Family

One thing that this year has impressed upon me forever is family. Yes, blood family, I always have had the best family and have always know that they love me and will always be there for me, but the family I am talking about right now is the one that God has created for me here in Peru and my church family back home, they are becoming a very important part of my life and support that I didn’t realize before. My family here in Peru consists of Caleb, who is always there to lift people up and to thank them for their work, Chris always offers a witty little comments that makes everyone laugh, and he also has good spiritual insights anytime he gives worship, Jonathan is another one of the funny men and always is betting everyone that they can or can’t eat something be it a turkey foot or a large bowl of sweet potato casserole, Anthony is the one who always smiles and teases the chicos right back when they give him a hard time. Rachel and Stephanie are the team nurses when anyone of us is having issues; recently they’ve been getting calls late at night to administer meds for upset bowels and stomachs. And they are also my companions here at Km 8, and we have a good time together. Cecilia is the newest addition to our group, but she’s very helpful in getting bargains when it comes to shopping in the market and she is also a very fun doctor to work with. Jenessa is the organizer of the group and all of her many responsibilities and Rebecca is the other teacher who always has available time to talk to anyone who needs to talk. Laura is always teasing everyone and giving us a hard time. Hanna is the person who knows everything about everyone in the group, I guess that is her job, but she is also keeps us all together and is very concerned that everyone in our group is happy. Alfonso is the quietest of the chicos, but he loves to laugh. Elias is the little brother to everyone, and he hates Monday mornings.  Erick is also quiet, but when he does talk it’s usually pretty funny and good for a laugh, he is also a very hard worker and a leader for the group. Daniel Pua is Elias’ older brother, and very good at building stuff, like the majority of stuff we have here at Km 8. Daniel Ruiz is well-known for his love of music during worship times, and blasting his computer in the mornings with praise music, in Spanish of course. Doctor is most definitely the leader of the group, like the dad of the group, and I respect him very much for all of the work he does here. If a man ever had a full plate, he does. He makes sure all of us are healthy and happy first of all, then he does a lot of administrative work for Amor, he sets up medical campaigns, makes new connections to help Amor, and he has three kids. Shirley, the doctor’s wife, is like the older sister/mom figure of our group here. She doesn’t mind laughing at us girls when we mess up cooking in the kitchen, or teaching us better more efficient ways to cook for so many people. Hermana Welfa is a grandmotherly figure, and a very stable spiritual example for all of us. Her sermons are very good and personal. She also is great at teaching us how to make empanadas.  This makes up our family here in Peru, and I know that I wouldn’t be doing as well as I am here in Peru without having these people as my brothers and sisters.
Another group that has really been there supporting me every step of the way is my church family. I just recently received a package from the Women’s Ministries department there that had a whole bunch of letters and verses for my birthday and to give me additional encouragement. I have received several letters from my church family, and it never ceases to amaze me that in each letter there is a verse or a personal note that lifts me up and that I needed just at the moment that I read them. It’s about halfway through my time here in Peru, and I’m missing home a lot and sometimes I just want to go home and leave, but the letters I recently got in the mail have lifted my spirits considerably and reminded me of the important work that God has here and that he IS always by my side even when I mess up. In the New Testament it is written that as brothers and sisters in Christ we should take care of one another, be a family, fellowship together. This has become a very real reality for me this year, thank you. This is why God doesn’t ask us to be hermits and not talk to anyone, we need each other.
My family has become very big this year.  I love getting the calls from my family every week. I know that it has been very hard for them to have me so far away. They have given me so much love and support this year that I’m serving God, even though they would be much more comfortable to have me home. It boosts me every week just to hear from them and to know what is going on in their lives at home.
Thanksgiving was yesterday, and this year my biggest thanks to God is for Peru and the huge family that this year has given me.