Ice Cream

This is our 100th blog post! Celebrate with dessert from Laura:

Noel taught me a cheap way to make ice cream and cure the sweet tooth....

1 can (about 14 oz?) of evaporated milk
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla or about 1/4 c. cocoa (or other flavoring to taste)

Pour the milk into a plastic bowl with lid and place it in the freezer for about a half hour to an hour, getting it real cold and almost crystalizing. Remove it and add the sugar and flavoring. Beat with a mixer until thick. It gets a fluffy layer on the top. Freeze for a few hours or overnight.
Here, this costs less than a dollar and lasts us the week! Enjoy!

Being Mom in Peru

I have the joy of being mom to my sweet Noah Thomas! I just know I'm in love as I laugh over all the silly things he does at 15 1/2 months. Now when we stoop down and open our arms out wide, he comes, almost running, with a big smile and a Noah-sized hug for us. I keep trying to tell him that there will never be a day when hugs and kisses from mommy and daddy are not okay...even as a grown-up.

He's closer still to talking, we think. His babbling is increasing in frequency and sounding more and more like we should be understanding him. We're not worried if it takes him some extra time - he's got 2 languages to figure out!

At meals, he's beginning to take interest in using the spoon. If we help him get something on it, it often makes it to his mouth without too much of a mess....In the tub now, he likes to help me trap air under a plastic bottle or yogurt cup and giggle as the bubbles shoot out. It's so much fun to watch him learn. He also really enjoys getting a little back and shoulder massage with mommy's soapy hands in the tub.

This was the first time he's helped me do some baking. We made chocolate "chip" banana bread. (Chocolate chips are about $7 a bag, so we crumble our own)

I also know how in love with my husband I am as he is sensitive enough to know when I need some time to myself to reflect, journal, and blog. He is always willing to take Noah out for an adventure on the town, which is what they're doing right now. Those guys have so much fun together!

Hogar de Maria

(Laura:) I know we have just only begun to see some of the poverty here. Nearly every street has one or more people asking for money, for food, for you to buy candy, gum, shoelaces, or some other items that couldn't possibly feed a family even if they sold ten that day. It breaks my heart to see the babies strapped to their mother's backs while they sell ice cream and small children playing in the dirt next to snack stands, no toys, no playgrounds, no ways to stimulate their learning - they just stay at their mother's sides all day long. These things remind me how blessed we are and how much we've been given, regardless of whether we deserve it.
The past two weeks, I have been able to accompany Noel to a women's shelter, Hogar de Maria, or the Home of Maria. It is government-run and has a social worker, a psychologist, a lawyer, and administrator on staff there. They take in women, brought by the police, providing them food, shelter, and temporary safe-haven. It's a short walk from our apartment, so Noah and I got to come along last week and today. The old, colonial building looks pretty nice on the outside, and the public area, with the chapel and offices is clean and rather welcoming. Once passing through to the living quarters, however, I was amazed to see how people were living. The building has taken quite a beating from previous earthquakes and I'm not sure how much has been done to repair it. There was scaffolding up in one area. The common area is split down the center with a cutain dividing the living space from the sleeping area. There are five bunk beds and one normal twin bed. Last week, there were 5 women and 7 children; barely enough space for them all to sleep. The oldest child might have been 6 or 7 and the youngest was 11 days old. Can you imagine getting all of those children to sleep in such tight quarters? During our visit, the children ran around, undisciplined, with very few toys and little else to do. It was very dirty. The tile floor seemed to have a sticky layer of dirt and crumbs. As Noah played, this was a time I was praying he wouldn't put his hands in his mouth.
I met one woman there, Elsa, who had six children. The three youngest were with her and the older three were with her mother. She had the little girl that was just 11 days old. As Noel talked with her, it was clear to see she was exhausted and overwhelmed. I'm not sure what situation it was that brought her to the shelter, but likely some form of abuse.
This week, we met a young lady, who had just turned 17 and had a 2-month-old baby girl. She herself was an orphan from Puno (town near Lake Titicaca, about 6 hrs away by bus). She came here to work and was never paid her wages. Now she has a baby and no family to help her.
Noel has told me many other hardships of the women she has met there - one who fled her home with her 3-year-old daughter after her spouse punched the little girl in the eye, saying he wished she had been a boy.
According to Noel, these women don't often stay longer than a couple weeks. Once their case is heard in court, they may be assigned to live with a nearby relative, to work if their situation allows it, to live in a convent to be cared for by the nuns, or in some cases to return to their spouse if he has repented and promises not to hurt them again....These stories bring tears to my eyes - hearing how people, children, do not have safe and loving homes. Being a mother now, I feel like my heart is more easily broken by these testimonies.
The purpose behind Noel's visits is to listen to their stories and demonstrate love to them. She shares with them a Love that will never fail them and a Savior who cries with them when they are hurt. Who better, than Jesus, could understand such pain? I realize how incredibly blessed I am to have such a loving husband and family. How this inspires me to learn Spanish, so that I too can be a listening ear and an encouragement to these women. I know, however, that bringing sweet Noah, brings many smiles to their faces. "Que lindo!" (How cute!) they say, as he plays with the other children, rolling balls, and sorting puzzle pieces. Other ladies from the church here come sometimes too. When there are many children, one might take them out to play so that Noel can get an undistracted chance to talk and pray with the ladies.
Indeed the needs are great, however,

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

Lately

Just a few pictures from recent events and our institute....

A couple of missionaries were also staying with the Riches last week, and one of them brought his violin. When we complimented his practicing (that's a beautiful sound we haven't heard in a while), he offered to give us a concert! So this was early one morning in our "amphitheatre" - Noah was riveted
This is our grammar profesora - Karen. She is a great teacher - strict, demanding, and lots of fun. Apparently she's made some students cry, but we love her.

Some fellow students between classes....Simon on the far right is from England, and David and Mardo are from different parts of Northern Ireland.


And here is the language institute from the outside

Club fun

The other day Noel took us to the club they belong to, Club Internacional, which is quite an oasis for Arequipa. You can play just about any sport there, as they have basketball courts, soccer fields, clay tennis courts, professional volleyball courts, a huge workout room, a bowling alley, and outdoor and indoor swimming pools complete with a full spa.
But the best thing we found was a huge playground for Noah! He loved the merry-go-round, see-saws, swings, and slides, and was a little apprehensive about the trampoline. It's rather expensive, so we will not be joining, but it is much less by the visit, and we may come from time to time for Noah's sake.

Noah's favorite part was the balls - he was so upset when we had to leave!

Bus

I have been feeling more like an Arequipeño lately. Besides buying a Melgar fútbol jersey, I have started taking the buses! The buses here are quite a thrill, not for the faint of heart. First, they are quite small, many of them converted vans with bus-style seating, and one wheel in the grave. They fly along apparently in some sort of race with the taxis, with the side door open and one person hanging halfway out yelling the destinations of the bus's route. There are many routes and many buses that carry the same route, so at most stops, a bus comes along every 20 seconds or so. When yours comes, signal the "yeller" with a strong wave and hop on before it drives off again; they don't wait long. At your stop, be sure to tell the yeller that you want off, or at least give a good conspicuous head nod if your bus Spanish is rusty (mine is improving). I think you say "baja aca". Peruvians on foot are always very kind and patient, but the bus waits for no one. In fact, the speed and reckless haste with which the buses operate stand in stark contrast to the rest of the culture in Arequipa.
I like riding the buses for several reasons. One - the cost. We thought taxis were incredibly cheap - and they are, by American standards. To ride all the way across town won't cost you more than a dollar. However, the same trip by bus is only about 20 cents. Secondly, I feel lest like a tourist. That's always good. Third, it's great for conversation! Nothing like "Buenos dias! Soy un estudiante y necesito practicar mi castellano," to put oneself in a learner's position and open up interesting conversations. I have by no means mastered the system - just learned how to get from home to the Institute and back again. Maybe someday we'll play bus roulette and get ourselves lost.

In our prayers

Just a post for all those in the Tech community, especially the families who have been affected by the great tragedy today. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I cannot imagine the grief of being in the midst of something so terrible. As universities all across VA are holding prayer vigils, our prayers are with you from Peru.

Up the Mountain

"Adventure is just discomfort fondly remembered."

So I was reminded by one of my companions, partway up the great volcano, El Misti. We were a couple hours into our journey, and I was excited for the challenge, but already starting to feel the burn. Since arriving, I had longed to climb Arequipa's massive sentinel, and was enticed by stories of the relative ease for its size (note - be wary of terms like "relative"). Through our institute, we found a great guide - Mickey, who works with National Geographic and hikes the mountain a couple times a week. One of the guys in our group was from Canada and had spent a year hiking the Himalayas, so he was easily the most experienced non-guide. There were four of us plus Mickey, and we were hiking along side another group which included a couple from Denmark and four Swiss, plus two more guides. Arequipa lies at about 7,000 ft above sea level, and we started hiking at about 10,500. Our goal for the first day was to make "base" camp, which lies at around 15,000 ft. The following morning we would head for the summit, an astounding 19,101 ft.

The first part had been slow but very interesting, with high desert terrain around - think Arizona without the cactus. As we continued, we got up on to a ridge and started hiking up, and the pain began. I could feel my legs beginning to cramp, and I longed for rest. After another hour or so it was really getting harder for me. We had to stop more often, mostly for my sake, as the other folks weren't having much trouble. No switchbacks here, just straight up the mountain. I kept drinking and snacking all the way up, so altitude was not really a problem; it was just my legs. After about 4 hours I knew I was really in trouble. My legs were seriously cramped and each step was very difficult. This was so much harder than I had anticipated! Our last hour was into different terrain - barren, lots of sand and rocks - think Frodo and Sam in Return of the King. It might have gone smoothly, but for all the stops to rest and massage my aching quads (maybe not the best remedy). By that point every step was agony, literally every muscle in my legs was completely locked up, and I was wondering if I was going to make it. The last 200 yards I had to drop my backpack, which Mickey graciously retrieved. I literally stumbled into base camp, on the top of a ridge, as the winds picked up. Freezing, exhausted and ready for nothing, I helped put the tents up in gale-force winds just in time for a rain/snow storm. It was brutal, and because we couldn't get the rain flap properly secured to the nearby rocks, the inside of the tent started to get wet. I called Laura with our guide's last bit of cell phone battery, to say that we were "okay". The phone cut off just as I told her that we were in a big storm and I barely made it up, which didn't exactly set her at ease. Sitting there miserably, as tired as I've ever been, I started to wonder who signed me up for this.
Eventually the rain and wind abated and we all joined together for dinner - spaghetti with tuna. It was a great time talking with the other climbers, admiring the breathtaking scenery, and snapping endless pictures of a near-perfect sunset. After dark we made a fire and listened to the guides tell Incan mountain legends. It wasn't a particularly restful night, as the wind picked back up around 9:00, and we had to get up to start the next day's hike around 2am.

But I had already made my decision. I would not join the rest of the group in climbing to the summit. The first leg had almost had done me in, and the second part was longer, steeper, and in thinner air. Even if my legs were to miraculously loosen up and I were to somehow barely make it to the top, it would be a bad decision. At that altitude, the lack of oxygen can be disorienting, and with weak legs and steep precipices all around, it was all more risk than I was willing to take with my family in mind, just to say I got to the top. So I stayed, and spent the morning doing what I enjoy most about the mountains anyway - relaxing and enjoying the Lord's beautiful creation all around. The views were unforgettable and I did not regret my decision. Those who went said it was twice as hard as the first day, and several of them did not make it all the way before turning back. When everyone returned around midday, we packed up the camp and headed down. Because of the sandy volcanic landscape, we could run and slide most of the way, and it was actually lots of fun.

In retrospect, considering that my only recent hiking experience was in the beautiful but tiny Appalachians, trying a 19,000 ft peak like this may have been overly ambitious. Still, making it to our base camp, which is higher than anything in the lower 48 states and almost anything in Europe, is thrilling enough, and I am glad for my uncomfortable adventure on El Misti!

On the way upAt base camp

Incredible sunset!

Arequipa by night

With Mickey, our guide

On the way down

Easter and more...

Noah didn't like the chocolate bunny as much as...

...his new crayons. So, we enjoyed the bunny.

Sunday School on Easter Sunday

Woah. I don't think I've written a blog since Noah's 1st birthday...It feels great to be back, now that we have internet at home. (We're still working out some kinks with the Vongage phone - sorry if you've tried calling) I am grateful that Michael has been so dedicated in keeping it up. Right now, Michael is likely soon to arrive at the base camp of El Misti, our friendly volcano, after hiking all day. He, along with his guide and 3 other guys, are hiking up to the summit (about 19,000 feet!) tomorrow before returning in the late afternoon. Noah and I are holding down the fort at home, trying not to miss Daddy too much.


This week has been a bit busy, as Michael listed some of our activities. I came home early from language school on Thursday not feeling great and was able to rest for the remainder of the day. Concho, thankfully, was already watching Noah, so it felt great to really rest. Friday I woke up back to normal!

Noah loves his broom!

Last night Michael and I had the opportunity to go on our first date since we've been here. Concho's niece, Carol, came and watched Noah. They apparently had a great time! She said he fell asleep giggling to himself. We went to a free concert at the Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas featuring a French community chorus singing the Faure Requiem. The place was packed, so we stood along a wall, and while we couldn't see the performers, we could hear them perfectly and take in all the ambiance of the softly lit, colonial cathedral. Being a free concert, there were ALL kinds of people there. Everyone from the poor to the rich and everyone in between. I love how the arts bring people together in that way. While it wasn't quite Kennedy Center quality (the chorus was accompanied by a keyboard rather than an orchestra), Michael, especially, enjoyed hearing the familiar work, live. We decided to walk around the plaza when it was over, but we got to enjoy the remainder of the program from outside. They were broadcasting the performance on a large screen in the plaza. We heard an Argentinian guitarist and singer, a Peruivan group playing the classic Andean flutes, charrango, and guitar, and then an Andean Mass performed by another chorus. Most of this second part we heard from the balcony of one of the overlooking cafes as we enjoyed our postres (desserts). Indeed, it was beautiful and romantic, but what sacred moment would be complete without our neighborhood trash truck making a few turns around the plaza amplifying it's reoccurring tune of "Fur Elise." How I'm loving Peru!

Been a little while...

A little late, but Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas! He is risen! We hope your Easter was a blessed one, filled with the joy of Christ's resurrection. It was a beautiful day here, and we worshipped in the morning with our church, then rested in the afternoon.

It's been a very busy week with studies, illnesses, tech issues and newsletters - sorry we haven't blogged at all! Do check back over the next few days, though. I am planning to climb a huge mountain tomorrow and Laura wants to do some blogging over the weekend. Many pictures and stories to follow. We also have our vonage phone hooked up, so we don't have to call internationally anymore. 703-635-7595 is our number here, which is just amazing to me.

Anyway, we hope to talk and write to you soon, but in the meantime, here's some friday fun - a couple great videos I found a while ago on youtube.

One of the most amazing ukulele performances I've ever seen.

I wonder if they have any of these in South America

And for all you JMU fans out there....

What a Day

Friday was one of the wilder days we've had since being here. First, and update on Semana Santa traditions - on Thursday night they have what is essentially a huge street party/fair, that lasts until all hours of the night. At 10:30 there were still hundreds of people out on the plaza, eating and selling dulces like it was a Saturday afternoon. I love how the whole community is part of the holiday traditions here. Tomorrow, Easter Morning, there are of course celebratory services for the resurrection, but there is at least one other very interesting tradition - in a couple parts of town, they create an effigy of Judas, and then burn him! It has a comic element, for sure, as his last will and testament is read, leaving his soccer skills to the local team, etc. I don't know if other cities do this, nor whether we will be getting up in time to see it, but I just thought that it was a very interesting tradition.

Friday we had plans for un paseo - an outing - to Yura, about an hour outside the city, with the church we attend here. Three of the youth wanted to be baptized in the river there and the whole church piled into a bus to make an afternoon of it. Unfortunately, I woke up feeling pretty lousy and before long was sidelined for the day with a stomach bug. Laura took Noah and joined the group to a place she described as "the absolute middle of nowhere". As they were parking the bus, they made sure to avoid a small rockslide occuring nearby. After rejoicing with the baptisms, they enjoyed a big lunch and some games together in the open field there (pictures below should improve this vague description). Noah had a great time, skipping his nap to play in the dirt, kick a soccer ball, trade rocks with another boy, and be fussed over by all the Peruvian ladies. Laura, on the other hand, started feeling a bit sick partway through the day, but was patient and didn't complain. To her dismay, though, the group took their time in returning, as is the custom here. By the time they got back, Laura was exhausted, Noah was full of life, despite having slept only 15 minutes, and my stomach was only mildly improving. We had a strang evening, the three of us, and when Noah went to bed at 7:30, we followed about half an hour later.

The other crazy item I didn't mention was that in the morning while they were getting ready, there were two earthquakes! They were actually only tremors by Peruvian standards, measuring 4.8 and 4.4, but it was our first experience of anything seismic, and it sure scared the daylights out of us. No damage done, a few injuries outside the city. Not your typical Good Friday, but all part of life in Peru.

On location

Noah hard at play

And our wonderful hosts, Bob and Noel Rich

Catch-up

Alright, time to catch up on the last couple days. It is definitely tougher to blog regularly with all the studying. Today and tomorrow are off, though, so I'll put a few up.

We are in the midst of the most important and elaborate celebration of the year in Peru - Semana Santa - Holy Week. Monday after Noah's nap, we set out toward the Plaza de Armas, having heard about a procession there around 5:00. As it turns out, it was starting from Santa Marta in the Plaza España near our apartment. This was an especially important event, as there were guards, a lineup of all the armed forces and even a military band, all looking very imposing, waiting for the Mass to finish inside the church so they could lead the entourage. We talked with one of the guards, then continued on to the Plaza de Armas to wait. They were quite a while in arriving, so we did what most of the toddlers in the Plaza do - feed the birds! Like in San Marco's in Venice, there is someone selling birdseed, and the pigeons swarm like locusts. Noah got a real kick out of it all, and we enjoyed a beautiful Arequipa sunset. After a while, we needed to get home and met the procession on the way. It was pretty amazing, though very somber. There were three parts - John leading the way, then the crucified Christ, with mary following behind. All of this was accompanied by a few bands playing woeful dirges and a couple hundred mourners with candles. This form of commemoration and worship is not something we are very familiar with, to be honest, so we were glad to see and learn.

Our Semana Santa education continued yesterday as the Spanish Institute held a special session. All classes were scrapped and we spent the morning talking about the verious traditions for this week, in Peru in general and specifically in Arequipa. We learned (by doing) how to cook "Chupe de Viernes", the soup traditionally eaten on Good Friday, and a few of the dulces - desserts - eaten on Thursday. The chupe is vegetarian (with fish), because no meat is to be eaten that day. On Easter Sunday, the typical dish is Caldo Blanco and is full of all kinds of meat. We discussed the significance of each day and each procession, as well as the Stations of the Cross. Many of these traditions are Catholic, which neither we nor the institute are, but they are important to understand and appreciate, partly because they are truly part of the general Peruvian culture. But much more, they are a genuine means to worship, to seeing and meditating on Christ and his death and resurrection for so many of our brothers and sisters. It was a rich morning and we are thankful for all that we are learning. Here are a few pictures of our adventures.

Cooking Chupe de Viernes with the Institute family

And here's a little video we took, to give a better idea of the scene.

Hosanna!

Cuando llegaban ya cerca de la bajada del monte de los Olivos, toda la multitud de los discípulos, gozándose, comenzó a alabar a Dios a grandes voces por todas las maravillas que habían visto, diciendo: ¡Bendito el rey que viene en el nombre del Señor, paz en el cielo, y gloria en las alturas!
Entonces algunos de los fariseos de entre la multitud le dijeron: Maestro, reprende a tus discípulos. Él, respondiendo, les dijo: Os digo que si éstos callaran, las piedras clamarían. San Lucas 19:37-40


By the Palm Sunday post yesterday I did not mean to sound preachy, or as if we had actually achieved living that way. It was really just thoughts as I was considering the death and resurrection of our Savior, and how some of my values or pursuits as a relatively successful American might be different from Jesus' mission. And as we are in a new country for the purpose of cross-cultural gospel ministry, I'm starting to see that perhaps I need to consider the heart of Christ and be willing to drop my own culturally-bound notions of "success and "victory". I certainly don't have it all figured out, and I welcome your thoughts, critiques, additions, etc. Really!
I've got to run today, but it's been a very interesting last couple days, so I'll write more later. No more classes this week - Semana Santa.

Noah

Noah has been having a lot of fun lately. As you may have seen on the videos, he likes music and coloring, and still loves reading his books by himself or with Mommy or Daddy. His favorites are the lift-the-flap variety and scratch-and-sniff. He is head-over-heels in love with the teddy bear we received gratis from the Ritz Camera shop (appropriately named "Mr. Ritz"). He even likes to feed his bear. He pretends to scoop something with a little spoon, then puts it up to Mr. Ritz's mouth. Too cute.
Noah loves pictures. We are making the place feel like home, and have just put some pictures of family and friends on our fridge. They, along with a mini-album Grandma made him as a farewell gift, are an endess source of smiles.
Funniest thing I've seen in a long time:
Noah laughing at mannequins. He likes to laugh with all the tienda-owners who think he is cute, so naturally when he encountered a mannequin with an open-mouthed smile, he reciprocated. And he didn't stop! He just kept giggling, eagerly waiting for his new plastic friend to play along. Our little toddler is such a joy.

Palm Sunday

This was supposed to be posted two days ago, but we haven't made it to a computer long enough. Sorry.

Palm Sunday in Arequipa!
Each Sunday I am understanding more of the reading and preaching. Today it helped that we figured we'd be reading the traditional Palm Sunday passages, so we read them in English during breakfast. As I read and heard exposition on these verses (in two languages), I began thinking of the implications of this King of Kings making his "triumphal" entry on a donkey. It seems that so much about Jesus' life and ministry was done in humility and meekness. We American Christians can be so crazy about success and winning and defeating our enemies (in culture wars, in politics, in evangelism, in theology) , but Jesus seems to turn all that on its head. Everything he taught and did was the opposite. He had no beauty, no home; he sought no reputation or power. The true Kingdom of God would not be political and would not come through force, through winning, but through serving, losing, suffering. It would not look like a conquering army but a tiny seed. It would not come through the rich and powerful and successful, but through the poor and the weak. He could not stop talking about the proud being humbled, and the humble being exalted. Loving our enemies? Serving and giving all to those who give us the most trouble? Yet this is how we are treated by God. We do fight, but as Paul says, they are not battles against flesh and blood. We struggle against unseen forces, not people, battles against unbelief, for our own hearts. We fight to believe this unbelieveable grace, that Jesus has really taken our brokenness and given us his perfection, given us himself, and this purely as an undeserved gift. What kind of love is this?! As we believe this, and see that this victory is already won for us, our hearts will change; we are freed and empowered to come to others, not looking for achievement or power, but with humility, love and servandhood, as Jesus did. This was His method, no more vivid than in his last week, from a donkey to a cross.