I'm a little intimidated by the fact that this is the first post of this blog, because you only get one FIRST blog post. Nevertheless, here it is. Tadaaaaaah! This is where I'll try to keep you guys up to date about my whereabouts, whatabouts, happenings, joys, heartaches, life, while I'm here in Peru.
Now, I'll just write a breif, not too extravagant, overview of what this is. I'll write more detailed another time:
I'm in Peru! Lima, to be more exact. I am here for 6 months (possibly more, plane tickets aren't set in stone), and will be / am working at an orphanage. There are 3 different Orphanages (El Refugio, Chaclacayo, and Pachakuteq) I could work in, though I'm not quite sure where there is the most need.
The 6 out of 7 days I've been here, I've been at El Refugio. It's more of a home than an orphanage -- a Swiss German lady named Doris has taken in 12 neglected babies and raised them as her own, the oldest being 12 and the youngest is a baby girl just 3 months old. They are all so much fun; I've been helping take care of them, play with them, I've had some English lessons, and then helped out around the house with chores and such.
On Friday I'm going to go to Chaclacayo and will stay there indefinitely. It's an orphanage that takes in children whose mothers are in prison. Here in Peru, children are allowed to live with their moms in prison until they are 3 years old, which is when they are kicked out and placed somewhere by the government. It's a relatively new orphanage, and only has three kids at the moment.
The third orphanage, Pachakuteq, is really different from the other two. It's in a really poor area, with lower living conditions. For example they don't have running water and have to carry it in buckets. Also it's quite dangerous. But I'm really exited for when I go visit, and I would love to work there, but we'll see where God has me go.
Spanish. That is the language they speak here. I highly recommend anyone traveling to a foreign country to know the language of given destination. Sure, I studied it in highschool for a few years, but I still don't know it. I can speak a little better each day (a word or so more), and I know enough to get by and have simple conversations with people. It's just when I'm in a big group of people that all the words get jumbled and I lose track of what's being said. It's a little frustrating at times but at the same time it's what learning a language is like. And I'm learning to rely and trust so much more on God. This past week I've been more scared than I've been in a looong long time, but whenever fear comes creeping, I read this verse from Isaiah 41:10.
"Do not fear, for I am your God; do not be dismayed, for I am with you."
And it's proven to be true. God is with me. I don't need to be afraid because he'll provide exacly what I need. I knew no one when I came, but everyone I've talked to have been soo kind and encouraging -- they have helped me with my spanish, or showed me around, taken me out to eat, included me in activities, and just talked to me. A couple of people know english as well, which has been a blessing so they can explain things I can't understand in Spanish, or translated, or whatever. All in all, the people here are wonderful. God is wonderful. I have no idea what he has in store for me, but I'm exited. Nervous. Anticipated. A little scared. Hopeful. And so happy!
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