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This is our last week of classes. We have a grand total of three tests this week. Two at LanGrow, our language institute. And then one on Saturday, the OPI. This is the one that counts, it’s given by the IMB. If we don’t reach a certain level we have to go back to school!

Class with Norka today was really good. She had a lot of questions about what we believed. One thing we were trying to explain to her (that she was having a really hard time wrapping her mind around) was the fact that we don’t go to church or pray or read the Bible to earn God’s grace, but because we already have it! We do it out of joy and love and wanting to know God more . . . not to earn his favor!

Saturday night we had dinner with one of our Spanish teachers and her boyfriend. Norka has become a really good friend over the past few months.

We had agreed that they would come over at 7:30pm for dinner. And, in proper peruvian fashion, they showed up at around 8:15pm. But it went great! For one thing, it wasn’t work. Sometimes it’s just really hard to ‘hang out’ with peruvians . . . because we are americans and they are peruvians. But we all seemed to click. And the language issue was almost a non-issue.

We learned that Alfredo (Norka’s boyfriend) had been studying to be a priest in the Catholic church. He became disillusioned with the corruption and left Catholicism. He said “Ahora, estoy buscando.” [Now, I'm searching.]

We were able to tell him a lot about why we are here and the differences between Catholicism and Evangelicalism. We are getting together next weekend for some beach fishing.

Today’s room of the day is . . . The Office (a.k.a. Ryan’s Room)

The office was a nursery for the last couple’s baby, but we quickly converted it to something a little more practical (before Amanda could get any bright ideas).

This is where out computer and desk are. We also have a big calender up to keep up with what we are supposed to be doing when. Also, all our books are in here.

This week has been a lot of fun. All 17 of the summer missionaries flew in throughout this week (which made for some EARLY morning airport runs). And we spent Thursday and Friday getting them ready to head out.

Last night we had Thanksgiving at the Weavers. It was gooood. A final “normal” meal for the Summer Missionaries.

Here’s a picture of all of us last night.

Well, Amanda and I are now intermediate 2. There are 4 levels in intermediate and out teachers tell us they will have us through all for before our two months with them is up. We have two more weeks of class to do it.

This week we’re busy getting the summer missionaries in and trained. I was at the airport at 4:00am this morning waiting on a couple of summer missionaries from Missouri. They’ve been in training all day today. Amanda and I led a session on culture shock. They’ll head out saturday to villages all over southern Peru.

Saturday night our Spanish teacher, Norka, and her boyfriend are coming over for dinner.

We had our first test-run to the airport this morning. All our summer missionaries (about 20) are coming in this week so we are keeping busy getting ready for them.

Our first pickup was to be this morning. The flight was scheduled to arrive at 5:33am, so we left for the airport about 5:45am. It was a little stressful getting there because we had never actually drove to the airport and found ourselves a bit turned around a few times. We finally made it, but there was not missionary. We were getting worried when we finally realized at about 8:00am that she was actually coming in tomorrow morning!

At least we know the way now!

Today’s room of the day is . . . . . THE KITCHEN!

As you can see we have turqouise cabinets. These are a bit bright, but hey!, they keep us cheery in the cloudy weather.

We’ve got a regular size fridge, a microwave, toaster, dos basin sink, propane stove, etc.

This is where the magic happens. My specialities are: fried eggs, Ramen noodles, coffee, toast, oatmeal, corn flakes, and that’s about it.

That’s a water filter to the left of the sink.

Let’s hear it for the kitchen!

Last night after REAP training, since Amanda was out and about, I decided to head on down to the Ovalo to see some friends and practice a little Spanish.

I saw Maria, a lady of about 40 with two mute sons who sales pirated DVD’s. She was crying because she had gotten “busted” earlier that day and all her money from the weekend’s sales was confiscated.

Piracy is absolutely everywhere in Peru: Books, CD’s, Software, DVD’s. It’s big business. You can buy the exact same DVD (artwork is copied) for 8 Soles that will cost you 50 or 60 Soles in a store. Also, you can get most movies on the street before they even hit the theatres. The latest Star Wars movie for example was being sold in the street corners before the theatre debut.

Anyway, this is how Maria feeds her kids. I have talked to Maria lots of times before. She’s a believer, she goes to Agua Viva, a pretty good church from what I hear. So, I decided to help her out a bit. Amanda had bought a couple E Wong (kind of like Wal Mart) gift cards for this very purpose, so I gave her one. She had no idea what it was. She went and asked a worker in E Wong because I wasn’t doing a very good job explaining. Then a police officer was standing in front of us. This was not a nice police officer. Maria told me later that he was the one who called the people to come and get her in trouble. He was laughing sarcastically at us and acted like he was taking the card. Thankfully, he wandered off without the card. I was a bit nervous for un minuto!! Maria got it figured out and I got out of there. I walked back to the apartment.

We went to our first Peruvian garage sale this morning. Garage sales in Peru are pretty few and far between, so when we heard about this one we knew we had to be there. A church here in Lima was trying to raise some money so they had a big ole rummage sale.

We showed up at 9:00 when it was supposed to start and found ourselves at the end of a pretty long line. It was serious business in there. No messing around, if you wanted something, you had better throw some elbows.

I threw some elbows to get one fine piece of machinery. A fishing pole. Me encanta pescando. I have grown up fishing and miss it terribly, but now I’m back in business!! I’ll head down to the ocean soon to see what I can drag up. First, I’ve got to figure out where to procure line, hooks, weights, bait, etc.

Aren’t I such a good wife for taking the blame for Ryan scraping up the car! He shouldn’t be embarassed–it could happen to anybody!!!