Contigo Perú

"Contigo Perú" ("With you, Peru") is an "America the Beautiful"-esque song: not the national anthem, but patriotic and filled with imagery. The youth at last month's youth retreat spontaneously performed a rendition of it for the team from Trinity in Garden City, KS, and I one afternoon. Whenever I explore a new area of a country,  I feel more connected to it, more with it. 

Such was the case with my first Peruvian beach day, the Monday after the retreat. Being clueless myself, I left our destination completely up to the Peru Lutheran Mission's trusted office manager Lucho, who sent us to Playa El Silencio. We picked a restaurant for lunch basically at random that turned out to be a winner, then sat under a couple of umbrellas and variously read, talked, napped, people watched, and got very sunburned. We toasted our last night in Lima by walking to dinner at nearby Sarcletti when we got back...and the pharmacy next door for aloe.  

Monday was our last night in Lima, but we had one more day. We spent Tuesday experiencing the daily life of a limeño by riding the city bus and then hanging out with the summer crowd at Castillo Fuerte in La Victoria. 

First, games in the park: a paper cup passing team building exercise...and soccer, of course. 

Back inside, we divvied up between English with Miss Laura and the littler kids and crafts (pictured) with Miss Chabela and the bigger kids.

Time to switch: English with the bigger kids was informal and based largely on conversation with native speakers - the team members. 

Everyone came back together for Bible class with Miss Yepci. 

I've gotten pretty used to being in Peru regularly as of late: September, October, and November 2023, February 2024...that kind of pace is going to be tough to keep up, so in the meantime, my prayers remain contigo Perú. 

Until next time, blessings in Christ!