I finally have a mission, I promise I'll complete.
I don't need excuses when I am your hands and feet.
====================
Audio Adrenaline, Underdog, "Hands and Feet", 1999
30 May, 2007
I Like Mexican Food!
After a VERY long Mexican food drought, tonight we had a MEGA-Mexican FEAST!!!! (almost 2 years) I have told you before that although I thought that every Spanish speaking country ate Chips and Salsa and enchiladas, they don't. Even though Peruvian food is by far some of the best I have ever eaten, I must say that I have deeply missed good old Mexican food.
Tonight, Aunt Kathy invited us over for what will now be remembered as a true Fiesta! We had chicken enchiladas, refried beans, Spanish rice, encuritos (combination of a beef enchilada and a burrito) salsa, chips, guacamole, and desert of course (some little morsel of a dream, I forget the name). She also made a fruit punch that her mother used to make every time that she made Mexican. Patrick LOVED it! He drank so much of it that he only had room for a little Mexican food but luckily he saved room for desert.
I ate so much and enjoyed every bite! I feel now like I will explode!!! Thank you so much Aunt Kathy!!!!
I gotta go lay down!!!! "ARNOLD, Roll me to bed!!! Night, Night! Sweet spanish dreams to you!"
Well, I am pretty sure that all you back in the good old USA are in the full swing of summer. Waterparks, vacations, swimming pools, bbq's and watermelon. Well, we here in Lima are beginning our winter.
I had flash backs of my childhood as I warmed my body this evening by the fire of the gas stove. I also was reminded of my mother as she would warm herself by the wall heater and we would hug on her as we turned her around so that we would be in front of the heater. She would always act surprised. Today, Patrick did the same to me as I warmed my hands over the toaster. Yeah, the toaster! We don't have airconditioning OR a heater. So while you apply your sunscreen we will be applying more clothes. Good thing is, we don't have rain or snow, but it always looks like it is just about to start.
I better go bundle up, it is a little chilly tonight. BURRRR
This morning, Ben took a taxi (one of our regular taxi guys) to his ball game because Arnold and I had to help get our summer missionaries off. When all was calmed down, Arnold was able to run out to the softball field to try to be part of their second game. Just a few minutes into the 2nd game, Ben was hit in the mouth with the softball. It split his lip WIDE open. It was a good thing that Arnold was there because he had to take him to the emergency room and he ended up needing stitches. They ended up calling in a plastic surgeon to repair his lip. Arnold and I were allowed to go back in the surgical room and we watched the whole time. YUCK! When I asked the surgeon how many stitches he had recieved, the doctor said he lost count, but it was "mas que diez y ocho" more than 18. He had to have stitches inside and out.
Arnold told me that I could have just sewed him up, but I replied that all I could sew on was a button! HA! Ben is ok, he just has a fat, sewn up lip. Poor guy!
I just praise the Lord that Arnold had made it by the time it happened. Please pray for full healing and that he won't have too big of a scar!
Well, we have finally bid our farewells for a month to most of our summer missionaries. This morning, most of them left with the church teams who will be bringing them to their village and get them set up and plugged in. Some of the other teams left behind will be participating in a few weeks of training that will begin next week before they head off. Please be praying for these groups as they go and get adjusted to living in a village that will be FAR FAR different from what they have ever experienced.
The Amazin' GRace went FANTASTIC! No teams were lost, annoyed or bored. Everyone saw lots of Lima and made lots of memories. One thing that they had the option of doing was taking a Fast Forward challenge which allowed them to bypass two other stops. If they chose this challenge it meant that they had to locate a certain man with a drink stand. This man would then prepare a drink of a rana. This means that they had to drink a juice made out of a FROG!!!! YEP! He took a frog that was alive, bonked it on the head, skinned it and boiled it for a few minutes and then chopped it up in the blender and then they had to drink it.....ALL!!!! I wasn't sure how many of them could actually stomach it but out of 15 groups of 4 people each, only 2 teams chose not to participate in the fast forward. (And only 1 threw up!) We have pictures and I will post them soon. We can ask Arnold how it tastes because he did it too!
For the past 3 days, Kathy had been busily preparing a Thanksgiving feast for our summer missionaries. I came back a little early from the camp and helped too. This is a tradition that they have done for several years to give thanks for the Harvest of summer missionaries and all that they will accomplish. They had Turkey, dressing, sweet potato crunch, homemade rolls, and soooooo much more! Boy, I bet those summer missionaries are thankful for Kathy!!!
Then, last night at 11:00, 50 of the summer missionaries piled into our local movie theater to see Pirates of the Caribbean Part 3. They all had a great time and didn't get back into their lodging until 2:30am and had to be at a meeting at 7:00am. I am pretty sure that they will all sleep on the way to their final destinations.
Well, I feel like I can almost take in a BIG deep breath but I have too much still to do. Please be in prayer for our REAP team, we are all very tired and worn thin, for our summer missionaries that God will keep them healthy and safe (We do have one girl who broke her leg at camp and will require surgery and this changes the plans for her whole team) Please pray that we see each obstacle as a learning experience and that will help us grow closer to the Father. Please also pray for the church teams as they hit the road today. This will be the first time some of these drivers have driven in the mountains of Peru (and its not like the states on highways) And also, please bathe the people of Peru in your prayers. Pray for the ones that we as missionaries will come in contact with that we will not loose any opportunity presented to us to share the good, no not just good news, but the great news of Jesus Christ!
Thank you all. We love you and appreciate all your prayers, support and encouragement.
Our SMT 2007 (Summer Mission Team) has arrived and at this moment is participating in the Amazin Grace. Please pray for these guys. Here's a couple of pics from this morning. See if you can tell which ones are "American Cheese" and which are "Peruvian Cheese" Hint "QUESOOOO". Also check out some of our translators (actually 3 of our national Peruvian translators will be serving as summer missionaries to their own country, how cool is that??) Love you all, but have to run!!!!
We are getting ready to be bombarded with missionaries!!! Tomorrow night over 30 Summer missionaries will arrive and then on the 25th at least 12 Volunteer Church Teams with 5 to 16 members will arrive. What a great, exciting, exhausting time, but very overwhelming feeling. It has been a crazy busy month or so, as we have been diligently planning every detail that begins this week! We have tried to dot every I and cross every T and we are hoping that nothing has been overlooked.
Please pray that each missionary arrives safely and that we all can focus not just on the logistical issues, but just the sheer miracle that the Lord is working in having so many on-fire college kids and churches to join us here in the Harvest. May we work toward the goal every day and not get bogged down in all the little details. Pray for each of their good-byes as they leave for the whole summer.
I ask that you specifically name each of our team members out loud in your prayers today. This has been a hard month and we are all very tired. Please pray for our strength, health and patience. Pray that we see His face in each face that we encounter and remember what we are working toward. Here are the names of each of our team members. Don't forget to say each of them out loud to the Father. Mike Weaver, Kathy Weaver, Claudia Puente, Heather Perrin, Brad Borrgren, Derek Tucker, Cindy Matney, Lane Brown (our new team member), Vic Hanson, Arnold Austin, Susie Austin, Alisha Austin, Ben Austin, Patrick Austin. (And all of our partner churches as well as all of our summer missionaries who are spending their last night in their bed for a little while)
Thanks for your support and encouragement as you send us precious notes and phone calls but most importantly as you pray for us.
About 2 months ago, Patrick used his own money and bought him some "Peruvian Pants" as we call them, at the Inca Market. A market that has lots of souveniers etc. These pants are real comfortable and real popular. He has loved them so much BUT almost too much. Anytime he is not in his school uniform, he is in these britches! I have fussed and told him that if they aren't washed, he can't wear them, so he faithfully makes sure that they are clean.
For his birthday, our friends kept asking what he would need or like for his birthday. I told them all that he loves those pants. They are not very expensive and he really likes them. Little did I know, that everyone would take me up on the idea. He got 6 pairs of new Peruvian Pants. No one knew that anyone else was getting him pants and no colors were duplicated! That is amazing! With the original pair (shown above) he now has a pair for each day of the week. Here is his fashion show!
Happy Birthday to Patrick! Today Patrick turns 11 years old. He woke up with Breakfast in bed and was able to open the rest of his cards. You see, about 2 weeks ago, he recieved a package in the mail from the Mississippi WMU full of cards from churches, WMU groups, individuals, Sunday School Classes, RA & GA's etc. So, for a while, he opened one a day and we made him a Birthday wall to display all of them. (Thank you WMU for making his day so special) Last night, 2 really special cards were hand delivered from Benjamin and Nathan Rains and he was able to open them up while they were on the skype video. He also recieved a ton of email cards, so thanks so much to each of you for contributing to making his day so special. As far as gifts go....he got a small tent, a blue cushioned chair, some legos, a chocolate soccer ball and a WOW 2007 Christian music CD! Boy did he rack up!!! We will leave here in a few minutes to go get him some doughnuts to share with his class at school. Tonight we will have a family birthday party with cake and the members of our REAPSouth Family. Patrick has requested Boston Cream Pie for his birthday cake so we will see if I am able to deliver! It might end up just being a big mess.
In a little over an hour, my baby boy, Patrick, will turn 11 years old. I am asking that you set aside some special time in prayer tomorrow, May 15, for my son. He is a real sweetie and has gone through some rough times with his health lately. He is in the middle of changing medications and this has thrust him into another difficult time.
We are asking the Lord for a complete healing! Please lift Patrick up to our Father. Ask Him to heal Patrick and to give us a sweet peace that only He can give.
We love you all and depend on your prayers greatly.
Tonight we had our monthly party for our English classes. During the party time, the class surprised me for Mother's Day with a beautiful handmade card with special messages from each of the members and a certificate for a pedicure. I also recieved a beautiful bracelet from one of the ladies. I am humbled and honored to recieve such a special gift from my new friends. I love each of their hearts for thinking of me in such a special way.
During our get together, we taught them the most important dance in the USA. The HOKEY POKEY. Arnold downloaded a country version and we had a Hokey Pokey Hoe Down.
When walking home tonight after taking Patrick and his 2 friends to see Spiderman 3 for his birthday, being a good mother, I tried to take the emphasis off of the fighting and tried to have the boys look for a moral to the story, so I asked...."Ok guys, what can we learn from Spiderman?" Andrew, Patricks friend begins telling me what I wanted to hear about learning how important it is to forgive others and what happens when you don't. I was so pleased, until I heard the other conversation going on behind me..."Yeah, I learned 'don't kiss another girl while you have a girlfriend" and my wise son Patrick chimes in and says "Yeah, especially if she's watchin'!"
Everyone say Hola Claudia! This is the third member of our team. The rest of our members are from the US but Claudia is our Peruvian member. She began working with REAP many years ago as a translator and she has become a part of our team. Claudia has a heart for missions and speaks English perfectly. She is a great assest to our team. Heather and Claudia live together in an apartment, She loves to run and she loves the Lord. Claudia will be visiting the US for the first time in a few weeks. She will be flying to Arkansas to attend a wedding and to work with one of our partner churches. She will be speaking in front of several churches while in the states. Please pray for Claudia as she serves on our team here and as she brings the good news to HER people in the mountains and in the jungle. Pray for her as she travels to the states for her safety and for her to say the words that the Lord would have her say to the people that she speaks in front of.
I would like to introduce you to another one of our Team members, Derek Tucker. Derek has the title of Patrick's favorite Person in the world! Patrick loves hanging out with him and he seems to love hanging out with our family too. He always seems to have time for Patrick and makes sure to say a special good-bye to Patrick before he leaves on trips. He really has been a special friend for Patrick as well as the whole family. Derek is from Deer Park, Texas (near Houston). Derek is a semester missionary. He has been here since the beginning of the year and will be here until the end of the summer. Derek goes out into the mountains researching people groups and gathering information for churches who will possibly adopt in that area. Derek also goes with some of our volunteer church groups on their trips to assist them. Derek is a GREAT guy. He is definately part of our family here. We love him so much and we miss him when he is gone. (Especially Patrick...he keeps up with Dereks schedule and lets me know when Derek will be back in town) Please pray for Derek as he begins traveling with our summer missionaries. Pray that the Lord gives him strength and health. Please also pray for his future plans when he returns to the states. Pray that he will be blessed, as he has blessed the life of my little boy. (The other picture is of Derek and our Peruvian friend Junior at an overlook, overlooking Lima. Oh and Junior speaks better English than most of us!)
Homework Everyone! Patrick's Birthday is coming up!
My little man, Patrick turns 11 on Tuesday the 15th of May. We would love to have his inbox jammed packed full of birthday greetings and well wishes as he begins his 11th year of life. If you can, please send him a little Happy Birthday via email to patrick@reapsouth.org . We will ensure that he doesn't check his email from now until his birthday.
He plans on having a couple of friends spend the night and go to a movie on Friday night and then have a family party on Tuesday with some of our family and friends here in Peru.
Don't forget your homework. It will mean so much to him!
I told you I would begin to introduce the REAPSouth team to you one by one soon, so here we go. Everyone, I would like to introduce you to my friend and fellow REAPSouther, Heather Perrin. Heather is a semester missionary (actually a little longer than a semester.) She arrived in January of this year and will be here until August or so. Heather works with us here in Lima with our English Classes (She teaches on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday nights) She also is coordinating the summer missionaries as they prepare to come in a few weeks. Heather loves coffee! We have a Starbucks near our house and everytime she goes, they ask her for her name and they NEVER get it correct. They usually call her Header or Meader or something like that! We always laugh about that! Also, me and Heather both LOVE a restaurant called Pasquales. (They can't get her name right either!) Saturday, May 5, Heather graduated from The University of West Georgia. Since she wasn't in the states at the time, she wasn't able to walk in her graduation. BUT, we had her a surprise mini graduation, complete with a poster board graduation cap. She even recieved a diploma from her REAP Family. We are very proud of Header, ohh I mean Heather. Please pray for Heather as she completes her time with us here. She has been such a blessing to us and a great friend. Please pray that the Lord opens doors for her as she returns to the states to begin a career. Thanks for keeping her in your prayers!
I guess it is because we live about 10 blocks from the ocean but every once in a while we will wake up to the smell of fish! This morning was one of those mornings. YUCK! You are never quite sure if it is something going bad in the fridge, a problem with the sewer or your garbage until you open up your front door and are bombarded by the smell of fish. (If it were fried fish, maybe that would be better!)
I really never gave this word much thought when we decided to move to Peru except for realizing that in many third world countries you can't FLUSH toilet paper, so I wasn't so sure how I would handle that little garbage issue. But the Lord is gracious and at our apartment we can flush our toilet paper, so other than an occasional public bathroom (usually without a toilet seat) garbage hasn't really been an issue.
The interesting thing is, the garbage truck comes 6 nights a week!!! And I have never seen nor heard them, I just have been told. At night, our security guard places all of the garbage in a nice little pile near the curb. And then it happens, without fail, there are young guys who go to each pile of garbage and pick through the garbage. No, they aren't looking for food or for anything of value, but they are looking for reciepts!!! YEP, Reciepts. They very carefully go through each bag of garbage and gently pull out all the reciepts and important papers. These guys are very neat garbage pickers too. They leave the garbage in the exact same way that they found it. So, if I am ever throwing away any papers or reciepts, of course I destroy them and then I put them in the bag with the kitty litter! Ha!
Why am I talking about garbage so much? Well, it is because that is all that the missionaries around here talk about "GARBAGE!" What? You might say. Well, it is a game that you either love and are addicted too or hate with a passion. Anytime we have free time, you hear, "lets play garbage". It takes a gillion decks of cards and when you play with a group it takes forever but it is lots of fun! Last night we stayed up too late playing garbage with a huge group. What fun! When you come visit, we will teach you how!
I have heard that May is a busy month for our REAPSOUTH team. Well, it looks like the rumors are true. The reason for this is because alot of churches send out volunteer teams in May and also the BIG reason is, we have an influx of summer missionaries coming to serve on our team. It looks like there will be over 30+ summer missionaries coming to live for the whole summer as they serve in groups of 3 in different areas of southern Peru.
These summer missionaries will arrive around the 22nd and we will have a weekend orientation and then they will begin their journey to their villages. We will begin the orientation by having a fun activity to get them acclimated to Peru....it is called "The Amazing Grace". The summer missionaries will arrive to the airport, they will be placed into groups of three and recieve thier first "clue" to find the hotel. The next day, they will begin locating certain places in the city of Lima. Some places will have historical significance, some just fun cultural places, other places will actually be benificial to know where they are (like the US Embassay). Anyway, they will be given clues to find places and things all over the city of Lima using different types of transportation....and for those of you who don't know....LIMA is HUGEEEE!!! I still can not grasp how BIG Lima is! You can drive for over an hour and still be IN Lima! NUTS. Their last destination will be to arrive at the Finca (farm) where we will continue with their orientation.
It should be lots of fun. We even plan to give them the option to fast forward with a dare to eat or drink something weird. The dry run to firm up everything is tomorrow, with having the final test next week and then the REAL thing when the missionaries arrive. I will try to put up some pictures after the fact.
The cool thing is, our translators from our English classes will be thier guides throughout the city. They will be there to help, but only in case they get in trouble. This should be a really great experience for our translators as well.
Please be in prayer for the summer missionaries as they prepare to come, the translators as they prepare to serve, the church volunteer groups as they make thier plans and strategies for thier trip, for our TEAM as we organize, plan and work to make all this come together as smoothly as possible. Please also pray that through the fun of the Amazing Grace that the people that come into contact with these summer missionaries have the opportunity to see Jesus in each of them. Also, please pray with us as we look for a few more summer missionaries to fill a few vacant spots.
What adventures our kids will have to tell of as they grow up. Friday, Arnold and all three kids will head to the south to the country of Chile. They will be leaving early in the morning and coming back in the evening. It won't be a pleasure trip because it is only to take care of visa's for the kids but wow! What a day! And they love to say, Mom, after this trip, we will have been in 3 other countries that you have never been in! (Paraguay, Argentina and now Chile) What an experience.
Please pray for them as they board the plane, on Friday morning, make their way through the system to get the kids visas and then return that evening. Pray that their trip is safe and that they will not have any problems with obtaining the necessary documents needed for the visas.
We love you all! Chile today (Well not today but Friday!), Hot Tamale!!!! AWHH man, that makes me hungry for some Zwolle Tamales!
Sorry it has been so long since we have blogged! I have had trouble getting connected to the blog but hopefully all that is fixed now.
We had a nice long weekend this past weekend....beginning when the kids got off school early on Friday and then had Monday and Tuesday off for Labor day. We didn't do a whole lot except rest because Alisha and I have been feeling pretty sick. We are on the mend now and praying that the rest of the crew doesn't get it!
Many of you have asked about Patrick's trip...Yes, he did return (he's not still out there roaming in the mountains of Peru!!!) and he had a wonderful time!!! He had lots of stories, made some good friends and came back D-I-R-T-Y! I am not joking!!!!! His hands were flithy!!!!! He also went fishing but didn't catch anything but still had lots of fun. I guess PawPaw needs to come on down and take Patrick fishing!
We are getting ready for our Summer Missionaries that will be arriving at the end of May and stay till August. Please be in prayer for them as they prepare to serve.
We love you all! Miss you and thanks for noticing and asking why we haven't blogged.
I finally have a mission, I promise I'll complete.
I don't need excuses when I am your hands and feet.
====================
Audio Adrenaline, Underdog, "Hands and Feet", 1999
After a VERY long Mexican food drought, tonight we had a MEGA-Mexican FEAST!!!! (almost 2 years) I have told you before that although I thought that every Spanish speaking country ate Chips and Salsa and enchiladas, they don't. Even though Peruvian food is by far some of the best I have ever eaten, I must say that I have deeply missed good old Mexican food.
