Home

So while sandboarding in my backyard in sunny Peru, those in my home town got hit by a tornado. We have always had tornadoes since I can always remember. I remember never being afraid but rather fascinated that the sky could turn so black and th wind could go so fast. Then comes the hail, sometimes as big as small baseballs. Finally if you are unlucky you see the tornado. I remember trying to wait by the windows so I could catch a glimpse of one. But my smart father would always rush us into their bedroom closet so that if it hit the house we would be safe. And then there was the sound. Like a train coming through. I remember the endless drills at school, how painfully boring they were. I remember thinking that I wished we could have earthquake drills just because they were different. (very thankful now that we do not live on a fault line, especially after having been in Peru during a few earthquakes here and around us). But even through the worst of the tornado winds God always protected us and those around us.

So like I was saying, yesterday Choctaw county and Yazoo, MS go hit hard by a tornado. I had no idea until I was on fb later and saw that my parents had no power at the house. I called the phone and found out that thankfully they were safe and the actual town of Weir (ie. our street ha) was fine. But just down the road houses were gone. Nothing there. I was sitting there trying to imagine my entire life just gone in one storm. I couldn't. I also heard that there were a few deaths caused by the storm. I can only praise God for sparing the rest of the county. It was awful, but it could have been so much worse. Think Haiti or more recently Chile. My town, my county, my people....you are in my prayers. May the God of Wonders use this to strengthen you together as a family, the body of Christ. May he bring you together to help one another, to lend a hand to your neighbor or the family in need down the way. I wish I could be there to help out. But God's plans are perfect and His will is being done, even through this hardship. Keep strong and may He be praised through the storm. I love you all, and we here in Peru are praying for you! See you in July!

Psalm 121:1-2
I lift my eyes up to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

"I will praise you in this storm"

Left - a little town in Peru called Cajamarca during an afternoon rainstorm. Right- I am watching the storm.

Study study study...

I thought after college that I wouldn't be faced with the things of my school days like studying, reading, and memorizing, ever again. Well wow was I wrong! I move down here to Peru and guess what, they speak spanish. Why yes, I have studied for 4 years but was far (still am) from being fluent. So I come here and have been taking spanish classes every friday. I am on the intermediate level! I was thrilled to hear that! So I have to study a lot for that. But in reality, I really don't study nearly enough. They even give us homework. But I will say that it is much less and easier than that which Senora Dieckman gave us in sp 1 and 2. :)
So on top of that, I have been more interested in photography and recently design. I am doing research and constantly trying to find new ways to learn more about these things. I am also looking into home businesses. So if you are one who has started your own home business and have advice let me know! Aside from all of that, we as a group of workers and volunteers are reading a book of the bible every month. AND I am involved in a bible study with the madres on The Purpose Driven Life. A few of us have also decided to start a bible study on Beth Moore's Living Beyond Yourself. So I have a lot to study. I really hope I am not taking on too much with all of these bible studies and spanish class, mixed in with my normal schedule (which surprisingly has calmed down a bunch!). I pray that God will open my heart to hear his words and live my life in a manner that he wants me to. I do hope I can be faithful to these things, because I know it is so important to be in his word and get to know him more. Pray for a renewed strength!

-I am just starting The Purpose Driven Life and already have found some amazing things to live by. Check it out. Paul's secret to spreading the gospel...he was FOCUSED! No one can serve two masters (be it a person or possesions). "The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose." And well-formed love banishes fear! I am excited to find out more and to enforce what I already know, so that I too may live my life with a Christ-like purpose!

Week in a list

It's friday, what did I do this week? Let's take a look.

1. Had a nice Easter lunch with some volunteers from the Albergue.

2. Photo shoot with baby Jhon.

3. Learning to crochet.

4. Read part of The Lovely Bones.

5. Hemmed two pairs of jeans.

6. Ate soup.

7. Watched LOST.

 8. Talked to an old friend.

9. Went to visit Kevin at his new albergue (where we proceeded to talk to one another on finger phones).

10. Got a package from my family (included with an 8x10 school pic of Caroline).

11. Wore my old lady glasses.

12. And realized the 4 of us who workout together in the am's look like a legit exercise class!

I think that does it for this week. Man, ya me canse´. Or man, I made my self tired.

Love you all!

New beginnings

Jhon being very silly. Can't you see why I love him!

Monday was a day of new beginnings. It started out like any ole normal Monday, but by lunch that all changed. We have a little boy here that is in the process of getting adopted and his family was coming soon. They would tell us," oh it should be just another 2 or 3 weeks." But the summer came and went and no parents. So Monday before lunch I was hanging laundry on the roof and heard people's voices speaking in english. Not that is too odd because we the volunteers speak english, but I didn't recognize these voices. I looked down and our little boy was playing with a family. They had come! They were trying to talk to him (the mom knows a little spanish) and he was so excited about telling them about his friends and school here. He has a brother and 2 sisters and the 4 of them took off and had a great time playing. He left 30 min after. We are having his going away party tomorrow and they head to Lima in a week or so, then to the states. I am so excited for him and his new family and life! He is going to be so blessed, but at the same time the reality of it all is going to set in. Our kids have unusual expectations on adoptions and American families. They think that they will live in this mansion with gold and get all the ipods and teles they can ever think of getting. True they may all get ipods being that the entire country has iphones now....man I am going to be waaay behind when I get home. But anyway, he will have such a better life there than here. But it is still wierd to think that these ppl who have never spent more than 30 minuties with him, just took him away, when we have spent months getting to know him.

We also got a little kitten! He is black and his name is Simon. The kids say we have the same kind of eyes...don't worry they are the pretty blue kind. ;) So we have Simon to eat/kill the rats. Eww I know! I saw the other day and about jumped out of my pants...it was a soo big and gross. So I hope little Simon makes it here. We all love him and he is just as cute and friendly as can be! (even our dog Tracy doesn't mind him).

I have made a new friend. His name is Jhon, and is 2 yrs old. We have just about hte same color skin and he occasionally calls me "momma", which is rather wierd. We do everything together in the afternoons. In my new job at 4pm I go to the Amigos casa and do laundry, ect...and I walk in and Jhon shouts out, "Sana! Sana! YO, YO, YO!!!" (translates Susanna, Susanna! I, I , I) Which means that he wants to come help me do laundry or whatever job there is to do that day. I thoroughly enjoy his company. He holds the laundry room key for me, hands me clothes to hang up to dry, and laughs with me. We also like to read and play on the playground. He is just the cutest little thing (yes cuter than Simon) and I LOVE I mean LOVE his laughs. They are so sweet :)

Love you all!

*pics thanks to my new friend Jen! (she is the new kinder teacher)

Summer where have you gone?

Me and Becca hanging out with some of the girls on Saturday morning

Summer has come and gone. Where did all the time go? Well the sun and season are here still, but the kids are now back in school and our jobs have gone back to "normal". Mine has changed a ton, but it is going great.

Me and Daisy at the pre-camp meeting!

Frankie and Piero playing at the park playground.

So our summer started out the week before Christmas. We had Christmas holidays and then after New Years we started the infamous "summer programs". I rememeber older volunteers telling us newbies that summer was the BEST time here at the albergue and it was so chilled and fun. So as you can only imagine we were pumped! The kids went to summer camp, thanks to Twin Lakes in Jackson, MS who came down for the week to have camp with kids here in Trujillo. Thanks guys! So while the kiddies were at camp we went to work planning our summer programs. We worked sun up to sun down...well maybe not that much. I was partned up with some others and was in charge of art, reading, and games. Sounded like a PERFECT summer! I was ready to by the following Monday. Then the chaos started. Wow, summer was hard. I have worked at summer camps for the past 8 years, so I know what it is like to run activities and such, but this was waaay different. In the mornings we had 2 hours of tutoria, I had some of our 5 and 6 yr olds. We learned our alphabet and numbers, started doing sums and writing. Teaching the alphabet is hard, guys. Yes I learned it years ago and I wish I could remember how I learned because I am sure it would have helped me teach. We had great days in tutoria though. I would teach them through games and other stuff. I can tell you that it was sucessful and they learned how to say a-z including ñ! So then after tutoria every day we had 3 more hours for our activities. The kids were slpit up into 5 groups according to age and they would rotate activities. I think I was more excited about some of them than they were. But in the end they really had fun! We read A Secret Garden, A series of unfortunate events, and a series called Casa de Arbol. In art we made things like paper mache masks, salt dough, painted, and so on...games we started out playing futbol (soccer), volleyball, and kickball, but in the end we played a TON of jump rope. They are super at jump rope...but then again what 8+ yr old isn't?

Courtney and I were matching and having so much fun on the merry go round thing!

All of us Christmas day at the Plaza!

The afternoons were filled with activities that they could choose from. Yo-yo, drawing/painting, baton twirling, guitar, futbol, photography, and chior are some of their choices. I mainly stayed working in the garden and was able to plant corn, lettuce, cilantro, radishes, and tomatoes! They are coming up so nicely! So at the end of the summer we had our "clausaura" which is like an ending program or event. We went to Moche Park to swim and play, and then after lunch the kids put on a show of the things they had learned this summer. It was a lot of fun and they all did a great job!

Some of us after a futbol game on night

Mateo and I playing jump rope with some of the kids

Becca, Mateo with 2 of our moms, Sefora and Milargos

Even though it was not the BEST time ever here and definetly not "chilled out" it was a pretty great summer! Our kids were exposed to so much that they would have never had the chance to do had they not been here. I even think about my childhood. Besides summer camp, I just went to the pool and played outside all summer. In fact I am pretty sure my mother locked us out of the house all day long. These kids were exposed to much more in one summer than I was in probably 10 summers. Thanks parents...haha kidding!

Cristina and me at moche park

Marecielo at the pool.

So now the kids are in school getting their learn on and I am cleaning houses. But anticipating the days I can get to the beach to have some of that last summer fun. I got burned last saturday...don't worry I am planning on putting on plenty of spf next go round!

Chauuuu! Les quiero mucho!

* Oh I already told my mom and I thought she was going to jump through the phone in excitement, but I am learning French! Soooo much harder than spanish in the pronunctiations, but the verbs are really really similiar.

Despedida time again...

So every couple of months one of the volunteers leaves us and moves on with life. Some have moved home (Mateo and Anthony) and began the search for jobs, while others have opted for staying here in Perú. Nicky is getting married in just a few weeks to a guy who lives in Cajamarca (supposed to be a beautiful mountain city) and we are going for the wedding! Lena, who is from Ukraine, is now teaching in Lima, and Sam moved to Chiclayo, 3 hrs north of T-town. So during the despedida party, we the volunteers give a presentation to those leaving. Kind of a way of saying thanks for all you have done and we will dearly miss you. So last Friday afternoon we said goodbye to Sam, Mateo, and Lena. Without further adue I will let you see for your self what really goes on here at Hogar de Esperanza Volunteer Life 2010.... So grab some popcorn and enjoy!


Ok so it wouldn't upload on here but go here and watch it!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz93ya65CHQ&feature=player_embedded



Love from Hogar de Esperanza!

gLee!

We have no tv, our internet was our for 2 weeks, power going off and on, the telephone has permanent water damage....talked to my mom and she said, "wow, you sound like a real missionary now." Ok mom let me tell you about a little thing called 2010...people all over the world have access to the internet and mostly wireless, none of that dial-up stuff. Therefore making it so much easier to make contacts, talk to family and you can still minister using those things....the world is advancing like crazy. I love it! But I do love the simplicity of life still. Snail mail...my favorite! HINT HINT! :)

*snail mail

My summer has been filled with trails and hardships (James 1:2-6), but I have managed to pull out and see the good times. The time that Jhonatan sat with me outside and we read books one afternoon. Skipping rope with the kids at night before dinner..."tia, i had no clue you could skip rope! How are you doing this?" Well let me tell you I have 23 yrs and I too as I child skipped rope. They where amazed! Lying at the beach with the other volunteers on weekends, being in the Luces house one night when the lights were out and we sang songs, played games and read in the candle light, Valentines day lunch at the secretary Carmen's house, Josue (14yrs) helping me voluntarily in the garden! HA! These are just a few moments...

*skipping rope

*sunbathing

*watching gLee

Going to Patty and Alleen's apt on weekdays, but mainly weekends to cook, hangout or watch our favorite tv shows on itunes! Like gLee! Love it! But I love spending time with them. Last night I was at their place for dinner with the interns of Peru Mission and after dinner Patty and I were looking at way old pictures and what laughs we got! It was so much fun! We also watched Planet Earth, which is her new favorite thing to do. We watched fresh waters and it was beautiful! You must watch it! I did fall asleep at the end, but only because I had a busy weekend and was way tired. But it is just so delightfully wonderfull that my very best friend is here in Trujillo with me! I am truly blessed!

*best friends

I just read The Kite Runner. It is not for those with a weak stomach or a weary heart. But it touched my heart and I have a whole new feeling towards family and what you mean to those you coame in contact with, but most importantly the things you are too scared to do, but you should...man up and do them! Wouldn't you like to see how life really should be and not think about how things would have turned out if you would have done something different?

Think about life and what is important to you and do it!
I also have ZERO dirrection for my life after Peru and I am excited about that, oddly enough.

ps. quote of the week...someone at dinner asks about cheerleading, "why did you lift weights?" Patty responds, "so we could pick up girls." Gracias gracias Patty Kinsey! HILARIOUS!

Love y'all!

*just a few fvorites

Taste the rain.

Friday:
BEEP BEEP BEEP...off goes the alarm. I roll over to turn it off. It reads 6am. "oh already?" I ask. I can really go back to sleep until 7. Back to sleep I go, until...."!BEEEEEEEEEEEP!" what was that? Sounds like my computer. Great don't tell me it's dead. No the power just went out. Ok so now what time is it? Ah, close to 7. I can afford to sleep a bit longer.

Pit pat pit pat...wow, what is that noise? Sounds like rain. I bet it is just the sprinkler. I get out of bed to look. No, wait it is rain! It's raining! Just think of how easy gardening will be today. So then I think to myself. No power and raining...perfect morning for staying in bed and reading! That doesn't last too long. Outside I hear little voices delighting in the rain. I look out the window and see one girl with a happy scrunched up face as she walks throught the rain to breakfast, another dances in the rain with a smile the size of Texas, and then yet another shrugs her shoulders and puts her hands halfway up, maybe trying to get the rain to stop falling. I crawl back into bed and just sit there for a while listening to the birds singing and the rain stop. To be continuted....

Later... So the day proceeded on as un normal as it possibly could. I went to work in the garden first thing because the ground was wet and soft. Then a group of medics came from the US to do check-ups on the kids and workers. How cool was that! And my friend Emery Irvine from CRS was there with them! It was great to see her and get to catch up. That afternoon we (volunteers) had a short meeting on medicine and what to give kids when. The house mothers then went to a seminar in Trujillo, leaving a few of us in charge until about 7pm or so. Now remember, we still have NO POWER. I head into Salaverry around 5 with Lori and John (2 of our other volunteers) for candles. When we get back ALL of the kids are running around like wild monkeys, playing in the "rain" (spit of rain is more like it). We then find out there is also now no water, due to the fact our water pump is electrical. Ok so let's review. Weird day, rain, no power, and now no water. So we eat by candle light. How sweet you say? HA! I think you are looking for the word caotic, and boy was it! After dinner, the kids went to their houses and played games, sang, and read bible stories. I remember standing some of us standing by one of the upstairs windows facing the gate, just waiting for someone to tell us good news. Nothing happened so I went to sleep.

Saturday:

We have water! It is limited but we have it! Later in the day, Sam tells us about this ceremony that our friends from the campina are playing at, so we decide to go. Around 7ish we head out dressed in our best. Well best rainy clothing. In Moche we wait for Sam at the plaza de armas. We see lots of people dressed up for what looks like a prom, but most likely means a party of some type. Well we are near the Catholic church and see a wedding. We ask a passerby what is happening here tonight and he tells us, "well it is a wedding." WHAT a wedding! We then think so our friends are playing at a wedding? Wow are we underdressed. We decide to stick around until Javier shows up at 8. But Javier never shows and we found out that at 8 (which turned into 9) was a wedding for Javier's brother Carlos. We decide what the heck, let's go to the wedding. We sit in the back, hoping not to be noticed, but the camer guy gets us in the face for a long time. Now Carlos and Isabel will look back on their wedding day video and see a bunch of underdressed gringos and either say, "who are these bums? or Wow rememeber our friends, so glad they came!" Let's shoot for the second one! We decide to go to the reception with 12am being our time to head back home for the night. We get there and well now it is almost 12 and the party hasn't even started. We all are seated and waiting for drinks and food. This is a nice sit down dinner, steaks and all. It is also raining harder now. yay! We proceed to eat and watch the groom dance with the bride and then they both danced with everyone else in the family and then whoever wanted to dance with them could...all to the same song. egh. Then finally the fun part stars..dancing! We all head out onto the dance floor and salsa, cumbia, and just dance! We also got onto Javier for not telling us the ceremony was a wedding..and his brother's wedding at that! But all in all we had a blast!

Sunday:

I am in a house the Luces...this is a first for me, well just being in thier house. We still have no power, but we did have a great day playing outside and painting fingernails. That night we played mancala and hung out by candle light. It was very enjoyable and almost relaxing!

Monday:

I am sick. I woke up and thought I was going to die. Nothing would stay in my body and so I slept until 10:30ish. I then decide I am a wimp for being sick and I should go outside and help with games. I stand outside and we are jumping rope. Easy enough. Then at teh end of reading time I get a big wiff of lunch being cooked and think I am going to be sick all over again. But I decide I can at least make it through art and then take the rest of the day off and sleep. So I barely make it through art, but I do and head straight back to bad. By 3 I wake up and fell achey all over, thinking I am going to die soon. Power come ON! I hear shouts of joy from outside and plug in my computer. Ah, now I can at least watch movies while I am lying here dying.

Tuesday:

I am feeling a lot better. My stomach is still a little queezy but I manage to eaat some dry cheerios.

Wednesday:

Still no internet, but at least it hasn't rained again. That night we head to Starbucks to use internet and let teh world know we are alive out here. They have air-conditioning in Starbucks! How wierd that was. We head back home and it is starting to rain again....

Thursday:

I wake up to hear rain, rain, and more rain. Ugh not another rainy day...go away! So I head out to fix something to drink and I walk straight into a flood. On the SECOND floor! I then see Lena pushing rain out of her room and both of the rooms were flooded. I run back into my room, thinking man I should've stayed in bed. But then I wake up Becca and Beks to come help push water off the floor into the drain. We then realize that the water of the flat roof is leaking through the skylights and cealing. Some of us head upstairs to push the water down the drains, while others are down trying to get water out of bedrooms and such. This takes us a couple of hours, because it is still raining. So we have decided to cancel morning programs due to the rain and damage done. We finally finish and decide to head to Salaverry to help some of the workers with their homes. As we get there everyone tells us they woke up at 5 to clean their houses and we were too late. But we did end up helping in the church and a little in the streets (everything was flooded). The bomberos (firemen) finally came to suck the water out of the streets.

-Coastal peruvian buildings and streets are not built for the rain. They do not have many drains and if they do they are up higher than anything else....wierd I know.

So we get home and try to go on with as many activities as we can. I get a chance to plant the radishes finally! That night we make sand bags to block the rain, just in case it came back. Friday was normal and I finally washed clothes. No internet still, but I am now at Patty and Alleen's for the day (Saturday) so I can use the internet here! Thanks guys! It did rain last night, but not nearly enough to flood again! Hopefully things are looking up!

Hoping we will have internet again soon, by Tuesday they say...but you never can tell. I miss you all and pray you are stayign dryer than me!

Love and Happy Valentines Day!

* it is now monday & we have internet!

ABC....123...

I am not really feeling a story-type blog today so I think I shall go with a list. Here goes!

1. Listening to the Avett Brothers and Alexi Murdoch...very tranquil or mostly.

2. I had a very sentimental moment today with one of our little kids Johnatan, who is leaving tomorrow. He decided to come to help me in the garden today (it was the girls turn) but any other day had I asked him to help he would have scrunched up his face and loudly said "no!". So he came and worked hard and then I afterwards I saw him sitting in the front all by himself and instead of passing him and going up to my room to clean up, I sat down next to him. He laid on my lap, looked up at me and said, "Tia, read to me please." So we went to the library to get some books and raced each other to the one shady spot in the yard and read. He sat looking and listening, very contently. My heart was beaming. I am so glad that God allowed this precious moment in my day. I know he has probably forgotten about it already, but it will stay with me forever. I feel like my heart is so full and content. Thank you God for a loving me like this!

3. I have been wearing my overalls all week long, due to the horrendous bed bug and spider bites I have accumulated over the beginning of the week. I dare say they (the overalls) are rather comfy. Who am I kidding? They are the best invention EVER! I wouldn't doubt it if I wore them at home. Although they are rather dirty and stained. But yes I an not ashamed (though I should be) to wear them into town....thinking of it tonight?

4. I am teaching a 4, 5, 6, and 8 yr old their alphabet and numbers. It is taking FOREVER. Just when I think one of them gets it, they mess up so bad. Or I tried moving on to sums..but that doesn't work when you think you are writing 22 but really you wrote 11. I am having them trace their letters and numbers a bazillion times. One girl is a month new and she still won't talk. Thus making tutoring very difficult. I wish I remember how I learned my ABC's so then maybe it would be easier to teach them.

5. I have a mosquito net but it keeps falling on my face during the night. Need to look in the closet for a new one. ASAP! But it is kinda cool b/c it is hunter green and I feel like I am camping every night.

6. Haven't been to the beach lately, but there is a surf comp. this week and onto this weekend...umm feeling the beach Saturday. Wanna come?!!!!

7. I am realizing every day my time here is passing and getting shorter and shorter. This scares me. I am getting very attached to these kids and workers and my friends in Trujillo. I think I don't want to leave, but then I think about everyone back at home and I want to live in America.

8. Life is complicated. Sometimes I wish Jesus would just come back so I wouldn't worry about what to do with my life or such things.

9. I have a hard time imagining my life with less spanish or none at all. ugh...sad

10. I find joy in the morning. My heart comes alive for the day and it is new! I usually run or workout with one or two of the other volunteers. Lately we have been running around the inside of the albergue and two of the 8 yr old girls from one house have been running 3 laps with us, and then I get back and turn on Hillsong. My heart sings!

11. I mentioned in my last blog that Paul in my tutoring class wanted to help the orphans in Haiti, and he asked about them the other day. Mentioning my kids in tutoria, one of the older girls asked me the other day where my husband was, and why was I not looking for him right at that moment. After letting her know I wasn't worried about things like that she told me not to worry that she was looking for me. So reassured that a 6 yr old is going to find my husband...ha ha!

12. I need to call my mother now, plus I think I have run out of things to list for now!

To all the teachers out there....may God bless you as you teach little ones. It is hard and you are amazing for doing it!

Love you all!

Paúl

I started reading Philippians again and I think that just about every time I get something new from it. I just love that about reading and especially the Bible.

"Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel," Verse 12 from chapter 1.

Here Paul is talking about his imprisonment, and that through it all good has come. The cause of Christ has become well known throughout the WHOLE praetorian guard (which was preferring to the governor's palace, but also means corrupt). He trusted in the Lord that his fellow believers would have more faith and courage to speak God's truth.

This makes me think about us. Now I know we are not in literal chains like Paul was, but figuratively some of us are. We are bound by the things of this world, or things are crashing down around us and what do we do? Do we stand up for the Lord and preach the gospel, the truth, the light to all of those around us? I think it is safe to say that we are not always doing this.

When Haiti was hit with that awful earthquake last week, my heart hurt. There were all of those people without food, water, homes. What a scary place to be at right now. It really hit home to me when I heard about all the orphanages that are now gone, and those children are back on the streets, right where they started. We had an earthquake a few weeks ago here in Peru. It was farther up north but you could feel the shaking. Thankfully it was only a 5 and no damage was done. But what if it had, what if it was us instead of Haiti? I have been thinking about that lately and an so grateful that God has saved us, protected us. I was talking to Paul, one of the 5 yr olds in my tutoria class, about what happened in Haiti and how awful it was that those kids do not have homes anymore. Now remember, I am talking to a kid who no longer lives with his family, but is here at this orphanage. So as we were talking about it he says,"Tia, maybe we could let those kids come and eat dinner with us, just maybe we can do that." Wow, instead of saying something to the effect of well that stinks or that's sad, he wants to let them eat dinner with us. How I wish they could!

So I guess I am saying that God can and will do something amazing out of the traumatic thing that has happened in Haiti. Like in the Bible with Paul, He used him when he was imprisoned. He uses us when we are struggling and we feel like life is falling apart...or maybe it literally is. He uses us! Thank you Lord for using us and our circumstances to further YOUR kingdom!

Pray for those hurting in Haiti.

Sun and summertime!

This is Courtney, Becca, and I at Huaca de la Sol (one of the old ruins nearby)

So to everyone back in the States...I am sorry you are suffering in that cold, snowy stuff, and with bad water while I am in warm sunny Peru enjoying the beach on my weekends off and playing soccer with Peruvian children..it's summer and man am i glad! Hey at least we have the bad water part in common for a while any way!

Yes it is officially summer in the southern hemisphere and I am so glad to get rid of those cold dreary days. When I got back I think I was almost in shock of how warm it was, b/c it was just so cold at home. But I have now gotten used to it and would love for it to never end! Our kids went to summer camp last week, thanks to Twin Lakes Summer Camp who came to Trujillo, Peru to run camp. Thank you so much TLP! We all had a great time and they are still singing camp songs! We have so many volunteers that only 3 could go a day, so that meant most of us only got one day at camp. While we were not at camp we spent our time planning for our summer programs. We all have a tutoria class for 2 hours every morning and then we split up into groups to do different activities until lunch. My summer looks like this: tutoring with Camila, Paul, and Cristina ( we are learning our ABC's and 123's, then I go to games, reading, and art. I have to say it is going to be hard but fun at the same time! We are just about to finish up our first week and I think it is safe to say it has gone pretty smoothly. :)

On another note, I came back to see the garden, let's put it this way...is messy too strong of a word? Well anyway it had not gotten all of the attention it had needed and there were some weeds. But the squash had grown so big! I was just able to pick it last week. The size of a ginormous pumpkin! I wish I could tell you I had gotten my picture with it, but sadly I didn't and I think we are eating it for lunch today. So now we are cultivating the land to plant our summer veggies: corn, green beans, radish (always grow here), lettuce, and tomatoes! Lots of work, but it will be well worth it in a month or two!

I am also thinking about what I am going to do when I get home. Yuck. I really don't want to think about that at all. But July will sadly be here before we know it and it will be time for me to pack my bags and head out. I have started to search online for jobs in Choctaw County area...winner huh? Let me tell you online there are close to none...let's hope there are a few more in the word of mouth are. I am also thinking about Houston, TX and Jackson, MS. I really want a job where I can really continue to use my spanish. If you know of one let me know! I am also thinking of jobs overseas. As much as I miss my family, I love to travel and experience other peoples lives and cultures. I need to start praying about it all, now. Please keep me in your prayers as I start to think about my life after Hogar de Esperanza! :/

Love you all!

2+2 Sum it all up!

Dear family and friends,

Thank you so much for all of your love, prayers, and support for me. You are so greatly appreciated and I cannot fully express how much you mean to me and the children of Peru! Here is a bit about what has been happening lately in my adventures in Peru.

I think that if I had to describe the orphanage with one word it would be “family”. We have a much more family-like atmosphere compared to that of the government run orphanages in town. There are two girl and two boy houses at Hogar de Esperanza. Each house has a house mother to watch the 12 children (ages 1-16) in the house. They do everything as a family. They eat, clean, play, study, and go to church together as a family. We allow our kids to go to the private schools in the area depending on the age and school needs. The teenagers are allowed “privileges” to go to a friend’s house, or go shopping, just like a teen at home would. By doing this we are letting them live more like a family and not as orphans never allowed to leave the walls. As a staff we pray, meet, and worship together. The workers invite the volunteers into their lives and let us be a part of their families. I think that this aspect is what really makes us stand out and be different from the rest of the orphanages in the area.

Here is a glimpse at what my daily jobs are like. My mornings at Hogar de Esperanza consist of working in the office for a little while making crafts or running errands around the orphanage, playing with some of our 5 yr olds that go to school in the afternoon, and I also help out in the kitchen before lunch. That has been very interesting to say the least! I am learning how to cook Peruvian foods, but right now I am mainly chopping limes and onions. And on that note I have only cried chopping onions once! After lunch I have garden time for a hour with some kids from one of the houses. The garden is split into four sections and each house is in charge of one section. They help me prepare the soil, plant the seeds, weed, and then pick the vegetables. They get very excited about watching the plants grow. It is fun to see them so eager about learning and helping me in the garden! After garden I supervise Yuliana, who is in cosmetology school. She has to practice for an hour and a half, cutting, styling and braiding hair. I have really seen her grow and mature over four months. And of course I fill in at times in the houses when the moms are on their day offs or have to run to a child to the doctor. Those times have been some of the longest and hardest, but some of the most rewarding of all. I don’t really feel like you can really know some of the kids until you live with them. There have been times where I have been watching the boys house and they turn off all of the lights just so they can jump out and scare you, or they get into fights and you have to punish them, or my favorite times of all are those quiet moments before bed and that one kid wants you to read the bible with him. It has definitely been a rewarding experience.


I am very excited about spending eight more months in Peru and learning more every day. I hope that God will continue to use me and those I am working with, in the children’s lives and also the lives of the friends I have made. Please pray that God will mold my heart more and more like his and that I will be faithful to trust Him in every situation I run into. Pray that God will work in the lives of the children. Pray for their families also, and those children who do not have families, which those of us who are working with them can love them and provide for them while they are with us.

I want to leave you with this story of Kevin, who has touched my heart so much in the past four months. He was the 15yr old who worked with me in the mornings before he left for another orphanage. My very first day here, before I knew I would be working with him, he came up to me and told me that he would teach me Spanish if I would teach him English. He showed me around and let me play with him and his friends. Our friendship then began and he would join me in the mornings that first week doing arts and crafts with the kids. The next week we found out that I was working with him. I was a little nervous, but I knew they wouldn’t put me somewhere I couldn’t handle. As the weeks went on we began to get to know one another more and more. We would spend our mornings working, learning one another’s language and telling stories about our families and trying to figure out what we were going to do later in life. I would sit with him occasionally at meal times and later in the day I would play with him and his friends. He became less of a child I worked with and more of a friend. I started picking up on his favorite sayings, “como que no?” and “YIIIIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE!” I found out that he doesn’t approve of singing songs that don’t glorify God, and that he would always remind you to pray before you ate. Then one day they told me he was moving to another orphanage. I cried. My friend was leaving. They told him little under a week that he was leaving, and noticed a difference in his life. He didn’t smile as much and he was much more somber. He spent his time reading and sitting in the presence of the workers and volunteers. He knew that life was going to be different. The day finally came and I helped him bring his things to the car. Everyone came out to say goodbye and wish him luck in his new life. I think I was the only one who cried. I remember him just looking at me with a blank stare. Oh my heart ached so much that day. The other children ran up to me and hugged me telling me it was ok and that it was ok to cry because I spent so much time working with Kevin. A week passed and we found out he was doing well, just wasn’t showering. He didn’t like the cold water, such spoiled kids we have! I was put on the list to go visit him and was thrilled to find out that my week was first! I was able to go with one of my friends and we brought him all kinds of food and goodies. When we got there one of his friends ran to get him. Kevin started to walk over towards us and then I yelled, “Run, run, Kevin, run!” and he ran over to us but with a blank expression on his face. He stood in front of us for a second and then all the sudden it seemed to hit him who we were and why we were there and the biggest smile came across his face! I about cried then too. We spent the next few hours’ playing cards, taking pictures, and he told us all about his new place. It was hard to leave but I knew that he was in a safe place and that God was with him. I am hoping that our friendship will continue on even though we are in separate orphanages.
I want to leave you with this verse that has so greatly helped me at my time serving these children. ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

May God bless you this Christmas season,
Susanna Davenport

www.chiefsuzinperu.blogspot.com
susannadport@gmail.com

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Christmas time is here....but is it bringing lots of cheer? And if so where does it come from?

Yes I do believe that for some odd reason people are much happier (well those I have encountered) this time of year. Maybe it has to do with all of the singing, yummy food (or panetone here in Peru), and all of the beautiful decorations. But then maybe it has to do with everyone you meet wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. But for those of us who know the real reason of Christmas I think we get our cheer for our Savior who so humbly came as a baby in a stinky manger one night in Bethlehem. We have something amazing to be joyful about. And I love that we can share that with our friends and even strangers on the street. What a joy it is to be saved and to be able to speak freely of what our Father has done for us!

I am extremely happy this Christmas. Yes it is very different, but in the big picture it is only one Christmas of many. I went through a rough time getting out of Peru and then trying to get back in, but through it all I was able to thoroughly enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family and then the beginnings of Christmas. The holiday music, the baking of delicious goodies, a few Christmas parties, warm winter coats and beautiful scarves, and of course the decorating of our tree! (which is real like always) Shame on you guys who have fake trees. So getting to enjoy those things has definitely helped me out now that I am here and am enjoying the sun and warm weather, the multitude of Peruvian Chocolataras (parties with hot chocolate and panetone), snow men and Santa decorations (neither of which they have here) and of course the traditional Peruvian Christmas party at midnight on the 24th.

I think that today, the eve of Christmas eve, I have truly experienced the true meaning of Christmas. I have wrapped birthday presents, eaten banana bread with friends, went to the store to buy ingredients for a breakfast for the kids on the 25th, eaten a delicious mango, played freeze tag with some of the little boys, practiced for an awkward Christmas dance with Peruvian friends, and helped a little girl clean the kitchen. And now as I listen to Christmas music and drink spiced tea I am realizing that Christmas is not the things and traditions we are so accustomed to or where we are used to being, but it is the LOVE that we give. The LOVE that was so freely given to us by that small little baby. That is Christmas. I pray that you too will experience Christmas in this was as well. Help out a neighbor, say hello to an old friend, or just wish a stranger a Merry Christmas, and see how much Christmas is in your heart and not in your bright decorations!

With love to you all!

-Susanna

Why I am still in the US?

So what I thought was going to be a quick nice trip home for Thanksgiving turned into a long frustrating 2 weeks...er well i am still here so make it three.

It all started in the Linea bus station Saturday morning before Thanksgiving. Sam and I were waiting for Oscar to pick us up and we were going to look around Lima before we had to get to the airport. So while I was brushing my teeth Sam was watching our stuff. While doing so she got distracted by some very clever men and they stole my backpack. I came back and casually asked Sam where it was and then we started to freak out. It was kinda scary. We went to the police station and then to the embassy where they were really ugly to us and we sat there and cried for a good while. After we got it into our heads that nothing could happen until Monday morning. So Sam left and I stayed with Oscar and his family until I could leave. They were so nice to me. Told me that there home was my home. There I saw the love of Christ. I had a great time at church and spending time with them at the house and running to the store. I hope that I can help someone the way they helped me. So Monday came and we went to the Embassy to get my temporary passport and everything went smoothly until that afternoon. After lunch we all took naps and then missed the time that we were supposed to pick up my passport. Well I could blame us but I would like to blame Lima because it is soooooo stinkin huge. I mean it took us aver an hour to get anywhere. I would not like to live in a city that big at all. I do think I prefer the quaint quiet little towns that I have lived in. So I had to postpone my flight again and wait until the next day to pick up my passport. So the next day came and we picked it up early and i made my flight that night. I was able to talk to a few people on the way home about what I am doing in Peru and what Hogar de Esperanza is all about. That was really cool. People seemed really interested and asked tons of questions.

So I got home and had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving with my family. It was small but nice. We had all of the wonderful Thanksgiving goodies and good coffee to go with it! I enjoyed my next couple of days at home with my family and I even got to see Vanessa! That was a nice surprise. We had a great time. I got everything ready and we headed to Jackson to visit some friends before I had to go down to New Orleans. I got to surprise my old cheer coach Dana and I had a great time getting to see my cheerleaders.

So then I had a great visit with my grandmother and we stayed with Mrs. Broomfield. It was really nice. So then we went to NO and got to the airport and I got rejected for not having a permanent passport. So we drove all the way back home 5 hours. I was crushed. I was heartbroken. I wanted so bad to be back in Peru. I had already been gone from the Alburgue for a week and a half and was so ready to see my children. So I called the Alburgue when I got home and talked to Lori about what was going on.

So for as now I am here in MS waiting to go to NO to get a new passport and then change my flight. I feel like I have missed so much in the past 2 weeks. I really miss my Peruvian family and even though I LOVE my family, friends, and my country my heart is currently in Peru with those kids.

So for now I am in Jackson and enjoying time with my friends. We went to the dance and then played in the SNOW! Kasey and I were like little children in the snow. It was such a great night! Tonight we are going to the Traditional Singing Christmas Tree at Belhaven. So for now I guess I just have to enjoy my time here with my friends and family.

Wishing to be in Peru.

Up to Date

Sorry I never responded after that last post. It kind of is the thing I should have done because it was a very important subject. So thank you so much for your prayers for Robyn's family. The adoption went through and her husband came this past Monday. They just started living as a family last night and will be here doing "family" things for another week or so. Then They head to Lima for another couple of weeks before they can finally go home! We have such an AWESOME God who works such wonders through prayer! Thank you LORD! I will be heading home tomorrow night but won't get to the States until Sunday. So I have plenty of time in the airport and will make a super blog for you!

Chau!

Urgent!

This picture is of three of the kids with one of the volunteers.

We have this family here or rather part of one. Robyn and Joel Hanson are in the process of adopting kids here. They were both volunteers for a year this was about a year ago. Robyn came down in July in anticipation that the process was almost done and that Joel could come in a month and then in one more month they would be home. She has been here for 4, yes FOUR months now waiting. She has put her job on hold to stay with these kids. She is really going through a tough time being here without her husband and only having her kids on the weekends. This week is her most critical week here. If the process doesn't go through this week, they have to wait until February. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for the Hanson family. All seven of them . The kids don't really know what is going on and don't understand why they aren't at home already. Please be on your knees for them and spread the word! Pray hard that God will work a miracle for them this week.

Love to you all.

New things around the 'Burg

Kevin enjoying popcorn at a party before bedtime

Kevin having fun at the beach

So new things happening.

1). I get to go HOME for Thanksgiving. That is 2 weeks away in case you were wondering. :)

2). I am getting a spring cold.

3). The garden is looking great! Squash and cucumbers are growing rapidly. Already picked the radishes and the turnips. Next is the lettuce!

4). Kevin left.

Ok so this last one is what I really want to talk about. Kevin came here to Hogar de Esperanza 8, yeah I said 8, years ago. He was one of the first kids to come months after the doors opened. This place has been his home. His life. His family. When I arrived in August, the first day he came up to me and told me he was going to teach me Spanish and I could teach him English. Then after a few days I found out I would be working with him 3 days of the week. We would be washing and cleaning the vehicles, working in the garden, cleaning the kitchen, and many other odd jobs around the place. Now I have to tell you that Kevin is more of a special needs child. I think his mind is growing slower than his body. He almost seems to have the mind of a younger child, not one of a 15 yr old. And let me tell you that when I found out I would be working with him I wasn't very excited. I would rather work with the cute kids, the smart ones, not him. But I did and it was hard. I really felt like God was working in my life. When we worked I would constantly be telling him to keep working, hurry to the bathroom, or no you cannot get water for the 20th time! He tried my patience. He made me work slower. He made me love. Kevin is a loving child. He loves everything and everyone. He never wants you to be mad at him and always wants you to tell him he has been doing a great job. There were days that were great. He worked hard and I hardly had to get onto him. Other days wore me out, very painful days. We would talk and laugh and sing while working. I really feel like I got to know him. We talked about our families and friends. We talked about God and what He has in store for our lives. He is a child who loves the Lord with all his heart. He has taught me so much and I feel like the Lord used him to work in my heart. Thanks Kevin! He left the other day for another orphanage that can work with him better than we can right now. He found out last Friday and he was so different. We expected him to tell everyone. But he didn't. He was very quite and somber. He usually laughs, smiles, makes happy yelling (WHOOOOO-HOOOO) noises, and says "Como que no?" Which means "how come?" but, he didn't do any of that. I mean really who would if they found out they had to leave a place they loved and called home? So Monday came and when it came time for him to leave, we all walked him to the car and gave him hugs goodbye. When hugging him goodbye I cried. And I mean I cried hard. It wasn't because he was one of the first kids to leave while I was here, but because we had developed a friendship. He means so much to me. I know know why mothers cry when their children leave home. I am nervous for him, his new home, his future. I love him so much that I cried for him. We may be able visit some. I sure hope so. It has been different here since he has gone. He is greatly missed but dearly loved. I know that he has God with him and that He will take care of him always. We must keep him always in our prayers. Please pray for my child, Kevin. I will always love this child with all of my heart.

Love from a learning child.