I have never ceased enjoying my time here from the moment I open my eyes at the 5:30am sunrise to the moment my head hits the pillow and I'm out like a light every single day. I've truly come to love Peru: the people, the place and even the daily life (inconvenient as it may seem at times). Peru has truly become my home. I don't say that to upset my family and friends I left behind in the States, but to encourage and comfort you that I am certainly not suffering here. I do miss you all!
But I am gaining a spot in the SAM Family here as well. I was really nervous at Thanksgiving because I've never spent a Thanksgiving away from family and especially not away from the United States. I wasn't sure how it was going to go down, but it turned out to be great! I could have been in South Carolina if I didn't know any better! We had a huge cook-out feast of the holiday essentials: turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce. There were about 70 missionaries who came out to join in the festivities: the meal, the prayer, the going around and announcing what you're thankful for, the NFL game on TV, and the football game in the front yard. Below is a picture of the whole group who made an appearance at the Thanksgiving celebration and also a picture at the Boqueron (a waterfall out in the jungle) where a group of us visited the day after Thanksgiving. It was an awesome time of fellowship and, I think, a turning point for me in my time here. Peru is my home!
The question of how long Peru will be my home is still up in the air, but, for those of you who have not heard, I am officially announcing that I will be returning for at least a second year. There will be plenty of ministry for me to do here with continuing to teach at SAM Academy, getting more into the work at Latidos de Esperanza (the crisis pregnancy center) as my Spanish continues to improve, and even getting involved in the building of a retreat/recreation center on the Cashibo Lake that will be used by churches in the Pucallpa area.
If any of you are inspired by my updates and of hearing about the amazing work the Lord is doing here, and think you'd like to come check it out, please let me know! We can arrange a short-term trip, OR if you'd like to teach at SAM Academy, we're losing 3 of our teachers next year and are desperately in need of elementary and high school teachers. What's a 10 month commitment out of lifetime of decades? Come on down! :)
I hope to see many of you soon as I'm going back to SC for a week-short visit at Christmas. I love you all and thank you so much for the blessing you've been in my life! Merry Christmas and God bless! (Picture is of me with Mimi and Tashi, two 7th graders at SAM Academy who helped me decorate my Christmas tree.)
