We are thankful for another beautiful day in Peru and the chance to serve our Lord, the king! Camp Day 3 was even better than before. We all had a blast! We arrived at camp and as usual this week, the campers started arriving PROMPTLY on time at 9 am. This is very un-Peruvian. . .as the are known for being late. While waiting for all the children to arrive we sang some new songs the children seemed to really enjoy--the Hokey Pokey and the Chicken Dance!
Once everyone arrived camp started as we always do with prayer and songs of praise and even the chu chu wa and bugaloo. We've taught the kids how to boogalo this year! It is fun to include them and see how much they enjoy it. We also taught them a new silly camp song called Flea, Fly, Flew. Pablo, the assistant camp director, asked to learn it so he could lead it tomorrow. Each group started to go to activities. All activities were open and running very well today. Everyone enjoyed the inflatable Titanic that we had as well as pool. The pool is always everyone's favorite!
During the morning period, I had a chance to meet with a few of the missionaries and discuss short term teams. I am so excited about this opportunity God has allowed me to have to serve Him here in Peru and be a part of what is happening here and sharing it with others that have a heart for missions! It also allowed me a chance to discuss the options for where to live based upon my house hunting. I found 2 apartments that I liked a lot. And so we called the realtor and started the process rolling on that! Whew, what a productive morning!
At the end of camp today, we sent the kids off, but Arevelo's bus driver wasn't there at first so it was the last to leave and the kids had to wait. Then our bus driver was late and we had to wait also. But we played a game of futbol and those of us who didn't play cheered them on, literally--see the photos! Finally we were all packed up and ready to go. We stopped by a few places on the way to the woodshop to purchase flowers for the female Peruvian helpers and looked for snicker's bars for the male helpers. We made it to the woodshop and enjoyed the outside view and a game of WAH on the side of the road. We wanted to visit, but it didn't work out since we came after it was closed and so we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at the Smith's. The time of fellowship was fun and certainly entertaining for all the Peruvians wondering what the group of gringos were doing on the side of the road yelling "Wah!" and pointing at each other!
Tonight we had dinner at the Smith's. In addition to all of us, we had the Karraker's and several interns. Josh Eby aloso came by and discussed what opportunities there were for interning here in Peru. After another wonderful meal with missionaries and interns, we all headed back here to pack up and get ready for the last day of camp and flying home.
Other than some serious sunburns and some tired members at the end of a long day, we've all held up really well. And it has been a wonderful trip to Peru to share the gospel with these precious children! Everyone is sad that tomorrow is the last day! We have to leave early to catch our flight from Trujillo to Lima, and originally had planned on just ending camp early so we can pack up, etc. etc. When we discussed this with the Peruvians, they said they'd run camp tomorrow so we are off the hook! We'll go tomorrow and be available if needed, but the Peruvians will run camp all alone and even after we leave around noon they will continue and finish out the day. What a blessing to see that we have equipped them to run a camp like this! And we get to just play with campers tomorrow doing whatever we'd prefer. . . almost as if we get to be the campers!
After camp tomorrow we'll fly to Lima, then we have a LONG layover and then we get on the plane saturday morning at 12:30 or so and then arrive in Jackson Saturday around noon. Matthew, Andrew, and Tuan will be flying with us until Atlanta. We had to purchase 3 tickets separate from our group for people that joined us after we had bought our tickets and so those three have a longer layover in Atlanta. They agreed to be the 3 odd persons. . . So, you'll see me in Jackson and not Matthew. He is sorry to not see you all when we return, but thanks you for sending your spouses, children, siblings, loved ones, to Peru to share the gospel and thank you for your faithful prayers. We have felt them and ask that you continue to pray until we are home safely!!
I'll try and update again tomorrow from Lima about our last day. It should be up by 6 pm tomorrow night.
