Peru- August 12- End of the week

Friday swimming fun!


























Saturday Morning

"Everyone got up early again @ 6:30 for breakfast and the men were working by 7am. Me, Vegas, Ann, Mary Beth & Liliana went staining picnic tables & the roof again until lunch. We almost finished what we had planned to do, but we ran out of stain! It was hard work and it was hot and I was ready to be done anyways. In fact, I was ready to be done long before we were. "



The Story

"See, Liliana & I had done one picnic table and then Ann began moving things off the last picnic table so it could be done but they asked us if we'd rather do another table or the deck around the pool. We choose the deck..." but quickly discovered it was dirty, so we got brooms to sweep it off, but to no avail. The dirt "was dried on from the children's wet feet the day before when the pool was finally open & they all got to swim. (They were very excited about that since some of them had brought their swimsuits with them everyday!) We realized we would have to wash it b4 we could stain it again, but Jim said to wait b/c after the men's work was done that morning they would be swimming. Ok, so Liliana & I" returned to "where the other ladies were still varnishing and were asked if we wanted to help Mary Beth & Ann with the table. I didn't really want to & felt as though I could use a nap but we went and helped. The thing was, I seemed to be the only person who had painted a picnic table before. They had it upside down, to reach the underside, (very good) but did all of the outermost boards first so that to get the farther boards, you would have to reach over the painted boards to get to the inner ones. Well, I can say I had a bad attitude b/c I thought to myself, I'll just paint the side & other boards and let the first two fix their own mistake- Why should I have to do it? But as us 4 went on, Ann left to do something else & then Mary Beth switched to painting the roof (as she had been doing earlier that morning) which left me & Liliana to finish the table by ourselves. This made my mood worse! The nerve! They both just left! And guess who gets to fix thier mistake- Me! I was mad! But I knew that's not what God wanted. He reminded me of what I read in my HLAC Encouragement book the day before "Never tire of doing good..."


The Men at Work





















After work fun!












The Afternoon

"We had lunch & I was going to have a shower (since we had water b/c there was an annoncement a day or two earlier that we had no more water for showering or laundry), but lunch was at 12:30 today instead of 12, so by the time we were done washing dishes, it was around 1 and I had a meeting at 2 for singing in church on Sunday with Bill & whoever else wanted to. So, I took out my Bible (I needed to actually prepare for my devotional that night b/c this way my day I had signed up for), but mostly because I just needed God to work in my heart. I suppose in a way, I was loosing my own vision of why I was here. It was good, and our music practice was- ah, challenging. Not very many of us were very musical, but we could hold a melody. The men did much better than the women. Bill wanted to do an old hymn with harmony, but he gave up on that and we sang 'We Wanna See Jesus Lifted High' instead.

Random pics of mealtimes


Me and my Bible

Peru- August 11

On Friday, "...I felt fine! We had been praying for all of us to get well again, so we all have. Praise you, Lord! I don't ever want to be sick like that again. We did our last day of VBS (since we cancelled Sat. b/c many of us are still tired or sick a little) and it went well." We made little tic tac containers into "Jesus shakers" and put a cross on one side and a Jesus fish sticker with the initial of our names on the other side, and of course, candy inside- good for making sound and eating! They enjoyed it.







"Yolanda and Carlos are doing the dental clinic again today & on Sat (thankfully they haven't gotten sick!)










... Tanya & I went for a walk after lunch down to the river at the bottom of the valley. It was very cool! We found this one spot where the river was rushing over the rocks and then curved around the bend & disappeared. We climbed onto a large rock in the water and sat there for a long time just admiring the view. Admiring God. We talked for probably 40 mins and then decided we really should head back, so we did.

Tanya was going to paint picnic tables, etc again with Vegas, but Vegas said I wasn't allowed b/c I was still recuperating so I rested until supper. Most meals, I have noticed, are very flavourful- nothing is bland- and sometimes the smells and flavours agree with me and sometimes they don't. We have had a good share of rice and chicken in different ways. They are good cooks. We even had cake for dessert twice! One was like a coffee cake & one was like a banana (plantano) cake. We had jello too & chicken soup one lunch when many of us were sick.
"Friday night was a movie night and there were a lot of people. First (while everyone was coming) they played a Spanish cartoon for the children & it was cute. Then, they showed the movie "The Climb" and it had a really good message about God and Salvation. (but wasn't cheesy like many 'religious' movies). After it was over, we passed around hot chocolate and snack. Then it was bed! I hope the movie made some people think."

Peru- August 10

"On Thursday, I was pretty much sick all day & spent much time in bed. I had the runs like something nasty & went through a lot of liquids. Vegas said I must force myself to drink lots, so I did b/c when you're sick, you can't afford to be dehydrated. Jim and Vegas made sure everyone who was sick got a bottle of Powerade. I had 2 or 3 during the entire time I was sick (about 30 hrs). And I had to change my underwear more than once! (sorry to include that, but it can happen to the best of us). That night I went to bed with an upset stomach and sometime in the night, I went to the bathroom & had more diarrhea and then threw up in the little garbage can beside the toilet used for all the paper you don't flush. Ann went & got Vegas, but I was back in bed by the time she came. She made sure I was ok & we all went to sleep. "

(I bet you're sure happy I have no pictures to share for this one, huh?)

My Name's Car

I'm a Mazda RX-8!

You're sporty, yet practical, and you have a style of your own. You like to have fun, and you like to bring friends along for the ride, but when it comes time for everyday chores, you're willing to do your part.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

http://www.tomorrowland.us/sportscar/

Peru- August 9

Today we got up early again and I had my first "shower". It is cold water, so you pretty much jump in enough to get wet, turn it off & soap yourself & shampoo, then turn it on again, quick rinse & get out & dry. But it was still nice to be able to wash my dirty feet! We had los huevos (eggs) for breakfast (Yummm!) & bread buns.

Yolanda and I did the VBS craft again today- Hot Chilies! It was fun! More fun than yesterday (probably because yesterday was our first day & we didn't really know what to expect). Hot Chilies are a craft made out of celephane and candy and googlie eyes. The children started with a flat piece of celophane and had to wrap it in a way that it was round on the top with a point at the bottom (like a cone). Then you tape it to stay. Then you get to add the candy inside to keep it round (and also to make noise when you shake it) and tie it at the top with a string. After that, you can glue on the eyes and use a marker to draw a mouth & nose, etc. But the eyes kept falling off b/c the glue didn't stick very well to the celophane. Also, the children needed a lot of assistance in making the round shape. And some kids ate their candies before putting them in! That was the first group. After that, we made clear instructions for no one to eat it until later. But the craft took so long that they had no time to be bored & act up. That was great! The blue group (the little ones) never got to make a craft today b/c their leader got mixed up & they went to ride the horses during that time. Oh well.
After VBS we had lunch- papas fritas (french fries) & hamburger patties & salad. It was good!

There is a concern for some of our team members' health & some have gotten sick. Vegas and Jim are doing their best to keep us healthy though and are giving pills for upset stomach & prescribing Powerade to replenish us with nutrients & enzymes or something.

This afternoon, Tanya brought out her hemp & beads & we all started cutting strings so they'd be ready b/c tonight, the mom's & women's groups are meeting (and we thought it would be fun to teach them a new craft that they've never done before).
At about 3:30 or 4, I went to lay down because my stomach was upset & I slept about an hour. Before supper I walked around a little and felt very weak & nausiated. I went to the bathroom & threw up on the floor (just a little). Supper was starting but I went and got Ann and she cleaned it up for me! During the last hour, I cried a little. When you just need to cry, you need to cry! Maybe everything is catching up with me all at once. I do miss home; I probably have culture shock. Tanya gave me a hug & it helped. Vegas also gave me 3 pills & I am to take them every 4 hours. I am supposed to do my testimony tonight for the ladies, but I'm not sure now if I will. I am tired & want to sleep. Is that best for my body or is that Satan wanting to hinder this ministry? In the Bible it says to put your hope in the Lord & you'll renew your strength- you'll run and not grow weary, walk and not faint & as I remember that verse I think to myself, "Am I not trusting in God? Why am I sick, why am I tired?" I just really want to go home, but I really want to be here. In my encouragement book (a little compilation of encouraging notes people in my church wrote to me while I'm here in Peru), that was the exact verse that Carolyn gave me! Wow, God!

* * * * * * *


The ladies night was fun. There were many ladies (30 or 40?) and some brought their girls too young toddlers & we all sat & sang songs (Mary Beth, a missionary there from Manitoba, plays guitar) and then we got ready for the hemp-making bracelets and necklaces. It could have gone better b/c it took a long time to get all of the supplies around and then to teach them as a group how to cross and pull the strings. Some groups were like 1/3 done and others were still waiting to start. Many of them ran out of time to finish (esp. if they were making a necklace), but I think they still enjoyed themselves and enjoyed the challenge of learning something new. I made my first bracelet & finished just in time.

Then, Liz did a devotional with Ann translating on Prov. 31. It was good. I was praying that God would be touching the ladies' hearts. Then, Liz said her testimony & another Peruvian woman said her testimony with Vegas translating. She has had a hard past, quite unloving, so it was powerful to hear and she cried and had to stop at one point. I gave her a big hug after. Thank you Lord for her. She is evidence of your life changing love and power.