My Journal- Aug 3-5

I know I am a month behind, but for those of you who are interested, I will provide some of the more important parts of my journal while in Peru. I am long-winded when it comes to journalling, I've found, so I'm trying to create a revised shorter version for your benefit. :)

I started it Thursday, August 3rd (the day before we left from Cold Lake to travel to Calgary to fly to Peru!) "I am very excited about leaving for Peru tomorrow. I have been excited for months now... I've been praying for God to work in the Peruvians hearts so they will be open to the Gospel message and also that God would work in my heart and teach me too. I'm a little scared because I feel so unprepared and I wish I had practiced more Spanish and knew the songs better and knew the VBS better, etc. I know it will all work out because it always does. I do pray for team unity though...
I packed my bags tonight and I'm a little proud of myself because I still have room in both of them for more stuff! My big bag is only 33lbs and I'm allowed 44lbs so I can add more supplies when we get to the church tomorrow. That makes me happy." That's all for today.

If I was going to comment on Aug. 4, I would have to say that I was hoping the drive down to Calgary wouldn't seem too long. But Tyler has a 20 questions game, which is lots of fun and we played it a lot on the way down in the vans. Even over the walkie- talkies! Good times."

"Today is Aug. 5 and we are flying on Continental Airlines right now." We had all gone to bed at almost midnight and woke up at 4 am to get ready "take the shuttle to the airport and get our baggage checked, etc and on the plane by 7 am take off. I tried to fall asleep again because I was so tired... and I guess I succedded because I woke up to Tyler getting breakfast beside me and realized I wouldn't be getting any because I missed the order." I was thankful to get a cup of coffee though (black, but oh well) and tied over my hunger with a couple granola bars I was carrying with me. "Thank goodness for other people's advice!"
Ironically, "both Newman's are sitting behing me (Oh brother!) and Greg at the window seat because he was very excited about flying and wanted to see." A funny tidbit: "When we were all at the airport earlier, I was in line with my bags filling out a customs form or declaration and someone came up from behind me and said, "Excuse me sir" and then "Excuse me ma'am" and I moved so they could get by. My first accidental insult since I cut my hair short again!" Jamie enjoyed my new nickname and called me Sir for a number of days after.
Also during this plane ride I met a young man named Shawn who was sitting to my left at the window. I found out he was from Houston Texas and was heading home from a business trip I think. He works somehow with Macintosh computers. The week after, he was going to Boston and then to Saudi Arabia after that! We had a short chat and I decided he seemed like a nice guy.
"We are now at Babba's Bayou City Grill for lunch in the airport (in Houston). It's nice. It's a seafood place and both Tyler and Chris are trying the catfish dinner... There are speculations as to whether they will like it... Newman is also excited about eating his Tuna Steak Sandwich. I'm not brave enough to try the seafood, so I got a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Tanya and Sari also passed on the seafood... Right now the men are musing over the fact that this place has a white wine with tobacco and smoked bacon in it somehow. The things people think of!"
We temporarily lost Anton, Vegas, Bill and his boys and all the Lopez's, as they ate somewhere else, but eventually found them again during our 3 hour wait between flights.
"Tyler seemed to like his catfish; Chris, I think, was disappointed (but ate most of it) and Andrew ate his tuna, but critiqued it thoroughly commenting on the marinade, the texture & flavour. I guess that's what you can expect from a cullinary student!"

* * * * * * * *
"Well, it's dinner time now..." Hooray, airplane food!- a small, but filling meal. I had "beef with pasta noodles & vegies in a gravy sauce and came with a small salad (1 tomato slice, 1 cucumber slice) and I think ranch dip, a bun & butter and a really good brownie for desert. Made you thirsty and they gave you a small drink. In this flight, Tyler is sitting on my right again and a gentleman from Japan is on my left at the window. He is travelling in Peru for 2 weeks too and going to Cuzco and Machu Pichu as well! Cool huh! We haven't talked much because we seem to be miscommunicating a lot, but we try." We were all given complimentary pillows, blankets and head sets to use this flight and "I think the team is generally less bored this time (and perhaps less tired for some reason). Lord, are you up to something?..."
Some reflections of mine of the team members:
"It's been wonderful for me to see Vegas again and Yolanda- she is always smiling with her mouth and her eyes when you look at her. I hope that Anton feels he is integrating into the group, because from my view, he fits very well."

Something productive I did:
I've been reading Tie Down the Sun a lot today (a recommended Christian read about South American culture and history). It sounds boring, but it actually was really interesting because it gave an in-depth look at the Peruvians' traditional religious thoughts and practices and elaborated on the clash of the native's way of worshipping their god with the Spaniards' customs and religion when they came over and conquered the people.

* * * * * * After landing in Lima * * * * * *

"It's technically Aug 6th now since it's 2am and we are all going to bed. Leaving the airport in Lima was the coolest experience so far because we had a 40 min. ride in a nice tourist bus to our place to stay tonight. (And of course I was staring wide- eyed out the window at everything!) The architecture here is very attractive and interesting to look at... And I saw my name! Written on a huge cement sign... Carlos said that was the name of that section of the city." It was named after a real person I guess because her first and last names were displayed, but all I noticed was Carmen; I didn't catch her last name. "Anton said he saw his name too, but in spray-painted grafitti on a wall." We also saw Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Ford Mazda, Hyundai, and Kia Motors! "Oh, and a John Deere place too. All familiar things from home, so they are worthy of a note." Pretty much everything else was all in Spanish.

Some thoughts on language:
"I think the language barrier is going to get to me later, but I kind of expect that anyways."
When we arrived at the guest house, we also met Rob and Sarah Patterson there. "Our host Jen is really nice...and on our beds were set out a towel for each of us with a water bottle and a chocolate! What hosts we are blessed with!

Some closing thoughts:
When we wake up, breakfast is at 8am and church starts at 9 and then we head back to the airport at 12 for our 1-hour flight to Areqiupa. "I'm so excited! It seems so strange to finally be here. Lord, we thank you and praise you for all you have already done. We pray for your continued guidance and direction for each one of us and for the team as a whole. And Lord, again be with Drake at home and bless him as he works. I do admit I miss him because I love him so. Amen & Buenos Noches.