New Memories

I realize I have been an infrequent blogger, but I am trying to improve. The days have been so filled with activities, especially as we are in the last few weeks of the servant team being with us.

On Saturday May 11th, we had a most beautiful Mother's Day Celebration. There were so many amazing things about the day, it is hard to know where to start. For those of you who may not know, Mother's Day in Peru, is celebrated 2nd to Christmas. It is a very important holiday in the life of this country. Mother's are held in the highest regard and this day is reserved for celebration, and family gatherings all over the country. Many people (especially young people) have small tatoo's and or it is common to hear the expression that says, "Dios y Mi Madre", which means, "God and My Mother". For many this is a joyous and celebratory day. For many of the youth who live on the streets, it is a hard day, that reminds them of their losses and distance from their families. For some of the young moms that we know, it is a day to celebrate and reflect on their lives as Mother's and how they are finding new victories in being the young women who God is calling them to be.

The Mother's Day Celebration with some of our friends who are young moms, marked a new season in the life of the community here in Lima. Another page turned, and another page started. What has been written is just the bare bones - a lot is left for the excitement and the unknown. There is so much to anticipate and so much to live in the wonder of God's faithfulness. We had planned to have the party in one of the local churches, however we were informed that we would be unable to use the church. So, we decided on plan B, which was to have the party in the New Ministry Center Building! Together with around 22 volunteers, 16 kids and 8 young Mothers, the first paragraphs of the history of the ministry center, we written. The men of WMF Peru, generously offered themselves to take care of the 16 children! Bless their hearts! They did an amazing job and all were fully exhausted by the end of the day - rightfully so!

The afternoon started with a beautiful meditation by Anna on new Life in Christ (letting go of the old) and being clothed in the new and leaving our burdens at the foot of the Cross.
We were all impacted and challenged by her words. Then the ladies went upstairs to the second floor where we had prepared 3 different station activities. While one group was in the room making bracelets, the other group was getting massages and manicures. We had a full team of amazing volunteers! We had a calm and peaceful environment and it was wonderful to see our friends interact with others that they might not normally have interacted with.

The last station was a low cost garage sale that we set up, selling clothes for the women and their children at record breaking prices! It is was a perfect time to set something like this up because of the oncoming winter. One of the mother's commented to someone at lunch time, "Yeah, I went to get my manicure and then I went to Ripley!" (one of the large department stores here).


The day ended with rotisserie chicken, french fries and salad - a Peruvian favorite and a special meal! It was exciting to see the body of Christ working together and how each person gave of themselves so freely. I know this is just the beginning of many beautiful moments that we will spend together.

Our prayer is that are friends would be dignified, healed, celebrated and loved upon as Christ loved the woman at the well, as Christ healed the blind man, as Christ received the bottle of perfume that was poured over his feet.

"We must live in community because the struggle of life against death demands united ranks of souls and bodies that can be mobilized wherever death threatens life." (Eberhard Arnold, Why We Live in Community)

Where did the time go?

I have to admit, I thought that I would be able to do better at writing. Here I am 4 months later. But I guess it is better than not writing at all?

This list of events in the last months could be unending. We have had lots of visitors! Aaron Strumpel (check out his music on the music links) visited us and joined us in our dedication time for the NEW MINISTRY CENTER BUILDING. Check out pictures HERE. Then the Servant Team 2008 arrived! Another friend of the community, Paul Yoder made a visit and we had a lot of fun hanging out and showing him around. We had a great visit with one of our former staff members and my good friend, Tina Bevill! Then, Linsey (my roommate) had a visit from her friend Kendra and my Mom came to visit also! We had a full house - with many late nights and lots of good talks and coffee (thanks Mom :).

Jose Luis (staff) and Viviana had their little baby girl! She is beautiful! I'll try and post a picture of the fam. I'm an aunt again, and am proud!

God is moving among the youth and children. Our times out on the streets with our friends have been rich and filled with a lot of good conversations and times of prayers. We are seeing God's fruit grow these amazing young people and build them up. Today my friend J was baptized. When I saw him after the service, he radiated, beaming from ear to ear! Our God is truly faithful to take us out of the miry pit and to set us upon the rock. J has lived in the one of the main drug dens that many of the youth we know go to, to get their drugs, for several years. He now is living in a home that was recently opened to young people (who are older than 18 years old), who are leaving the streets. If you think of him, please pray for J!

A Recap

Well, since I do not have all the brain power to write everything that has happened down, I thought I could give you an idea through pictures. So here it goes!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Merry Christmas and

Happy New Year (In February)!



On the Chile Retreat with Adriana



S'mores with the Servant Team Ladies



Camping Trip Art Projects with our Adolescent Program Friends



Camping Trip Relay Races...Has anyone ever tried to do the crabwalk? Lets just
say...I had a good laugh!


A Camp Fire Conversation with one of our Friends



Coming back from Fun at the River...Camping Trip



A Little Bit of Poker Fun!


I'm not loosing yet!



Linsey & I on Thanksgiving!


Yummy Pies


Practicing our annual Christmas Party Dance for the Youth...we love to
make fools of ourselves and have fun!


Viviana & I on Christmas Eve watching the Fireworks on their roof top!


Foot Washing and Communion time on our Staff Retreat! A great way to start
the New Year!



I have this obsession with taking pictures of our amazing sunsets! They don't
do them justice, but I thought I would share!



Another Amazing Sunset. Little gifts from God to end our days!

little miracles

Yipee for a New Year! Another year of blogging, that I promise will improve in frequency! So much has happened in the last month, it would be hard to begin to write about it. But something cool happened today. I was on the bus with (Sebas), one of my friends and co-workers and we were talking. When we were ready to get off the bus, I hear a voice that says, "Sarah". I look at the guy who all the while was standing on the bus watching and listening to us talk, and realized that it is one of the first friends that I met on the street when I came to Lima in 2000. Actually, he may be one of my first friends ever in Lima! I have not seen him or heard about him in years! I said, "K!" But then of course we had to get off the bus. He said that he would write me an email and that he had my email written down.

The amazing thing, is that I didn't even recognize K, because he didn't look anything like he did when he was on the streets...and of course he is 7 years older :) He is clean-cut and looked very well, smiley but a bit shy, like his usual self.

It is a thankful blessing to run into my friend K, after the last month of see numerous friends stumble back to street life and who are in the thick of a battle to stay off the streets. It is a little gift that makes me smile.

*For protection of his person, I have not enclosed "K's" full name.

I've got chills

...Advent...a time to see the hope of Christ. Let me say, that I have experienced and seen visible signs of the Kingdom in this week! A friend of mine who formerly lived on the streets was invited to our annual Christmas party to rap for the 150 person audience (our friends who live on the streets downtown).

I bought his CD. I am sitting here listening to his music. It is amazing. Talk about hope. I'm blown away. He is telling his story and the story of many children who have lived on the streets. He writes on the CD, "...dedicado a los ninos y jovenes exluidos del mundo" or translated, "...dedicated to the children and young people who are excluded from the world". His story is a message of hope.

I've got chills.

Advent!

Its a wonderful hopeful time! Its Advent, the expectant hopeful, time of waiting for the coming of Christ. I have enjoyed these websites and blogs as I am spending time contemplating the coming of our Jesus.

http://www.kencollins.com/question-10.htm

http://www.godspace.wordpress.com

Enjoy!

2 Months Later...

Ok, so it has been almost 2 months since I have posted a blog. This blog goes out to all the blog fans (especially you Amy :), who have been waiting for me to write again. What can I say? Sometimes life gets full and I get lazy. All I can think to write is a list of the things that have happened because it would be hard to write in detail about everything...so here it goes:

1) In September I attended my first Peruvian wedding ever. It was beautiful and definitely Peruvian style. From the moment they arrived at the reception, the radiant couple (friends of mine from church, Eliana and Roberto) were dancing on the floor. Their arrival was at 8:30pm, and the dancing didn't stop until 3am. We left around 2am. I had an opportunity to catch the bouquet (but didn't), pull the string on the cake (yes, its another tradition)...single women pull the string on the cake to see who gets a ring attached to the end of the string, receive my cake to take home in a box (not to eat there -another Peruvian tradition), be and dance with lots of friends, toast to everything and anyone who stopped by the table, wear high heels and a fun red dress.

2)September was also filled with moments spent orienting and getting to know our Servant team ladies - who are soooo awesome and fun!

3) In September we started the ladies Bible study again! It has been wonderful to meet with our friends - some who are living on the streets and others who are struggling to stay off of the streets and or who live at home. We have been blessed by these growing relationships and moments to share with our friends (almost all whom are mothers).

4) In September I "broke up" with my "non-boyfriend". (You'll have to ask me about that one:)

5) In October Brian, Anna and Sebastian all traveled to Romania to visit the Word Made Flesh community there. We didn't think that Sebastian would be able to go, but he miraculously got a visa in time to meet up with Brian and Anna, where the three of them were getting orientation, learning from the WMF Romania community and hanging out with them. Meanwhile on the home front in Lima, we were spending time with the Langley ladies while their husband and daddy was abroad, having sleep-overs, dinners and fun moments together.

6) In October we had 2 new staff start working with us! They are amazing and both bring so much life to the community. I was working like a mad horse trying to get an orientation manual ready for them...and help us start a new orientation process. It has been fun!

7) On the 19th of October we celebrated (the whole staff community and servant team) anniversaries...years spent in Lima. The Langley's have spent 7 years in Lima! Linsey just completed her 1st year and I completed 2 years on my second round :) We made omelets and spent some time remember and sharing God's faithfulness in our lives over the last years. It was good.

8) At the end of the month, Rachel, Linsey, Monica and I traveled to Santiago, Chile for a women's retreat put on by Women's of the Harvest - who serve North American women who are living out of their context in ministry situations around the world. We also met up with the other Word Made Flesh South American staff ladies. It was a neat time and we were treated like queens! If you would like to know more about what it was like, feel free to email me. I got to share a room with Adriana - my dear friend who I lived with a few years ago. A side note to the retreat - I awoke with jaw problems one morning, and continue to have them :(

9) November has been a wonderful but crazy month. On the 1st I started my next 3 year contract! Yipeeeee!!! On the 2nd and 3rd we had our bi-annual Palabra Hecha Hombre (WMF) Peru meeting. On Saturday we had a lunch to end the meeting and together I think we made out to be around 45 people! It was incredible to see all of the volunteers, board members, staff and friends all together!

10) The 7th we left for campamento "camping trip" with the adolescent kids! There were 12 kids who attended and it was a blast! The servant team ladies and Sebastian worked so hard to make it a super fun, creative and relationship building time. The theme was "God's Faithfulness". My favorite part of the campamento was seeing the boys play hide-and-go-seek on the last night. I think we almost wet our pants we were laughing soooo hard.

Well, that is the last few months in a nut shell. I'll try and post some pics!

Oh! I forgot. Today, Sarah (servant team member), Brian and I ran the Nike 10K! We were with 11,000 other people jogging along and were entertained by a variety of acts along the way; martial arts people, friends sitting on exercise balls who were bouncing up and down (what???), a lady singing "I Will Survive", and our friends who were there to cheer us on. I'll try and post some more pics from what I have written.

Much more to come...