Iquitos, Peru

Iquitos, Peru

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Our last week here....

I wrote this during our last week in Peru and due to the business of our lives and lack of internet there and here when we arrived, I am just now posting this. I hope you will still find this interesting...

Well, our last week in Peru. So much has been going on. We have spent the week trying to make the transition a little easier when we leave. You know, meetings, chatting with the girls, trying to get things figured out and straightened out. We have had a few interesting moments, as can only be experienced abroad.

David and I were coming back from running a few errands in town and ended up arriving at the entrance of the dark, dirt road towards Santo Tomas.  There were no motokars there and so we waited, and we waited and well, waited some more. There were some volunteers for taking us out there, but there was a guy that kept telling us we shouldn't go with just any motokar driver out there because they do not know the terrain and well, just aren't known! So we waited...all along there was a group of Policemen sitting around where we were with their nice truck. Soon, they were offering to take us in to Santo Tomas. Since there was no other option, in we climbed praying they were legitimate and with two cops inside and two in the bed of the truck, we were escorted in. Two or three other guys hopped in the back for  ride, too. We were glad. There have been a few murders and attacks recently on that road at night. When I asked why the road was getting so dangerous, the cps responded it was due to the fact that it was the Christmas season!  Nice way to start the Holidays!

Speaking of holidays. We had a chance to spend Thanksgiving at the home of some wonderful friends and missionaries. We even had pumpkin(not really) pie, pecan pie, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, etc.. It was wonderful!!!! What a blessing!

One of our girls celebrates her fifteenth birthday this Sunday. What that means to me is lots of work, planning and money has to go into this day. I have been working on this for weeks! Gabi's mom came by today. She had wanted to help with the food and had offered some chickens for the the special lunch. Sure enough, she brought two beautiful roosters that were walking around, clucking. I about died thinking about how we would have to kill and deplume these birds before Sunday dinner. I just can't do it! I talked to our cook and asked her her plan. She told me not to worry, she would break their necks and put them to bleed out early Sunday morning. I am just hoping to be busy somewhere a long ways away!!!

There is great sadness as we get ready to leave this next week. We have come to love and cherish the people here. This Thanksgiving, as I struggled with all that is happening surrounding our return, God gave me a verse in Psalms that talks about the sacrifice of thanksgiving. I realized then, that God wants me to be thankful for EVERYTHING in my life. Not just the good, nice, fun and wonderful but also the difficult, the painful, the unfair and the confusing. So, this thanksgiving I am thanking God for all of that!  Whatever it takes to walk closer to Him and change me to be more like Him!

Here are some of the pictures of what has happened this week! Enjoy and we are praying for you and yours over this holiday season. We will be seeing a lot of you all soon....

Jen Bostik is the BEST cook! Look at these pies she made!!!

Jen finishing up the preparations and she has flowers to boot!!

Enjoying a wonderful thanksgiving with everyone!

Jen and Adam along with Paul and others sharing what we are thankful for...

Jen and her little one!
Marcos and Angel in boots!

Camu Camu a fruit that is the highest in vit. C and grows right on our campus

Matthew and Elvira making Camu Camu juice

One last roach killing before we leave!

Mama T(Teresa) our helper for our little kids

Mama Aurelia the best cook ever!

Vivian growing like a weed!

One of the chickens who gave his life for the birthday party!

Friday, November 19, 2010

The end of our vacation....

Well, we are now at the end of a wonderful time with my family. Today we head back to Iquitos, and my family heads back to the States. What an incredible experience we have had in Cusco and Machu Pichu. We truly have made wonderful memories together. Matthew and Kristi have enjoyed being with their Nana and Grandpa as well as my Aunt and Uncle. Well, we head back to our girls, to put some closure as we pack and head back to life in the United States on Dec. 1. Please pray that God will lead us as we make the transition to US life.

Enjoy some of our pictures of this last week. You can see some of the diversity of this incredible country. Sadly, no matter where we went, poverty is still so prevalent!

a small child in Cusco

Cusco downtown square

one of the amazing churches in Cusco

Loved the architecture...rocks on the bottom from the Inca time with the Spanish colonials building above

Kristi enjoying some warm soup!

Some Llamas

Matthew and Kristi got a chance to ride the Llamas

Local ladies doing some weaving

Some amazing Inca ruins found in the Cusco area
Looking over the Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley

Chincheros

The train to Machu Pichu

Kids first train ride...it was beautiful!!

Machu Pichu...breathtaking!

After my Dad fell trying to take a picture of a chinchilla...I think he might have broken his arm!

Some of the incredible ruins

Some of the views arond Machu Pichu...truly the top of the world!

Some of the many terraces

More ruins...


Just incredible!!


Always an adventure....

So last week was incredibly crazy! We have been enjoying my parents visit and at the same time I have been so busy with the girls!  So  much has happened...I truly believe that every day here is an adventure waiting to happen. Last Saturday night as I was tucking my girls to bed, there was a horrible thunder storm. A bolt of lightning hit so close, it scared all of us to death! Unfortunately, out went our electricity and with that, our water. Sunday morning found us at the local water pump with bandejas so we would have water to make breakfast that morning and clean up. The way I see it, who needs a bicep work out when all you have to do is pump water!

 A few days later, after my parents came, I took the org.'s truck with my mom, aunt, Matthew and Kristi to a sanctuary so we could do a little bird watching. But, as usual, nothing goes as planned! As I was driving, I noticed a strange noise. And sure enough, our tire went flat on kilometer 13 on our way to Nauta, and try as I might, I couldn't figure out how to drop that spare from the bottom of the truck. Our guide, knew nothing of what to do, so we called Paul (who we now call our AAA service) and he helped us get back on the road.
The next day found us at the Bora tribe and up the Amazon river. We all had a wonderful time. That afternoon, while shopping at our little next door bodega for food items for our food baskets, Jess comes running in to tell me we have an emergency. One of our girls has fallen off the scooter, while trying to learn how to drive. I raced back over wondering what I would find. There is so much drama in a house full of girls that you really can't believe everything you hear. But, one look at Olga's right arm told me we were hospital bound again. Into the truck we go, to Iquitos hospital we head, wondering what kind of service we would find! Well, what an expereince that was. First we go in, we are immediately sent away with a slip of paper to pay for an x-ray. Then I get told I need to find the tech to see if they are here since there is a strike going on. Just then Camila came who is a pro at dealing with the hospitals. That left us waiting for the verdict. A while later, and much sadness and heartache witnessed in waiting outside of the hospital, Camila comes out to say that, yes, she has a broken arm and a dislocated elbow. Oh, and she will have to spend the night in the hospital. Out we go, back to the house to get her necessities, bowl, plate, sheets, clothes, etc. so she can be admited. Now it is raining. WE go and then come back again. Finally we leave her with Camila at the hospital, praying she wont need surgery and head back out to the house. Three girls on a dangerous dirt, road at 11:30 on a rainy night makes for quite a site. It didn't help that Elvira, one of our older girls spent her time telling us of different attacks she knows of that have happened to her and her brother! I drive as fast as the truck will take me on a muddy river we call our road! Praise the Lord for His protection, we made it back.  The next day we ended up sending her to the Ana Stahl clinic because they could do her surgery that day instead of waiting four days to fix her arm. She is now recouperating well....must say, the number of girls lining up to learn how to drive a scooter has dropped dramatically!

Oh, next morning found me at 5am waiting at the Posta, our local clinic, so that a couple of our girls can get seen by the Dr. You see, they only see 24 government insurance patients a day. So if you want to get seen for free, you get up early and wait 2 hours for the Doc. And that is exactly what I was doing. Like I said, always something!

I am sure there is more, but we will leave it at this for now. It is hard to believe that we leave in just two weeks. My heart is sad, there is so much that needs to be done. There are so many that need to be reached with the good news!
mom and dad on a motorkar

dancing with the Bora

tuckered after a day on the Amazon River

Aunt Lois, Mom and Matthew birding

Dad enjoying some time with Angel at worship
Uncle Don and Dad making Mangu breakfast for the girls...they didn't like it!

Delivering food baskets to families in Union. Mom and Dad's church donated money for this

Everyone was soooo grateful!

Our flat tire with our AAA service helping us out!
Jess and Elvira waiting at the hospital

Olga at the Ana Stahl Clinic waiting for surgery

Olga and her daughter Sarai before we leave for the night
Breann, our knew volunteer with Vivian

Mom and Aunt Lois as they leave the girls

Dad ,Uncle Don, and David as they leave