Cultural Corner: Primeros Juegos Deportivos

Last Friday was the first "Olympic" type games for our girls and the students of Promesa.  We started the day off at a nearby park called Cajonahuayalla.  It was a very nice sports complex and was a lot of fun to watch the kids play and compete.  Of course a day like this comes with much preparation, as in we had to go out and get yellow ribbon for Danica's hair and green for Katie's.  We also had to find pompoms for each girl, all different colors as well. 

Danica and her friend Samuel got their faces painted as part of the festivities.  They also participated in the opening ceremonies as seen below.

 

Katie got to be a representative for her class and enjoyed doing the sack race.

Katie and Maria Fatima.  I am so very thankful for this sweet classmate of Katie's who has been an amazing friend to Katie, we truly believe that her kindness and friendship is a gift from God. 

Hannah didn't want me to take pictures of her and her friends, but I managed to get one.  Here is some of her classmates wearing their promoción jackets.  They have been doing fundraisers all year to prepare for promoción, a trip that the sixth graders take as a celebration of them going on to secundaria or junior high/high school.  Apparently, these jackets are part of the deal.  I was beyond thankful that she had what she needed for the day so we didn't have to go shopping to find attire for her to match her classmates.

 

A little peek of the park, the mountain views never get old!

Chris showing Danica how to use her whistle.  They gave all the four year olds whistles to blow during the games.  We enjoy days like today, but it certainly opens our eyes as to how our cultures are different.  We feel blessed to be able to be a part of these celebrations even though they can be long and tiring and have hours of preparation and searching for the right outfits, pompoms, hair ribbons, etc.  We know that we are here for a purpose and thank the Lord everyday for using us here.

 

Please continue to pray for our girls as they continue to adjust to the culture of a new school and  make friends.  ***Please especially pray for Danica, as she has really been struggling to go to school lately.  She only goes two days, but there have been quite a few tears and it can be difficult to make her go even though we know it is best for her.

 

Philippians 3:14  "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in

Christ Jesus."

 

We're Moving!!!!

We are moving!  Our plans were to stay in the Aprovite house for the remainder of our term here in Peru which is 2 more years.  (Can you believe we have been here almost a year?!?)  But, the Lord had different plans.  The Kreider family is heading back to the States and needed someone to rent their house.  At first we didn't think that would be us.  Then, we got a call saying our landlord was moving into the apartment above us and wanted to use our parking space to park their car.  Long story short, we had a meeting with the landlord and he wanted to just make another parking space in our already small backyard.  So, after much thought and prayer, we have decided to move. 

Here is a small glimpse of our current backyard which is also where we hang our laundry since we don't have a dryer. 

Please pray with us that the move will go smoothly and that the girls would adjust well to the new house.  Please also pray for the Kreider family as they adjust to going back the States. 

A few things to note, our mailing address will stay the same since we use a Post Office Box.  And we will still have plenty of room to host visitors :) 

Here is a sneak peak of our "new" house and yard.....

 There is even a garden space and green house! 

 Looking out toward the street, it seems to be much quieter than the street we live on now. 

***Since I started this post we have officially started the move.  It is very stressful for me, trying to figure what to put where and how to arrange the furniture and what to pack first, etc.  The Aprovite house has been in the mission for 10 years which has been a blessing, but it also means we have quite a bit of furniture to move.  Thank you for your prayers! 

Cuy and the campo

We were finally able to take the trip out to the campo in June as a family.  We are very thankful to finally have a truck and that we were able to make this trip.  We went to Cotabambas and San Juan de Cotabambas.  The scenery is amazing and the pictures really don't do it justice!  We left a little before school was out on Friday and it takes a good 5-6 hours to get there.  After the first hour it is dirt roads all the way out.

The truck in front of the posta, or the medical clinic in San Juan de Cotabambas on Saturday morning.

 

Gloria doing education about hygiene and keeping the house clean as well to prevent illnesses.

After the lecture the women bathed their children and then they got to pick out "new" clothes.  The older girls were excited to take a bath to be able to get new clothing.  And it was a great way for the moms to put into practice what they had just learned.

 

 

 

Then, on Sunday we went to Pastor Felix's church but not before we were invited to his home for breakfast.  Since it was Felix's birthday we were served cuy or guinea pig.  It was our first time to eat it!  The girls took pictures.  It is a great honor to be served this delicacy, but it wasn't Chris nor my favorite.  (Danica thought it was chicken and didn't eat any of hers.)

 

After breakfast, we hiked back up the mountain to the church where Chris was asked to preach as the pastor was walking up for the sermon.  Gloria translated from Spanish to Quechua.

 

Nearly impossible to get a family picture, but this is the best we could do!

 

Please continue to pray for us as a team from our home church comes down Thursday.  We plan to take this trip out to San Juan and Cotabambas with them.  Pray that people would come to know the Lord.  We are excited but we know that the trip is long and hard, both to come down to Peru and to go out into the countryside.  Pray for the team to have strength and stamina.

 

And one last prayer request:  Danica was exposed to chickenpox in her preschool class at Promesa which she attends only two days a week.  When her teacher told me last week, I assured her Danica had received the vaccination and most likely wouldn't get it.  Famous last words :)  Wednesday afternoon Danica started having blistery red spots that were itchy.  Thursday I took her to the clinic and they agreed with me that it looked like chicken pox.  She is doing quite well, but she is itchy and wants the "pops" to go away.  Thankfully, she doesn't have a fever, but please pray that she would heal quickly and be able to return to school soon.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."  Hebrews 10:23

Church Paseo

Last Sunday we went to hot springs, or "aguas calientes".  What we thought would be about a 2 hour trip ended up being 3 hours each way.  We were at the church a little after 6am and the three buses left at a little after 7.  It was a nice getaway for the day.

We hadn't been to hot springs before as a family.  Chris went when he was in Santa Teresa, so this was a new experience for us.  Above is Hannah in our little room with our private pool.  It was quite warm, although the air was cold when you got out! (Note the right corner of the pool where the warm water comes in from the hot springs.)

After having a chance to swim, we had a short service outdoors followed by baptism.  Chris was excited to be able to baptize Miguel, one of the youth that he works with and plays drums with in the youth praise band.  (Miguel is above toward the left in white shorts.)

Danica was side tracked by the water coming down into the pool.  Looks like she isn't the only one.

After the service we got back on the buses for about 5 minutes to go to a nearby field to eat lunch and play games until it was time to go back to Cusco.

Chris and Brook enjoyed teaching the youth how to play Frisbee football.

Here is a view of the soccer field and one of the Red buses we took to get here.

Danica has been wearing the knees out of all her pants because she loves to play puppy and crawl around on her hands and knees.  This was her stance when I told her not to be on her knees. 

 

Please keep praying for us as we adjust to the culture here in Peru.  We feel like our Spanish is improving, but it is still difficult.  It can be difficult to try and muster up the courage to make small talk and then there is always the fear that you won't be understood or they will talk so fast that you won't understand what they are saying.  We do keep trying, but it can be frustrating at times to realize after a year in language study and almost 8 months on the field that language can still be such a struggle. 

 

Please keep the girls in your prayers as well.  Making friends here has been difficult at times, especially for Hannah.  She is older and many of the kids in her class already have their group of friends.  She had a great birthday party and enjoyed her friends, but her heart longs for a special friend and language can be a hindrance to that as well. 

 

As always, thank you for your prayers and support, for without you we could not be here.

 

Psalm 121

I lift my eyes up to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made  heaven and the earth.  He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.  The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

 

 

Promesa

Today I want to introduce you to the school our daughters attend.  It is called Promesa and was started in 2005 with only 11 students.  Today it has grown to over 300 students from age 4 all the way to the 10th grade.  We are excited to see what God is doing with this Christian school in Cusco.

Hannah is in the 6th grade.  Katie is in the 3rd grade and Danica goes to the 4 year old class two days a week.  They leave the house around 7:20am to catch a bus to school each morning and the bell rings at 7:45am signaling classes are starting.  All classes are in Spanish and they have English classes 3 times a week for 1 1/2 hours.  They also have Quechua classes which is great because that is the primary language in the "campo" or the country side.  Many people in Cusco speak Quechua in addition to Spanish as well.  The school day ends at 1pm for Danica and 1:45pm for Hannah & Katie.

This is the cafeteria and snack shop.  The normal time for lunch here in Peru is 2pm, so it is after school.  The children are offered a snack each day for 2 soles and 50 centimos which is the equivalent of between 90 cents to 1 US dollar.  The girls love having the opportunity to try Peruvian food and it tides them over until after school.  The sweet ladies above cook everyday and are nicknamed "las hermanitas" which translates to the little sisters.  Margarita is on the left and Valeria is on the right.  We appreciate them both very much.

 

 

 

Here is an idea of the classrooms.  They are quite simple, yet efficient.

We also have a small library that is filled with books.  I have been learning the system so that I can help keep things in order after the Brubakers leave.  The top picture is the English book section and the bottom is the Spanish book section.  If you have any Spanish books you would like to donate that are in good condition we would love to add to our shelves.  The children love checking out the books and it is a great opportunity for them to read outside of the classroom.

Please keep this school, staff, teachers, volunteers, and students in your prayers.  And we are always looking for English teachers, so please let us know if you are interested. 

Josué 1:9
Mira que te mando que te esfuerces y seas valiente; no temas ni desmayes, porque Jehová tu Dios estará contigo en dondequiera que vayas.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.