This post is dedicated to my mother who has been trying to get me to update this blog for at least a month. Happy Mother's Day!
So having been here for 5 weeks, I have finally got round to doing a blog post! I keep thinking I have been fully initiated into Peruvian culture, but then we will get taken somewhere or do something so completely new that I will be completely set back, and freshly reminded that I am in a completely different part of the world now. When we first arrived here and got picked up from the airport, I was immediately struck with the vibrancy of this city and its faded sort of splendour. It is miles and miles away from anything I've ever seen before- the whole place is a patchwork of half-finished buildings, old carvings and ramshackle houses.
We spent the first week or so here settling in and decorating our apartment, making it our own which seems to have worked because we are all now calling this home. Miguel took us out to see parts of the city in the back of his pickup truck (sorry tearfund!) and told us how it's grown in the past 20 years. We also went to see some of the rural communities we would be working in- primarily Aylambo where we have since run a holiday club which is quite a challenge with only 2 Spanish speakers! We also had a huge welcome to Casa de Madera which is the youth church we are working quite closely with when on the first night the kids prepared an amazing dance for us, fancy costumes and all!
We also got taken away in a family holiday to the beach, and although it took a very long time to get there, it was well worth the stuffy bus journey. There was sun, sea, sand and turtles!! It was a great time to step back and take a look at where we'd been sent and the beauty of our location and to marvel at God's creation. Between playing in the sea, swimming with turtles and games nights, it is safe to say it served as a great bonding time with the people we are working with and we came back feeling much more part of the huge family here (and having watched Big Hero 6 3 times in Spanish :P)
One of the most potent things we've done since we've been here for me was being involved in Operation Christmas Child of Samaritan's Purse. As a child I loved the whole process, making up the shoeboxes and even had a birthday party in aid of the charity one year. So to get the chance to actually give out the shoeboxes to the kids is an incredible experience for me because it's something I've always dreamed of doing. The process of giving them out is very different to how I thought it would be. There is a 45 minute show for them once they all arrive which includes prayers, dancing and inviting Jesus into their hearts (which many of them are charmingly passionate about) and a little bit of food. Then they are sorted into the age groups and the shoeboxes are given to them. Once everyone has one they have a cute count down before ripping them open, or attempting to, until they are inhibited by the Samaritans Purse tape binding each one, which is where we swoop to the rescue with a pair of scissors or a pen or other assorted sharp object and hack them open. The kids then proceed to either take the quickest look imaginable and shut the kid (we think to preserve the surprise of the presents) or to get every single thing out of their boxes and cover the floor surrounding them while inspecting every item. As pretty much no one in Peru speaks English it is then our job to translate the little notes from the people who made the shoeboxes, most of which say Happy Christmas which is a tad strange for us to say given that it is March. The delight on the children's faces though, as they discover their gifts is well worth struggling with my limited Spanish.
Easily the best thing about coming to Peru is the people we have met. It's going to be extremely difficult to leave them in July, they have been so lovely and welcoming, and their love for God is truly inspiring. It is never a bad time to worship God and the people here have no problem exhibiting that, from simply being kind and generous, to meeting at least 3 times a week to have church, they are without a doubt marching in the light. I cannot wait to see what the next 5 months have in store for us!
