Saturday, August 28, 2010
Snapshot 4
A bus bumps its way slowly down the dusty jungle road. The windows are open- not by choice, but because they don't close. Inside, there is a family. Not a family by birth, but by choice. As they bounce down the road, music drifts from the window. The family members don't speak the same language, but that's okay. They don't know all of the same songs, but that's alright. As that bus bumps its way down the dusty jungle road, the members of this makeshift, multilingual family are all worshiping the same Jesus, and that's all that matters.
Snapshot 3
Grungy trampoline. Breezy, steamy night. Smoggy stars. Limbs and hearts jumbled and intertwined. Honest words. Hot, salty tears. Smoky air. Car horns and mangy dogs. Dust on the banana trees. Shared water bottle. Open souls. Real conversation. Genuine laughter. Eternal connection.
Snapshot 2
The stars look the same here, but their patterns are different. We lay on the trampoline and I think about myself, how I'm like those stars. I look the same here, but my actions are different. I smile more, laugh louder. I hug more intensely, cry more easily. My "comfort zone" is nearly non-existent. I sing and dance. I speak rapid Spanish. I touch when I feel like it. If the words pop into my head, I say them. I look the same here, but my patterns are different. This is who I really am.
Snapshot 1
Oh, Pucallpa. Steamy, sweaty Sunday mornings full of unspeakable joy. Dusty, noisy bus rides where we breathe through hankies and squinch our eyes shut between worship songs. Late dinners in little restaurants, laughing and talking with the help of interpreters. The most beautiful children you can imagine... brokenhearted and abandoned, leaning on us for an hour of God's love. Bubbles floating through the dense jungle, accompanied by the laughter of Shipibo children and their young mothers.
In the midst of it all stands a gringa. Back home, she hurts. She's not known. But here... here, she stands with a smile that could light up the night. Here, she speaks for hours in broken Spanglish, often pausing to laugh from the deepest place in her heart. Here, she's greeted with hugs and kisses every morning. The tears are more ready here, they stand at the forefront. Her heart is softer. The sweat pours and the dust rolls, but she doesn't mind. Here, she's home.
In the midst of it all stands a gringa. Back home, she hurts. She's not known. But here... here, she stands with a smile that could light up the night. Here, she speaks for hours in broken Spanglish, often pausing to laugh from the deepest place in her heart. Here, she's greeted with hugs and kisses every morning. The tears are more ready here, they stand at the forefront. Her heart is softer. The sweat pours and the dust rolls, but she doesn't mind. Here, she's home.
Snapshots
The next few posts that will be up are things I (Alyssa) wrote while at camp. These are from my personal journal and the deepest place in my heart. I hope that, as you read them, you sense at least a fraction of the passion I have for these people and this place.
I will also include a picture or two with each post, just to give you a chance to SEE some of Pucallpa, and our trip. Many, many more pictures are posted on my facebook.
Thanks!
I will also include a picture or two with each post, just to give you a chance to SEE some of Pucallpa, and our trip. Many, many more pictures are posted on my facebook.
Thanks!
 |
| The port in Yarina. |
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Hi all! I'm sorry that this update is so late. The internet here just went away for the last four days. At least it wasn't the power or the water!
Sunday was a very relaxing day off. We went to church in the morning, which is always amazing. Because it was Father's Day, they had an amazing service. Lots of specials, two messages, and gifts and food for the dads.
After church we went to a restaurant on the lake for lunch. It was delicious, and we had a great time. While we were eating, we saw freshwater dolphins jumping in Lake Yarinacocha! It was absolutely incredible. We had a long, long lunch, then got in a peque peque to go to a zoo across the lake. At this zoo, we held a 30 foot anaconda! It was so much heavier than I expected. And yes, there are pictures to prove it. We sent Sunday afternoon swimming, then went to the restaurant near our old hotel for dinner. I finally got my frapé de maracuyá (passion fruit smoothie. Amazing.)
That night, the family we're living with set up their trampoline, and Craig, Efrain, Ben, and I sat out there talking for a few hours. Those times are so precious to me... looking at the stars on a trampoline in Peru, talking and crying with my brothers.
On Monday we went to the villages of Panaillo and Nuevo Egypto. Some of you may remember the little boy from Panaillo that I talked about last year, who had AIDS. I asked about him, and they took me to his house to see him. He's doing well, but has some bad days. His family was so happy when I told them that I had been praying for their boy.
Nuevo Egypto was a new village, and it's a Shipibo Indian settlement. Talk about indescribable. The ladies wore their traditional dress, and the kids sang to us in their native language. Everyone in this village was so excited to see us. I spent a lot of time snuggling with a little baby. :)
Because Ben was leaving on Tuesday afternoon, we had a blessing for him during devotions. Everyone cried, and we all laid hands on him and prayed for him. It was amazing. Craig, Ian, Efrain, Ben, and I stayed outside on the deck for a while afterwards, singing praise songs and talking.
Tuesday morning we took the peque peque to Once de Agosta, and did our program. Craig was at the immigration office (his visa had ended up in his laundry and he had to get a new one) and Ben wasn't feeling well, so Ian and Rick did the story with Efrain and I. I saw my little Diego in 11 of August. After I took a picture with him, he disappeared, then came back with a small basket. "A gift for my sister." Precious.
We lunched at the church, then returned to our house to shower and nap. Ben packed his things. Craig was sick, so he slept. (He's better now.). Ben left around 5:30, then my mom and Marilyn went to the church for the women's Bible study. We picked them up after, and headed to dinner. It was 11 by the time we got home, so we did devotions and went to sleep.
This morning we went to the church, and the guys worked on construction while the women learned how to make Juane, a traditional dish for the festival of St. John the Baptist. We had time for shopping this afternoon.
In about an hour, we will leave for our goodbye dinner at the church. They have a huge program planned for us, with music and testimonies. Kleenex will be essential.
Please pray for us as we prepare to leave tomorrow evening. We are nowhere near ready. We just got here. We're just starting to build relationships.
So many more of my heartstrings have been tied to this country, and when they get pulled all the way back to the US, it hurts.
Thank you for your prayers.
We love you
--Alyssa
Sunday was a very relaxing day off. We went to church in the morning, which is always amazing. Because it was Father's Day, they had an amazing service. Lots of specials, two messages, and gifts and food for the dads.
After church we went to a restaurant on the lake for lunch. It was delicious, and we had a great time. While we were eating, we saw freshwater dolphins jumping in Lake Yarinacocha! It was absolutely incredible. We had a long, long lunch, then got in a peque peque to go to a zoo across the lake. At this zoo, we held a 30 foot anaconda! It was so much heavier than I expected. And yes, there are pictures to prove it. We sent Sunday afternoon swimming, then went to the restaurant near our old hotel for dinner. I finally got my frapé de maracuyá (passion fruit smoothie. Amazing.)
That night, the family we're living with set up their trampoline, and Craig, Efrain, Ben, and I sat out there talking for a few hours. Those times are so precious to me... looking at the stars on a trampoline in Peru, talking and crying with my brothers.
On Monday we went to the villages of Panaillo and Nuevo Egypto. Some of you may remember the little boy from Panaillo that I talked about last year, who had AIDS. I asked about him, and they took me to his house to see him. He's doing well, but has some bad days. His family was so happy when I told them that I had been praying for their boy.
Nuevo Egypto was a new village, and it's a Shipibo Indian settlement. Talk about indescribable. The ladies wore their traditional dress, and the kids sang to us in their native language. Everyone in this village was so excited to see us. I spent a lot of time snuggling with a little baby. :)
Because Ben was leaving on Tuesday afternoon, we had a blessing for him during devotions. Everyone cried, and we all laid hands on him and prayed for him. It was amazing. Craig, Ian, Efrain, Ben, and I stayed outside on the deck for a while afterwards, singing praise songs and talking.
Tuesday morning we took the peque peque to Once de Agosta, and did our program. Craig was at the immigration office (his visa had ended up in his laundry and he had to get a new one) and Ben wasn't feeling well, so Ian and Rick did the story with Efrain and I. I saw my little Diego in 11 of August. After I took a picture with him, he disappeared, then came back with a small basket. "A gift for my sister." Precious.
We lunched at the church, then returned to our house to shower and nap. Ben packed his things. Craig was sick, so he slept. (He's better now.). Ben left around 5:30, then my mom and Marilyn went to the church for the women's Bible study. We picked them up after, and headed to dinner. It was 11 by the time we got home, so we did devotions and went to sleep.
This morning we went to the church, and the guys worked on construction while the women learned how to make Juane, a traditional dish for the festival of St. John the Baptist. We had time for shopping this afternoon.
In about an hour, we will leave for our goodbye dinner at the church. They have a huge program planned for us, with music and testimonies. Kleenex will be essential.
Please pray for us as we prepare to leave tomorrow evening. We are nowhere near ready. We just got here. We're just starting to build relationships.
So many more of my heartstrings have been tied to this country, and when they get pulled all the way back to the US, it hurts.
Thank you for your prayers.
We love you
--Alyssa
Saturday
Hola Amigos y Familia!
This morning we got up and headed to the church for a program practice (Yesterday's was a little rough). Craig, Ben, Efrain, and I spent about 40 minutes going over our story, learning to be more animated and enthusiastic. We practiced a few songs, then boarded the bus for the orphanage.
Some of you may remember me talking about a girl named Maria last year. She was 13, and had a 3 month old baby. As soon as we got to the orphanage, she found me and hugged me and told me that she remembered when I was there last year.
My mom found her "Peruvian daughter" Patricia, whom we have seen every year. She was very happy to see us, and kept saying "Mi Americana Mami, y mi hermana americana!" It was a very emotional reunion, and an emotional parting as well.
Our program went very well at the orphange. We acted out the creation story as well as telling it, running around like birds and fishes, and making animal noises. The kids loved it. Our songs were better, and the puppet show was HILARIOUS. We gave ice cream to the kids, and airplanes to the boys. We had hair things for the girls, and candy for everyone. They were all very happy.
The orphanage is such a hard experience, but so rewarding. These children remember us year after year. Maria did not let go of my waist for literally 20 minutes. Leaving is hard, because we don't know what will happen to these kids.
We had lunch at the church, then went back to the house for a siesta. After that, we went back to the church. The guys worked construction, and the ladies talked with Monica and Betsi, our translators. It's amazing to hear these ladies talk about their ministry. Betsi and I walked down to a few shops together, and just talked and laughed. These experiences... building relationships, making friends... they are so precious to us.
Now we're leaving for dinner at Los Rosales, one of our favorite Peruvian restaurants.
Thank you for your prayers.
We love you.
This morning we got up and headed to the church for a program practice (Yesterday's was a little rough). Craig, Ben, Efrain, and I spent about 40 minutes going over our story, learning to be more animated and enthusiastic. We practiced a few songs, then boarded the bus for the orphanage.
Some of you may remember me talking about a girl named Maria last year. She was 13, and had a 3 month old baby. As soon as we got to the orphanage, she found me and hugged me and told me that she remembered when I was there last year.
My mom found her "Peruvian daughter" Patricia, whom we have seen every year. She was very happy to see us, and kept saying "Mi Americana Mami, y mi hermana americana!" It was a very emotional reunion, and an emotional parting as well.
Our program went very well at the orphange. We acted out the creation story as well as telling it, running around like birds and fishes, and making animal noises. The kids loved it. Our songs were better, and the puppet show was HILARIOUS. We gave ice cream to the kids, and airplanes to the boys. We had hair things for the girls, and candy for everyone. They were all very happy.
The orphanage is such a hard experience, but so rewarding. These children remember us year after year. Maria did not let go of my waist for literally 20 minutes. Leaving is hard, because we don't know what will happen to these kids.
We had lunch at the church, then went back to the house for a siesta. After that, we went back to the church. The guys worked construction, and the ladies talked with Monica and Betsi, our translators. It's amazing to hear these ladies talk about their ministry. Betsi and I walked down to a few shops together, and just talked and laughed. These experiences... building relationships, making friends... they are so precious to us.
Now we're leaving for dinner at Los Rosales, one of our favorite Peruvian restaurants.
Thank you for your prayers.
We love you.
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