Introductions

Tomorrow I will have been in Peru for one week, that means nine more to go!

We have been SO BUSY. I am taking two classes here, one of them is International Marketing, taught in English, and the other is "La Realidad Socio-Economica de Perú," taught in Spanish. The latter so far has been my favorite. The professor is very nice and knowledgable and I've been able to understand him pretty well so far. International Marketing has been fun as well. The first class was just kind of rough, but very thought provoking. The professor opened up by saying,

"The most important thing in life is to be happy, if you learn one thing in this class, that's what I want it to be."

He went on to explain to all of us that happiness comes from within, and that's the only way to truly feel complete is to realize that happiness.

Earlier that morning, I started Ben Stuart's book This Changes Everything: Lessons From James, which begins talking about James and where he find his identity. The Book opens up "James, a servant of Jesus Christ," Ben then goes on to really break down what a servant means and  where we find our identity. It was so good of God to provide that blatant juxtaposition for me on my first day of classes. The most important thing in life is God, just incase that needed clearing up, and if you're happiness comes from within, you're sorely lacking.

Right now, Peru has been a series of all different kinds of introductions, me to Peruvians, me to Americans here with me, Peruvians to me, Peruvian food to my stomach, everything is new. It really makes me examine  everything, thinking about how different things are, and how cool that is. My introduction to others has been student, and my study of James really convicted me about that. My I should be defined by my savior, not my my job in society.

I love differences, especially among people. I feel like when you truly get to know someone you get to see how distinct their life is from anyone else. That uniqueness shouts how big and intimate and personal our God is. There are so many lives here for me to get to know. American ones, Peruvian ones, we even have students from Europe with us. People are my favorite, and in the busy streets of Lima and the crowded halls of Universidad de Pacifico, they are in no shortage.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

This experience has proven  to be something that my spirit needs. So much of it is off the cuff and on the fly, and so much of it is making me trust. Just in general. My trust in people, plans, school, timing, everything, ultimately boils down to a trust in the Lord. If my trust and rest ultimately lies in Him, it will not be shaken. It hasn't been easy, but when you're combi hopping in rush hour in Lima, Peru, you have nothing else to trust or rest in.

MY HOST FAMILY THO. They rock. I am staying in an apartment with two sisters, Luz and Marcela, but we spend most of our time with Luz. Luz is a sassy 31 year old who basically runs the city of Lima, or at least you'd think that by the way she walks around it. She is so sweet and so sassy at the same time. She is a wonderful cook. She went to culinary school here for a few years, and is gently introducing our american tummies to Peruvian favorites. The food here is so good, like, so good.

The other day I spent some time cooking with Luz, we were making civiche mixta, which is civiche made of different kinds of seafood, mussels, oysters, clams, scallops, squid, shrimp, and white fish. It was intense.
 Luz is such an expert. I've never seen someone do something so fluidly and effortlessly, and she was like butchering squids and cutting vegetables with giant knives, and it was so stunning. It reminded me so much of God and His expertise in everything. Squids and knives in the hands someone like me would not be as beautiful as they are in the hands of Luz. We as people are like those slimy dead ink covered squid carcasses. Kinda smelly, virtually useless.  God cares for us though. He cleans us up and makes us a part of His final recipe with other otherwise unfortunate ingredients. Just like Luz's civeche.

I realize that analogy is pretty much to the caliber of a VBS lesson, but it was a cool in the moment lesson that God was teaching me in the midst of this wonderful hecticness that is Lima, Peru.

Our weekends look like they're going to be pretty full. This weekend we went to the more historic part of Lima on Saturday. We saw the changing of the guard, which looked more like a choreographed dance than a military procession. It was neat to get to watch though, after that we ate Chifa, which is Peruvian Chinese food. It's very popular down here. After that, we went to some catacombs and saw more human bones than I'll ever care to see again. THAT NIGHT WE WENT SALSA DANCING FOR MY 21ST AND IT WAS AWESOME.

Sunday city we saw some old ruins in the middle of the city and did some shopping and got some lunch, then we went to a museum and ate picarones, they're like Peru's take on the donut.

Writing all of this out makes me realize I need to make this blog more of a habit while I'm here, hope to write more tomorrow. Until then, continue to pray as I adjust, but rejoice along side of me as I praise God for bringing me to this wonderful place and truly being able to enjoy myself while being here!

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3, ESV)