Mi ultimo mes

My last month has been completely packed with different experiences and adventures. Joanna and I were staying in Anne-Laure and Luis's house for two weeks before going to another city in the mountains. We taught english in schools, we taught valores (values) in schools and orphanages, we spoke in the ladys' prison where we attempted ceilidh dancing, we went surfing, we led kids' clubs and we visited a small church in Cascas. I have too many stories and memories to go along with each of these different activities to write down but I can definitely say that it has been a time where I've had to depend on God in every circumstance, a time where every activity has taught me something new and a time where I felt God's love with every step. 

Teaching english in a school

About to go surfing

Joanna catching the wave

Ceilidh dancing in the ladys' prison

Joanna with the children in the orphanage

I then had about a week left in Peru and it was between staying in Trujillo or going with Joanna to a place called Huaraz- 3100m in the mountains - to work with children. I decided on the later and I am so thankful that I managed to see this new place. There is no way I will be able to describe Huaraz so I think photos are the best way.

Lake 69- 4600m high

Lake 69

Being patriotic 

We taught at another school in a small community in the mountains called Huayawillca where most of the children spoke kechua (a local language in the mountains) and not Spanish so this was challenging but funny to hear.

On our day off we hiked up to one of the snow mountains -4600m- which was absolutely stunning and then on my last day we helped out with a feeding programme for children in the town. Everything I saw and experienced in Huaraz was completely different to anything I’ve known and again it opened my heart and eyes to a new culture and a different way of living.

Teaching valores (values) in a school

Having snack with the children in the school in Huayawillca

Teaching Daniel- the British flag is the king's robe

Walking back home

The children in Huayawillca

Two sisters 

I arrived back in Trujillo on Friday morning, ready for my last weekend in Peru. I felt like the list of things to do was enormous but in the end everything worked out perfectly. I managed to spend time with all my friends and on the Sunday night they had a ‘surprise’ leaving party for me. I was between feeling excited to go home to see my family and feeling really sad about leaving. If I could have gone home, spent time with my family and then returned to Peru I would have.. but unfortunately that’s not really possibly.

Hugo pushing Paul into the water fountains

Emma showing off her strength

My 'surprise' leaving party

Being in Peru has changed my life. It has given me a new hope and a new love for God. Through watching the Peruvians I’ve met live their lives, I’ve been challenged to have more faith, to give every aspect of my life to God and to try and glorify him in every way I can. They’ve taught me to love more, to share more and to serve more and I only hope that now, as I try and fit back into my life in Scotland that I will live with a changed heart and a changed mind.

God is big. But now, after four months in Peru, He is even bigger and I can’t thank Him enough.

MI GUSTA

I managed to invite myself back to Cajamarca once again. This time however I went with a guy and girl who are doing missions work in Peru for a month- Joanna and David. We left last Tuesday night and arrived back in Trujillo yesterday morning.

David (France) and Joanna (England) 

Everything about Cajamarca is beautiful. The green grass which stretches for miles over the rolling hills, the generosity and kindness of the people and the small cobbled streets with their different smells and sounds.

Traditional dress

The Market

Every day was packed with new activities, trying new foods and learning new things from the people around me. When we weren't attending different groups from the Church, we spent our time visiting the  areas around Cajamarca- Banos del Inka, Otuzco, Cumbe Mayo, San Juan and Llacanora.

Standing on a suspension bridge in Otuzco

Cumbe Mayo

Cumbe Mayo

On Friday afternoon David and Joanna went with Whily to a small town called Chilete while I went with Hugo, Paul and Jorge to San Juan. We went again by combi, the boys teaching and playing with the children and sharing God's word with some of the ladies in the town. This time when we tried to hitch a ride back to Cajamarca, a combi actually stopped for us, however it only had just enough space for Paul and I, meaning the others had to find a different way back. (There is more information about San Juan in an earlier post about Cajamarca)
Further down the road, Whily, Joanna and David weren't as lucky. They couldn't find any means of transport to get back so they had to stay the night and catch a combi at 6am the next morning.

Playing games in San Juan 

The children in San Juan receiving books

They arrived back at the house at 8.30am just in time to have a quick breakfast before going back out again with Hugo and Paul to Llacanora- a village half an hour away with amazing waterfalls. We walked for about 1km before seeing the mass of water pouring down the rocks. I don't think we ever had the intention of actually getting wet but somehow we all ended up underneath the torrent of water that was the waterfall!

Walking up to the waterfalls

THE WATERFALL!

Joanna and I standing near the small waterfall

Dead on a bridge

Climbing the rocks 

Standing under the water - GAFOS

Feeling the cold afterwards

Later on that night David gave the message at the youth group and the minute he finished we had to run for our bus. It was so kind of Whily and Nicki to welcome me into their house for the second time and once again I didn't want to say goodbye. I will remember Cajamarca for all the time I spent laughing, for the amazing people and of course for its pollo a la brasa.

Los Burros 

Dancing on the bridge 

FINTOSO 

Equipo Comision Cajamarca

I arrived back in Trujillo on Sunday morning and I'll be here now for the rest of my time- only five weeks now which seems crazy! This past weekend I was part of a missionary team in Cajamarca. The youth from Lima and Trujillo arrived on Thursday morning and we began our packed schedule for the three days ahead. A lot of the time we spent preparing for the various activities that we had: children's afternoon, open air evangelising and a theatre performance. We all slept at the Church which meant each night we had great fun playing sports and each morning it was a race to the shower. Or maybe I should say it was a race to see if there was water. Most days the water ran out sometime in the morning and didn't come back on until the next day which made flushing the toilet, washing hands and brushing teeth kind of difficult.

Ready for our afternoon with the children 

Part of the band 

Despite this lack of water I had an amazing time with all the young people- watching them give their lives so completely to God and hearing all the dreams for the future. I was so blessed to join in with this group of youth who want to serve God in everything they do.

The band at our open air evangelism

Drama 

On the Saturday morning we all piled into a huge bus which took us to a small village higher up in the mountains called Cumbimayo where we spent a few hours walking. It was an hour away along a dirt track which wound steeply through the hills, making me pray that we had a skilled driver. When we arrived I felt I'd been magically transported back to the countryside Scotland. It was beautiful here with huge rocks and green, green grass everywhere. Half way through our hike we had our last bible study finishing the story of David. It was so nice sitting with the mountains all around, soaking in the truths of God's word.

Cumbimayo

Shoop 

Stunning countryside

On our way down 

Ahhhh

All in the all the weekend was filled with blessings. I pray that people's lives were changed this Easter, that God's light was shone in dark places and that more glory was given to our Lord, our Creator and our Father.

Markets, baths and food – 27th March

I did not come prepared for the cold of Cajamarca. For most of the first week I spent my days shivering and wishing I had more clothes. I think this was because I was so used to the heat in Pucallpa that suffocated me with every step that when I got off the bus and there was no heat, my body was in shock. You’ll be glad to know that I am now fine and can wear a t-shirt out without freezing. I do however still sleep with a hoodie and five blankets. (I make it sound like it’s the arctic, it’s really not.)

La Collpa

Standing at the top of a bell tower

The lifestyle here is very different to what I’m used to but God’s been using these new experiences to shape me in new ways and allowing me to see how another part of the world lives. I’ve loved seeing the people in their traditional dress and walking through the markets, joining in with the daily routines of so many.

Trying to find honey

Traditional dress

Family

My last week and a half has been packed with different activities and new foods.. cramming onto packed combis, (one even had a pig on it as well) buying souvenirs, listening into classes at Church, playing volleyball, watching movies with the youth, buying chickens, eating chickens, visiting the hotsprings and finally on Monday I tried what Peru is famous for: guinea pig! And I know this sounds bad but it was actually really good.

Banos del Inka

Taking a bath with water from the hot springs

Banos del Inka

On Saturday I also managed to visit Elmer’s (a guy from my church back home who is from Cajamarca) family which was really nice. They were so lovely and I’m going back for a meal on Friday which I’m looking forward to.

Before

After

Tomorrow twenty young people are coming from Trujillo and Lima to do a missions team here with the Church. I’m going to join in with them too so tonight is my last night with the family and then I’ll move into the Church for the next three days with the others. I’m excited to see what God’s going to do during this time and for all the events we’re going to hold.

Playing volley ball

Cajamarca is a beautiful place with people who have welcomed me so well and made me feel at home. Again I think I’m going to find it hard to leave. 

Cajamarca