I'm thankful forrrr......

This Thanksgiving will be the second that I've spent in Peru. It's still a little difficult to be away from Family, but I am very thankful to have my community down here on the mission field with me. The Peru Mission really does a fantastic job of holding up our gluttonous feasting traditions even though we're south of the equator. Tomorrow can only be described, and has been described as a Thanksgiving Smorgasbord, with everyone on the team bringing their Thanksgiving specialties, it's a giant recipe for people to give thanks, share in tradition, and to fight food comas.

I greatly look forward to it.

So what with today being Thanksgiving Eve and all, I did what any 23 year old missionary intern ESL teacher would do. I taught.

This month I am teaching a Basic 5 class (i.e. the English babies), an intermediate 4 class (i.e. the awkward English 8th graders), and an intermediate 8 class (i.e. the I am English 16 going on English 17 year olds.) I love all of my classes. They all have such unique personalities and it's a joy to teach all of them.

Today, my basic 5 class was really fun. My 4 students are currently learning how to give personal information, for example- My name is....My brother's name is...etc. (Basic right?) So in order to practice talking about other people's families (His brother is... her mother's name is...etc) We constructed family trees for each other on the white board using some amazing clip art stick figures and sticky tack. Some of the pictures are below.

Vanessa is hard at work on Sara's Family tree

Too bad my students are so stinking awesome.

Miscellaneous...

I'm not really sure that I'm starting out with the purpose of going anywhere specific with this post.

But just to give a little snippet of an update:

Things are going well here, Summer is definitely on its way to Trujillo with the sun blinding me through my apartment window as I type this very entry.

Thanksgiving is officially 14 days away, which means that in precisely 12 days, I will cease all food consumption in order to make room for the massive blowout of food that is coming my way with Peru Mission's annual thanksgiving dinner. (seriously. it's out of control)

I may or may not be going Sandboarding this saturday...more to follow.

Music ministry is going well, and there is some talks of a group from the US coming down sometime next year to help out with it (I'm definitely praying that comes to be)

My wonderful students are almost finished with their Int. 3 cycle, and are doing so very well that one can't help but be proud and amazed.

I went to a Peruvian Amusement park this past week. It's most definitely as sketchy as it sounds and I have bruises from the "safety" equipment...however, I would go back there everyday if I could because it was just so much fun.

And last but not least. Today is my Brother's 29th Birthday (HA) and I can't give him a gift in Person, but I just want him to know that sometimes when life isn't going your way....just remember that

Nobody's Perfect

Happy Birthday to my Brother, the guy who's closest to being perfect without actually being perfect...at all.

Election facebook status updates over. (Praise the Lord)

On with Life...
One of biggest parts of my life down here in Peru has been the Larco Parish Church. (note the website is a little outdated, we have a roof now and have had for more than a year and half) Out of the current three parish churches that Peru Mission has, this is my Peruvian home church. Since the beginning of my time here, I've been attending Larco, been a part of the Grupo De Jovenes (youth group) as well as participated with the music on Sunday and a few Bible studies throughout. This church has been so amazing to be a part of and to watch God working through the people to see the growth of this congregation and its programs, and to see their sense of community as they said goodbye to one pastor and openly received another pastor, began new bible studies, came together to help more in the community and see the desire to be a stronger church flourish among the people.

One of the ways that the church has seen growth has been in the addition of new members and the development of future leaders in the church as well. Here's the latest edition of the Peru Mission Newsletter that speaks about the new Deacon's program in the church:

Training Future Deacons

The Son of Man did not come to be deaconed but to be a deacon and give his life for a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

The key to Peru Mission’s long-term goals is attaining godly, male, indigenous leadership in our parish communities. Jesus Christ himself serves as our model for healthy church leaders. Everywhere he went Jesus preached and portrayed the good news, loving sinners both in word and in deed. Following this divine example, it is our hope that the kingdom of God will expand as we preach and portray the gospel in our communities. It is noteworthy that the New Testament has preserved the importance of words and deeds in the offices of elder and deacon. Jesus is our deacon (Romans 15:8) and chief shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). Both offices are rooted in the person of Jesus, and both offices are essential for the life and mission of the church.

We have been praying for many years that God would raise up a new generation of Peruvian leaders, and we are beginning to see the answer to our prayers at the Larco Church. There are literally dozens of young, capable men waiting to be trained. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the leadership at Larco Church launched a ten-week deacons’ course last month. At our first meeting we had thirteen eager men ready to learn what it means to be a deacon.

God has also been adding new members to the Larco congregation. With this new growth come new challenges. Pastor Jaime and the elders are spending most of their time in diaconal work such as administration, mercy ministry, and building upkeep. The elders simply cannot keep up with all the needs of the congregation, let alone the surrounding neighborhood. Our hope is that the Larco Church will soon have an army of deacons ready to help the elders lead the church through service to others.
Please pray that God would continue to raise up godly, humble, capable leaders in all branches of the church and mission.

The Election as I have seen it...

I won't lie. I didn't keep up with politics. I didn't really know the platforms for either candidate. I...did...not...vote. I know, Normally I'm all about voting, but this year, I'm either a really bad US Citizen, or just a decent Peruvian resident.

All that is to say that one of the ways that I have been socially/electronically connected to the election this year has been through Facebook, which allows you to write a Status update, to say what you are doing right now or how you're feeling. I went through all my friend's status updates who have posted something about the election. I'm not writing anyone's full name, but all of these are copied directly from facebook.

I am only going to comment on the first status update, because I can't resist it. As for the rest I'm not saying I agree or disagree with any of these (though I do think some are ridiculous, I won't say which) but these are true opinions and this is how I have observed the election.

D. found out that after i vote tomorrow, i can get free Ben & Jerry's and free Starbucks AND a free Krispy Kreme donut. Life rocks. **Commentary on the United States of America. How do you get US citizens to vote? You bribe them with sweets. um... Isn't that what did Hansel and Gretel in?**

L. just waited two hours to vote!! GO MCCAIN! :).

J. just cancelled out a vote for change.

M. walked in and got to vote without standing in a line...oh the joys of living out in the middle of nowhere :).

L. is happy she already voted and was happy to cast her vote for Obama/Biden.

D. is pulling for McCain, but prophesying that Barack Obama is the next President of the U. S.

J. is hoping his friends realize that REGARDLESS of who gets in, the world isn't going to hell in a handbasket.

J. is so excited! Go Obama!!!

M. thinks "President Obama" is difficult to enunciate clearly.

J. thinks it's funny that oprah is quoting the bible in reference to her endorsing obama.

N. is ready for forward movement. Finally.

J.- there goes the neighborhood. To Switzerland I go.

K. is ready for Jesus to come back NOW!

J. -well obama...you've got a lot to live up to. good luck saving the world.

C. just watched history being made.

R. -Finally the change America needs..

V. is asking america why?

N.- God is Sovereign. Even if you don't believe in God we have a system of Checks & Balances. Either way, the country won't fall apart. Everyone chill out.Please.

L. -all the baptists are scrambling to their Left Behind books to see what happens next in the story....

A. is in TEARS! The 1st African-American President? 2008? And it's 4REAL! God had his hands in this along! Say what you want! It was a part of HIS plan!

K. is still proud to be an American. Obama will never take away what this country has accomplished, nor decide by himself it's future.

E. is disappointed in the number of people who are willing to give up on their country simply because they did not get their way. Canada/Mexico deserve you.

S. thinks Hitler gave good speeches too....

X. now believes this really may be a defining moment in American history - this Obama guy is the real deal.

D. thinks that it took more than one president to build this country and it will take more than one to tear it down...

M. is praying for our president-elect.

J.- “At this defining moment change has come to America” (Obama 11/04/08) “National Socialist Movement will bring about a revolutionary change" (Hitler 01/30/37).

S. says: so change has come to America huh? I hope it's as good as people want us to think....

J. is excited to see what a sovereign God can do through President Obama, a sinner just like me.

E. is waiting for all those people who promised they would leave the country to come visit me in mexico!

L. is thinking that living in Chile for the next four years might be a very good option.

H.: Well, America you voted and you got it: Higher taxes and fewer freedoms! But God is in control!!!

A.- I want everyone to go buy a bottle of chill pills and down a few.

S. hopes that now that Obama will be president that he'll at least put his hand over his heart for the national anthem and hold a higher opinion of our country.

K. is scared that her husbands Commander In Chief will be Obama.

B. is SARA PALIN 2012! :).

L. is trying to deal with the fact that obama is going to run our country for 4 years

J. sees that the world is still turning. Weird

H. voted for Michael Jackson. He's black, and white, a woman, and a man... definitely politically correct, and a crowd pleaser :).

M. is sayng, "Promotion does not come from the east or west. God is the judge, he puts one down and sets up another." so lets pray for the one God promoted!

J. is mourning the election of Obama for President. Oh God, please have mercy on our nation

M. is praying for our country and President elect!

S. will be glad to help you move

The Season....has begun.

Globalism and its effects on Peru can be argued to be either good or bad. Today, I argue that globalism is a positive thing.

Why?

Because globalism has brought some of the US traditions of Halloween to Peru. Is that really a good thing? Well....that's also something that could be debated as a positive or negative thing. Today I argue that Halloween traditions coming to Peru are also a good thing.

Why?

Because it means that Plaza Vea (think Peruvian target and an exemplar of globalism in Peru) sells pumpkins for a few weeks before Halloween. Is that a good thing? YES!

Why?

Because I get to make Homemade pumpkin pie!!! Just like my mom's (but a little baby step down). I have successfully carved, diced, boiled, scraped, and pureed two and a half giant pumpkins. The 1/2 because the warmer weather and humidity in Trujillo apparently means that half of your pumpkin will grow mold after 2 days...lesson learned.

2 and 1/2 giant pumpkins means I have enough pumpkin puree to last me until I leave Peru for good next July. So far, I've made mini pumpkin pies, normal sized pumpkin pies, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin lattes, and cinnamon chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Yes, those are just as delicious as they sound. There of course is much more of this to come- including, but not limited to: Pumpkin mousse, pumpkin swirl cheesecake, pumpkin fudge pumpkin cream cheese spread, pumpkin gingersnap parfaits, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars, and yes of course, More homemade Pumpkin pie...