I finally get a chance to write. I want to tell all about everything that has happened between Georgia and here in Arequipa, but I know that few people will probably read all of it, so for your convenience (that’s what this world’s all about right?) I have divided it all into short stories with titles accordingly.
The passport, or The Story Which Centers Oddly Around The Number 7.
Sunday night, we were all at the Williams home—me, my parents, Lee, his mama and daddy, and his sister. Our flight was scheduled for the next day Monday at 5:00, so we started to pack. At 7:00pm, or round abouts, I thought about putting my passport into my carry-on bag. But I couldn’t remember where it was!
I left it at home!
I called my reliable friend Dominique and she agreed, although she was very busy, to go over to my house and look for it. She found it a little while later, and I asked her the big question: would you be willing to drive four hours out this way to meet us and bring the passport to me? Would you believe that she said yes! After finally hooking her up with some cash (from our good friend and neighbor Mike Sagassar) [because just the night before Dominique had her credit card stolen and $700 charged to her account], she was on her way and we were on our way.
She brought the passport to Florence, South Carolina, we met up with her and chatted, we took a picture and said goodbye, and we got home at 7:00 round abouts Monday morning.
Getting to Lima, or The Taxi Driver Who Cheated Us (or tried to).
I had my passport and we got to the airport. The next big thing was finding out if Lee could make it on the same flight as me, seeing as he was flying via a buddy pass (or standby). Fortunately, he was able to get on, and more than that, was able to leave his seat and sit in one of the two next to me that was empty! So, praise God for that.
After landing in Lima, we had the blessing (apparently) of finding a good taxi at a really low price to get to Miraflores (which means “look at the flowers” and is not as poor as other parts in Lima). Only 20 soles to get there! Most drivers start out at 50 and have to be talked down to 20 or 25.
The whole ride over there, we chatted, and he took nice roads and found us a hotel and unloaded our luggage. When we got inside he asked for his money, but not in soles, in dollars! He wanted 20 American dollars for the ride over there! With an exchange rate of about 3.2 soles for every dollar, that would be about 70 soles!! The driver knew what he was doing the whole time. Lee was so shocked that he’d try to trick him like that, that he gave him 20 soles (the original agreed price) and sent him away. Needless to say the man was not happy. I was a little afraid that he’d come back later with a knife or something, but fortunately crime in Peru is mostly non-violent.
IRS Tax Receipts, or Note to Self: Take Care of Business Stuff in the US When Possible.
At the end of the year, Lee has to send out receipts to everyone who gives to O Brother Ministry, Inc. so that they can claim their donations on their taxes. Well, because the time at home was so busy (at least two meetings with supporters and friends a day), he didn’t get going on it really until the last week home. I had to brush up on my excel skills and create some sheets for the receipts. We didn’t get done before we left, so we just thought we could finish on Tuesday in Lima.
Well, we finally found envelopes and some pretty Peruvian paper to write notes on. I guess we didn’t realize how long it would take to write a short note to each supporter. Once that was finally all done, we had to find a place to print out the excel documents. There are cabinas internet (little internet places) all over Lima, but nowhere that could both read the excel sheets and print them. Once we finally found a place, which took a long time, it could only print one page at a time.
And so today, Friday, we finally sent the letters Fed Ex to Georgia where they can be mailed out through the USPS. Note to Self: stop procrastinating!
Getting to Arequipa.
Lima was fun. We stayed with the Lopez family (a young missionary family with 5 kids: Mordecai (8), Isaac (6), Ezra (4), Lydia (2), and Isabel (just born a couple weeks ago). They are the coolest family I’ve ever met I think. And we met with Lee’s missionary friend Nick and his wife and son who all live in Trujillo. That was all really great.
But it’s good to be back in Arequipa. It’s not muggy or cloudy like Lima. But it’s super high, which made me feel pretty sick when we got off the plane. Everyone has gotten sick since being back. But I think it’s wearing off.
I’ve written a few letters, but I need to write some more. We’re getting together with the church tonight over at Patti’s. That should be cool. I’ve met most of the people, but haven’t gotten together with everybody all at once yet. I’m sharing a room with Emily right now, which is very sweet of her. Next week we are going to really crack down and look for a family for me to live with. And enroll in a language school here in Arequipa.
My Goals.
I’ve thought a little bit about this, but not completely. My goals for the next three months are to get a pretty good handle on the language and be able to hold a conversation with the people, and to form one really good relationship with someone from here. I guess these don’t sound like that big of a deal, but I can be pretty introverted, and I tend to make only a few good friends, so I think those are pretty good goals.
I Guess That’s It.
That’s all I suppose. I miss the church office and my home and my family and knowing that I can just call and hop in the car to see my friends in Havelock. God has blessed my trip so far! Thanks for praying for me and please, keep in touch!
The passport, or The Story Which Centers Oddly Around The Number 7.
Sunday night, we were all at the Williams home—me, my parents, Lee, his mama and daddy, and his sister. Our flight was scheduled for the next day Monday at 5:00, so we started to pack. At 7:00pm, or round abouts, I thought about putting my passport into my carry-on bag. But I couldn’t remember where it was!
I left it at home!
I called my reliable friend Dominique and she agreed, although she was very busy, to go over to my house and look for it. She found it a little while later, and I asked her the big question: would you be willing to drive four hours out this way to meet us and bring the passport to me? Would you believe that she said yes! After finally hooking her up with some cash (from our good friend and neighbor Mike Sagassar) [because just the night before Dominique had her credit card stolen and $700 charged to her account], she was on her way and we were on our way.
She brought the passport to Florence, South Carolina, we met up with her and chatted, we took a picture and said goodbye, and we got home at 7:00 round abouts Monday morning.
Getting to Lima, or The Taxi Driver Who Cheated Us (or tried to).
I had my passport and we got to the airport. The next big thing was finding out if Lee could make it on the same flight as me, seeing as he was flying via a buddy pass (or standby). Fortunately, he was able to get on, and more than that, was able to leave his seat and sit in one of the two next to me that was empty! So, praise God for that.
After landing in Lima, we had the blessing (apparently) of finding a good taxi at a really low price to get to Miraflores (which means “look at the flowers” and is not as poor as other parts in Lima). Only 20 soles to get there! Most drivers start out at 50 and have to be talked down to 20 or 25.
The whole ride over there, we chatted, and he took nice roads and found us a hotel and unloaded our luggage. When we got inside he asked for his money, but not in soles, in dollars! He wanted 20 American dollars for the ride over there! With an exchange rate of about 3.2 soles for every dollar, that would be about 70 soles!! The driver knew what he was doing the whole time. Lee was so shocked that he’d try to trick him like that, that he gave him 20 soles (the original agreed price) and sent him away. Needless to say the man was not happy. I was a little afraid that he’d come back later with a knife or something, but fortunately crime in Peru is mostly non-violent.
IRS Tax Receipts, or Note to Self: Take Care of Business Stuff in the US When Possible.
At the end of the year, Lee has to send out receipts to everyone who gives to O Brother Ministry, Inc. so that they can claim their donations on their taxes. Well, because the time at home was so busy (at least two meetings with supporters and friends a day), he didn’t get going on it really until the last week home. I had to brush up on my excel skills and create some sheets for the receipts. We didn’t get done before we left, so we just thought we could finish on Tuesday in Lima.
Well, we finally found envelopes and some pretty Peruvian paper to write notes on. I guess we didn’t realize how long it would take to write a short note to each supporter. Once that was finally all done, we had to find a place to print out the excel documents. There are cabinas internet (little internet places) all over Lima, but nowhere that could both read the excel sheets and print them. Once we finally found a place, which took a long time, it could only print one page at a time.
And so today, Friday, we finally sent the letters Fed Ex to Georgia where they can be mailed out through the USPS. Note to Self: stop procrastinating!
Getting to Arequipa.
Lima was fun. We stayed with the Lopez family (a young missionary family with 5 kids: Mordecai (8), Isaac (6), Ezra (4), Lydia (2), and Isabel (just born a couple weeks ago). They are the coolest family I’ve ever met I think. And we met with Lee’s missionary friend Nick and his wife and son who all live in Trujillo. That was all really great.
But it’s good to be back in Arequipa. It’s not muggy or cloudy like Lima. But it’s super high, which made me feel pretty sick when we got off the plane. Everyone has gotten sick since being back. But I think it’s wearing off.
I’ve written a few letters, but I need to write some more. We’re getting together with the church tonight over at Patti’s. That should be cool. I’ve met most of the people, but haven’t gotten together with everybody all at once yet. I’m sharing a room with Emily right now, which is very sweet of her. Next week we are going to really crack down and look for a family for me to live with. And enroll in a language school here in Arequipa.
My Goals.
I’ve thought a little bit about this, but not completely. My goals for the next three months are to get a pretty good handle on the language and be able to hold a conversation with the people, and to form one really good relationship with someone from here. I guess these don’t sound like that big of a deal, but I can be pretty introverted, and I tend to make only a few good friends, so I think those are pretty good goals.
I Guess That’s It.
That’s all I suppose. I miss the church office and my home and my family and knowing that I can just call and hop in the car to see my friends in Havelock. God has blessed my trip so far! Thanks for praying for me and please, keep in touch!
¨It is a stupendous love to love the sea.¨
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