Baptism

Here are a few shots from our past week.  I didn't post them last week, because we have started homeschool again and things have gotten a little busier.  But I just thought I'd give you all a quick update.  Junior had the honor of baptizing his mother.  Because of health issues she wasn't able to be baptized at church, so the family had a small service together to baptize her.  It was a beautiful testimony to her faith in Jesus and her decision to live for Him.  We came to Peru with a desire to follow Jesus' command to "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Mt. 28:19)   What a beautiful surprise it was to begin our time here by doing exactly that for his mother.  Junior also continues to witness to and pray with taxi drivers and other that we meet.  We look forward to and continue to pray for God's direction for the next step in our lives.

Cousins Alexis and Daniela



Jonathan getting to know his abuelo



Cocachacra Here We Come!

We went to Cocachacra yesterday and here is a little look at what we were doing there.  Cocachacra is a small town about an hour outside of Lima, just as you start climbing up into the Andes mountains.  Daddy's friend, David, wanted us to go preach up in Cocachacra.  We went in a taxi to a town about 1/2 an hour from Lima.  Then in a micro (a small bus) we went the rest of the way to Cocachacra.  We came to a house with a small wading pool and a swingset.  We had anticuchos (meat on a stick) and chicha morada (purple corn drink).  After lunch we played volleyball and soccer with the kids from the church. 


Fun Swimming!




C'mon Josh!




Volleyball

 Then we went to the church which was only one small room, and it filled up with people.  We sang some songs and everyone introduced themselves, even us kids had to stand up front and talk.  Next Daddy  preached and after that the service ended.  Then we caught a bus home.  We all felt very tired. 



Praying after lunch




Daddy preaching at church

 By Alexis Vega

Our Room



A view of our room



Greetings from Lima!  Here is a quick look at where we are living.  For now we are staying with Junior's family.  All of his family lives in this home, including his mother, father, older brother, younger sister and her two kids.  They have graciously vacated one room in the house for us to sleep in.  Thankfully, the kids are small and they can double up in the beds.  So we have a double bed and two single beds.  We decided to get bookshelves to put our clothes in, since it takes up less space than a dresser.  So we each have one shelf for clothes.  We are thankful to have a place to stay, and ask you to pray with us as we seek God's direction for what's next.  We have been in touch with various YWAM schools, and are asking God to place us in the right situation and with the right people.  We know his plans are better than ours.  So we are trusting him and praying that we will follow his leading. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6



A Trip to Chiclayo

Last week we went to Chiclayo, a town in northern Peru.  We wanted to see what the town was like, meet with the family that is setting up the YWAM base, and see about the opportunity to do our DTS there.  We rode the night bus up there on Tuesday night.  It was a 13 hour trip, but the bus was very comfortable.  As you can see, the seats reclined about 180 degrees and are extra wide.  On the trip they serve you dinner when you get on, and  breakfast right before you arrive in the morning.  So I suppose the trip was a pleasant one, except for a tiny bit of motion sickness.  

Diego enjoying the comfort of the bus





Lucas on the bus




The kids on the bus



When we got there we found a hotel, took showers and went to meet the family.  They were very nice and helpful.  We enjoyed visiting with them and learning a bit more about YWAM.  Since this base is just beginning, they only have a few rooms for students.  So unfortunately, they don't have room for us to do the DTS there at this time.  But we had a nice time of prayer with them and we thank God for his guidance in our lives.  He knows better than us what will help us to grow, so we can trust that this closed door is for our good. 



building a pool for Joshua



The next day we took the chance to go to the beach.  There is a beach called Pimentel about 15 minutes from Chiclayo.  The kids were excited to finally make it to the beach, and they really enjoyed running around, digging in the sand and splashing in the water.  Their cousin, Daniela, and Junior's dad also joined us on the trip.  We all had a good time at the beach. 



One handy thing about the beach in Peru is the fact that you can buy just about anything you could need without even having to get up.  We were able to rent a handy umbrella and four chairs.  The sun is really strong here since we are so close to the equator, so it was nice to be protected from the sun. 



Our colorful umbrella




Buying buckets to build a sand castle



Ice cream hits the spot at the beach



We even met a man dressed up as a clown selling packets of gum to support his family.  We had a good talk with him and ended up praying for him and his son Mateo, who is sick.  We all had an enjoyable and relaxing day at the beach.  Before we left we stopped at a small beach side restaurant so I could have one of my favorite Peruvian dishes, cebiche.  It is fish marinated in lemon juice and hot peppers.  It is so good.  Alexis was brave enough to try a bite, but mostly the kids just enjoyed the Inca Kola and the cancha (Andean popcorn). 



Yummy cebiche



Classic peruvian flavors



The rest of the time in Chiclayo was spent swimming at the swimming pool, getting to know the town, and enjoying some yummy food.  I was surprised to find a Pizza Hut, KFC, and even a Starbucks!  I guess I could live in this town.  There was also a Pardos Chicken which is a yummy restaurant that serves rotisserie chicken.  So we had an enjoyable 3 day visit to Chiclayo, and headed back to Lima on Friday night. 




the kids at Pardos



Thanks for your continued prayers for us.  We are still trying to decide where to do our DTS, and we are also still adjusting to life in Peru.  It is a change for everyone, with new food, new routines, new living situations, etc.  But we are trusting God because he has eveything under control.  Although we would like to have our future all mapped out, we are just taking each day as a new adventure from him.  As I was reminded in my devotional (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young) a few days ago, the best way to be prepared for whatever we will encounter is not to have all the answers, but to spend quality time with Jesus.  Exodus 33:14 says, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."  So we are trusting in his word and resting in him. 



Our first week in Peru



At the mall with our cousins



These first few days in Peru we have been enjoying the warm weather, spending time with Junior's family, and eating some of our favorite meals.  Although we haven't been to the beach yet (much to the kids' dismay) we have been to some other fun places.  There is a really neat park here with about 14 fountains.  Some fountains you can play in, some are HUGE and others have a lights and music show.  It is very well done, and is new since we were here last.  So we enjoyed playing there and cooling off a bit. 



The interactive fountain



The tunnel fountain

We have also been out to eat a few times.  Two days ago we went to one of my favorite restaurants (and my sister's too), and it is funny that I had to come all the way to Peru to eat it.  Chilis has closed all of it's Portland locations, but there are at least 3 of them here in Lima.  So we were pleased to see this familiar sight and enjoyed eating there.   



Chilis....YUM!

For now we have been getting all around town by taxi.  We are praying that in God's time He will provide some sort of vehicle for us.  Although taxi isn't as convenient as our own car, God can also use the inconveniences in our life.  Junior takes every taxi ride as a chance to share the gospel, and we praise the Lord that one driver prayed to accept the Lord as his personal Savior.  We pray that Edgar will truly grow in his relationship with Jesus.  

My thoughts (by Alexis)

Hi my name is Alexis.  I'm nine years old. This is what I think of Peru:
1.  Very hot.
2.  Sort of stinky... (garbage, exhaust, etc.)
3.  A lot of honking
4.  Crazy drivers
5.  lots of punching (because there are so many slug-a-bugs)
6.  We can't drink tap water.
7.  Tons of taxis
8.  cockroaches (We have declared war on them)
9.  Living with my cousins (very fun)
So now you know a few of my thoughts about Peru.  It is very different, but I like living here a lot.

Goodbye Oregon, Hello Peru!

It has been a busy few weeks since I last wrote.  I apologize for the lack of writing and I will now try to get better at updating my blog.  The last 3 weeks have been so crazy.  We spent two wonderful weeks with my family celebrating Christmas, enjoying time together, and making wonderful memories.  My brother Bryan and his wife came from Chicago with their two boys, and my sister Kara and her husband Bill came from Panama.  So the family was all there.  That was the first Christmas in 8 years that we have all been together, and the cousins really enjoyed spending time together.  Then as soon as soon as Christmas was over, we began to pack for Peru.  It was a chaotic week between Christmas and New Years as we sorted and packed.  We decided to send a shipment to Peru by boat, since we had so many school books (for our homeschooling) that we knew couldn't be replaced in Peru and were too heavy to carry in our suitcases.  The problem was, once we decided to send a shipment, the pile quickly grew.  It was easy to get into the mindset that since we were already shipping things, one more thing wouldn't make much difference.  But with a huge pile of things to ship, and only a few days left, my parents, and my sister and brother-in-law came to our rescue.  They did just about all the packing for us.  They were amazing, and without their help, I think we would have just left with the clothes we were wearing.  On the 30th we were able to drop off our boxes at the warehouse to be shipped.  Then early morning on the 1st (4:00 in the morning to be exact) we set out for the aiport and our new life in Peru.  It was a long day, but the flight went as well as is to be expected with 5 kids.  They did a great job being patient and going through all the security checks.  We had to change planes two times, but we finally made it to Peru at 12:15 AM on the second of January.  Unfortunately, our 12 suitcases didn't make it with us.  During our short layovers, I guess the suitcases weren't able to change planes fast enough.  So that was a bit of a worry, but we give thanks to God that 2 days later the suitcases came in on the flight and were delivered to our house safe and sound.  That is an answer to prayer.  So now we are here with Junior's family, trying to settle in and get a bit organized after the busyness of December.  It is hot here, so the kids are happy to be back in shorts and are eager to get to the beach.  I guess that is all for now, but I will update again soon.

At the aiport with my sister Kara and her husband Bill