Archive for December, 2006

Check the Plane Tickets!

We got quite the suprise yesterday when we happened to look at our plane tickets. We thought we were flying out on the 9th . . . turns out its the 8th!!

So anyway, things are getting crazy. We’re tired and excited and sad and a whole bunch of stuff wrapped up in one. And I think Sophie has gotten a whiff of it because she’s been kind of grumpy lately. She won’t hardly let us out of her sight.

Only 9 days until we fly out, but a thousand things to do!!!

Mission Get Together


100_3444, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

After Claudia’s house we met up with all the other missionaries to exchange gifts and eat

Christmas Morning


100_3425, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

Christmas morning we ate Paneton and hot chocolate for breakfast. Then we sang Christmas songs and read the Christmas story.

Maní


100_3412, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

Here’s me taste testing the peanuts.

Christmas with the Puente Family


100_3407, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

We spent Christmas eve and morning with the Puente family is San Juan de Lurigancho.

Here’s Amanda helping prepare the mashed potatos.

100_3371


100_3371, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

Sophia


100_3461, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

Panetón

Panetón is the food of choice for Peruvians during Christmas. It is a lot like our fruitcake. Here is what it looks like:

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas!

This is our first Christmas in Peru. We flew home for Christmas last year. And, although we miss our family and the “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, we are excited about spending Christmas with our Peruvian and Missionary family.

It’s so amazing how God puts us in different situations with different people to help us know him better. Sometimes I forget that it’s not about me or my comfort or what I want. It’s about knowing and walking in communion with God.

So, it’s Christmas . . . and Christmas is all about the chance to walk in communion with God through Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!!!!!

Nayara y Sophia


Nayara y Sophia, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

We had Leyshton and his family over lunch last week. This is his little girl Nayara (we went to her one year birthday party last year). She LOVED sophia.

Getting to know the new folks.

Two new career families just arrived into Peru this week. One is the Austins and the other is the Rains. We had a big get together to welcome them and get to know them.

Here’s a picture of Sophia and on of the Rain’s boys.

English Fellowship Christmas Party!


Bananas!, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

Last night we had a annual English Fellowship Christmas shindig. We sang a few Christmas songs, read the Christmas story, ate Paneton, and played sneaky santa.

Somehow Moieses and I ended up with bananas as presents!

Team Photo


Team Photo, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

Here’s a picture of the Austin family along with the rest of the REAPSouth team.

The Weavers are now in the U.S. for their stateside assignment.

Austin Family

The Austin family has finally made it to Peru! They’ve been in Costa Rica for the past year studying Spanish. Now they join us here in Lima to be a part of the REAPSouth team. Their names are Arnold, Susie, Alisha, Ben, and Patrick. Go here to see their blog.

Saying goodbye

It’s amazing how 2 years ago Peru was a strange country with strange foods and people. Now, it’s home. And just when we’re getting ‘in the groove’ of life here, we’ve got to say goodbye.

Peope always ask us “Are you ready to go home?” . . . Well, the fact is, we are home. We’ve spent a year and a half of our life here. We had our first child here. We got Wilson here!!! This is home.

We’re very excited to be returning to the U.S. . . . but I think we’re starting to see that leaving isn’t going to be that easy.

Nazca Training.


Photo_120706_006, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

Here’s a photo of Lucia and I practicing Bible storying. We were trying to remember the story of creation to tell to eachother.

This was part of our Pastor training in Nazca. Pastors who are able, come from the sierra to spend three days with us learning about different aspects of church planting and pastoring.

In Cuzco


Peru Vision Trip 2006 056, originally uploaded by thefamilybush.

In Cuzco, there are tons of kids begging and trying to sell stuff to the gringos. That happens a lot in Lima, but in Cuzco it’s crazy.

My strategy has been lately to just talk to them. Ask them about there lives. These girls asked me about the Bible that we had. I was telling her about it and then I asked them if they knew how to read. They said yes, so I had them read me a few psalms to me.

3 Weeks Until We Fly

We have our plane tickets! And we are VERY excited!

But, we’ve got a lot to do between now and then: Pack. Say goodbyes. Host winterbreak teams. Host IMB bosses. Orientate new semester missionary. Celebrate Christmas. Celebrate New Years. Etc. Etc.

God is good.

We’ll be arriving to the USA jobless, but with a good prospect. We’re talking to some folks about a really cool job in Little Rock. We’ll see what Jesus does.

Nazca Training

We are spending the week in Nazca with a group of believers from all of southern Peru. They are here to learn more about how to plant and lead churches in there areas.

Yesterday Dr. Sills (from Southern Seminary) was talking about orality and how most of the world doesn’t read but learns in a different way. An old Quechua lady raised her hand and said “Someone told me that if you are unable to read the Bible you will not enter into the Kingdom of God.”, I was floored. First, because someone would really say that. Second, because I knew this old lady must have been living in fear because was not literate. She has a Bible, but she can’t read a single word out of it.

Of course, Dr. Sills got things cleared up.

Her name is Fortunata and a small church meets in her house. I’ll try to post a picture of her.