Peru part 2

Pleasurable, Peculiar, and Perilous Peru (Part 2)

This week I will continue sharing some of our experiences in Peru.  I really could go on and on with this, as there are so many occurrences that would fit this title.  It would be far easier to enumerate the things that have been painful, normal, and safe...Though, as I think about it, to catalogue painful moments would require, at least, an equally expansive list.  But, normal and safe...These are adjectives that have been all but forgotten over the last three years.  Anyway...  

During our first year here, we traveled with our Peruvian friend, Elita, to her hometown in northern Peru.  Her little town had no hotels, no known restaurants, and no other tourist attractions.  We were in the heart of Peru.  Everyday Elita would take us on a crazy adventure to see some of the area.  I remember one morning walking out of the house to see the taxi in the picture below.  Now, it is important to understand that this taxi was not taking us across town to Walmart, but instead was intended to carry us, with our four young children, through the mountains on winding, narrow roads, bordered by shear rock walls and menacing canyons.  The trip would have been perilous in a four-wheel drive SUV, but we made the trip in this retro, red station wagon which, not only took us through the mountains, but doubled as a time machine, transporting us back to the 1970s.    

After the risky drive, we took a grueling 3 hour hike into the mountain to behold the third highest waterfall in the world...Beautiful!  Now, as you can see, it is a gorgeous waterfall, surrounded by picturesque landscape.  But with only slight exaggeration, I tell you that this picture almost cost me my life.  After the 3 hour hike to the waterfall, I was exhausted, and the return trip was nearly all uphill.  Beautiful? Yes. Worth it?  Ummmm.....   

When we returned home, we were exhausted and hungry.  Finding food for our picky kids was not easy and below is the fine, local eatery that provided our dinner.   

This is the stove that our hamburgers were cooked on.

This is the wonderful lady who cooked our dinner, which was actually delicious.  

The restaurant also provided entertainment for the kids.  All of this in a 10 x 10 room attached to the front of the cook's house.

Something that I will miss from Peru is the local convenient store (bodega) that is located on every block.  The one in the picture below is a one minute walk from our house.  These stores provide everything from vegetables to toilet paper to bill paying services.  Here the kids are checking out the ice cream selection.

Below is a picture of our roof where our kids have constructed many a fort.  We have tried to explain that they will not be able to play on the roof when we return to the States, but something tells me one of them will try.  After all, in the States the roofs have built in slides... 

Geoff administering his first baptism...in a swimming pool.  I mean, really, this is brilliant...as the following picture will demonstrate.

No, this is not mass, spontaneous baptisms.  This is godly stewardship of church resources.  Yes, same pool, same day.  The kids are always asking to baptize someone now...wonder why.

Really there are no words to describe what is contained in this video.  Now mind you, Eli was not aware that I was taping him until about half way through.  I found him in the room with the youth who were playing music and singing.  Eli approved the posting of this video.  In this respect, he is a chip of the ol' block, just like his daddy fearless and funny.