals is rewarding. It is also mentally stimulating; as the students learn, I am learning along with them.

 

Prayer Requests:

 

-    Please pray for me to find a volunteer opportunity in interpretation/translation.

-    Pray for me to manage my time and finances wisely.

Praises:

-    I found a loving church home that is close by.

-    After weeks of struggling to adjust to the climate, food, and new germs, this past week things have finally evened out. I feel healthy and strong. (Please pray that this streak of health/stamina continues!) 

 

Bendiciones!

Peru Update 1 - Puertos & Partidos

As promised, here are some photos and updates of my move to Peru. It's only been three weeks since I arrived, but the days have flown by! The past two weeks alone have witnessed a visit to the Fortaleza Real Felipe, an international soccer game between Peru and Chile, LISOFT's 21st anniversary celebration, and a performance by the National Symphonic Orchestra of Trujillo.

 

The Real Felipe fortress was a strategic military point which protected Lima from marauding pirates. Today it overlooks the busy Port of Callao.

 

 

Peru vs. Chile game in the National Stadium. (Peruvians love their futbol like rednecks love their NASCAR!) It was a close game, but in the end Chile won 4-3.

 

 

On October 19th, the Lima International School of Tomorrow (LISOFT) celebrated its 21st anniversary. On Saturday an Open Day was held with food vendors, special presentations and a theatrical performance on the book of Esther. (The lovely lady on the right is my friend, Estefany. We studied together at Liberty University and we now work together at LISOFT. She assists in Elementary, and I work with High School.)

 

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a concert put on by the Trujillo Symphonic Orchestra. One of my friends, who is studying to be a classical opera singer, performed in the choir. They performed several classical and folkloric pieces including Saint Francis of Assisi. The orchestra also received a standing ovation and three encores to perform the famous Trujillan Marinera (the conductor even invited the audience to clap along!)

 

These are just a few of the adventures that the past few weeks have held. Next month I will include a special update on LISOFT: the school where I work. In the meantime, below are a few prayer requests.

 

Prayer Requests:

Health - adjusting to new food, climate, and germs.

Church - that I would find a solid church home that preaches the gospel and is close by.

 

Thank you again for your prayers and support.

 

Bendiciones!