One Month

One night, as I was thinking about the events of the day, I suddenly realized something seemed strange. Then I realized...it was quiet. Completely silent! Just then, a motocar buzzed by. Ahhhh, that was a relief. After one month of living next to the street, we have grown accustomed to the buzz and rumble of constant traffic. Without it, something seems wrong! When we go back to living in the country, the silence is going to be deafening! ;)
Well, we said goodbye to Team One 2 weeks ago. They were a huge blessing to us with their translation abilities, and we had a lot of fun with them. Team Two arrived the next day (with peanut butter and chocolate chips! Amazing how we take those for granted...literally made us squeal to get them! =p ). Four guys and one who brought his wife and son. The family stayed for a week, and the 4 other guys left last Friday. With such a great team, the project has whipped into shape and now we can see something getting done! Almost all the pillars and footings have been poured, and now they are working on filling and compacting the dirt so they can pour the floors. They had to build the foundation 2 or 3 feet above ground so that when the river rises, the building is not damaged. Dad is having a good time 'playing in the dirt'...one of his favorite things to do, and much easier than concrete! :) Now that Team Two has left, there is a one week break where there won't be a team coming from America, but Dad and the Peruvians are still working.
We started school last week, with a heavy emphasis on Spanish. So now our mornings are spent doing school, and after lunch we study Spanish. In the afternoons, we play with the Peruvian kids, who still come every day! We play volleyball with the Peruvian guys (workers) and older girls (we taught them speed volleyball!), and the little kids love anything new we teach them, especially hand games. After a month, our girls are beginning to understand Spanish more every day...sometimes they can understand it better than I can! Hopefully by next month, they'll be talking away! :)
We celebrated Renita's birthday with cake for all the workers. When the ladies found out Renita was turning 15, and that in America they don't have a big celebration, they decided to make Renita's 15th birthday in Peru memorable. So they surprised her with a last minute quinsanera! It was quite interesting...all the elders shared their advice for her, and then prayed over her. Then we had popcorn, chifle (banana chips), yuca chips and sandwiches and played some games. It was very fun, and helped us bond more with the Peruvians who live here at MEPI.
We met another missionary family, and found out they lived right down the street from us! Connie was a God-send to Mom...she takes her shopping and has just been a big help for Mom. They have a little girl Charity's age, and so the girls are glad to have an English-speaking friend to talk to! For Caitlyn's birthday, they took us swimming, and we had yummy homemade pizza.
Sunday, we went on a 2 hour drive, with 18 people squished in a little pickup truck...quite interesting to say the least, but what a hilarious memory! We left after lunch, arrived in the city of Nauta in time to eat a delicious supper, couresty of a Peruvian family we visited. We also bought 12 watermelons, yes, 12! The city is right across the river from a watermelon plantation, and so they are dirt cheap...1 sole, which is about 30 CENTS! What a feast. After dinner, we visited a little church, where us girls sang, and the pastor who was with us preached. By the time we got going, it was 9pm...I think we all got cold for the first time while riding home! It was a good experience though. We are probably going to start visiting different churches every Sunday now.
Thank you all for your prayers...they are very much needed! Pray for strength for the guys working (in the merciless sun)...that they will be ready for Team Three...and that Team Three will get here safely (this Sunday)...for protection, guidance, and wisdom. And that Spanish will come quickly! :) Only 4 1/2 more months. The time has passed much too quickly.

Team One

The building is coming along...all the columns poured, now for the beams!

Pouring the columns...

Sock wrestling on the ground in 3 inch thick dirt and sand...dirty and fun! We are not typical girls.

Ryan giving Bethany a big hug after not seeing her for 2 days! Best buddies!

Dad taking a siesta on an amazing Peruvian rocking chair (made from rebar)

We traveled like this in this little truck for 2 hours...good times! :)

Linz practicing for her Peruvian license...or dreaming anyway! ;)

An sloth we saw...they move so slow. I think God made them as an object lesson! ;)

Team Two and the Peruvian crew, along with some of the people who live here.

Ryan enjoying fresh coconut

This is crazy...that's concrete there.

Epanglish! :D

Opps! Dad had a little too much fun! ;) It turned out fine though.

Bethany studying hard. She'll be the first to know Spanish! ;)


Dad cutting Renita's cast off with tin snips. Haha...

Renita's cast tan...

Renita at her quinsanera

Everyone celebrating Renita's 15th, Peruvian style!

Team Two

Bethany eating rice, chicken and egg cooked in banana leaf (I don't know how to spell the name!)

What's for lunch? Fresh rooster!

Caitlyn...I don't think I'll eat lunch today! ;)

Guido, an interpretor, and his band came and played for us.

I'll try to update sooner next time. :)

Blessings,

Larinda