Last Day in Urubamba

Today is my last day in the Sacred Valley. It has been such a blessing to be here, and I am very thankful for a great host family. At this point, the biggest thing I have learned is humility and being content where I am at. It was great having time to read the Bible and pray with a low-stress lifestyle. I found that a lot harder to enjoy than I thought. I am ready for some exciting times in Ecuador, and looking forward to Holy Week. Ready for God to do some crazy things. God Bless!

Some highlights from the last week:
-My host brother tried to pee on me.
-I planted about 200 trees
-I'm starting to be able to have conversations in Spanish.

No water

They turned off the water in the town today. Lots of fun! Not sure what to do what I reach capacity (if you know what I mean).

Back to Work

Back in action today from the sickness. I feel pretty good, except a runny nose. I helped plant about 200 native trees today for a reforestation project. It was a beautiful day and enjoyed workin the earth. I am very thankful for the opportunity and my health.

Sick but better

I got a very high fever yesterday, and almost fainted. I had to go to the clinic, and the doctor gave me some antibiotics. He said I have a respitory infection. I feel much better now that the meds have kicked in. Thankful to be feeling better.

Crazy Saturday Night

One of the staff members at ProWorld has a daughter that turned 15 yesterday. In Peru the 15th birthday is a huge deal and they had a big pàrty that I was privledged to attend. WOW....and it was a party. Food, drink, dancing, and clowns. Probably one of the wildest and clean parties have been to. This clown shows up with music blasting and balloons and noise makers....everyone goes insane (including parents, little kids, everybody), and the clown starts dancing. I was so confused, but was swept up by the madness. I can't describe with words what it was like.

I also got to talk about Jesus with a former Mormon homosexual. Please pray for him. Praise God! His love is bigger!

The Kitten

I had a crazy experience with a kitten today. We came across it at this one house up on the mountain while we were checking on water filters in various houses. It started following us, and we did about 3 miles of walking on the mountain. It looked exhausted and dropped off a few times, but somehow kept finding its way back to us. I was thinking the cat was going to die. I was thinking, "God take care of this cat somehow. I don't know what to do with it." Then randomly we showed up at this house, and it happened to be the house of the owner of the cat.

Don't Waste Your Life

I came across the book "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. It is challenging me very much. It is almost overwhelming.

Quiet Time

Great quiet time on top of a mountain today! Praise God! I can see why Jesus prayed on top of mountains. Florida needs some mountains...

Update

Everything is still going well. I had a great time on monday going to a honey harvesting place. I got to hold bees in my hand and eat honey fresh from the hive. My days are pretty much the same everyday, so not too much to report. God bless!

Hike

I went on a pretty intense hike today from Urubamba to some Incan ruins on top of a nearby mountain. It took about 6 hours. Completely spent.

I also had a great birthday yesterday. My host family made me a great dinner and it was fun celebrating with the other volunteers.

A Couple Highlights

I think I experienced a miracle. I was feeling very full of the Spirit and juice from a hot pepper squirted in both of my eyes, and it didn't burn. Praise God! It was one of those things where I was like "did that really just happen?" It didn't feel that spectacular, but when I think about it, it's pretty crazy.

I went to a neighboring town in a van packed with about 25 people (the van normally holds 10).

Monday 3/12

Great day today! Got to do some delicious mud-filled manual labor building stoves. I have a new found love of the pick-ax. The family that we built the stove for made us choclo (basically corn with very large kernels. It is a Sacred Valley specialty). Quite delicious and gracious of them. Tambien, Yo estoy empezado a ver una mejoria en mi espanol.

Also, today has been the most Spirit-filled day of my trip. Thank you everyone who has been praying for me :). Praise the Lord!

Weekend

Had a great weekend! Yesterday I went to Cusco to send off my host brother to college, and today I went to the Pisac market and toured the Incan ruins there. Pretty amazing stuff! I'll try to post pics soon.

The language barrier is a challenge, but getting easier.

I heard a very interesting spiritual yoga story from a girl here. This yoga instructor apparently makes people faint and can project things into people's minds. This one girl I know said she saw sound waves and was very freaked out. I wish I could meet the lady, but she just left the country yesterday. Not sure what to think of it, but more evidence of the world we cannot see.

Visit to Chichubamba

I went to a small town nearby today. I met an old married couple that only spoke Quechua that have been neglected by their family and are very poor. The lady was very nice, but started crying about something. Pray that I can love them well despite not knowing a word of Quechua.

Wednesday

Good day today. I had my first bus ride with a sheep sitting next to me. Our group went up to a town high in the mountains called Chicone to build stoves for the families there.

The project I am working on is to build clean burning stoves for local families here. Most families cook on open fires inside their houses, and the smoke fills up the house causing lung and eye infections. The stoves my group is building burn wood more efficiently and keep smoke out of the house.

I miss all my friends from back home. You all are the best!

First Weekend in Urabamba

I had a great first two days. My host family is very nice. I am living with a family with two kids, several cats, a dog, and a family of guinea pigs.

The town is really cool. It is very small, and easy to walk from one end to another. The food is great and the people are very friendly. The market is right down the street with fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat. There is also a large flower market.

I went on a hike yesterday up to a waterfall and ate at a place in the mountains that catches your food for you when you get there and cooks it for you. One of the best fish I have ever had!

My favorite thing so far is the simple laid back lifestyle. The thing I miss the most (besides my friends) is a toilet seat.

Urabamba

Arrived in Urabamba, Peru today. It is amazing here! Pumped! About to meet my host family...

Worship

I need prayer for people to worship with, and boldness to engage those people. Being humbled by how much of an infant I am in my faith.

About that time

I've reached the threshold of time spent in Peru where farting is dangerous.