Fun with the family!

My parents and my uncle and aunt arrive!

Driving in a morokar downtown to grab a bite to eat

We all fit in one car

Well, my parents and my husband have arrived! How wonderful to have all of us together in the jungles of Peru! What a blessing! Well, this week I tried a new pepper that put my mouth on fire. I poured a bunch of them on my food the other day while our gardener and cook looked on in amazement. I really didn't understand why. I thought everyone ate these charapitas. Well, after about a couple of bites of these I about died! The table burst in laughter as they explained that the peppers were only to give the onions and water that they were soaking in, flavor and spice. I no longer add these to my food.
The other night as I laid in bed, I was once again reminded that we are surrounded by living creatures of all kind. Some of which I am sure have a party every night on our roof. The kids and I were having an interesting conversation when we were interrupted by the sounds of MICE or RATS running around wild on our ceiling! Oh, how wonderful to not feel alone in the world!
This last evening we went out to eat with my family. How wonderful to eat pizza and drink cold maracuya juice! After that we strolled on the plaza, ate shambos (popcicles) and headed home. In our motokar I notice that the driver had baby shoes hanging all around him. I asked him what they were about. He said that he started collecting them off the road about 15 days ago. He feels that they have become a good luck charm and have helped him get more people to use his car and even has noticed that his first customers of the day tend to be moms with children or pregnant women. I told him that surely he did not believe that.  I explained that God is the one that blesses. As I left him at our drop off place I gave him a little extra money and told him it wasn't the shoes, but God that was blessing.  I love the people here!! So many to reach!



Here are some pictures of what has been going on this week!

We celebrated David's 43rd birthday on the day he arrived

Enjoying some family time!

Enjoying some good food together!

And enjoying time with grandpa!

Sabbath Musings...

Well, we now only have a little over three weeks left of our time here. Due to some circumstances beyond my control, we are heading back Dec. 1. There is so much left undone here, my heart really aches. The girls, I know, will be fine. It is just the ideas, the future of the organization, the people we are getting to know and so  much more that I hate to leave. Just today, as I stayed home from church with Kristi and a few other girls, I realized that I will so miss the relationships that we have formed here. As the rest of the girls were coming home from church, they were stopped by the guy that watches the chickens on  our property. He said that he needed something for a fever. So, I went down there and asked what was going on and if he needed anything else, since there is a BAD flu going around. Nope, he informed me that it was Malaria. So the poor man, has been sleeping on the ground, miserable with malaria and just asked if we had something for the fever. Several Ibuprofen, and some lunch later, I hope he is feeling a little better. Soon after that, I get a call from another friend that was wondering if I had something for a fever for another person's daughter. It seems like everyone in our community is sick!  So many times people knock at our door requesting some meds. Even though a lot is given them through the government, they still cannot afford even the basics. The other day I got stopped by our neighbor lady wondering if I had drops to give her that would help her see better. She is in her late 40's and said she is struggling to see. I told her I didn't think drops would do the trick, she probably needed glasses. She asked if I would give her mine. Ummm, tried to explain mine would do her little good since my problem is astigmatism. I did tell her I would see what I could do. I found out you can buy glasses and get a consult for about 90 soles which is equivalent to about $30.00. For her, that is a lot of money!!  Am hoping to try to help her get some soon.

The fact is, there are so many people with so many needs that sometimes I feel quite overwhelmed and just do nothing. But as I face going back to the States, I worry even more about becoming apathetic to the call of Jesus to reach out and share the gospel with eveyrone. Sharing Jesus has become a daily thing in my life here. Talking about Him to our girls, our staff, having worship talks, and just being drawn to my knees due to circumstances in my life, has brought me so much closer to Him. I pray that somehow, wherever we end up, I wont lose that. Why is it so hard to stay focused in the United States? Hmmm...just wondering. Well, enough musings, praying that all of you will be drawn closer to our Saviour, our Lord, our Friend and that somehow you will find a way to share Him today with someone you know. God Bless....

Oops, I always forget something else I want to share! I have attached some photos of Matthew's birthday, his new Peru shirt and some other fun picutres.  Enjoy!

Blowing the candle on the birthday cake!

I love my kids!!!

Matt's new Peru shrit

Matthew with some of the family

Matthew helping in the kitchen...grading Yuca

Food for thougt....

Well, it is hard to believe almost another week has gone by. We are so excited because this next week my parents and my uncle and aunt are coming to see us!!! But more exciting than that, David is finally coming, too. He will get to be with us for  the last weeks we are here. I was looking at Matthew this week and noticed how skinny he has become. I feel so bad, the food has been one of the most difficult areas for us. I love my kids and know that they have sacrificed a lot being here serving God.  So, last night, I took my two kids down town to eat at a restaurant that serves American food. We had a wonderful time together and just enjoyed a small taste of home. As we left, we grabbed an ice cream bar across the street and started walking to catch a motokar back home. On the corner, there was a man looking at our bag of left overs, asking if we could please give him the food. Of course, we handed it over(sorry Jess) and also the little bit of ice cream we had left on the stick. He grabbed it all greedily and left to eat. Just then a little girl came over and asked for food. Unthinkingly, I told her that we had just given our food away. It wasn't until minutes later, sitting in the motokar, that I realized that I should have just taken her to a little place and bought her some food. Forgive me, Lord, for not thinking quick enough! We left down town a little more pensive and thoughtful about those who are in such need around us.

Here are some more pictures of what we have been doing this week...

Jess and Nelcy washing dogs

Poor Bobby

Just thinking...

Krist and Jess finishing putting together the weight machine that Jess won running a 14K

Matt enjoying some good food!!

There is Kristi, too!

The place is called the Yellow Rose of Texas!

One of our girls moves out...a little bit more on her own!

Our little good-bye party for Keyla

This last week, one of our girls took a small step towards independence! She and her special needs son moved into town to live at the office. We will so miss having Keyla and Kevin around. I am so proud of her!! We had cupcakes made from a box purchased in the States to celebrate! Oh, they were sooooo good!!! The whole point of our girl's home. We take them in, help them with all their basic, emotional and spiritual needs, as well as  their education. When they reach university level,  the plan is for them to move into town, closer to the university to continue their education, maturation and independence process.  Unfortunately, there is only one room built now for mom and child to live in. We need money to continue the  building  process so our older girls have a place to live soon! Kinda neat to see the process in the works....If you are interested in looking into the organization that makes this possible go to http://peopleofperu.org/

And there is more....

It has been awhile, again, since I have written so you are getting a bundle of posts today. Life has gotten a little more complicated with the loss, this last week, of dear friends and volunteers that have been here for two years. Aaron and Kelly Linfoot left Sunday evening to head home. What an inspiration they have been to me. Our family has laughed, cried and prayed together with them over the 5 months we have been here.  I know that God will continue to lead in their lives, but they have left a hole in not only our hearts, but in all the girl's hearts at POPPY's house. Not to mention that we are now just a tad more busy without their help :)

My kids have been sick this week. I am convinced the local whatever flu that comes around this jungle community is a whopper! Matthew has been running high fevers, horrible cough and generally  not feeling good. Took him to the local little clinic and for $1.00 had a Dr. check him over and had him checked for Malaria, a quite rampant disease in our little town. Praise the Lord, Malaria turned out negative. And we are just waiting for him to get better.

This monday our gardner came in after worhip and said that he was so sorry that he had been late for worship. He explained that his neighbor had come by early that morning and told him that he was the cause of their son being sick. Juanito, our gardner, told me that his neighbor's son had gone up river to visit a witch doctor trying to find a cure for whatever disease he had. I guess this 20 year old young man had been sick for awhile and had tried other routes of getting better, to no avail.  So, they gave him some hallucinagenic potion and he saw Juanito and his wife and was told they were the cause. So poor Juanito was unsure what to do. I told him that we should go over and pray with the young man and his mom and see what God would do! That night it poured! Due to the bad roads we postponed our trip. I called the local pastor and he couldn't join us, so I called the head elder of our church and he said he would join us. We headed out the next day around 5pm. Juanito somehow let them know we were coming and they said they would be waiting for us. What a sad, little community we arrived in. Sad in that there are so many poor, destitute people that have no hope, no earthly comforts and yet keep on keeping on.  I had to duck to get in the door, sat on a little stool in the dark little dirt-floored house, and began talking with the mom. It seems the young man was gone. Didn't want to see us, I presume.  We talked about Jesus, His power and the importance of choosing him. the elder read some verses  and in the end the mom gave her heart to the Lord!! What a blessing...I just pray that she can keep her faith, sent a Christian book for encouragement and she already had a Bible. So many lost and needy people. The devil is ready to take them all...we so need to help!!!

Oh, I forgot! Aaron, Matthew and Juanito went and picked up the wood we helped purchase for one of the houses in the neighborhood. This wood has been hand cut with a chain saw! Amazing...


One more thing...we tried to go to a HUGE get together with all the Adventist churches in town this last week. We were excited about it. What a mess!! There were so many people, it was sooo hot, and noisy that we turned around and came back home to have our own church there. Just part of the fun in Peru!

Our family picture before Aaron and Kelly leave...we miss you!!

Matthew reading while waiting for the farewell party to begin...someone watching him do it!

Meri giving her baby a bath...she is a cutie!

Kimberly and Tatelyn Blood with Kristi...they left on Oct. 24, too. Miss you guys!!

Slumber party...last night that Aaron and Kelly are with us

Early morning and everyone's still sleeping

Our faithful dog, Bobby

Delivering the boards

Matthew helping

Amazing how straight they can make them with the chain saw

Juanito helping too

The mass of people at the last Sabbath get together...it was soooooooo HOT!!

We couldn't find a place to sit

Matthew reading again with the crowd around him.

Yep...another visit to the hospital!

The foreigners were taking a little break last week playing Monopoly in Aaron and Kelly's room when one of our girls shows up at their window huffing and puffing, crying out, "Angel has hurt his head, blood is everywhere, come quick!" I ran out of the room, bolted downstairs where five year old Angel sat with his mom applying pressure to his head. There was blood running down his neck, face and on his clothes. I quickly inspected the head wound of the screaming child and saw that it was a small, fairly deep wound. They told me he slipped, fell and rammed into the door frame as he was running into his room. Now what...hospital and stitches or pressure and wait. Well, into our little moto furgon we went and Aaron whisked us away to one of the local state hospitals. What a sight! A bunch of people were waiting in the ER. Because we had blood and gauze on the head, they let us in first. I was wondering what I would experience inside. We went into this dirty little room that said "Topical" on the sign and then waited for the Dr. He quickly showed up, inspected the wound and then gave me a list of supplies I would need to go purchase at a local pharmacy. Out I went and found the hospital pharmacy, waited in line to be told what items they had, waited in line again at a different spot to pay for them, waited in line again to pick the items up. Oops, they didn't have the suture we needed, better go to another pharmacy across the street. Picked up what we needed, headed back into the hospital, handed the items to the Dr. Then he told me I needed to go and pay for the procedure. Out I go again, wait in line again at a different place to pay for the procedure. Back I go into the hospital, hand the receipt to the Dr. By now, sure I was good for the money, he had already stitched up Angel, and we were good to go!  Another exciting end to our day. So sorry I don't have pictures of this either, it was already dark,  I was in a hurry and didn't grab the camera, but I hope you can get just a small picture of what it is like to go to the hospital around here.

Here is Angel the next morning after his stitches

Another Miracle....

So much has happened in the last week, I hardly know where to begin! The other day I had just returned from the office when I was met at the road by Aaron, one of the other volunteers. He stated that Susana's mom was very sick and could I come and check her out. So we went directly over to her house. Susana is one of our local workers here. She really makes everything happen at the girls home. That particular day, she had to go out of town and wasn't there. As I entered the dark, little home with dirt floors and little of nothing, I saw her mom not very responsive, burning with fever, and not able to walk. Off to the hospital we go...just not as easy as at home. I walked down the street to find a motokar driver, finally found one and with his help in carrying the lady, we were off. All was well, until we reached the paved road. Then he went crazy! I realized then we were riding along with a fairly drunk motokar driver. I remember just praying God would protect us and send His angels to watch over us as we weaved in and out of traffic. Sure enough, as we made our way into the center of town, he didn't stop soon enough and we hit another motorcycle that was stopped in front of us at a light. Believe it or not, I calmly paid the man (which I am ashamed of), found another man to please help me pick up this sweet older lady that was so weak now, blood oozing from the cut just incurred on her knee from the crash, and place her in his motokar to take us the Adventist clinic near by. As we drove off I noted that drunk man drove off, leaving the motorcycle driver in a bind. Ugh!! I was upset, but there was nothing I could do! We arrived, wheeled her in and praise the Lord, they took care of her. And I just sat down and gave thanks to the Lord for another miracle given to us! Sorry...no pictures. Just a little preoccupied with other matters :)