Ho, Ho, Hoag

The LCMS short-term unit uses team leader last names as a part of the naming convention for each. In my last post, I alluded to the fact that my final airport trip of 2025, three days after Christmas, was to pick up some volunteers from VA: the "Hoag" team (though the team's namesake wound up giving birth the day they arrived and wasn't along for obvious reasons!). They were fantastic, having understood each of their THREE assignments perfectly, based on my specifications. This post walks through the first two; I'll save #3 for a subsequent post. 

 I arrived in Peru the day before the team, a Saturday. Sunday, aka prep/team arrival day, began with worship and getting to observe a joint Bible study between deaconess graduates and new students. 

A slow Monday was just what the doctor ordered after a delayed flight meant we all got to bed around 1:30 am! We still had plenty of time for a children's and women's ministry supply run.

Waiting for bus #8 or #33 to take us to La Victoria for our first of two women's ministry events. Of course the #33 came right after I'd given up and ordered an Uber. 

Each attendee received a goodie bag containing a facemask, microfiber washcloth, lip balm, lotion, and a nail file, which I learned is called a "lima" in Spanish.

Two of the ladies invited us to partake in a traditional Venezuelan Christmas feast before we got started. 

After a get-to-know-you round of "Would you rather...?" there was a block of time to rotate through multiple stations: hand scrubs, manicures, facemasks, and bookmark-making. Edith was pretty in pink. 

I even let one of the ladies paint my nails, which I almost never do. Peep the devotional on Philippians 4:8 that followed underneath my hand.

We ended the night with ice cream sundaes, using a Peruvian Neapolitan-esque flavor with chocolate, lucuma (a fruit that tastes like caramel), and vanilla as the base.

Back on the bus Tuesday morning for Day 1 of a 2-day Epiphany-themed escuelita at Castillo Fuerte.

I got the privilege of reading the Bible story each day and translating for Andrea as she asked comprehension questions and reiterated key points.

Tuesday was all about stars. Glue dots were a Godsend as we made Popsicle stick star ornaments.

Interactive snack of tortillas, ham, cheese, and star cookie cutters in various sizes. 

Each child got a double-sided doll on the way out; the side with a cross over the heart is smiling, for obvious reasons. 

We jetted over to the home of church member Vicky in Los Olivos for the second women's ministry event as soon as the kids were gone...if you can call a 90 min. Uber ride "jetting." I had a whole conversation with our driver about what a missionary is and what makes the Lutheran faith distinctive on the way. In true Latin American fashion, even arriving well after the published start time, the ladies were still congregating and lunch wasn't ready. 

After lunch - and pisco shots! - we began with singing this time around. The devotion that followed was about how asking the right questions can pave the way for sharing the Gospel with someone. 

It's camel day!

Bracelet prizes for finding hidden gold "treasure," a la one of the Magi's gifts for the infant Jesus. 

FOUR crafts happening simultaneously: wooden camel ornaments, cross stained glass windows, wooden star ornaments, and crowns. 

Some seriously impressive saddle blankets!

And an ingenious idea from teacher Yulenka for storing completed crafts until the end of the day. 

"Camel food" trail mix. 

Wednesday's post-escuelita destination was the Huaca Pucllana ruins. These guys were troopers even though NYE meant the longest line I've ever seen to get in. 

I've been there, done that, but I'd never been to a nearby rooftop coffee shop. That's the group atop the highest point in the background of my matcha latte. 

Then: shopping. All day I'd been noticing people wearing yellow, selling yellow flowers, and decorating homes and businesses with yellow paraphernalia. I finally asked a shopkeeper, who confirmed that yellow (gold) is a Peruvian NYE nod to the hope of prosperity in the new year.  

Turns out she was a good saleswoman :)

We stayed in for a quiet NYE "party." I did MY first ever facemask and will spare you the creepy head-on shot. 

I hadn't intended to make a charcuterie board with the fun snacks I bought, but I did and was rather pleased with the results. Brain food for a new-to-me card game, Sevens.

Is it even New Year's without a champagne toast? 

Most everything was closed on the 1st, but Castillo Fuerte after school program director Yepci agreed to come teach the group how to make arepas late that afternoon.

A beautiful first sunset of 2026 awaited us when we came back from a post-arepa walk. 

To be continued with assignment #3: national youth retreat support. Until next time, blessings in Christ!