Feliz Navidad!

FELIZ NAVIDAD FROM PERU!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY! I LOVE YOU ALL DEARLY!


The way Christmas is celebrated over here, is about as different from how it is in the USA as everything else in this culture.

In Peru, they celebrate on December 24th - "Nocha Buena". 

During the day we had traveled to a different district (Rimac, again) to stay the night at "Abuelas" and spend time with relatives.

For me and my family here, our  festivities start around 8:00 pm, when we got dressed up and ready for dinner.

At about 11 (yes, PM) we started eating a delicious Navidad Dinner. Turkey, Ham, Pasta, Panaton (very traditional cake here) and Chocolatada (a special Hot Chocolate with spices and butter in it! yum!).


 The big shabang happens at Midnight, the sky lights up with fireworks  (literally- shabang...)
Every direction you look, you can see bursting colors and lights. Its like 4th of July times 10.

They went on for a good 30 with full force, and then went on intermittently all night long.
A lot of  Peruvians may not have many possessions, but by golly, they do know how to celebrate!

poor little chicken before being cooked!

It was the most interesting Christmas I have ever experienced.

I think we should adopt the fireworks and hot-chocolate-with-butter-and-spices-in-it as traditions for the U.S!

There weren't any presents. There wasn't a Christmas tree. There wasn't a nativity scene. And yet the true spirit of Christmas here- The love of Christ was present.

Christmas morning, we went into the streets to hand out little gifts and milk to the impoverished street children.

Those that didn't receive, still gave. What hearts.

I realize how accustomed I have become to "comforts" and "tradition" and "familiarity". Being here, especially during the holidays, or when I am sick, makes me realize how much I have tended to rely on those things in the US.The truth is no matter where we are, gifts or not, we should rely solely on Christ.

I eat a lot of rice, potatoes and chicken. Lots of chicken.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (6) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. 






P.S Send some snow this way! okay??? its about 75 degrees over here.

Christmas for the Kids

Outside my window in Rimac

I had the incredible opportunity to spend this past week in a different district- Rimac, and travel to different locations to help give Christmas and the gospel to impoverished kids.

Peruvian Pastors from many different churches and districts host Christmas parties for very poor needy kids with this program I got to participate with.

They give them a wonderful Christmas party, Peruvian style. Each location was so great, complete with clowns, fake snow, a hot meal, hot chocolate, Panaton (the traditional Christmas fruit cake), a nice present and also songs and stories about the true meaning of Christmas, and the gospel. The kids were loved and fed in many different ways.

Again, I was so blessed this week by the body of Christ here in Peru.
I was hosted by an amazing family from Rimac, who although they don't have much themselves were incredible hosts in whom the love of Jesus just shone through.


Here are some pictures from the different parties this week


Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." -Matthew 19:14

sweet brothers in Surquillo

the first couple kids arriving

Fun, fun, fun

Dulce, the clown! So fun!

<3

What a handsome little fellow

A little scared of the clowns

Fascinated by the clown

Eyes, and hair.

Have you ever seen so much cuteness?

look at those eyes

The kids loved their "globos"balloon animals, that Clown Debbie made

Beauty

My little buddy.

So happy to get a little gift

precious

Love this little guy

Worship... peruvian style

In Peru, there is lots of dancing, singing, microphones, and noise. They know how to parttttty!

So cute

This little guy loved the camera

they don't believe me when i tell them my hair is natural

Ancon party (my district)

joy!

Precious

Look at that cute chubby-ness

I cant get enough of these precious kiddos

getting sleepy...

and..... OUT!

Toma un photo!!!

Trip to Central Lima!

Today we rode public buses into central Lima to spend the afternoon. Peru is a country of contrasts. A lot of Poverty, and yet also beauty. Central Lima is really nice, with beautiful old buildings.
Here are some pictures from today!

I am the height of your average peruvian.... ha!

wonderful family!

with a Lima policeman

The equivalent of the White House in Peru

 

Delicioso!

Lomo Saltado ... que rico!!!!

Amazing lunch!

My sweet roommate and me!

A great taste of Lima today!

Day 3!

Greetings from Peru!

I have now been in Ancon, Peru for 3 full days.

My goodness, what a 3 days it has been. '

When my new family picked me up from the airport, and it was like I have entered an entirely new world.

 EVERYTHING is different here. The food (ceviche, rice, spicy chicken, yucca, corn), the drinks (fruit sodas, juice made from purple corn), the transportation (hardly any cars, instead there are these cute little motorized tricycles with seats behind for passengers "motos". The driving here is crazy enough to get a few gray hairs every-time you get into a moto.)

The culture (they are much more loud, flamboyant, and warm), the customs (you kiss everyone every time you see them, or leave them) and even the time frame around here is completely different from us up-tight Americans. lunch is at 3:30 pm. Dinner at 10:00. And obviously the language is different.  There is only one lady I know of in the town that speaks English, so it really is full immersion. Its crazy how much trouble I have communicating the simplest things in Spanish. 

One thing that is not different is the love of Christ. The same Holy Spirit that is in the hearts of Peruvian Christians, motivating them to service and action.

It amazes me, the generosity of the Christians here. The love of God fills their hearts. They, who have almost nothing, spend the little bit of money they do have to serve those in even more need. 

Today we went with some wonderful American missionaries to a very, very poor village, (where the houses were just shacks), to serve the kids lunch.

 It was just a very simple meal of  a mixture of chocolate, milk, and hot cereal and also bread and butter. But if the missionaries from the US hadn't been here, they wouldn't have been able to afford chocolate and cereal for the milk because they just don't have the money. It was only about $15 to buy enough for all the children.

 Being here makes me realize how much money we casually throw around in the USA and on meaningless and non necessary things. A couple of Starbucks drinks would buy a substantial lunch for 50 hungry kids.

The kids are so sweet. I already am just in love with them. They surrounded me, hugs and kisses, and wanted to know how to say stuff in English. They also wanted to know if my hair was natural color (Some of the people here call me Barbie. I've yet to see another blonde person...)

My missionary friend Milena said that there are about 300 children this village, that are all hungry, but there is not enough money to buy food and drinks for them. It doesn't even cost that much, but here money is so scarce. If there was enough money, we could build a big enough building for more kids, buy more food so we would have enough to feed all the kids in the village everyday

It is such an awakening for me for what true giving is. The people here, don't have a lot. They have limited access to things which we consider very necessary. They don't have cars. They don't have lots of things. And yet they are generous. They are giving and kind. They welcome me into there home. They are joyful and kind. They feed the hungry. I am learning a lot from the people here.

The nicest part of Ancon. Upscale beach area

Prayer requests

-I am a little bit sick from the new food and drink here. It is hard for me to eat anything and I am still very tired from travel and all the culture changes. Please pray for quick recovery and full health with no complications from the food especially.

- Please pray for easy adjustment into the new changes around me and also that I will learn the language faster. 

- Please pray for the people of Ancon, that live here that are in need. Especially for their spiritual need. More than they need food, they need Jesus.

I made it!

I made it to Peru!!!
I arrived in Lima late last night. My host family was there to meet me and take me to my "new home".


                                                   [ Photo cred to Milena! ]

Meeting my new family for the first time (can you tell who is the gringa?)

My new roommate !

They are wonderful, kind people and I am so blessed to be invited into their home. They are so generous and hospitable.   I had my first full day today. It was very good, and yet very overwhelming. I am learning how it is to live with only speaking Spanish (which I am not very good at yet...) None of them speak English, so it is really full immersion. They are very patient with my mistakes
I would appreciate your prayers for speed in learning!
I am trying to take it all in. Everything about my new surroundings are so different. I got to see the beautiful beach near the house and also got to see the reality of Peru when we went to buy a bed and bedding in the city. (Its an hour drive to central lima from the town I am staying at.) I didn't bring my camera, so I don't have any pictures from today, but some will be coming soon!
Thank you for your prayers! I will try to update again soon!