The Georges in Peru

 

As the end of the year approaches,  one of the denominations that our missionaries work with (the Iglesia Evangelica Peruana,)  invited us all to a program to say thanks.  There were skits and songs and speeches,  followed by a nice alpaca steak lunch.   As a very nice surprise for me (Amy) some of the women present were ladies I used to teach in a Bible study.  I hadn't seen them for more than a year.   One, Carmen, asked if they could come visit me,  so Tuesday,  I made some banana bread,  and was thinking about putting water on for tea when the first car load arrived.  I was expecting 3 or 4,  but 9 ladies came, plus 8 of their kids!   They are mostly sisters and sisters in-law,  and their mom came too.   She said that although her daughters hadn't told her about it, because I mentioned it to her and she had come to the Bible study once or twice,  she considered herself invited.  While I taught the moms,  Sarah used to take care of the kids, who love her very much.  One mom said that her daughter had been counting the days,  and then the hours until they could come see her.   We sang Christmas carols, and they brought us gifts,  but mostly,  they came just to say thanks for teaching them.    

Photo from 2013

This morning Allen's Mom joined the great throng in heaven singing

          "Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to

          the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb,

                       forever and ever!" Revelation 5:13

She died in the Crete, Nebraska nursing home after deteriorating over the last few months.  She will be remembered for her great hospitality and friendliness to everyone.

The funeral schedule is as follows:

Sunday, October 26th

5:00 - 8:00 pm Visitation at the Laurel United Methodist Church - 302 Elm Street

Monday, October 27th

10:00 am Interment at the Laurel Cemetery

11:00 am memorial service at the Laurel United Methodist Church

Sarah thought that it would be a nice reward for her Sunday school class for learning their memory verses to go to the zoo!  I thought eight would show up.  Instead, we had 16 kids and 10 adults go with us to the zoo yesterday!  They had a great time, though this picture might make you think they were miserable. In Peru, one doesn't smile for pictures.  It's just not what you do.  I was even scolded once, while getting my picture for my driver's license, to not smile! 

Luckily, boys are less obedient to social norms and they smiled for their picture!

It was a great time for building unity in the church beyond Sunday church services.

It has now been two weeks since we finished the floor of the church.  It is wonderful!  Some comments:

1. "The church looks bigger now!"
2. "I don't have to clean off my shoes after going to church!"
3. "There aren't enough seats now.  There are too many people."  (Lame excuse by one man when the pastor asked him why he hasn't come to church lately.  There is room (see picture))

Next on the list is to build a wall on the left-hand side of the church and to divide the children's room into two separate rooms because so many kids have been coming.  Sarah has been teaching the SS class and she is a kid magnet. She had 17 kids the last time she taught!

From July 21st through August 1 we helped out with an eye campaign here in Arequipa.  I triaged patients while Sarah, Mia and Paul translated for the volunteers from Canada and the USA and Amy fit people with new glasses.  Sarah even got to spend time in the operating room with the ophthalmologists as they removed cataracts.  They need translators, since the patients are awake when they have cataracts removed!  She thought it was really cool, especially when they numb up the eyeball by putting a big needle behind the eye!  We're thankful that our kids were on vacation and could help with this event.  They made friends with the kids of an ophthalmologist couple that were here and continue conversing via Facebook.  I think all parents think their children's childhood is very different from their own, but at times I think my kids' experiences and my own couldn't be more different!