December Newsletter

Some of you informed me that you were unable to open my December Newsletter. I decided rather than bombard those of you that could open it with the same thing again, I would post the newsletter here for all to read. I'm still working on a summary post to kind of wrap up everything that happened in Peru, but I'm struggling to put everything into words. Maybe one day it will come, but for now here's the latest update.

Lima International School of Tomorrow
After what seemed to be a very short semester, the school year concluded on December 11 for my students. This month was full of things to do at school with Christmas coming and the school year ending. Some days I did not htink my students would have sufficient time to get all of their work done. However, they chugged right along with me as I pushed them to work hard and encouraged them with behavior rewards such as swimming or shopping in the behavior store. Of my 31 students, only five did not finish the prescribed number of workbooks wich later became an exception because each of them were labeled with learning disabilities. I was very proud of my students for the hard work they put forth and the perseverance that they showed all the way to the end. When I first began the semester with them back in August, I spent many nights wondering what I had gotten myself into. My students did not listen to me, they knew hardly no English, they would not work on their wokbooks, and they were mean to each other. Honestly, I felt very defeated and had little hope; however, the last week of school, I was overcome with excitement of the growth my students had made in just 4 short months. They came so far academically, socially, and personally. Many of them were even speaking complete, correct sentences in English! The growth I witnessed in each of them was a great reminder of why I became a teacher...not because I liek to hear myself talk all day, but because of the joy of the children when they finally "get it" or the growth that can be seen after all the effort and hard work put into education.
My students were able to enjoy the swimming pool on Fridays this month, and we ended the school year with a Christmas party on the last day. We also had an awards night in which my students sang Away in a Manger and many of them received awards for completeing goals, memorizing the Bible memory verses or outstanding behavior.

Kids Alive
It was not easy to say good-bye to the kids at the Kids Alive home; many of them were asking when I'd be back and a few shed tears as I wished them farewell. However, I told them that this is not good-bye because I will see them again whether it be on earth or in heaven. These kids are precious, and I got to know each of them so much more after spending many weeks with them. They opened up a lot more than they ever had during short term trips, and their love never seemed to end. I am so grateful for the time I was able to spend with them.
This month, as any other, did not fall short of my expectations. With the school year ending, the children did not have much homework, so I was able to spend more time talking with them, playing games with them, or just sitting and being a comforting body nearby. The children did a Christmas program for visiting family members. I also helped the children paint Christmas ornaments one evening at the home of another missionary couple. We had a pinata filled with confetti for my despdida (Good-bye Party), and everyone had a great time throwing it everywhere! It was a very fun way to end a great 4 months!

To be continued...

I Made It

Just thought I'd give a quick update to let you all know that I did indeed get on the plane, and I am now home safely. I will try to get a real post up soon :)

Thanks for your prayers, your friendships, and your support. I couldn't have done it without any of you!

Bittersweet

Just a few things I'm looking forward to upon return to the United States in 3 days:

• Hugging my family when they pick me up at the airport
• Clean air and the peaceful country setting
• My puppies
• Driving
• Friends
• High heels :)
• Snow (even if it is cold)
• Christmas sights and sounds...it just isn't the same here in 75 degree weather
• A quiet night of sleep without car alarms, house alarms, barking dogs, honking buses, etc.
• Carpet
• A consistently hot shower that doesn't shock me and hot water in the sink

Just a few things I will miss about Peru:

• The great people I have met
• The kids at the home
• Speaking Spanish
• Church and Bible Study
• Did I mention my friends?
• New adventures
• Peruvian food
• The kids at the home (Did I already say that?)
• Bartering for a better price
• Warm weather
• My social circle ;)

Out of Control

If you were to ask me how I'm doing, depending on that exact moment, you would get an array of possible answers. I cannot even begin to describe the joy and the sadness that stirs within me as I sit and type this post. One minute I cannot wait to get on that airplane early Saturday morning and the next minute I'm reminded of all I will be leaving behind in just a few short days. I've met some pretty amazing people here, and my life has been forever changed because of them; I've learned so much, and I've experienced God in ways I never had before.

It's unfortunate that it took me until the last month to really begin to make good friends my age and at a similar page of life and get plugged into a church where that was made possible. Thanks to my dear friend Nilton for helping me out with both of those. The last 5 weeks have by far been the best portion of my time here; although, I wouldn't say any of it wasn't amazing in some form or another. I'm going to miss this place, but I know I'll be back sometime either for work or to visit.

This past weekend was my last here in Peru (for now). I couldn't have asked to spend it in any better way. I've tried to capture the highlights in pictures for you below.

Friday night I helped Jon and Elise with some of the kids from the home.
We painted homemade ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree.

Saturday I finished up some Christmas shopping by shopping in an Indian Market.

I had been earlier in the week, but I was unable to finish my shopping as I wasn't

sure what to buy some people. As I shopped, this Indian band marched by.

Saturday evening, I was invited to a professional ballet of the Nutcracker.

One of the teacher's had free tickets, so a few of us went along.

It was a beautiful ballet.

Sunday, I was supposed to go to the beach with friends after church. When I woke up

the weather was less than pleasant for a day at the beach. It was a tad on the chilly side

and quite cloudy. Instead we decided to spend the day at the zoo.

Sadly, all the other girls were busy, so it was just me and the guys.

Ronald, Nilton, and Jose...Juan Carlos is taking the picture.

Despite the weather and our missing friends wehad a great day (or at least I did).

I have 4 days left here. I work from 8-4 everyday doing grades, cleaning my classroom,

and preparing things for the new teacher next year. I nearly finished 3/4 of the things to do

just today, so I'm unsure how I'll pass the rest of the week. Aside from work, I'll be saying

many good-byes in the coming days...to friends I've made and the kids at the home.

If you know me, you know I don't like good-byes. It could be quite an emotional week.

Falta Una Semana

It's hard to believe that in one week I will be sitting in the airport ready to board a plane back to the United States. I've been in Peru exactly 4 months today; some days it still feels like I've just recently arrived. The other night I was reading through my journals of my first weeks here; I was so scared of the buses, going out alone, speaking in Spanish, etc. However, 4 months has brought me a long way. I'm no longer afraid to try the buses to get various places. I've learned enough about the main places I travel to know kind of where I'm going. I also very much enjoy speaking Spanish with my friends, and I've learned a lot more of the language since I've been here.

The last weeks have flown right by; I've hardly had time to think (or update my blog). Today was my final day with my students. Yesterday I was able to take them swimming as a class since most had finished their work earlier in the week. We had a Christmas party today; we decorated cookies, sang Christmas songs, read Christmas stories, and shared some traditional Peruvian goodies such as paneton and chocolate milk. A few of my students cried when I told them I would not be back to the school next year, but I promised that if I come back I would make sure to visit. I have to work all of next week doing grades, filing, cleaning, etc. We also have an awards program next Friday night, and I will leave straight from there to go to the airport.

Aside from school, I went to the Inka Market this last week to buy Christmas gifts, and I spent Wednesday evening at the home playing with the kids and went to a movie with friends later in the evening. Thursday I went to Bible Study, and I spent tonight decorating Christmas ornaments with some of the kids from the home and afterwards I went to church with a few friends. This weekend and final week appear to be just as busy. I will finish Christmas shopping tomorrow, attend a professional ballet of the Nutcracker (for free) with some of the teachers I work with, and Sunday I will spend the day with friends at the beach. Sometime before Friday I need to do laundry, pack, and clean.

I'll try to upload pictures from the recent weeks sometime soon. I'm looking forward to seeing some of you when I return! Please pray for me this week as I begin to say good-bye. I really dislike good-byes, and the fact that I still don't know what I'm doing next year makes it a little harder. My heart really wants to be in Peru, but the lack of appropriate teaching opportunities is making it a bit difficult. We'll see what happens!

Everything

You are the strength that keeps me walking.
You are the hope that keeps me trusting.
You are the light to my soul.
You are my purpose.
You're everything.

On Sunday afternoon, the children at the Kids Alive home did a
Christmas program for their visitors (grandparents, aunt, uncles, etc.)
This drama was done the by the older girls
with the help of one of the boys from Pachacamac.
It was an excellent testimony, and they did a wonderful job.

I came across this video today, and I felt it was something worth sharing.

There is forgiveness and restoration in Christ. If you do not know him,

I want you to know that he is a God of love and compassion.
He wants to heal you; he desires to save you.

He wants nothing more than to see your face in heaven after judgement day.

Choose Christ...In the end, you will be better because of it.

If you do not know Christ, ask me, and I'll help you to find him!

God Is In Control!

I have been reminded over and over again through many of you and also life circumstances that God is in control of my life. Some days I neglect that small yet very important fact as I try to figure out my life and plan accordingly. However, God is always quick to knock me back on my knees and remind me that He knows just what he's doing.

Most of you know that I would love to return to Peru for another year or two, and I have been looking at various schools for open positions that would fit my need to pay back my student loans as well as provide appropriate educational experiences aligned with my philosophies of education. I have been worried about telling my current principal that I would not be returning next year for these reasons, but finally on Wednesday I faced my fear and was overcome with relief. The conversation went very well. She even offered some suggestions of schools that I might want to check into. For all who had been praying for this conversation, I cannot thank you enough.

I have been presented with a potential opportunity to teach Kinder 3 next year. (In Peru, private schools - maybe public, too - start at the age 3 hence the class Kinder 3.) However, any of you that know me already know that a normal kindergarten class would be a big stretch for me as I prefer intermediate elementary. After much prayer and an email from a good friend (reminding me that patience is important) I decided to decline the position and wait to see what else God may have in store for me. Of course the job would have brought me back to Peru where I ideally want to be, but something just didn't settle right in me whenever I thought about teaching 3 year olds. Please continue to pray for God's guidance as I seek out what path lies ahead.

In other news, I have been tutoring a 17 year old practicing to take exams such as the SAT in order to study in the States. He will take the test tomorrow. I'm praying he does well; he wants to study at Harvard.

I only have 3 1/2 days of school left with my students. I have to work a whole week after they are done, but I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I'm teaching my students "Away in a Manger" to sing at our end of the year awards/graduation program. They're doing very well with the song and most are excited to be learning English music. I will spend a lot of time next week teaching them even more English Christmas songs. It kind of saddens me that the music has to be Christian; I'd really like to teach them Rudolph, Here Comes Santa Claus, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, etc. I guess I'll just have to listen to those songs in my own time.

I leave in exactly two weeks. It's hard to believe that 4 months has already passed me by! I can't hardly remember anything from my first month here.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Festivities began Wednesday with a very nice dinner with the children at the Kids Alive Home followed by devotions which included children reading verses of thanksgiving and sharing reasons why they are thankful.

Thursday I celebrated with my students. I think they had a pretty good time. They are already filled with questions about our upcoming Christmas party.

Friday I was invited over to Jon and Elise's for dinner (sorry I don't have a picture of this event), and afterwards I went to a young adults meeting at church with some friends (don't have a picture of that yet either).

Saturday I began cooking at 10am for Thanksgiving dinner with some of the school staff. I finished cooking around 4:30 just in time for the guests to arrive at 5pm.

Sunday, I went with the same friends from Friday night to a surf competition here in Lima. It was quite cloudy and a bit chilly compared to previous days, but we had fun nonetheless. I was pretty impressed by the talents of some of the participants.

I must admit that despite not having any time off work, I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. It's always good to take time and reflect on all God has done for us.

~¡HaPpY ThAnKsGiViNg!~

This year I'm thankful for many things.

I'll name just a few

My Family

My Peruvian Family

Your Prayers and Support

God's Unending Blessings

God's Provision that Extends Beyond my Comprehension

Thanksgiving was a bit different this year, for obvious reasons. It's kind of weird to think about Thanksgiving when the temperatures are reaching near 80°F with no decorations or even autumn-ish atmospheres. However, despite the lack of Thanksgiving "spirit", I have to say I don't feel that I missed out on much (except for my mother's wonderful meal and spending time with my amazing family - which I would say are pretty big things to miss). I am so blessed by my "family" here in Perú. God sure has his hand of protection around me, and he has provided me an opportunity of a lifetime to meet friends from around the globe.

Last Friday I helped out that the children's home. Each child made a turkey with feathers stating reasons they are thankful. I really enjoyed reading these and helping the children with them. Wednesday evening, Elise organized a meal for everyone involved with the Kids Alive home. We used the kids turkeys as table decorations, and everyone (70+ people) enjoyed an evening of fellowship with a meal complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, salad, rice, and varying desserts. Afterwards we had a time of celebration and devotions with the kids. Some children read verses and others shared aloud reasons why they are thankful. It was a nice chance to stop and reflect on all the blessings God has placed around us and also to remember all the things I take for granted in my life.

Today at school I organized a celebration with my students. Peruvians don't celebrate Thanksgiving, so we based our food selection on the movie Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving. We had tons of little sandwiches, popcorn, chips, cookies, candy, and more. If I put all of my pictures on here it would take days to upload, so either you'll have to check them out of Facebook or wait for my newsletter to see a few. After lunch, we watched Charlie Brown, read a few Thanksgiving stories that my mom had mailed me, and the kids colored turkeys and wrote stories to share with the class about why they are thankful. It was a long day, and my kids were quite hyper, but overall it was a success. Now if only our Christmas party goes that well.

Saturday I will prepare a real Thanksgiving dinner for some of the staff at the school. We will have turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and pumpkin pie. I usually help my mom with our family meal, but it will be a little bit different preparing the meal all by myself. I hope everything turns out okay :)

I cannot even begin to express the joy my heart feels. My time in Perú will soon come to an end, and parts of this experience will remain solely as memories. The weeks seem to be getting shorter as my departure date draws near yet at the same time that day seems so far away. I'm thrilled to be going home for Christmas, but my Peruvian family will always be close to my heart. I am so thankful that God had a plan for my life that was bigger than anything I ever imagined for myself.

Christmas Is Coming!

Christmas tree in the mall. Apparently at 9pm

they drop "snow" from the ceiling, but I was home

before that happened.

Teddy bear display in one of the stores.

I wanted to jump on the big one on the left,

but I was afraid the security guard would get me.

Outside decorations.


Santa's Workshop

Christmas will be here before we know it!

I went to the mall last night for dinner, and I became very excited when I saw that they had begun to put decorations out already. It seems to be quite an oxymoron to put out Christmas decorations with temperatures in the low 70s and rising, but that's the way it works here. I enjoyed shopping and looking at the items out for sale, thankfully knowing I have to bring everything home in just a few short weeks kept me from buying. I'm already worried my suitcases will be overweight. I may have to leave some things behind.

Timeless Memories

Tonight, as well as every other Wednesday night, I was blessed to be a part of devotions with the kids at the Children's Home as well as a little birthday celebration for one of the children.

Devotions with the older kids.

wE aRe FaMiLy!

Helping Vanessa understand her reading assignment about a slave girl in the United States around the time of 1716 and the Stamp Act...and I hated literature and history as an American student, let alone trying to learn American History as a Peruvian student.


Birthdays are a special reason for celebration.

I spend my entire day working with kids at school. Often times at 3:15 when my students leave, I am worn out and ready to kick back and relax. However, despite the exhaustion I often feel after a day's work, Wednesdays at the Children's Home are one of my most cherished parts of each week. When I arrived in August I started going on Wednesdays to help the children with their homework, particularly the students taking English courses. A few weeks later, Tuesday night devotions were moved to Wednesday evenings, so my night of homework also became a time to worship with the kids and learn more about our Saviour through the messages presented. I've gotten to celebrate the kids birthdays with them, I've learned lots of fun songs, and I've gotten to know the hearts of each child a little better through these times. These kids are the reason I'm here. Despite my love for teaching, I enjoy spending my free time with kids that just need someone to love them.

In exactly one month I will be sitting in the Jorge Chávez International Airport waiting to board my plane back to the United States. I am in disbelief at how quickly the last 3 months have passed, and while I am thrilled to be home just in time for Christmas, I am already dreading the good-byes that lie ahead. I am praying strongly, and I would like to invite you to pray with me and for me, as I seek out the path that lies beyond my current position. I feel a strong peace about returning to Perú next year, but I am still praying to see what God wants. Part of returning will require me to have a job which I have not yet encountered. Perhaps, that is God's way of telling me I will remain in the States. If that is the case, I wouldn't be upset, but leaving here in December will not be easy.

A Visit to the Mountains

Life in the mountains is very different from life here in Lima.

A view from the city after a hike up the mountain.

Our taxi couldn't make it up the hill, so we walked up.

Notice the woman tending her sheep on the side of

the mountain. There isn't a fence or anything

to keep them all in.

The town square in Huancayo. This was a beautiful park,

but I was more fascinated with the gorgeous clouds I hadn't seen in months.

For my birthday, the director of the school treated me to a weekend away in the mountains of Huancayo. We took a type of "charter bus" up through the Andes Mountains. The supposed to be 5 hour bus ride ended up being nearly 7 hours by the time we arrived. Thankfully, the bus had recliners for seats, so the ride was quite comfortable.

It was nice to get outside of the city and experience real Peruvian culture. Sometimes I think Lima is a very fake idea of what real life here is like. The trip itself was very relaxing and enjoyable. We had quite a few stories to tell once we arrived home. I've listed a few below...

• Dinner Friday night: Pollo Abrasado (a form of roasted chicken) and mashed potatoes with peaches and pineapple
• Saturday's tour of the city: 1 sol jewelry shop :), taxi that didn't have enough power to make it up the mountain, thunder and hail storm, taxi driver that had never eaten pizza nor did he know what it was
• Sunday we went to a street market (kind of like a flea market in the U.S.) They closed off a whole street for 5 or 10 blocks (an event that happens every Sunday and on holidays). Residents set up booths in the street to sell their products. They had everything including shoes, clothes (fake labels of popular brands), and artisan crafts. I got a few neat things.
• Our bus home left 30 minutes late and about 20 minutes down the road we got stopped for inspection which lasted about 45 minutes. We drove a few hours and hit a large amount of stopped traffic. Our bus parked for about 2 hours in which we got off to find out what was going on. This was the only road that leads up and down the mountain into Huancayo and other cities nearby, and come to find out there was a very bad accident involving a collision of 2 semis. Traffic was backed up for miles. Once we started moving again, it was about an hour drive before we ever reached the actual accident. After a nearly 10 hour drive from Huancayo we arrived back in Lima. I was so very thankful our bus was running late that morning as it could have been us in that accident had we been on time.

God is faithful. He's protected me in more ways than I have realized during my time here, and I'm so greatful for that. As I pray for his provision for my life next year, I've realized that I have done everything I can do. Now I need patience in waiting for him to reveal his perfect plan. Pray for me through the days ahead. Pray that I will know God's plan and that I will follow wherever he leads me.

I have 1 month and 1 day left here in Lima. I can't believe how fast the time has passed!

Twenty-Three

Taylor Swift wrote a song about life at the age of 15. In the song she shares about all the things teenage girls think are important. One of my favorite parts of the entire song is, "But in your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team." A few lines later she sings, "When all you ever wanted was to be wanted. Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now."

It's interesting the things we know and how much more we have to learn. I can honestly say, I never dated a guy on the football team, but I can relate with the song in other ways. When we're young the things that are important to us are often so small. As we grow older though, our passions and desires seem to change with us. As we become more mature and grow in our relationships with Christ our focus changes...at least mine has.

Last week I turned 23. The day itself wasn't much different from any other day, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. My students sang to me and gave me a giant card with some very funny messages written inside. I received many hugs and kisses from my students, and my first graders went around and each one said kind words to me which almost put me in tears. At Bible study, Elise made a red velvet cake, and everyone sang to me in English, two versions of Spanish, Chino, and they began another song as I blew out the candles not once but three times (Juan Carlos wanted the perfect picture).

Many pictures were taken of me being fed cake or feeding cake to others as teasing was being passed around the table as well. This is just one of the many pictures...I'm pretty Diego was making a comment in English that Nilton didn't understand as he only speaks Spanish. I'm rolling my eyes embarrassed about what is being said while Diego laughs and Nilton tries to figure out what is going on.

As I blew out the candles, I was reminded of all the "wishes" I'd made on many different birthday cakes throughout my years. Some of my wishes have been so shallow...I hope I get that toy for my birthday, I wish a certain boy would like me, etc. Maybe a few of those wishes came true throughout my life, but looking back on life now, those things while important at the time have little significance now.

I couldn't help but think Thursday evening about the country where I'm currently living, the children that I work with day in and day out whether that be at school or through Kids Alive. Kids that have nothing but are filled with joy. Children who hardly know their parents or kids that have been abandoned, yet they love so much. Kids who sometimes I wonder if their faith in God is greater than mine because they know how to look to God for literally EVERYTHING they need. I was overwhelmed by these thoughts and more as I celebrated my birthday. This year I wished simply to make a difference.

This picture was taken at devotions one evening at the children's home.
Antony always joins me on my lap during these
precious moments on Wednesday evenings.

Aquí Estoy

My friend Teresa

Nilton and Sarah

Hillsong United...I <3 the colors!

Aquí estoy, con manos alzadas vengo

Pues tú todo lo diste por mí.

Aquí estoy, mi alma a ti entrego,

Tuyo soy, Señor.

Last night Hillsong United held a concert-worship service in the soccer stadium here in Lima. A group of 6 of us went together, and we had a blast. We had tickets, but as we were in a standing section it was important to arrive early to get a great view. My friend Nilton arrived at 2 or 3 to wait in line, while the rest of us arrived around 5 after a long day of work. Doors opened at 5:30ish, we ran to get prime spots, and then we waited some more. The concert itself began about 8:15 with about 45 minute introductions and missions/video promotions before.

I enjoyed the people watching beforehand. The culture here is quite interesting. I found one family very clever as they unfolded the newspapers handed out on the street outside the concert and sat down. Who needs a blanket when you have free newspapers to sit on? Unlike a North American concert, Peruvians aren't known to cause a scene or argue. The line waiting to get in was quite calm, and once you had your spot to stand no one tried to shove you around. Of course we were packed in like sardines, so there was very little room to move, but people seemed a lot more Christian and friendly than some North American Christian concerts I've been to.

I very much enjoyed worshipping with the very diverse group of 10,000 (estimated)people..."brothers" as Nilton would say. Hillsong United does have a Spanish album, but as most of these songs are translations of the English version, the entire concert was bilingual. On the screen they put words both in Spanish and English for everyone to sing along. A few times everyone was singing English which was fun with the Peruvian accent, but I must admit, I really enjoyed the songs sung in Spanish and tried to sing in Spanish as much as possible.

God is at work in Perú, and I´m so excited that He has allowed me to be a part of it for this season of my life. Now the only question I have is...God how long will this season last? 5 weeks? Another year? An answer would be much appreciated as would your prayers!

Adults

When I was a child I used to think that adults had life all figured out. The older I get and the longer I teach the more I realize that adults often pretend to have things in order. We pretend in order not to worry others or in the case of teaching we sometimes are forced to pretend to know what's going on in order that our students feel secure and trust us.

I remember a few years back counting down the days until graduation in order that then I would know just what I was going to do with the rest of my life. However, nearly a year after graduation, I'm not sure I have any more figured out now than I did then. Yes I have a diploma, yes I love teaching, but where God wants me to teach...that's another whole topic.

I want so badly to follow God's calling for my adult life, but it's not always the easy thing to do for myself or those that are a part of my life, especially my family. Our human hearts and minds cannot always comprehend the ways of the Lord. I wish so bad that we could understand; hopefully when we get to heaven, everything will make perfect sense.

Please pray for whatever decisions I may need to make in the next 6 weeks. The main one being...what to do next year. I'm praying hard for God's plan and provision for my life. I'm trusting that at just the right time, his perfect plan will be revealed.

Blackened Feet

Sometimes I like to think in analogies. I actually haven't posted many of my analogical (is that a word?) thoughts, so I figured why not share one tonight.

If you know me, you know how much I love sandals and flip flops. I hate wearing socks and shoes on my feet! In a city where the ground is nothing but dust and dirt, this often leaves me with black feet at the end of the day. I've grown used to it, but I always appreciate being able to wash them at the end of the day.

Tonight as I was walking home from tutoring, a small thought crossed my mind. As I spent time alone making dinner, cleaning my room, and doing laundry, the same thought grew into a deeper, meaningful analogy that I couldn't just set aside to think about later.

I start each day with clean feet ready for the day's worth of activities. As the day wears on my feet become blackened by dust and dirt that I encounter along the way. At the end of the day, I am so glad for soap and water to wash away the "junk". Some days there are opportunities to wash my feet in between the day's activities; on these days, I'm especially grateful.

My black feet parallel very closely with many of our walks with God. How many times do we wake up and pray to start the day off right. We then go throughout our days gathering dirt and junk along the way. We are beaten, mocked, disappointed, etc. (speaking figuratively). For some, it isn't until the end of the day that they sit down to clean off the junk. It isn't until the day is said and done before we go to Christ once again to ask for his cleansing, his healing.

We don't have to wait until the end of the day, though. Just like I am especially grateful for the days when I have time to wash my feet in the middle of the day, we have multiple opportunities EVERY DAY to ask for God's cleansing throughout our days. Imagine how different your life could be if you went to God every time you encountered even a speck of "dirt". If each of us went to God with every piece of "junk" we come across throughout the day, our world would be a changed place. Lives would be restored, and joy would abound throughout the world. God doesn't want us to wait to clean up our lives. He wants us to come to him every minute of every day.

Quit only "cleaning your feet" at the beginning and end of each day. Ask for God's cleansing EVERY MOMENT of EVERY DAY! He is always near waiting for us to call on him!

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ~ Pray without ceasing!

Never Say Never

I have a friend who likes to remind me that the things we say we never will do are sometimes/often just what God has planned for us. The specific phrase she likes to remind me of goes as follows: Your mouth to God's ears.

I've been realizing more and more lately some of the things I said I'd never do. A few nights ago I made a long list in my mind of some of those things. Then I had to laugh at all the things on that list I had actually done. A few of the most applicable ones right now...

1. I will never live in a big city. Call it coincidence or call it God, but either way, I'm currently living in the biggest city in Peru.

2. I will never teach in a Christian school. Again, coincidence or God call it what you will. I hope it doesn't make me a bad Christian, but I have a really hard time with the close-minded education that comes from many Christian schools; and many of my reasons for this statement have been confirmed in the recent months. I plan to share more of these thoughts when I'm no longer under contract with a Christian school...whenever that may be.

3. I will never date/marry someone shorter than me. I'm still holding on to this one. Those of you at home that keep hoping...sorry, but so far I haven't found too many tall, attractive Peruvian men. I like wearing heels too much to date someone shorter than me :)

I guess all that being said, maybe my friend is right. God likes to take what we think we cannot do and make it an experience in which we give the glory to him. Thank you, Kayla for your words! What a great reminder of God's providence in our lives.

Trick or Treat

Another month completed...another week has passed me by. Things don't seem to be slowing down any between now and the end. I now have a private student a few nights a week in order to help another teacher out. I will be tutoring a 19 year old boy who is preparing to take the SAT to study in the States. It'll give me a few extra soles to buy Christmas presents with :)

It didn't feel much like Halloween today. I don't get into the holiday so much, but I have great childhood memories of going door to door in the freezing cold fall weather, ringing door bells, and saying, "Trick or Treat" or walking down the street repeating, "Trick or treat. Smell my feet. Give me something good to eat." I remember church parties, school activities, and being almost sick from eating so much candy.

Halloween can be a very disturbing holiday, and many of the Christian faith no longer participate in the events of this day. The Christian school where I am working does not even mention Halloween. A few classes did lessons on why Halloween is not/should not celebrated by Christians. I also noticed that unlike the States where there are fall parties, Noah's Ark parties, milder versions of Halloween that still enable the kids to dress up and receive candy, churches here really don't do such things. It's just like a normal Saturday afternoon.

This evening, I went on a stoll through Miraflores. I enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the ocean, and did a little bit of street shopping at Parque Kennedy. Vendors come and set up their booths right in the middle of the park. Having actually forgotten it was Halloween, I was quickly reminded what date it was when I began to see many people dressed slightly out of the ordinary. It was interesting to see how this culture celebrates this unique day. The costumes were not near as elegant or elaborate as many costumes in the United States. Most were not a full costume but rather one simple part...masks, butterfly wings, dresses or capes, etc. Kids trick or treat in the stores, to the street vendors, and even to people as they drive by in their cars. Not near as many adults were dressed up which I was quite glad for as I was worried about the bus on the way home tonight. If adults do host parties like they do in the States, I must have missed that crowd.

It's hard to believe November is here already. I can't believe I have less than 7 weeks left here. It's been quite an experience, and I've enjoyed each part of it.

WoW

Basically the title sums up just about everything going through my mind right now. I cannot even begin to describe all the emotions I've felt over the last few months here in Perú. God has shown me a lot and taught me so many things. It's too bad that I had to be removed from everything "comfortable" in order to experience him in the ways I've met him the last 2 1/2 months. I would not trade this experience for anything in the world, and I am so grateful to each of you for your support.

I absolutely love the time I spend at the Kids Alive home. Honestly, that is why I'm here. Of course I'm "teaching" and using my university diploma, but the kids at the home are what really get me excited. It's nice to walk through the door and be greeted with millions of hugs and kisses, kids begging to be played with, and others begging for help with their homework. (Okay, so maybe I'm the one begging them to sit down and let me help with their homework, but it's all the same, right?) Tonight, the Canadian team shared one last evening with the kids after two weeks of hard labor in Pachacamac (the location of the new home). I was blessed by the children singing 2 songs for the 'despedida' (good-bye) of the team. If you're friends with me on Facebook you should check out the video (thanks to Elise) - and if you're not friends with me, we should probably be friends ;) I can't help but imagine that God was even more blessed by these small yet mighty voices than I myself was.

Now that word is out that I am for sure leaving in December to go home for Christmas, the new question everyone seems to be asking is, "When are you coming back?" It's a question with a complicated answer that right now only God knows. I'm praying for a clear understanding of where I'm supposed to be in the year 2010. You're prayers in this area would be much appreciated!

Not that I'm counting, but...31 student days of school...36 staff days...51 days until I'm home for Christmas.

The Week in Review

This week was a rather relaxed week. As far as I can recall, it was the first week where I haven't felt like I'm running, running, running, from one thing to the next. Of course, I still had things to do nearly every day, but it was a different kind of busy.

With the planning and preparations for the school's anniversary behind me, I can focus my work in the classroom on my students goals and the work they must finish before the end of the year (which is only 34 school days away). In theory, each student should finish a minimum of 60 or maximum of 72 "workbooks" during a school year. Coming in halfway through the school year, I have little control over how many the students did in the beginning of the year. I have some students that have only finished 25 "workbooks" and others that have finished 58. This means I get to really push some of my students to finish stuff, and I get to prepare other materials for the students that are ahead to do. It wouldn't be bad, but the extra activities all have to be approved, and well that isn't always easy to do. I've been having to resort to making my students sit and read (which does help with English comprehension) or make them copy words and illustrations from children's books into their notebooks...yup, that's pretty much what my options are. Next week, the students that are ahead and received an 88 on any test will use the extra time to repeat their old workbooks to ensure they have mastered the concepts in the workbooks.

My students did get to enjoy me slightly panic a bit this week, and they got a mini science out of it, too. Wednesday morning my day began with a student almost in tears because a spider was in her office and she was scared. I don't like spiders either, but being the adult in the situation I had no choice but to suck it up and help the poor kid. As I tried to kill the spider it began to climb up the string/silk hanging from the web created in the window. My kids had all kinds of questions about how that little piece of silk can hold the spider and how the web can hold bugs for the spider to eat. I enjoy their inquisitive minds.
Later in the afternoon on Wednesday, a young bird flew into our classroom. (I guess that's what happens when there is no air and the only way to keep the room cool is to open windows - with no screens- and doors.) It was a beautiful, baby finch that barely knew how to fly. I tried my best to ease it onto a board to move it toward an outside source. I'm not sure who was more scared, the bird trying to get out of the room or myself trying to shew the bird out of my classroom without getting divebombed by it's lack of flying skills. My kids got a kick out of watching me and listening to me screech during the process.

I honestly can say, that while somedays I really struggle with the system I'm in; I can say I have liked having freedom in the evenings to be able to go out and enjoy my time here. My life here would have been a lot different if I had to spend my evenings writing lesson plans and preparing materials. However, I can't wait to be a real teacher and plan lessons and activities that agree with my philosophy and methodologies.

This week I was able to go to the Children's home both Monday and Wednesday evening. I went Monday because there is a team here from Canada, and I knew Wednesday wouldn't be very productive homework wise with the children. However, Monday they had special activities at school, so no one had homework. I enjoyed just hanging out with them and meeting a few of the mission team members. On Wednesday, I helped the kids with homework, had dinner with the Canadian team, and attended devotions with the kids. The team along with some of the kids had put together a worship band for devotions. I enjoyed the change of pace as did many of the kids.

Thursday nights Bible studies are always one of the highlights of my week even though I hardly mention them here. You never know who will show up, but the evenings always prove to be beneficial and hold just what God knows I need. This week we were supposed to finish our study of Galatians, but with a very different and small group compared to normal we ended up just talking. We finished the night with some of the Canadian team members playing piano and violin while one of the Peruvians played guitar and we all sang worship music...some in Spanish, some in English.

I'm looking forward to a very relaxing weekend and most likely a similar week next week. However, if I've learned one thing since I got here it's that you can never be too sure of your plans. Things tend to change in a heartbeat. I kind of like it...it keeps things interesting!

Cuando Dios Abre una Puerta

Sometimes God puts things in front of us, and we don't accept the challenge because it appears too difficult, it seems impossible, or we think our plans are better. Sometimes he opens doors and we don't walk through them because they appear too easy or too obvious. I'm guilty of both, but recently I'm learning to really look at all things that come at me and see God in all situations.

God opened doors for me to come to Perú quite a few times, but it wasn't until I actually came back on a mission trip that I decided it wasn't impossible or too big. I had to check things out one more time and prove to myself I could do it before I was fully convinced that maybe I would be okay. Since coming, I've had a wonderful time, and God has opened many doors that have allowed me to see many parts of Lima and meet many wonderful people. Somedays when I'm out enjoying the city, I don't even feel like I'm hundreds of miles away from everything I used to know.

I'm looking for the right door to walk through for the year 2010. Today I phoned a few Peruvian schools about openings, and I continue to look for openings back in the great state of Indiana, too. I went to a Peruvian friend's home today for lunch, and she handed me a magazine that lists most of the private schools in Lima. I will search through the list and see if any are contact worthy. I continue to pray for wisdom and certainty in whatever decision I make. I want to be where God wants me, but I'm not sure where the door is.

In other news, yesterday I got to enjoy a professional Peruvian ballet (for free) about a mischevious girl whose mother would not allow her to be with the man she loved. In the end they ended up together; it was a beautiful ballet. We had seats in the box on the 2nd level, too. I felt like a celebrity. The theater was gorgeous, also; it was a 100 year old theater with very classic decor.

I have great connections! Thank you to everyone in Perú that has made my first 2 months a wonderful experience :)

Happy Birthday LISofT

Practice...the days leading up to the big day.

My students very much enjoyed being able to

help decorate the classroom.

The stage for the plays. It turned out very nice.

First graders...The Stoning of Steven

First graders...The Conversion of Saul.

Second & Third Graders...Peter in the House of Cornelius.

Second & Third Graders...Peter's Miraculous Escape from Jail

Second & Third Graders...Peter shares the gospel with Mary and Rhoda

It was a very long week, but all of the hard work paid off today. My third week here, I wrote the plays the students acted today. We have been practicing at least one hour each day for the last two weeks not to mention the many days before that learning the Bible stories and teaching the true meanings behind the scripts. This last week my students devoted two entire days to practicing and helping to decorate the classroom. Yesterday the students came a half day for rehearsal. After the students left, we spent the afternoon decorating and preparing the last details for today.

Today we arrived at 8 a.m. to finish up anything necessary. The students came at 10:00 to put on their costumes and run through the lines one final time. The parents rotated into our classroom in three sessions. My students were very tired by the end, but they cheered up when I offered them lollipops for doing so well today. I was honestly impressed with their performances today and their overall behavior. They've come so far in the last two months...it makes a teacher proud :)

My weekend seems backwards. I have Monday off since we worked today, so it will be like having Sunday and Saturday switched. I get to go to a Peruvian ballet tomorrow for free which should be a lot of fun. The husband of one of the teachers I work with works for the theater and received 4 tickets for the ballet. I'm excited to see it. I thoroughly enjoy weekends and getting out to see different parts of the city. Each district has it's own uniqueness...it never gets old.

School Anniversary

On Saturday the school will host its 15th Anniversary Open House.

By tomorrow evening the school will look nothing like

it does when we begin school tomorrow.

Each classroom has presentations.

There is a food competition.

We will have prizes and a raffle drawing.

There is a sports competition between staff and students.

The staff is stressed, the kids are "crazy", and work is hard this week

Your prayers for the success of this event

and the sanity of all would be much appreciated.

I will be sure to update with pictures as soon as I have time to sit and relax...

man, I think I've forgotten what that is after a week like this.

I'll be so thankful to have Monday off from school :)

Time Flies

Today marks the end of my 2nd month here in Perú. I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed, and I'm sure the remaining 2 months and 7 days will go by just as quickly. There's so much still that I want to see and do, but the school calendar doesn't really allow for much time off. I guess I'll just have to make the most of my weekends and fit in as much as possible.

Some things I've learned in the last few months...

• God watches out for us more than we give him credit for.
• Policemen only make $200 a month, and if pulled over they can be bribed.
• Firemen are all volunteer.
• If you choose to wear sandals, you will have black feet even if you just go a block down the road. Don't complain; it's the way of life.
• Just because you order something for dinner, doesn't mean your friends won't want to try it. They will probably finish it off for you too if you don't eat it fast enough. ;) Sharing food is a way of life. It's also very common to order one bottle of pop or jar of juice and the whole table shares.
• Plans aren't definite. You take things as they come.
• There are no rules on the road. What matters is who's bigger and faster. I will say, it is a lot better than my trip in 2007 though. Just stay away from the major roads during rush hours.
• The Spanish language is a lot more expressive than English.
• Perú's history is amazing and diverse.
• And my favorite one: Giving a wrong answer is better than giving no answer at all.

I'm sure I've learned more. In fact, I know I have, but at this moment in time I can't think of anything else. I should start writing things down so that during times like these I can remember them.

Clinging to His Promises

There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank God for his protection and provision in my life. Each day I am reminded of his grace and his sovereignty, his protection and his love. As I reflect back on my week, I can recall multiple times when I was forced into silence and prayer of thanks to God. He is an almighty God, and I'm clinging to his promise that "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

• I heard a few testimonies this week that when put simply "blew me away". God does change lives!
• I am beginning to understand portions of my past that didn't work out quite how I wanted them to, and I'm so thankful now that things didn't go my way. It's often hard to believe it, but God does have a plan that is much bigger and much beter than the plans we often have for ourselves. I'm not a huge Miley Cyrus fan, but multiple times recently her song "The Climb" have resonated within me. /But I gotta keep trying. Gotta keep my head held high. There's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle. But sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there. Ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb./ I'm so glad that we lose sometimes; God's ways are always better in the end.
• My students are actually beginning to behave themselves for the most part...a huge answer to prayer. I'm very much looking forward to the changes that will come from them in the last two months of school.
• < Mom DON'T read (-: > Tonight on my way home from a day with a friend, my bus was pulled over by the police. Luckily, I was only 2 blocks from my stop, so I decided to get off and walk the rest of the way. The policeman spoke to me from his car as I walked by and asked where I was going to which I simply responded, "This is my stop." He told me to have a good evening, and I continued on. - You can't tell me God didn't plan that one more perfectly...okay, maybe being pulled over at my stop would have been even better, but 2 blocks is nothing to complain about.
• I have been pushed and pulled and challenged in my faith a lot while I've been here and in my preparations before I even decided to move to Peru. A lot of it has been internally, but through it all I have grown so much in the Lord. He is wonderful and his love for us truly does extend to the ends of the earth. The lyrics from the song "Motions" by Matthew West are very dear to me in this season of my life. /I don’t wanna go through the motionsI don’t wanna go one more dayWithout Your all consuming passion inside of meI don’t wanna spend my whole life askingWhat if I had given everything?Instead of going through the motions./

This week overall was a wonderful week. We finished one 9-week grading period, and Friday we had a work day to do grades, organize the classroom for the final grading period, and begin work on the props for the school anniversary. Saturday I went with my co-teacher to get pedicures for her birthday. They don't have all the fancy equipment that we have in the States, but it was a nice, relaxing experience for only 20 Soles (about $7). I spent the rest of the afternoon out with another teacher shopping and enjoying the warm sunshine. Today after church I met up with a friend for the day. We bought tickets to the Hillsong United Concert that is in Lima on November 10, had a delicious Chufa (Chinese) lunch, went to the National Museum, and talked over coffee at Starbucks.

The school anniversary is on Saturday. This week is sure to be a stressful one as we do the final planning and all of the preparations for this special day. I've been told that if I can make it through this week the rest of the school year is a quick, easy downhill slide. Please pray for me as well as the other staff members and students at the school this week. I'm sure by Saturday evening we will all be exhausted.

I took a few pictures at the museum today. Peru's culture and history is so interesting. Having three very different regions (coast, mountains, and jungle) makes it an extremely diverse nation. Enjoy!

A view of the city from the 6th floor of the museum.

Peruvian Pyramids

I'm not exactly sure what this was, but I thought it was cool.

The women are pulling the animals that are carrying the man.

I'm not sure if the guy on top in the center is some sort of leader or not.

I guess I should have asked my tour guide.

There was a whole section dedicated to different kites.

I decided I wanted to fly one today, but this was as close as I got.

Maybe another day, at the beach ;)

My tour guide & friend, Nilton,

with a very culturalistic painting.

Ja-ja!

Just a Thought

Closing school on Thursday for a national holiday and making the teachers come to work on Friday is like a bad joke. It wasn't a bad day, but it felt very pointless to spend my day at school having had yesterday off and tomorrow being the weekend.

Happy Friday!

Feriado: Combate de Angamos

Today was a national holiday; therefore, I did not have to teach. Instead of taking a day off from children, I decided to help out and spend my day with the children at the Kids Alive home while the mamás went to a Women's Conference. We took the kids down the road to gather/pick berries on the side of the street, watched Hannah Montana (in Spanish, which was quite an interesting concept...Imagine Miley Cyrus talking in Spanish.), played outdoors, and played with homemade play-dough. It was a different sort of day, but it was a fun day nonetheless.

Stephanie y Yo

Mercedes y Esther chasing a balloon trying not to let it hit the ground.

Jesus y Michel playing in the sandbox.

Shirley y Rosa

Hockey...The new sport of choice.

Antony y Fernando enjoying the plastalina

Josue making maple leaves...
I told him that Maples were the city tree near where I live near in the U.S. :)