peruvian pics

Katie the brave! The first to prove
herself on the sand boards.

New books for the school at Kusi.
The kids were very excited!
They couldn't wait to open them.

Facade of the old church at Yungay. The original town
was destroyed by a mudslide in May 1970.

The reason we go to Peru.

Seniors 2007 at 16,000 Feet

hermanas: sisters

Bryant found a new friend

How many men does it take to
replace a dead smoke alarm battery?

Nick found some cowboys
who just needed a horse

final peru blog

Well, everyone is packing their bags here in Caraz and the bus should be here in an hour to take us back to Lima. It will be a long next two days. After arriving in Lima at 4am, we will sleep on matresses in the Scripture Union Center. Then, after breakfast with the boys there, a tour of Lima, and then the Indian Market for some shopping. Italian food for dinner, a long flight overnight to Houston and then finally our arrival in Charlotte.

It has been an amazing trip, but I think everyone is ready for their beds and hot showers :)

Today was our final day with the children in Kusi. As we drove up we saw some little faces peeking out the door and then disappear once they realized we could see them. They were excited to see us....someone said they had prepared a surprise. As we went into the school, the children greeted us by putting multicolored ribbons around our necks. After the children marched in and sang their national anthem, we were invited to sing ours. Luckily, we didn't start too high :)

What followed was a series of dances by each grade. The first grade danced to a song about the vowels. Each student had one of the vowels on their shirt and did a little solo dance when their letter was mentioned. Later, another grade did a traditional dance. The song talked about giving and receiving baby chicks to show affection. The 6th graders' dance included traditional clothing in bright pinks and yellows and and ropes that they wove together to make a star shape as they danced in a circle. The final dance was to a christian song.

After the student's presentation and a very official thank you from the director of the school (Peruvian style: with big words and serious tone), we did our last day of VBS. Brian, Ani, Kelsey, and Katie led our last singing of "Eres mi todo" (you are my all), which had become sort of our theme song for the trip. Then Kelsey and Lauren reviewed Psalm 23 - with all the motions! After a skit about a lost sheep (with Sam's sound effects) and the Shepherd, all the children got in circles to make sheep sock puppets.....what a mess we made!!! Cotton balls and glue everywhere....missing sheep noses....felt pieces that didn't seem to stick just right....but finally....at the end....a lot of happy children with very cute puppets.

During the bible lesson, most of the boys were hard at work making adobe bricks. Robby, Evan, Mr. Horton, and Mr. Schenkel worked hard at transporting the mud while Farai and some Peruvians shoveled. Andy, Nick, Seth, and Bryant were the official brickmakers. They were much more efficient than the girls...although I think the girls had more fun!

After all of our hard work, another treat! PACHAMANCA Corn, meat, beans, and potatoes cooked in leaves under a hot bed of coals underground! For more info and pictures go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachamanca

The food was amazing!!

After lunch the boys who live at Kusi did some choreographies for us (WOW), and then we had to say our goodbyes. The dance was done to christian music, and the boys do such a good job that they have been invited to present it at a townwide celebration. They are excited about the chance to be a testimony in the community.

So, that brings us to now....we are all packed and showered and ready to go! See everyone soon!
Miss J

Yes, I am writing two times in a row: by Sam Cernuto and Farai Matangira

I felt the need to write again because so many different things happened today... some which can't be put into words but I will try my best. First, a few people were sick this morning but are all feeling better tonight. However, the rest of us are trying to figure out who's going to get it next... please pray that we'll all stay healthy for the long trip back!

Farai is here and is helping me write this. He was one of the few that were sick today. He blames it on the eggs that we had yesterday for breakfast (I didn't have any and that is probably why I didn't get sick!) Anyways, now he and some of the other guys are going to play pool with Jose, one of the guys that runs the hostal we're staying at....

Back to today... this morning, we arrived at the school and had to run through our drama before we could start VBS... since Farai was sick in bed, Brian had to take over his role as Satan in our drama. Brian did a great job subbing in! He played his part so well that he made a little girl cry! Brian had to wear a black cape for his part and some of the kids thought he was Harry Potter! Our drama is very cool... powerful, as Brian says.

There is a little boy named Elnor that has stolen my heart. He is seven and somewhat shy compared to the other kids. After our drama, Miss Jackson led the kids in the sinner's prayer. Elnor was sitting on my lap and I heard him quietly repeat the words... it was the coolest thing I've ever experienced. Another little boy that all of us love is Josef. He is five and adorable! His story is so sad though. His mom, who is now 15, dropped him off at the center 6 weeks ago... so his mom was 10 when she had him! Billy has told us stories every night of the horrors of the street boys' lives.... some of them are so horrible that they are hard to fully comprehend. But when we see the boys, they are so excited! They seem to be so happy that it's easy for us to forget what they've been through.

This week has been amazing.... a trip I won't easily forget! we're all packing up now and getting ready to depart for lima at 6. Andy is very proud that he made 36 adobe bricks today! Seth says that the trip's been a lot of fun, but most importantly, the food's been really good, however, due to this trip, he vows that he's never getting married. Nick agrees. :) Katie had fun learning the Peruvian dances but she is upset that her nose is sunburned :(

Farai says, "despite the smells, the tiring work, and my sprained ankle, it's been really fun and I'm really glad I had the chance to come on this trip." Andrea misses her toilet and shower, however, she still had fun and loves all of the Peruvians. We can't wait to come home! See you all Sunday night!

Guinea Pigs, Bugs and Cold Showers: My life in Peru by Sam Cernuto

Guinea pigs, bugs, and cold showers... need I say more? Despite the sparse commodities, Peru is amazing! It is definitely a trip I'll never forget! To start with, I will never forget Henry, the cute little guinea pig that Andy and I bought today at the market. We bartered for it with the help of our spanish friend, Billy. Henry only cost 9 soles which is about $3. I got to carry him back to the restaurant. He squealed and I loved him... and then I watched the lady at the restaurant break his neck Ok, so I didn't really watch it, I was in the room but I covered my eyes. Thirty minutes later, Henry came out fully intact (minus the fur) and cooked on a plate. His head was still on and his teeth were still in his mouth! He tasted like tough, greasy chicken... I miss the little guy but Seth enjoyed devouring him!

After watching Henry's murder, we took an hour bus ride up to the glacier lake. It was truly breath taking. Huascaran, the famous mountain around here, was gorgeous. A song that we sing at my church often kept running through my head: "The heavens declare Your greatness, the oceans cry out to You, the mountains they bow down before You, so I'll join with the earth and I'll sing my praise to You!" Yesterday, I read the last few chapters of Job. God is humbling Job and showing Job how small he truly is to the Almighty God... seeing this amazing beauty reminded me of that as well. I can't help but feel small as I look around me.

Robby, Karissa, and Seth are next to me as I type this. Robby sums up his experience in one word: "Bueno!" Seth says "Howdy!" and that all of the 20 flavors of icecream in this city are amazing. He also loves everyone and is very tired. Karissa is proud of herself for hiking down the mountain today without falling! She was one of the few who didn't... I was one of the many that did-figures.

That's all for now... we miss everyone at home.... actually, we all miss our own beds and bathrooms, except for the guys because they seem to enjoy "being manly" and roughing it! :) Goodnight!

Lauren Danzi in Peru

I just wanted to write a quick note letting you know what we did today. First we got up and walked thru a market. Oh my goodness, some people in my class bought a cute, helpless guinea pig and had the restaurant kill and cook it! ahh...i thought i was going to be sick. apparently it is a widespread peruvian custom, but i dont care. gross and sad.

anyway, then we ate breakfast and got on the bus for and hour. we went up a mountain to a glacier lake. wow. it was breathtaking (because of the altitude and the beauty :D) Then we hiked for an hour down the mountain and saw some awesome waterfalls. everything here is beautiful. then we came back to where our hotel is and a bunch of us went to the market...i got some good stuff...cant wait to show everyone.

Kari Bussell in Peru

it has been such a cool experience to get to hang out with street boys in kawai, lima, & cusi. ive only got to spend a few hours really so far with each group & still so many have captured my heart with their smiles, joy, affection. im learning how much you can communicate without words. if you have a camera & you like playing games, then you can make many best friends with these amazing kids.

ive fallen in love with one little boy in particular. he´s ten years old & his name´s david. he was one of the street boys at the lima center. even though i absolutely loved all the kids there & played games with a lot of them, david would never leave my side. at one point during the night i looked down to see david tying a beautiful red, blue, & pink bracelet he´d made around my wrist. ¨para ti¨ he said (for you in english) & then drew a heart on my wrist. id call him ¨mi hermanito¨ or my little brother.

later the next night, billy, one of the leaders of scripture union, talked to us after dinner about some of the things these boys had been through. it was unfathomable really, that that precious little boy who held my hand & smiled up at me had most likely been abandoned by his teenage mother, starved, sexually abused, tortured, & left for dead. it broke my heart to hear billy talk. i kept picturing david´s face in my mind as he spoke. i cried as i wrote about it in my journal that night. in many ways peru is a very dark place but God has graciously placed lights in the darkness, scripture union & the boys centers among them.yesterday was our first day of hard manual labor at cusi.

i spent about an hour making adobe bricks (which after the 4th time i started to get the hang of) & then spent the rest of the time shoveling mud into wheelbarrows. it was incredibly exhausting work & i was completely covered in mud by the end of it, but it was actually a lot of fun & i felt really good after it was over. & let me tell you food has never tasted so delicious & sleep never felt so good as it did last night.

today was our day off, touristy, sightseeing day. we walked
through a busy market this morning & sam picked out an adorable guinea pig & named him henry. sadly, henry´s life ended at the restaurant we went to for breakfast when the cook broke his neck in front of us & then cooked him. even though there wasnt too much meat on him, henry tasted pretty good, kinda like greasy chicken. i got some amazing before & after pictures :).

then, we took a bus up to glacier lake. the guys had really wanted to jump in but mr horton wouldnt let them. something about dying from hypothermia...it was aboslutely gorgeous up there. i have never seen anything like it in my life. it was incredibe to be surrounded by towering mountains all around & to see mysef as i really should view myself all the time: very small.

one final thought before i go. i read revelation 5 two nights ago about the blood of Christ ransoming people from every tribe & every tongue. that verse took on new meaning for me in the past week because for the first time im being exposed to a culture & people completely different from myself. though so so many things are different between me & one of the street boys here, one thing remains the same. the blood of Christ saves us both. oh how wondrous & powerful is the blood of God which penetrates into all peoples, cultures, & languages to save man from sin & give them life everlasting.

Alix Bowman in Peru

there are two interns here who are 19. one of them is from nottingham england and the other is from scotland. they are so cute and are helping me a lot with my spanish. the boys are so cute and i adapted really well to the culture by sunday. i would stay here a lot longer!

we went dune buggying on saturday, and it was very roller coastery. we also sandboarded, and i cut up my arm, but it was well worth it.

the boys in kawai were not as outgoing as the boys in lima, and i think we are going to see the lima boys again on saturday before we leave for houston. we traveled all day monday to get to caraz, which is where i am right now and we will be here until friday night.

we had our first vbs and work day yesterday, and there were little girls there and the school as well. two little girls, leidy and julia, clung by my side nonstop. they were so cute and i got lots of pictures with them. today we went to a glacial lake and went hiking, which was absolutely gorgeous. i didnt get to enjoy the hiking part as much though there were no bathrooms :) but i got lots of pictures. tomorrow and friday we will go to the same school and hang out with the kids.

i started making bricks with katie out of mud, because they use those to build the school. it was really fun and i got really dirty. we are going to travel on the bus all night on friday night to get back to lima, and i hope we are going to see the boys there again. one little boy who was about thirteen thought i was his novia, which is spanish for girlfriend. ha ha ...he was cute too.

well that about covers it!
love alix

Sydney Sweet in Peru

Peru is amazing! Yesterday (Tuesday) was our first work day at Kusi and also our first Vacation Bible school, it was amazing. The children were delighted that we were there to help. We were honestly all sore last night. Once we returned to the hostal, due to the amount showers being taken the power went out. Yet again another freezing cold shower, haha, I must admit though, I am getting used to them. The power finally did come back on during worship. Today we went to Huascaran, where we went on small boat rides, the lake was FREEZING, but the scenery was breath taking. We then went on a hike down a mountain trail. We hiked for a hour and half. It was beautiful, but not easy. We all made it through the trail and back onto the bus we then headed back to Caraz to spend the rest of the day going to the market. This trip has been amazing and I am loving every second of it. Like brian said, it is a painful site sometimes, but God truely has great things planned for this area. I love and miss you all!!!! We are all safe and we appreciate all your prayers!!!

peru misc. from miss jackson

"You don't understand, Miss Jackson...You have no idea what the air pressure is doing to my stomach." - Alix Bowman

"All your brickmaking was nothing"- Farai, giving the girls a hard time because the boys had to carry lots of big rocks.

"You think YOU had a mudparty!" - Clare, who had been mixing mud and straw with her feet to the girls who were making the bricks.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" - Sam falling backwards into a mudpile (multiple times)

"Ow!" - Sam hitting her head on a tree.

"I like it." - Kari referring to her first taste of guinea pig.

"You guys are sick and need help." - Lauren talking to everyone eating guinea pig.

"We should put our soles together and buy that rooster. Then we can kill it!" -Several students who were a little irritated with a rooster that woke them up at 5 am.

"Did she say water would come out of the door?" - Katie Roberts when shown her shower....with no curtain....and only a shower head in a small room.

Lotion - what Karissa accidently put in her hair while taking a shower in the dark because the power went out.
Coca Tea - everyone's favorite tea.....guess why....

Polar Bear Club - an unofficial group of really manly students who decided that swimming in a glacial lake would be fun.....they later decided it wouldn't be such a great idea. Group members included: Nick, Andy, Evan, Robby, and others.

Henry - the name of the guinea pig that Sam picked out for breakfast.

65 million - number of guinea pigs eaten every year.

"Squeak!" - Henry's last words.

1 hour, 6 mins - time it took to hike from the glacial lake, past water falls and huge boulders, back to the bus.

Picarones - Evan's favorite Peruvian desert; sort of like a homemade donut with honey

Peanut Butter - Andy's favorite alternative to Peruvian food.

Inca Kola - everyone's soda of choice.

Hola from Brian Powell

hey friends and family,

i am sitting in a hostel in caraz. i miss home a lot, i miss all of you. but it is good here. hm...what in the world to say? i have not seen the face of god. my faith is not flawless. i havent even experienced a spiritual high. but it is good. sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious, always eye opening. so much beauty. secret cities in the clouds, i love flying. stark deserts with insane dune buggy action. biggest mountains ive ever seen in my life. and kids you want to hold onto and never let go of.

yesterday we hung out with boys in the center at lima, and i met my peruvian twin, gerardo. he is 20 years old and tall and skinny. he wears glasses, plays guitar, and likes to scream. we sat trading the guitar back and forth for probably hours, playing everything from worship to system of a down and green day. we sang together. he would get along well with the guys back home.

tomorrow we start construction, so well see how that goes. but so far its been great. i am glad to be here, and i will be glad to see you all again.our god reigns supreme in the darkest of places, and he does great works we will never know. i am privileged to see him working here this week..i love you all so much, and hope all is well in los estados unidos.
praying for a heart awake,
brian

Estamos en Peru! (from Kelsey)

One of the first things I noticed about this trip is how long each moment seems to last. It has only been three days and already seems like a life time.

When we first stepped out of the airport, we were surrounded by at least a hundred people holding signs for cab companies or waiting for friends and family. It was pretty overwhelming until some people from Scripture Union stepped forward to show us where to go. This year, Scripture Union brought along a welcome present for us: two translators, Gillian and Kate. Gillian is from Scotland and Kate is from England, but both have been here for the past few months to help teach classes for Scripture Union.

On the first day here, the group took a trip to Las Islas Paracas. The islands were breathtaking. Birds flew overhead by thousands (poor Ani Arntz was splattered twice), and the seals basked in the sunlight. The caverns everywhere reminded me of stories about pirates and hoards of buried treasure, though it is likely that the caves are only home to bats and marine life.

Later that day, we visited a part of Peru that seemed to be a scene from Arabian Nights. There was sand everywhere (including our shoes, hair, and mouths :-) ). We took the dune buggies up and down the dunes to a fairly high spot where we were each given sand boards and sledded all the way down Mr. Cernuto went the farthest, showing up all the students!
By the end of the day we were pretty exhausted and ready for the nice dinner that was prepared for us when we returned to Kawai.

The next day, our group led church with the street boys at Kawai. We sang some songs and studied Psalm 23, the verse for our trip. Some of the boys came up and sang songs or recited poems to us.
We spent that afternoon playing soccer and hanging out on the playground with the boys. When it was time to leave, they all came out and said goodbye as a group, giving out as many hugs and kisses as they could.
After a two hour bus ride, we arrived in Lima and set up our mattresses on the floor at a hostel owned by Scripture Union. That evening was amazing: everybody played with the street boys in an indoor court. We spent hours playing soccer and basketball and dancing with the littlest boys. Brian was surrounded with little kids as he played songs on his guitar- the boys knew the Spanish version of the songs Every Move I Make and Open the Eyes of my Heart.

Early this morning we had an adventure with a rat that found its way into our room and decided to scratch at the door. It only ran off when Ms. Jackson came at it armed with a camera and flashlight!
After breakfast we had a ten hour bus ride to Caraz. The views were spectacular! At the beginning of the ride we could look out the windows and see straight down a cliff into the ocean. Later we were surrounded by snow-capped mountains and wild valleys. As we drove further into the mountains, the villages became more ramshackle. There were houses made of dirt whose roofs had collapsed, and stray dogs fighting in the streets. It was hard to believe that people actually lived in places like this, and helped us to better understand the lives of the street boys we have been working with.
Tonight we spent some time worshiping the Lord though prayer, song and devotions. So far this trip has been amazing and we have a lot to thank God for. We have had so many opportunities to show God´s love and we are all well and content. Thank you so much for your prayers! I know God is protecting us and helping us to do his work!

First Peruvian Moments from Miss Jackson

Hola!

I just wanted to give you all a brief update! Kelsey Huber will be adding some more later!

The first few days were great! It included a long flight, lots of driving, stinky birds, fat sea lions, dune buggies and sand in our ears, and lots of amazing kids in Kawai and Lima! Sunday morning we were able to help lead the church service for the boys at Kawai and the students did an amazing job!

Brian, Kelsey, Ani, and Katie lead the boys in worship.....in Spanish! YAY!

Lauren, Kari, Sydney and Sam, after working very hard, were able to present two skits communicating the truth about God´s protection and provision for us.

Farai, Nick, Clare, Ani, Sam, Katie, and McKenzie shared a choreography that very clearly showed the gospel.

It was such a great time to celebrate what God has done with the boys at Kawai! I have been so proud of our students!!

There is more to come, but I will leave that to Kelsey!

Blessings and ADIOS!
Trish Jackson aka Miss J

We're goin' to Peru!

Hola to all the Parents and Southlake Folks (and all others who may be reading),

We are all looking forward to getting on airplane this morning! God has already shown us His favor and mercy. As of Wednesday, Evan Scott had not gotten his passport...and after the prayers of many and lots of phone calls, it arrived yesterday! YAY!

Check back for updates about our trip. I will have the students do some of the the blogging this year. It will be Monday evening before we have access to a computer, so check back then!

Please pray for us! It is going to be an amazing trip and I know that God is going to work in the hearts of our students as they step out in faith to serve Him in a different context!

Blessings,
Trish Jackson