We´ve made it to Peru. God granted us many travel mercies! Thanks and praise to Him for that. We had all been told once we leave the country we needed to be flexible and ready for whatever, but that started early. Our flight out of Jackson was delayed 2 hours!! So, rather than the long 6 hour lay over in Atlanta, we had a reasonable 4 or so and it ended up being just enough time to eat and rest for a few moments.
2 of our members were meeting us from other cities. Both of thier planes were also delayed leaving. We had been able to speak to some of them either personally or thier ´mom and we thought for sure there was no way that they would make the flight. WE had already made arrangements for them to come through Miami and get to Lima this morning at 5=30, but we really hoped they would make it. Matthew waited as long as he could to get on the plane trying to stall, hoping they would run up any moment. Finally, he was told he´d have to board or be left behind. Ry is traveling with his guitar and that caused a bit of confusion upon trying to check it and fit it in an overhead. Lots of giggles were heard when the announcement was made, "Will the gentlemen traveling with the guitar please check in with a flight attendent?" We knew that was Ry. . . To make a long story short, they had to check it and then had his seats all mixed up and it took a while before that was all settled. So, in God´s good grace, by this time, our final member sprinted to the gate and ran onto the plane just as we closed the doors to take off.
We all made it to Peru and arrived after midnight. Allen Smith was gracious enough to meet us and had a wonderful bus waiting for us. After 27 of us got our luggage--sorry, make that 25 (the 2 that barely caught the plane didn´t get thier lugage)--and found our way to the bus it was after 2:00 am Saturday morning. We were all here, tired and still being flexible and just excited about this trip finally starting! We checked in our hotel and got settled--another feat for 27 of us in the middle of the night. We agreed to rest for a few hours and meet back for breakfast and then leave at 9:00 am.
Today, we took our bus to the Plaza d´Armas and got out and took a picture in front of the cathedral (see below--oops cord to connect camera to computer is in checked baggage--check back later tonight or tomorrow night for pictures from today and tomorrow). Then it was on to the Indain Market for some serious power shopping. When Allen told me we only had one and half hours. . . I knew I had to kick it in high gear. This market is HUGE and has tons of Peruvian goods and souvenirs. We managed to all buy some gifts and make it to our lunch reservation only 1/2 an hour late. We ate at Mango´s restaurant, which is in an outdoor mall right by the ocean. We had a great table overlooking the ocean, but unfortunately we couldn´t see a thing. The fog was so thick, you couldn´t see more than a few feet over the cliff. But it was a fabulous meal and everyone enjoyed trying some of the Peruvian food. Ceviche is a specility here. . . fish that as Allen likes to say isn´t raw, it is cured in lemon juice. A few liked it, but mostly we got a lot of "well, I tried it at least!" PJ even had a "tiger shot" which he described as drinking pepper juice. It also had some ceviche in it. Needless to say, I quickly passed. I may have an adventurous spirit for travel, but it does NOT transfer to food!
After lunch we went to the hotel packed and are now back at the airport about to go to Trujillo. We already have learned our flight is an hour late. There is that flexibility again. So, we are eating, updating the travel log and then about to go to Trujillo. Tonight we will check in at the hotel and have an early night after the long one last night. I think we cut the lights out in my room at 3:30 or 3:45? So everyone is ready for a full night´s sleep.
Tomorrow we will attend church in one of the poorest neighborhood churches that Peru Mission has planted and worships in. Then we will be preparing for camp and spend some time with the missionary families. Please continue to pray for us. We enjoyed Lima, but are ready to start our work in Trujillo. I´ll continue to update daily from here on. Everyone is doing well and sends thier well wishes to the families and friends following our trip.
I´ll leave you with some of our funny stories or sayings that we´ve already started. We talked about how everyone these days says "gotcha!" in response to all sorts of statements and have been laughing about how often everyone says it. Arriving in Lima on the way to the hotel there was a big billboard with a surfer and the the one word "Gotcha!" I don´t even know what it was advertising, but it was hilarious! This morning at breakfast, we were commenting on the flimsy napkins and how they don´t really supply you with any. A normal paper napkin isn´t folded in 4 squares like we do at home. it is like one square that is folded in a triangle and after one wipe of the mouth, it is pretty much done. That lead Andrew to tell us how he noticed that the toliet paper is also stingy. I had not noticed, but apparently it is narrower here and much thinner! Speaking of Andrew, he has been tkaing tons of pictures and we´ve broken out the video camera some, but it was filming me, which I had to inform him might possibly "accidently" get deleted later. I am not a big fan of being on video, which is contrary to my grand idea of being on Amazing Race, but when you´re playing for a million dollars I think I might not mind the camera. Andrew´s convinced I need to be on there, so we´ve been brainstorming who will do it with me and what our "catch" will be. We will have to get a picture of him and how he is always taking pictures at some point. Andrew is the camera man. Including myself, there is another big tennis fan. We´ve had a blast spotting the red clay tennis courts around town. Rumor is we might can even play on some while in Trujillo. :)
I am about to go eat and then catch the plane. More tomorrow from Trujillo.
