Acostumbrandome

I'M IN PERU!!!! Praise God for a safe journey, kind people who have warmly received me, and relatively few stomach problems :) I am spending until Wednesday in Lima, the capital city, before I head to Andahuaylas where I will be for the rest of my time.

Realizing that I have about 26 weeks here, I have decided to update my blog once a week (as time and connection permit ...), organizing it around a word of the week following the alphabet - ie, this week is A, acostumbrandome ... meaning that I am adjusting!! I am adjusting to the food, culture, lack of hot water, and public transportation. I am adjusting to the Spanish!! I am adjusting to being away from family and friends.

My days have been quite up and down emotionally. Trying to communicate in Spanish has been the most difficult thing so far (predictably), followed by some loneliness. I think this comes from feeling isolated, not being able to fully express myself. It is quite frustrating for such a verbal person like me to feel trapped in language! I have unfortunately often succumbed to just sitting in silence, rather than attempt to navigate an explanation and ask for the 257th time "Como se dice ...?" (How do you say ...?) I end each day completely exhausted. However, people have been unbelievably patient and encouraging, and I am definitely learning a LOT!! I am confident that with time it will become a lot easier, and all this hard work will pay off.

After a day of introduction to the Lima office of Paz y Esperanza on Friday, I got to spend the weekend exploring Lima with Roxana, a young woman who works with Paz. This place is huge!! People everywhere, especially at night. Roxana took me to several vibrant places, always using public transportation, which has been an adventure all in itself. The city really reminds me of Abuja, Nigeria's capital - there are many contrasts ... Many tourists, but much poverty; huge parks, but sprawling poverty; Kentucky Fried Chicken, but beggars trying to scrape by ...

Roxana took me to a museum with LOTS of information about Peru, lots of artwork and artifacts ... Sorry the pic is kind of bad.










Plaza de Armas ...












This is a cathedral we visited, complete with catacombs! How cool! So much religious history here.

A view from the Parque de Muralla of a poorer part of town.

















We rode on a "trencito" (kiddie train) around the Parque.









Saturday night Roxana and I went to a folkloric dance show with Eunice, another Paz coworker. It was AMAZING!! There were about 10 choreographed dances complete with colorful costumes, from all different parts of Peru. Between numbers, everyone in the place got up and danced! It was awesome! this picture is from a dance depicting a fight between an ángel (left) and a bunch of diablos. I had to wait in line for this pic!!





I hope this video works ... This is the diablo dance.


Today I am at the Paz Lima office again ... And tomorrow I am visiting another office of Paz in San Juan de Lurigancho, which is about an hour's drive. Then, if all goes well, I will fly to Andahuaylas on Wednesday. Please pray for safety in all of Peru, as there has been some violence between "los nativos" in the jungle and the police/military. There have been several deaths on both sides, as well as many protests throughout the country. Although I will be in the southern part of Peru far from the fighting, there have been protests there as well. Pray for peace, and that I will be able to travel safely on Wednesday.

Thank you for all your prayers!! I am definitely relying on God a lot for strength, energy, understanding, and provision. I am learning so much humility and dependence and patience!! Those are not always fun things to learn, but I am thankful nonetheless. He is faithful. Until next week!!! Amor y paz ... Christinita