Mejia

So as I wrote in my update email, tons has happened in the last two months. And all of that can't fit into my newsletter. But that is what blogs are for. So I will start at the beginning with these posts and work through all the events, and you will get some pictures as well!

So the first big event of the last two months was our team retreat at oceanside town of Mejia. It is a five or six hour drive from Carumas. But because my coworkers had to drop off a washer/dryer to get fixed in Arequipa we took the long way. We were in Arequipa for a couple days. After we got everything sorted out in Arequipa we were headed to the beach!

Both families and myself were staying at a missions guest house there on the beach. It was old but pretty nice. And it had an amazing balcony porch! From which you could enjoy the late afternoon beach weather and watch the sunset over the ocean! It was great...

So the first day we arrived we hit the beach in the afternoon and just hung out. On the way down to the beach we noticed this weird structure. It looked like an arena or stadium but it was much to small for this. And near this structure were what looked like a block of cages or cubby holes or something. After looking at it and thinking about it for a while we realized it was a cock fighting ring! How crazy is that. Sadly during our time there were no cock fights. (And sadly I took no picture of the ring.)

We spent the next two days hanging out at the beach. I would babysit during the team meetings (i.e. hang out with the older kids). And just having a good time. Playing beach football. Eating ceviche down by the beach. Eating ice cream and walking around. It was great.

Then it was time to start my secret trip home!

The adventure continues...

Revel

I really enjoy the word revel. Say it out loud. Let it roll off your tongue. When I say it, it conjures up images of a pig rolling in cool mud on a sweltering day. Or 7-year olds making snow angles on the first snow day of the year. It is something we can take unabashed delight in. Today while reading Romans 12, this verse stuck out to me:

Romans: 12:12a – rejoice in hope,

While I thought about that small powerful phrase, in compelling section of this chapter; I was drawn to think on the hope we have as Christians. And that is when the word Revel, just jumped out to me. I feel that is the way we should view our hope as Christians. It is something that our minds should be drawn to; like fresh powder to a child. Think about some of the things we have to look forward to:

Eternal Life
Incorruptible Bodies
Christ Coming Back
Eternal Peace
No Pain
The Rewards of being joint-heirs with Christ
Perfect Communion with Father, Son and Holy Spirit

(That’s what I came up with off the top of my head; imagine if we looked them up!)

Those things are spectacular. And yet I know that I don’t think about them enough. Much less rejoice in them or for the matter Revel in them. These are the things I should be rolling around in, letting the though of them envelope my life; like cool mud over a hot pig. The rejoicing in the fact that I will have eternal life, should give me joy in spite of the troubles currently in my fleeting life; like a big snow the night before a test (except eternal…). The fact that I get an incorruptible body, gives me Joy as I grow old and my body doesn’t work like I want it to. The hope we have is what allows us to rejoice in this current life. Without that future promise I don’t think I could really have joy. Now if I think on that hope and revel in it; imagine how much more Joy I would have in my life. I don’t really know how to do this; but there is a first time for everything, even snow angles.

In Arequipa

So we left Lima after about two days and went to Arequipa where I studied at language school! We were able to really just enjoy some time catching up and seeing where I stayed for 6 weeks! It was really great to be able to show Jess the city that I had called home when I first arrived in Peru. She was able to meet my host family and all the teachers at institute. We were able to visit a lot of my favorite restaurants in town and just have a great time doing low key things while being together.

The one touristy thing we did while in Arequipa was go to the Santa Catalina Monastery. It is a beautifully restored monastery from the 1600s (I think). We just spent a couple hours exploring this small city and taking pictures. It is a stunning place and if you like to take pictures this is a fantastic place to go. After our time in Arequipa it was time for Cusco and Machu Picchu!