Have Three Cakes and Eat Them, Too

I had the best birthday in Peru. Tt was the 2nd time I've spent my birthday there, the first being day 1 of my Inca Trail trek. You really can't argue with three cakes. 

Cake #1: Homemade carrot cake

I came back from a morning run to one of the Ascension team members making pancakes, so that's a decent start to my day right there. Church wasn't until 10, so we had a relaxed morning. As soon as the announcements ended, though, the congregation pulled out all the stops on a triple celebration for Pastor Walterson (left, b. 11/7), team member Jennifer (2nd from left, b. 11/13), and I. 

I had to set down my bouquet of red roses to enjoy the parade of other goodies: first cake, then a boxed wine toast, tamales, empanaditas, chips, soda, and shaved ice. Don't forget balloons on the window grate and curly, paper ribbon someone draped around everyone's neck like a feather boa. 

Pastor's daughter Isabela wanted a flower, too. 

Church member Juan Carlos left and came back with his guitar to serenade the cumpleañeros. He plays by ear but is enrolled in church-sponsored music classes to learn to read music.

Some of the members who made the festivities possible. Cake-baker (and deaconess student) Angela is 2nd from right. 

After another few hours of relaxation, the team & I joined youth from all three congregations for their monthly gathering. We introduced ourselves by saying our names, a food we don't like (mushrooms), a place we wouldn't like to be (Antarctica or anywhere cold, really), and an animal we would like to be (I'm basically already a cat in that I like sun and dislike being wet). Jeancarlos then led us in a highly applicable study of The Prodigal Son. 

Yepci, one of the moms/Castillo Fuerte teachers, had organized a series of "Minute-to-Win-It"-style games to keep us busy until the food was ready, so we traipsed to a park a few blocks away. Some of the team members helped man stations; others played right alongside the kids. In no particular order...

#1: Passing flour from person-to-person on a spoon...with no hands.

#2: Ball toss. 

#3: Matching & sequencing the 10 Commandments and their meanings. 

#4: Bible charades.

#5: Feeding Cheetos to a partner...blindfolded.

And #6 (my station, not pictured): Bible trivia. 

One of two teams, who got very competitive when it came time to declare a winner.

The whole group.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (read: office), seminary grad Kevin and Pastor Walterson were getting ready for a grilled chicken sandwich supper. There was dessert, too...

Cake #2: Chocolate

Yepci's birthday was the day before mine! 

Cake #3: Fruit cocktail-filled Swiss roll

Just as Yepci & I started cutting & plating the chocolate cake (and leftover carrot cake from church), the team brought over yet another cake! Sometime that morning, they'd snuck off to the store and back without my realizing it. 

The team & I ended the night with devotions and games, including one I'd just learned a few days prior: cribbage. Turns out the team's stealth supermarket run also included a toy store; they gifted me my own set! I need to find some DR people to play with now...

Monday was my last day - the team's second-to-last - and featured brunch at Larcomar, a high-end mall built into the cliffs along the Pacific coast, followed by free time to shop & explore. 

Little-known fact: Paddington Bear's journey originates in Lima!

It's never ideal for a Coordinator to leave before a team, but such is life sometimes. My US-bound flight left late, so I set a carefully crafted plan in motion and headed to the airport after dinner. Vacation mode: on.

Until next time, blessings in Christ.