A View from the Top

Ephrain and Marita get older

This weekend was filled with a lot of fun activities. On Saturday I climbed a tower in an area of Arequipa on a hill, and it was an amazing view of the city. Later, it was one of the older boys' birthday, so we celebrated with lots of junk food and sharing.

On Sunday, I took all the girls to the pool after church. The water was cold even it was an indoor pool, but we all had a blast. I noticed that a lot of people here don't know how to swim or dive. There was one moment a young man was "swimming" and plowed right into me. Another time I witnessed a boy jump in, swim underwater for a bit, and then he somehow managed to capsize a very large woman and her child. After the pool we got some sweet treats similar to funnel cakes which I absolutely loved. I think you can put sugar on anything and I'll like it though.

Yesterday I bought some dog food for my favorite Peruvian perro, and among other things, I started reading Revelations. They're really big on the world ending in 2012 here, and after seeing a drama at a local seminary based on the impending apocalypse, I wanted to learn more. Luckily I have my 10 pound study bible to help me along.

Arequipa, with Misti in the background

Lately I've been spending more time with the older boys. I'll eat lunch with them, which usually results in someone making fun of someone else and it's hilarious. While the older girls have more cleaning and cooking-centered chores, the boys have different sorts of obligations. The wuachiman (I was told how to spell this by a 9 year old...) basically is the person who watches/guards the door. They open it when someone rings the bell, but also makes everyone feel more secure by their incredibly manly and guardian-like presence. Some boys do this, others work in the tech shop, and a few bake the bread for the whole home. I've started helping make bread in the mornings. I mostly just roll the dough once it's completed, and I like to make fancy shapes and designs. Luckily the boys find this humorous and don't mind that for every 20 rolls they make I can make about 1.

This morning I led the older girls' bible discussion! We're going through the book Captivating, which the girls are reading in Spanish. After eating a bunch of cereal with yogurt, I shared my testimony with them, and gave a message on being made in God's image. Luckily I have an amazing translator and friend here so I was able to do this. I was really encouraged that some of the girls asked questions and opened up. Every day that goes by makes it harder and harder to leave them.