Well, the last few days have been interesting, to say the least. Monday was incredibly busy between going to an orphanage (hereafter to be referred to as “the community”, based on its real name Comunidad Sagrada Familia), eating dinner with the Thompsons and some family friends of Alison, and making the mistake of staying up late to read when I was already exhausted. Tuesday, which was Perú’s independence day, Lee and I walked around town, learning more about the bus system and exploring new parts of town. In the midst of our journey, we witnessed our first attempted robbery, discovered an amazingly cheap chicken restaurant, and ran across a “temple” in which I almost “received the light” (ask me about it later…long story). Definitely an adventure…
Compañeros y Comunidad Sagrada Familia
Well, it has been an eventful week, full of both expected and unexpected surprises. First, the Thompsons invited a Peruvian – Carlos – over for dinner on Monday. It turned out to be a wonderful evening of food, conversation, and sharing our faith with Carlos. Second, the Davidsons and Lee flew in that same night, and we were “reunited” with them the following day. What a blessing their arrival has been! Since that moment, Peruvian life has been full of house-hunting, great meals together, great conversations, and three squealing, really cute kids.
Third, I was blessed by the arrival of a friend – Jenny Rich – from the States. She is here with a group from Austin, TX in order to work with an orphanage (Comunidad Sagrada Familia) in the northern extremities of Lima. On Thursday I was able to join her, two other friends that I didn’t know were coming (Jordan & Emily Swim), and the group to the community in Ventanilla. It was amazing to see how God is working through the staff in order to provide housing, food, clothes, and education to 730 children who have nowhere else to go. Praise God for this ministry!
Clash of Cultures
After recently talking with a good friend about my new experiences in Lima, I realized the strangeness of one of my recent experiences. Last night I decided to stop in to eat dinner at a restaurant on the main street (Avenida Benavides) near the Thompsons’ house. One strange thing about the restaurant was that it was a Mexican restaurant. As my friend pointed out, we often consider anything south of the border to be “Mexican food”, an assumption that couldn’t be more incorrect. Tex-Mex is definitely different than Mexican, which in turn is very different than Costa Rican and Peruvian food (neither of which are similar). As I sat down to eat my quesadillas (melted cheese between a folded tortilla, covered with guacamole and shredded cheese – no meat), the waiter brought my chicha morada, a Peruvian drink made from purple maize (surprisingly good). As I sat there enjoying my meal, I was serenaded by popular American, and only American, songs, such as Madonna and Michael Jackson. In retrospect, all these things were combined for an interesting dinner experience and a strange mixture of cultures. Just thought I’d share while I was thinking about it.
Autobuses y Español
Well, I have made the jump to traveling by bus through my new hometown, which has been an exciting step. By the time I left Costa Rica, I felt super comfortable with the bus system, traveling around both San José and the country through cheap public transportation. But, the shift to life in Lima has kinda taken me by surprise. The city is much bigger, the layout of the city is much different, and – getting back to the topic at hand – the bus system is very different. In order to know what bus you need to take, you have to know most of the major roads that that particular route travels on. Thus, all buses have a long string of street names painted on them (for example, Benavides Prado Arequipa – Wilson – Tacna – Abancay). My problem has been that, until recently, I had no idea where the vast majority of those roads were located, thus making me pretty cautious about jumping on a random bus (or mini-bus, which is way more common). But, I have made the leap and I’m not turning back.
On another note, next week begins my first week of continued Spanish study. I’m pumped.
Walking, Walking, & More of it
Yesterday was the third official “getting to know Lima” day during my first week here, and it was a doozy. While I had experienced several 6+ hour days of exploring, much of that time had been spent in stores and shopping centers. Well, yesterday was spent purely walking, taking in the sights, learning the roads, and observing the sharp contrasts between different neighborhoods. I knew that I must have walked a long way when I was slightly limping by the end of the day. I was shocked to find out, when tracing out my journey on Google Maps, that I had walked 14.4 miles! Needless to say, I decided not to do any walking today. But tomorrow, who knows…
Camino de Vida
This morning, the Thompsons and I attended church at the “Way of Life” church, a church plant that has grown to over 1,000 members. The service was refreshing, the message incredibly encouraging, and the entire experience a reminder of our mission in Lima – to bring the good news of Jesus to people who are currently living in darkness. Praise God for such a wonderful experience!
Getting to know one another…
I spent the vast majority of today getting to know my new friend – Lima, Perú. I walked through Perú’s capital for more than six hours, browsing through shops, learning streets, looking for furniture, etc.
It is winter here, but that fact only equates to a mild temperature of 65˚F (18˚C) in Lima’s temperate climate. The cooler weather, plus the fact that Lima is relatively flat, made for an easier day of exploring than I experienced in San José, Costa Rica (hilly and much hotter). I did look a little funny walking around in a short-sleeve shirt while everyone else was wearing jackets or sweaters; I guess the Peruvians really think that this weather is cold.
When you mix in time with the Thompsons, my first Peruvian hamburger, and a wonderful dinner, it has been a great day. On to day 4 tomorrow…
I Survived
After a late night of packing, an early morning of getting to the airport, hugs, security, waiting 2.5 hours on the runway, flying to Atlanta, missing my connecting flight, flying back to Houston, catching a non-stop flight to Lima, and going through customs, baggage pickup, and immigration for 1.5 hours, I finally arrived in Lima, Perú. I was greeted by Justin Thompson, who will surely receive an extra star in his crown for picking me up at 12:30 am. And, after almost 5 years of praying, dreaming, planning, and training, I live in Lima, Perú. Praise God.
Really, Really Close
In less than four days I will be loading on a plane to begin my journey to Lima, Peru (Houston to Atlanta to New York to Lima…it was cheaper). Really exciting, equally nerve-racking. Coming soon – pictures of my hippie hair and my new do.
