Malaria Pills and Travel

Willie and Paulette Strickland made it back safely a few days ago and it was such a blessing to see and catch up with them! Their return also means it´s time to start making transitions in the ministry.

The ministry will be relocating to a more central village in order to raise up and train national pastors and leaders to plant and grow their own churches in at least five different villages. Right now our location is pretty far up river, with the nearest village being 30 minutes away, and the second closest village being 2 hours away.

As a result, the team will be heading to the jungle on Sunday to start surveying land for the move. I believe right now they have 3 or 4 different locations to check on.

I will be staying behind because Kelsey Cameron flies in on Dec. 18th to spend 3 weeks with us! Her and I will be heading into the jungle by launcha to meet up with the team and spend a week or so with them before coming back to Iquitos.

The only stipulation Nelton has on me is that I must find a malaria pill that is safe for pregnant women to take. Upon returning to the States, our friend Bob Mitchell, who helps down here a good portion of the year, discovered he had two different types of malaria. So he is more worried than he was before. In case you don´t know, the high fevers and chills that come with Malaria are extremely dangerous for a pregnant woman. Most of the time her baby will be miscarried, born prematurely, or she will have a stillbirth.

Plus Nelton told me that the first time you have malaria, it feels like you are slowly dying. I already feel like that most of the day in the heat! So I agree that I need something.

I did some research online and the one thing I found was that the best thing for pregnant women is to avoid traveling to malaria infested parts of the world at all costs. Ohh. That´s good to know. But I did find a type of prevention medicine that will work for me, now I just have to locate the pills.

Well, that´s about all for now. I am very excited for the arrival of Kelsey! It´s the best Christmas present I could ask for!

The Days of Our Lives

Just a little update on our lives, although nothing extremely dramatic or out of the ordinary has been happening.

I think I might slowly be pulling out of the morning-all day sickness phase of pregnancy; or at least I´m not down on a regular basis like I was. I still have my spouts, and eating still feels like a chore. I dread mealtime, only because there rarely is anything that sounds good to me. On top of that, I don´t always know how much to eat. If I don´t eat enough, I feel like throwing up. If I eat too much, I feel sick for a few hours. It´s a learning process.

The major things I´ve been craving still fall in the U.S.of A. category, such as my grandma´s sisilian hot dish, a double cheese burger (specifically from Burger King), breadsticks from Pizza hut, biscuits and gravey from Hardees, Chicken cordon bleu SDR Style, blueberry muffins, cinnemon rolls, and toaster struddles by pillsberry. One common theme... CARBS!!! The worst thing is we have cable, so adds will come up for some of these things (BK or Pizza Hut), but there isn´t such a place for MILES!!!

I am really looking forward to Friday, as Willie and Paulette will be coming back and I´ll be able to catch up and practice my English. =)

Then in the middle of the month my dear friend Kelsey Cameron will be coming for close to three weeks! I am extremely excited as we are planning on heading back to the jungle, which will be the first time I´ve been back since before the wedding.

Nelton has been doing great. He goes out and works in the mornings, comes back to spend lunch and siesta with me, then goes back to work until the evening. He usually brings me out on the motorcycle so that I can get some fresh air before turning in for the night.

As for the heat, it´s still a beast. We don´t get hot water, which is a mixed blessing. It´s been months since I´ve had a hot shower, but it sure is nice at mid-day when the heat is anything but a treat.

As difficult as this little chapter has been of being physically out of it, it has been a blessing. I was thinking about it the other day and it really has been a good way to start our marriage. It has given us a great chance to bond and build our lives together as one. We do love being married and I couldn´t be more thankful for Nelton. I do fall more in love with him everyday. We tend to have fun too, making each other laugh in the little things. It´s great.

As for visa progress... I´m progressing. As for him, we started on the first step, which is on the way to the States for mom to send in. But I had some questions on step two of the K-3 non-immigrant visa. In my reseach and searching for someone who can help me, I was recommended to Terri Reynolds. After sharing our situation with her, she recommended that we look into a different direction. So we are now in the process of finding out which visa we should really go with. The non-immigrant apparently requires some things we are unable to provide, including living in the States for an extensive period, and my earning $18,000 yearly to support my foriegn husband. Well, that is completely out of the question! We don´t earn anything close to that!

So we are looking into the tourist visa, which is apparently granted for 10 years, with 3 months per visit. The only problem is on the first visit, we need about 7 months, unless we decide to have the baby here. Reason being, after having the baby in June, we will be attending the training center for International Messengers in Montanna, which is four months and starts in Aug.

This week for the first time Nelton said he would be fine with having the baby here. I had been before, but kinda got set on the States. So who knows?

Well, that´s a peak into some of the things going on here.

All is Well

We went to the doctor over the week and found that all is well. There is no more blood, but they still recommended that I take it easy.

Thank you all for your prayers! It´s just a little scarey being a first time mother in a foriegn country.

Thanks!!

The Man I Married

So this is a little entry to brag on my husband...

So I have been having cravings!! Most of them falling under the American category. Last night I was feeling like throwing up, but so hungry, I wanted to eat something. The only thing I felt hungry for though was Pizza Hut bread sticks, like I'm going to find those out here!!

My sweet husband got home from the gym and asked me what I wanted him to cook for dinner. I said, "you could never do it, so nevermind. It's just, I want food from my country!"

He lovingly replied, "Well, tell me what it is, I'm sure I can cook it, I'll find a way." Well, ok. Breadsticks. Pizza Hut breadsticks. Or pizza, thick pizza that has substance."

He asked if I could wait until tomorrow and I was like, "yeah, ok."

The next morning, he calls a friend to have him send me pizza from LIMA with another friend he knew was coming back to Iquitos by plane. Then around noon, he went and waited at the airport for an hour and picked up a personal sized ham PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA, complete with GARLIC SAUCE!!!!!!!

They only ordered small because they didn't know if they would be able to get it through security.

HOWEVER, his friend knew of another lady who will be coming in on Friday, so they are going to have a large sent my way!!

WHAT!?!?! Do I even deserve this man? I learned one thing, never tell Nelton he can't do something.

what little there is to know

The only new information is that I tested negative for a urinary infection and that I am on bedrest (hence the reason I have not been to the internet) until Friday when I will have another ultrasound and check up.

A little update

We went in to meet with the OB doctor today and with everything I understood, we basically found out that it could be a urinary infection. Tomorrow first thing in the morning I will be going in to test for that. If that's all it is it sounds hopeful and relatively easy to solve.
However, if it's not, it could be something far more dangerous with the risk of a miscarriage.
Right now I'm basically on bed rest. Have to rest all the time, no exercise, and what not. Nelton sees to that beyond well. He makes all my meals, does all the dishes, and keeps the room nice and clean. He's amazing! I could not ask for a better husband! Anyway, more news to come tomorrow.
I'm at peace, God gave me Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait on the Lord."

Blood in the Womb

Nelton and I went in for our first ultrasound today and they found that there is some blood in the womb. The doctor´s first question was if we had tried aborting the baby. NO!

I´m not really sure what this means as my Spanish doesn´t grasp all the medical terms yet, but we are going to have it checked out tomorrow.
The good news is that the doctor said the baby is fine, the bad news is the blood is there. I am NOT a fan of the Peruvian hospitals (I could go into detail, but I won´t) and the thought that I even have to go check it out is not a comforting one.

So please keep this in prayer.

Updates to come.

The joys of first trimester

It has been a rough past couple of weeks for me here in the great city of Iquitos, Peru. Nothing could have really prepared me for pregnant life. I have had zero energy, and when I get to moving a lot I feel like I´m going to throw-up or have an overall sense of nasea.

Then there is the whole food issue. I feel hungry a lot, but most of my cravings fall under the food of my homeland, hence, it´s not readily available here. It doesn´t really matter though, because the thought of almost any food causes my stomache to turn or produces dry heaving. Then the heat… oh, the heat that took it out of me before pregnancy, now it is slow death. I am thankful for the eveings though that cool down and provide comfortable sleeping conditions.

Plus, on top of all this, my husband has been gone for all of it. The past two weeks he had his trip to the jungle that wasn´t smart for me to go on. I´m thankful I didn´t go, it would be aweful out there under these conditions. Nevertheless, I do miss the jungle greatly and long for the silence, calmness, and peace that it affords. More than that, I MISS MY HUSBAND!!! I can´t wait to see him sometime this weekend! Whenever that launcha gets in.

Due to the way I have been feeling, I have hardly gotten out this past couple of weeks, which makes life difficult for a girl like me. I do love being in for a time and relaxing (some), but I am no homebody.

All that to say, that would be the reason for my lack of posts. More later, when more is known.

Oh, Peru. *Sigh*

So last week we went in to check on the paperwork necessary for me to obtain my residency. It was daunting and depressing to see the pile of work that we have ahead of us just for my residency, and that’s nothing compared to what we have to do for his visa home too.

We just arrived at the end of one project (legal marriage filing) it was a great victory and celebration, but now we turn around to find another task. The thing that makes it so difficult is not that there are so many papers (even though that is challenging), but the simple fact that Peru sends you on scavenger hunts (minus the great fun) to get the paperwork. For example, we needed a copy of our marriage certificate legalized (or something). We thought we had it, so we went to the place to get it legalized, after waiting in line we found out that, well, no we had a proof of the act or something, but not actually the certificate. So we had to go back to the courthouse and get that requested, one line to pay, a ticket brought to this counter, confirmation at that, and then it would be ready the next day. After picking it up we had to go across town to pay for the legalization stamp at the national bank, then bring the receipt back to whatever office to prove we had done it. Then we found out it would be ready in..... fifteen days. hahaha.

It reminds me of college, when you finish one huge project, but don’t have enough time to really enjoy the completion, because you have three more huge papers waiting. Only this time it’s legal stuff. Basically, I can legally be in this country until Dec. 6th.

Oh yeah, failed to mention that this process involves five steps, each step estimated to take at least a month. So I’ll have to do more paperwork and running around just to extend my stay. God bless ‘em. More news soon...

A New Noriega is on the Way

Well, I have been feeling VERY tired since like a week after the wedding. Nelton thought I was pregnant, so we went in for a blood test at the hospital. It came out negative, so we just thought we weren´t prenant.

One week ago, Nelton wanted me to retake a home pregnancy test and I was all like, No´, I just don´t want to get my hopes up again for nothing. I´m perfectly fine with waiting.

It´s one of those things that we had decided to wait on, but when you think you´re pregnant, you can´t help but get excited. So when I found out I wasn´t I was sad.

I told him that I would do it in the morning, since that´s the best time to do it anyway. I was really hoping he would just forget about it.

Well, no. 6 am rolls around and Nelton is poking me like a little kid at Christmas cheering ¨Let´s take the test! Let´s Take the Test!!¨ I tired to tell him to go back to sleep. I was sooo tired. But he wouldn´t quit, so I got up and took it.

Nelton was actually the first to know, because I thought it was negative. The one line was a dark red and the other a lighter, pinker cooler. So I didn´t think it was right. He had his nephew come over who confirmed it (he works in the labs at the hospital). And we took another one, and sure enough, positive, both!!

So we have been in and out of doctor´s visits.

I am doing well. But still very tired. That´s starting to get better too.

We think the due date is June 17th, and we would like to have the baby in the States. However, there is no telling.

Nelton heads back to the jungle on Monday for a short trip. He won´t let me go yet, because malaria is very dangerous for a pregnant woman and her baby. It could kill one or both, or the baby can have major complications. SOOO I´m waiting for a while before I go back. Plus we have paperwork and stuff to do that we have been working on.

Please be in prayer for all this!

We are both very excited!

The Cut

Just a few pics of the hair cut! Enjoy.

MARRIAGE PAPERWORK ACCEPTED!!!

First of all, thank you Alli McV for encouraging me to keep this up by letting me know you read it!

The next big news is that Nelton and I got married today!!! I know, weird, but I´ll explain. We had a slight holdup on paperwork and the earliest we could get in for our civil marriage was today (it´s been processing since I got here in June, Welcome to Peru).

It was really wild because you sit behind this big table in beautiful chairs and the justice of peace (or something like that) basically does the whole wedding ceremony. Only instead of the Word of God, she read to us all the laws of Peru and what we are committing to by getting married, which was really awesome. Basically, the law holds us to be bound to each other. At least that´s what I understood.

She ran us through the vows again and the whole works. BUT I CAN´T BELIEVE THE LEGAL SCAVENGER HUNT IS OVER!!!!

It was funny, because Nelton decided to start remodeling, like two hours before we got the paperwork finalized. I wanted to dress up for the event, because it´s not everyday you get married. LOL.

So I left like an hour before to go to the sister-in-laws to get ready. I came back to a diaster of a room. We went to get married and came back to the same big mess. I´t was rather comical. This random get married in the middle of the day.

I had fun with it too. The man working on our paperwork told us the 11th of Sept we could marry. Then Monday after the wedding, then the next tuesday, then a week later, and so on. Finally, we just ended up doing it ourselves. Anyway... we would be out to eat or in a motorcar or somewhere with other people around and I would casually say ¨SO, we are getting married tomorrow then¨? It was funny just thinking about what they were thinking. And we would just have a cas convo about it. Or today, on the way to 5 am prayer meeting, we stopped to buy coffee for everyone, and when we were checking out, I was just like -OH Yeah... we are getting married today.- He was like -yeah... we are. cool.- it was hilarious.

I´ll have to post pics of that wedding.

Well, time to go help my husband remodel our room. = )

Love you all! (ALLI! You´re amazing! HUG OVER BLOG!!)

Two Weeks Married

Well, yesterday Nelton and I rolled into two weeks of marriage and got the best present ever!

One of the biggest desires for our wedding was to honor God and be a testimony for others. Well, last night at church, Kety, Nelton´s sister, pulled us aside to introduce us to a woman who had been at the wedding. Kety had invited her. She is an older woman who is not married and works all the time. At our wedding, she said she felt the presence of God in a very real way as she listened to my dad preach. She said the joy on my face filled her with warmth and she wanted whatever it was that we had. She concluded that it was our faith and came to church to learn more. At church that night, she found what she wanted, Jesus. She thanked us and told us our wedding is an event she will remember for the rest of her life!! It was such a gift to Nelton and I!

Since the wedding, Nelton and I have been taking care of various things here in the city. It seems like something is always popping up that needs to be taken care of. We still need to finalize my visa and then we can head back to the jungle. We miss it so much and can´t wait to get back there.

Until we go back, I have been busy getting somethings rolling here. Nelton has a large family, and most of them live close by, however, many of them are still not saved. I have been spending time with them and trying to get to know them. One of the things I´ve started is one-on-one English classes with his niece. We meet daily or every other day and they have been a blast. Today, she started opening up to me more than she ever has, and it was a blast. She was a pretty shy girl when we first started classes, but she´s opening up.

It´s been good, but Peru is A LOT slower paced than the States. So I think that at times I get frustrated that more isn´t happening. It´s hard though, not knowing when we will travel and all. But I´m doing what I can.

Like my neighborhood kids-- I host regular spontaneous game times in my little room, where we call home. It´s great, and I totally want to start like a backyard club. The only problem is, there is no backyard, and that little room gets so crowded when there are five kids in it. So, we are working on getting a location established for me.

Nelton´s been great too, helping me think of places and ways to going about it. One idea was to move to an apartment that has a bedroom, livingroom, and bathroom, but then we lose our place in the neigborhood. we are going to check it out Wednesday, so there´s no telling.

But the good news is, things are happening. Like the testimony with the woman at our wedding. Those things pop up at just the right time to keep me going.

As far as marriage and the wedding. I will try to get some pictures posted soon. If nothing else, checkout my facebook, i have like 4 or 5 albums on there! just add me.

I need to get going. We are going to look for some kitchen supplies. We have nothing. We are checking into a dorm fridge and a microwave. Ha, I know!

Marriage Starts Sunday!

Life here in Peru has been the greatest. I have not been getting much sleep, but that's okay, because I am loving life.

We got back from the jungle Saturday and my dear friend Lydia got here on Sunday. We have been having so much fun. It's great to just be together again.


Yesterday consisted of hotel hunting with mom and Lydia. It was quite comical, but so much fun. We decided not to go online, but went hotel to hotel in person and asked to see rooms. It was great.

We found were we will stay, which is such a huge blessing to us. Thanks John and Robin! When I told Nelton that I found were we would staying (and for two nights), he looked so happy, shocked, and absolutely overwhelmed at the blessing. We didn't think we would even be able to afford anything, so we are extremely thankful and excited. It was a joy to share that with him.

I can't describe the joy of anticipating life together with the man I love.

More soon.

Next two weeks? BUSY!

The rollercoaster of life has made it to the top and we are about to drop full speed ahead as far as busyness is concerned.

Tomorrow the team from Ohio arrives! Nelton has been busy preparing everything for their arrival. I have been busy getting wedding plans rolling as we are down to 19 days.

We will spend one day in Iquitos beforing heading out for the jungle. We, Nelton, mom, and I, will spend one week in the jungle, visiting all the villages at the mouth of the river with the team. Then we catch a launcha Sept. 4th to make our way back to Iquitos. It will be mom´s first experience on the launcha, so that should keep life interesting. haha.

My dear friend, Lydia, arrives Sunday and then starts the crazy wedding stuff. At this point I can´t imagine what we will have to do, but I´m sure it will be piled up. Can´t wait. ha.

Dad, Kevin and Sherri Kubly, Sarah Hoobyar, and Rebecca Williamson all come in on various days of that week. I am pumped to see all of them!!

Sept. 13th will be here before I can blink and I´ll be Mrs. Noriega. That´s just weird.

Then a couple days after that, we´re off to jungle to start life as a married couple. Promises to be full of..........surprises?

Counting Down the Days and Missing Moody

Well, I am sitting at 21 days to marriage and have a huge praise! I HAVE MY DOCUMENTS!! I actually had everything in my hand Thursday, but no time to report it.

Thanks for all your prayers! THIS IS HAPPENING!!

In other news, it was not my best day ever today. Last night my dear roommates, Kelsey and Lydia (a.k.a. room 223) called me and it meant the world to me! Only one problem, it reminded me how much I miss them, Moody, room 223 life, dishcrew, classes, everything about school! I am so thankful that they called, it meant the world to me.

This morning I woke up and realized at 9:45 am that the first "Monday Morning Meeting" would be underway in Food Service and I missed everyone so much. I put in my "circle the wagons" song (a dishcrew tribute by Jon Hunter) and let out some missing everyone tears.

H2-- another place I miss. Just the thought of everyone moving in, messes everywhere (although I think the new rule still stands that nothing is allowed in the hall, what a shame), and people pumped to see each other. Not to mention those first floor meetings being posted for next week and anticipation of what room 223 would pull off!

Long live tradition.

Love you all and miss you like crazy!!!

Bbax out-

"God is able to do just what He said He would do"

When I arrived in Lima early Monday morning, I really had no idea where I was going to stay. I had contacted the SIM mission house, but had not yet heard back from them.

Glory to God, Nelton's good friend Aulo, who lives in Lima and knows the city very well, was able to meet me at the airport and help me to find my way around town.

I got in at 9 am and wanted to get to the embassy by 10 am, because the internet said that was when the notarizing closed. We went to Aulo's office to drop off my suitcase on the way to the embassy. However, we hit a small rush hour that prevented us from getting there on time. We decided to go in and see what we would need to do the following day.

The embassy is a very impressing place. Because I am a citizen, I didn't have to wait in the long line of those seeking visas, I was able to get right it. It turns out it was a really good thing that we left my suitcase, because we had to go through security and leave all our technology at the entrance, which included my laptop.

When we got inside the Citizens Services Office, we took our number and sat down. It was so interesting to see who and why the different people were there. One man was there with his Peruvian wife and their daughter. He was much older and didn't speak much Spanish. When he would explain things to his wife, it would be a couple Spanish words, but mostly English, and she didn't look like she understood. It was kinda sad, because he was getting so frustrated with her. Their daughter of about five years old appeared to be bilingual. They were there for quite a while, and it was evident that they were very frustrated.

Another ladies passport had expired, that situation looked like fun.

As I watched the multiple episodes unfold, I only prayed that mine would go smoothly. I was prepared for a difficult road to getting all the paperwork settled as I have heard or read many painful stories of how tedious the task can be. Most reported that less than 6 months would be a dream for the whole process of obtaining documents. I have two weeks before heading back to the jungle, so 6 months is out of the question.

After maybe half an hour of sitting, watching, and waiting, my number was called. I whispered a final prayer and approached the front and asked about the document of singleness. I expected him to say I would have to come back the next to, but instead the man just smiled and said, "Ok. Are you single?"
"Yes." I said with a huge smile, never being so happy to say that word to that question (not that I was unhappy or unsatisfied as a single person, just that this time it meant that I could marry the one I love).
He explained that there is really nothing they do to check it, it's only on our word. I could be sworn in before an affidavit and notarize the document. Good enough for me.

After filling out the single piece of paper and paying $30, I signed the sheet and got the stamp and signature of approval and United States legalization. I walked out of that embassy one happy girl.

Next, we popped into a McDonalds for a double cheese burger and fries. Boy, was that a treat! In addition, they had free wifi. So I was able to check e-mail and found a message from the SIM mission house saying they had a room for me from Monday-Friday! Praise Jesus. Another gift from God, a place to stay for $8 a night. After we finished lunch, we would call for directions.

During lunch, Aulo and I were talking about airline tickets, because I wanted to know where I could buy one to go home (to Iquitos) and he needed to check prices for coming to the wedding. As he was checking his e-mail, I was looking around the square and right across the street was a LAN office to buy tickets! Praise Jesus, I needed to find a place, because I wasn't sure how to buy them in Lima. Another gift from God. In addition, the bank to pay for the tickets is right across the street from the LAN office. Now when I can go home, I know where to get tickets.

The next adventure was to find the house I would stay at. We called from a pay phone and to our delight the house was only a few blocks away. We walked down to drop off the technology and check into the house. To my absolute amazement, this place is wonderful. There is a completely furnished kitchen (with a stove, refrigerator, microwave, and filtered water!!), a living room with COUCHES! and a tv, the entire place has wifi- high speed internet!, my room has three beds (even though I don't need them all, it's a spacey, homey place), fully furnished with blankets and towels. The biggest treat is- THEY HAVE HOT WATER!!! It had been 44 days since I had had a hot shower and when I finally was able to take one, I praised Jesus through the whole thing! Top it all off with the temperature of 65-70 degrees here in Lima and I have one priceless gift from God.

The woman here, Wendy Williams, who is in charge of the mission house is so filled with the Spirit, you feel Him just by being around here. She is a prayer warrior and as she showed me my room, she stopped and chatted with me for a couple minutes. She asked why I was here and I told her about getting documents for marriage. She jokingly touched my forehead to see if I was ill. When I asked her why, she laughed and said she was kidding, she knows the most beautiful cross-cultural couple.

I told her that I wouldn't be surprised if she told me I was out of my mind, I have heard it so much.
Then she looked right into my eyes and said, "Do you know it's from God?"
I said, "yes."
"Does he know it's from God?"
"Yes."
Then she said something like, "Then don't let anyone else change or even play with your mind. When you are pregnant with any vision from God, link with people who are pregnant with the same vision and see it to birth. There are so many people who are walking around without any vision or purpose from God, not really because they can't, they just aren't willing. Associate with them, by all means, but don't let them suck the vision and passion from you which God has placed in you. I just feel like you need to hear that."

Another gift from God, it touched me profoundly. It was such affirmation, like someone saying, "Hey! You're doing a good job. You are on the right path. Keep going with God!"

She told me about how she is going to Ecuador in a week, because God has called her there for one week to a specific area just to pray and listen to what God is doing in the churches. She said after that she will know what God wants her to do next, but she knows that is what He wants her to do now. That woman is in tune with the Holy Spirit. "You have to bind the strong man before plundering his goods. That's why I wrestle in the heavenlies before even attempting to do the work on earth."

After leaving there, very encouraged, Aulo and I decided to head downtown to find out what needed to be done at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It can be hard to decided which is the best next step to take. We got there and found that the legalization department was closed. We decided to look up official translators, yeah, we seriously wasted no time. We found that a lot of them were in places that Aulo wasn't familiar with. Then a man on the street gave us a business card with a map of a place 2 blocks away. A little sketch, but we decided to check it out.

We walked into a little office, and I was in a joking mood. I asked how much it costs to translate documents, and he said, "depends on what you need." I said, "a book." He looked surprised and asked if I was an editor.

Aulo laughed, but covered for me that I really just needed my birth certificate translated. We pulled out the document and he explained that in order to get it translated "officially" it needed to first be legalized at the embassy, then legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both closed by that time. He said it would cost about 50 soles to translate and added up how much he though everything would cost. Then said if we get it legalized at the Embassy, we could bring it back to him and he would do the rest at the ministry of foreign affairs and translating work by the next day.

I looked at him and excitedly said, "Good! Because I want to get married tomorrow." He jaw dropped, eyes popped, and leaned forward. I busted out laughing and told him he really needs to learn when gringas are joking. He realized I was joking and laughed too.

Side trail:

Peruvians are soo easy to mess with, too easy. It's like I have a whole new country of victims who have no idea about my sense of humor and I take advantage of it! For example, the other day Nelton and I were finishing painting the bathroom and we ran out of paint. So he sent me and his nephew to the store to get another small can of paint. When I was paying, the man looked at me and saw the specks of paint all over my arms, face, hair, everywhere and asked in a tone that conveyed his wonder, "Are you doing the painting yourself?"
"No," I replied with a straight face and without skipping a beat, "I'm just watching." In my head I thought, "Here's your sign."
His face wrinkled in thought as he was a little confused and who knows what he was thinking. I never told him I was joking, I didn't think it deserved the joking line, it was that obvious. (There you go, Marty! The art of sarcasm reaches Peru).

And back again...

He gave us his card and we decided to go back and see if his name was on the Ministries list of "official translators," but it was closed. So we called it a day and planned our strategy for the following day (Tuesday). I was more than satisfied with the progress we made.

So yesterday, we got up early and went back to the embassy. Surprisingly, there is a whole list of States that do not permit the embassy to make "true copies" of birth certificates, which is what I needed. It's a copy with a notarized stamp that declares it is a legal document. If this was the case that my state was on the list which prohibits the embassy from acting, I would have to take care of these steps in the United States.

I checked the list, praying through every second with a heart that couldn't stop pounding. My hands shot up in the air when I found that Iowa wasn't on the list!! But almost as instantly as I celebrated my victory, my hands fell down as though I met defeat when I realized that I was born in Minnesota. I braced myself again and searched the list over. VICTORY AGAIN!! Minnesota wasn't on the list either! Yeah for simple country life!!! -Another gift from God.

As soon as I entered the Citizens Service Office again, I was able to be helped right away. It was the same guy. He checked the list (as though I wouldn't have done my research, lol), and told me they could do it.

I was out of there, documents secure in my hands, in a manner of minutes. We made the long trek back to the heart of Lima (seriously, it takes about 1 1/2- 2 hours by bus). We were both so tired, Aulo fell asleep and I was in and out of sleep. I decided to stay awake, and it was a good thing, because I recognized where we needed to get off.

We headed to the MInistry to check the list and the man was not on the list. But another office, an official office, was in the same building. Awkward, but fortunate. We snuck past the other office, which was comical and fun, up the the fifth floor where we found the official office.

We found out that we needed to go get the documents legalized and paid for. They would be ready the next day, but there is a voucher we get when we pay. If we brought it to the office, they could pick it up and have it translated and ready by 11 am the next day (Wednesday, today).

This was the most suspenseful part. Would the Ministry accept the certified true copy of my birth certificate? Would they accept the certified document of singleness? We waited in a long line, the whole time I was filled with anticipation, excitement, and suspension, praying the entire time, as I had no idea what they would say. We reached the front of the line and I took a breath and slid my papers under the glass. He looked at them and in 2 seconds slid them back to me and said, "You need to be in line 5."

I couldn't be frustrated, I was just relieved it wasn't a no!! So we got in line 5 and the same feelings bubbled right back up. Praying out loud almost the entire time. Aulo was frustrated as he hated waiting. She he went and found a guy to bring to me to see if the documents could even be legalized. The man came and looked at them and said yes to the birth certificate, because it was legalized in Lima. But no to the document of singleness, my heart sank, but I would not take no for an answer. I asked why and he said that it has to be certified at the embassy. I don't know how he didn't see the stamp, but I showed him the stamp and he said, "Oh, yeah, your fine." I sighed a sigh of relief, but decided we wouldn't get too excited until we really talked to the man with the power behind the glass.

Well, without dragging it out further, it was a yes!

Another long line to pay, but it didn't matter, I was just so excited!!

Back to the translator to drop off the voucher, and we called it another day. We went out for lunch, then he brought me home by 3 pm, and we parted ways because we were both so tired.

Now he is waiting for the call from the translator, and I am waiting for a call from him saying we can go pick everything up! Then I'll probably be headed home tomorrow! I didn't want to buy a ticket until the documents were all safe in my hand.

The anticipation isn't over. Next we will have to see what they say back in Iquitos!

Thank you all for your prayers! Lets keep praying.

There is one song that is in my head about this whole thing, "He's Able."

Here are the lyrics, but you should youtube it. It's powerful.

"He's Able" by Deitrick Haddon


Leader:
Exceedingly
Abundantly
Above all, all you can ask from him
According to, the power
That worketh in you
God is able to do just what he said he would do
He's gonna fullfill every promise to you
Don't give up on God, cause he won't give up on you
He's Able

Chorus (2x):
God is able to do just what he said he would do
He's gonna fullfill every promise to you
Don't give up on God, cause he won't give up on you
He's Able (2x)

Leader;
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
He's Able

Bridge (3x):
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
He's Able

Vamp:
He's Able

Leader:
Don't give up on God (2x)
Anybody ever wanted to give up
Has anybody ever wanted to throw in the towel
Anybody know God to be able
Don't give up on God, cause he won't give up on you
He's Able

Ending:
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh, He's Able
He's Able (til fade)

In Lima

I arrived in Lima early this morning at 9 am, and wasted no time in going to the Embassy of the United States of America. Wow, how impressing is that place! I was able to get my certificate of singleness with no problems! Only waiting a little time.

Now we are at the internet, Aulo and I, and we will head to the Ministry of Foreign affairs for translation of my birth certificate and to get the documents legalized. Still not sure if I just need my translation legalized or both that and the original legalized and notarized. It's $30 per notarization and not sure how much for each legalization.

So far, I am encouraged to have one document in hand and translated, now I just need to finnish my birth certificate translated and both legalized.

Please keep praying for a speedy process.

Thanks!

The Project Mess

Pictures of the project and the mess that it was

Pictures of the room before we started painting

So here are the pictures from before our great painting project. More to come as we are still not done with the project.

Iquitos Again

Well, Nelton and I have been back in Iquitos now for a few days, working like crazy on wedding stuff. It's been crazy as we are still uncertain as to what we are to really be doing.

We are getting along great, but see cultural misunderstanding regularly, which really just makes us laugh. For example, we decided we would get matching wedding rings here in Peru, as that is the custom of the land. So we popped into a jeweler to check out the options. I found the perfect rings in all of 5 minutes, Nelton liked them too.

After we decided on them and to my confusion, we left the store. We walked like five steps and I was like, "dude! We are only in the city for two more weeks and we get married in a month. We should get the rings ordered today." Thinking they would take a couple weeks at the least before they came in, as that is how it is in the States. We had changed money that day, but had other plans of how to use it. He said something about that, but I insisted it wasn't a big deal as I thought we would pay for the rings when we picked them up.

We went back to the store, the sweet man named Nelton, complying to my desire. But to my surprise after the lady sized us for the rings, she wrote up a slip, and Nelton had to pay for it all same day we ordered. Opps, my bad, so much for the other (and probably more important plan) Then I was absolutely shocked when the woman said they would be ready the next day!! I laughed so hard when we left, talk about totally not the cultural norm. It was quite funny. Here I thought we needed time for the rings, as we need time for everything else in Peru, but this is the one thing that only takes a day. We both had a laugh about it as he thought I knew it would be that quick.

Wedding Planning? Oh yeah, we should probably start thinking about that? Aug. 7, 2009

Aug. 7, 2009

If it wasn’t obvious before, it’s becoming crystal clear that I am not a typical bride. We are closing in on a month from the wedding, and the only thing we really have nailed down is that we are getting married and what we are wearing. All other details that most brides have neatly spelled out in elaborate wedding planners, carefully guarded by their own personal planner, are still for us specifics to be pinned down.

The plan was to be in Iquitos from the end of July to the arrival of the next team at the end of August to plan a wedding. Well, here we are, closing out the first week of August, and have not made it back to the city. We are looking at tomorrow evening to start that venture. Then we will have 15 days to plan the event. I am so at peace and okay with everything. I figure, the day will arrive and what’s going to happen is going to happen anyway, so why worry? The most important thing to me is that I marry the man I love in a way that brings glory to God, the rest are just details. Sure, it would be nice to have some decorations and whatnot, but I’m not going to stress about it.

I think the thing that cracks me up the most about it is how much goes into weddings in the United States. I was laughing with Paulette today about the craziness of it all. I was at the doctor right before moving the Peru. The receptionist was asking questions about my last check up, and realized I was moving out of the country and getting married. She started telling me all about her daughters wedding plans and how much of a job it is, all the details, flowers, oh the expense of the flowers alone. She couldn’t believe it. On the way out I wished her luck with her upcoming wedding, assuming it was in a month or two. She said something to the effect of, “Oh, thanks. We still have a year, but we need it.” A year? And the flowers are already ordered.

I am sure I have apologized to Nelton at least 4 times that I will not be the hott, breath-taking, or sexy bride I always imagined I’d be. While most brides are tanning, doing skin treatments, and this, that, and the other, I’m anything be beautifying my body. I am learning to battle off the mosquitos, horseflies, nats, and chiggers without repellant. My legs are covered with little red spots and dots, and I’ve developed a daily ritual of squeezing out any unwanted contents. I am anything but tan, because I wear pants and often long sleeves to keep the bugs away. I have been getting more pimples than usual, I’m sure it has something to do with the water, or the dirt that flies in the city. By the end of each day, my fingernails have collected dirt. My hair is becoming more and more coarse daily due to more than a month of bathing in the river or with its water.

I don’t say any of this by way of complaining or for you to feel sorry for me. I wouldn’t have it any other way! If nothing else, I hope to gain as many laughs as I myself have gained by the comparison of what I myself always dreamed of and the way reality is actually being lived out. Which, by the way is far better than my dreams ever painted.

And I don’t mean to be down on American weddings, I love weddings. I think it’s wonderful. If nothing else it’s something I remember Dr. Park always saying “Don’t focus so much on the wedding that you forget about the marriage.” I think that happens way too much in the States, and hopefully this can be a good reminder of what’s the most important when it comes to the marital covenant.

A Future and A Hope

Aug. 5th, 2009

No matter where we arrive, Iquitos or the jungle, there is always news to be received. In the city, we get the pleasure of knowing what is going on back home in the USA with our loved ones. Such as the news that my little brother got engaged! Congratulations Timothy and Erica!! When we get back to the jungle, there is always something that has transpired in our absence. Unfortunately, the news out here this time was not as good as the news from home.

Dora was a 12 year old girl I met last summer. She traveled with us on one of our ministry trips to help in the kitchen. She was quite, shy, reserved, and kept her distance. She was a gril who caught my attention. It’s not uncommon for people here to be quite or reserved, distant or shy, those traits are exhibited in almost every person, so that wasn’t unique to her personhood. I’m the odd ball out because of my outgoing unrestrained exuberance, and often find it difficult to break through the mask and see the real person. It was no exception with the girl named Dora.

Yet, I distinctly remember desiring to find out what Dora was all about, I wanted to link with her. Especially after finding out she was only 12. I managed to be unsuccessful for quite sometime, until I discovered my front porch art ministry mid-summer. I had brought colored pencils and plain paper and found a crowd of kids easily drawn anytime I would break them out.

On the first occasion we had art, the first kid to complete his drawing presented me a picture of a house. I encouraged him and praised him for his drawing, he swelled with pride and satisfaction at his accomplishment. It wasn’t long before the next kid produced his drawing, a house. This continued through all 25 kids, until I had a reasonable collection of jungle houses in a variety of colors and forms. They must have figured the American liked houses. I tried to encourage the kids to use their imaginations and draw something else, but no one ventured outside of the norm set by that first child, except Dora.

Dora had a gift for art. She would always use her imagination and draw spectacular pictures. This was were we began to connect. At the start of it all, she would bring her drawings to me, a little bashful, only to surprise me with how good they were. She took the praise to heart and continued to gain confidence and by the time I left, she was not bashful whatsoever about showing me the pieces she had created.

I was looking forward to seeing her again and continuing our relationship, however, she was in one of the families that left Estreno. One night on the trip with the D.R. team after the service in a neighboring village, I heard someone call my name, which surprised me because I didn’t know anyone in that village. As I got closer I realized it was Dora! However, we were heading to the boat to leave, so I could not visit with her. I saw her briefly on one other day, but no other contact. I only anticipated their family moving back to town when the school got up and going.

The news that we received upon arriving in Estreno was that the family had moved back. A man in the village took an interest in Dora, now only 13, and asked permission from her father to take her as his wife. Permission was granted and so Dora was taken back to the neighboring village as this man’s wife, shattering her dream of receiving and education and someday becoming a doctor. Her occupation would now be one of bearing and raising children, taking on the burden of the household chores, and pleasing the man who got her.

I am troubled in my spirit for the lifestyle in the jungle. Dora is not the first girl who has been given as a wife to a man. For the most part, girls are burdens to their families out here. They given away with relative ease because it means one less mouth to feed and one less person to provide for. The males on the other hand seem to be more valued because they are providers in the families.

Many girls have the only aspiration of finding a man who can take care of them, and then start families of their own. When their periods start, they are considered open game for men. What does this mean? One day they are a girl, the next they are thrust into the world of womanhood with no development in between.

Another girl in our community is in love with the Lord. I have connected with her heart since my first time here and had a vision of seeing her and others like her become missionaries to other lands. Her mother is a believer, but I’m not even sure what that means here anymore. No doubt, it means that you show up to church when the doors are open and worship, which they do well. But the faith hasn’t found it’s way to spill out into the lifestyle of the people. I do suppose, if I am to be realistic, that this is a global problem.

Anyway, there was a young man in the community, at least 24 years old, the girl, a mere 14. The mom desperately wanted her daughter to be with the man, as he had a good job. She didn’t really want anything to do with it. I learned today that the mom would go so far as allowing the man to go to her in her room when he wanted!

Giving the girls away at a young age only depicts the lines of the picture, the color often comes in black and blue. I have not yet witnessed the abuse, I’m not sure if anyone really witnesses it when it happens outside their home, or if they only know it because they have lived it. The assurance of abuse for a Peruvian woman or child can be likened with the average American’s assurance that they will have their next meal with no concern of where it will come from.

This is only confirmed by stories I have had relayed to me, or by the way I watch and hear Ketty minister to the women in women’s meetings. She talks and relates to them about abuse like American women go on about their appearance or the latest fashion. There isn’t yet a freedom for the women to talk about it and open up. And when one does, it’s all facts, it’s just what happens.

I would venture to say alcoholism is a partial contributor to the abuse, but the main cause of its existence is probably by and large due to the acceptance of it. Like I said, it’s just what happens.

I am happy to report that in our village abuse isn’t common, but then again, we don’t live in every house. There’s no telling what goes on behind closed doors. It was in our village that the chief murdered his wife.

Now for the better news:

Willie has had a vision of establishing a secondary school for quite sometime now. They are currently in need of a teacher. Paulette knows I enjoy teaching and asked me if I would be interesting in filling in as the teacher after Nelton and I get married. I accepted without hesitation. Willie and I went over a lot of the material and I started to grow accustomed to it. We are using the “School of Tomorrow” system, and my homeschooling experience will help me to run the way the school works. In addition, the fact that I have a degree helps me with the government. So I guess degrees come in handy, even out here in the jungle!

The greatest thing about this school is that it gives the people a hope to go beyond a 5th grade education and it gives us an opportunity to connect with the kids on a deep level. Plus, of my six students, four of them are supposed to be girls! Which will give them an opportunity to break away from years of the way life was.

Please, Please, Please, pray with me for this opportunity. Pray for my teaching, that it will be more than just showing up and performing duties, but that I will have the creativity to really connect with these kids and get into their lives. Pray for the girls that are in it, that they will be allowed to stay and finnish, and that God would protect them from being married off right away.

God’s Protective Hand: Aug. 4th, 2009

We left for the jungle again on Aug. 1st, I think? At any rate, the trip did not go as expected. Our plan was to be up in Arica by the 3rd for the meetings (aug. 3-5th), which was a reasonable goal. However, motor troubles, low water levels, boat troubles, rainstorms, and so on prevented us from reaching our desired destination. The two day trip quickly multiplied to four and we didn’t arrive in Estreno until the afternoon of the 4th.

The trip was both exhausting and relaxing. Through it all, we all had peace that God’s protective hand was at work to keep us from unknown dangers. The problems were seen as “strategic delays.” We still aren’t totally sure why we weren’t able to make it, but it doesn’t matter, we were all at peace.

The exhausting part for me took the form of sickness. For a day and a half to two days it was a mixture of dizziness, short periods of hearing loss and/or blurred vision, fever, diarrhea, headaches, a constant feeling of having to vomit (although I never did), back pain, neck pain, loss of energy, tiredness, and an overall aching body. I felt like I was 90 years old and couldn’t do anything. My life was torn between sleep, misery, pumping down liquids, and bathroom visits.

The relaxing part came in multiple ways. One was during the rainstorm, when we had to anchor the boat because the waves were too dangerous, the wind too strong, and the rain too harsh to carry on. We all sat around and had lunch together while the wind started to die down, but the rain was still pouring. Next thing we knew, Ketty and Rhoda (future sister-in-law, and the new cook), were out for a swim. We had anchored at a beautiful black sand beach. Willie and I didn’t hesitate long before joining them. It was amazing, the water was warm and the sand soft. We ran the beach, swam in the water, and laughed like it was 1985. Nelton’s fairly certain that that little play date contributed to my fever.

Our first day here in Estreno, I came back home and Paulette said she needed to make me aware of something. She was on her way to hang up her laundry out back and something fell only several feet in front of her. It was a large snake, moving rapidly in the opposite direction. She was thankful that God had protected her and showed her that some dangers are more scared of us than us of them.

It was only an hour or so later when her and Bob were out on the front porch and they heard something in the back. Bob checked it out and the snake was back, with his mouth around a large frog. His perch? The shower house once again. What was Paulette doing while they waited for someone to come check it out? Snapping pictures. One of the neighbors got a stick to beat the thing, but it got away. Willie guessed it was a good 6-8 feet long. I named him Boaz, but haven’t actually seen the live creature, only the evidence of his presence which is safely secured in Paulette’s digital camera. She gave me a copy which is posted above.

Gotta love jungle life.

Catching Up: Trip With the Dominican Team : August 3rd, 2009

So it turns out that the last team was not from Costa Rica, but the Dominican Republic. They were a YWAM team, led Glen and Rhoda, missionaries to the DR from Canada. The team consisted of their son, Jason, his friend, Matthew, and four Dominicans: Jose Miguel, Omar, Joel, and Vanessia. Of the Dominicans, only one spoke English, but of course, the missionaries and MK’s were fluent in Spanish, so Spanish was the common language for my first multi-cultural team. Another man, Cliff Russell, an MK raised in Peru, now in his 40’s, was on the trip as well. I do have a very interesting story about him, if you want to hear it, read the next paragraph, if not skip ahead to the following paragraph.

The story of our first encounter with Cliff Russell:
So Nelton and I had gone out to eat for breakfast one day. Suddenly, this tall, built, gray-haired white man walked into the restaurant and was having a conversation with the woman behind the counter about his 20 soles, and he spoke good Spanish. For that reason I couldn’t tell where he was from, he grammar and pronunciation were flawless, so I wasn’t sure that he was American, but to be sure he was not Peruvian. The woman was insisting that his money was false, he was claiming that it was not. I was making mental cultural observations, so I took the opportunity to listen to the “social commentary” (as Dr. Park would call it).
The man waited by the door for a good 5-10 minutes while a teen-aged guy ran around to another store to check out the money or something. When he returned, the lady and almost every waitress in the place hovered around the money talking about it. Then the woman preceded to place it under running water to test it, she pulled it a couple times and it ripped, her proof that it was false.
The woman preceded to bring Nelton in on the whole discussion, the only reason I could imagine is that he was the only male in the building besides to white guy. He too confirmed that he suspected that it was false. The man took the money and left, I was left wondering what the encounter was all about, because I didn’t see him pay with any other money, and I wasn’t even sure he had eaten. I went back to my room and typed out no less than two pages of culture observations to figure the whole scenario out, pin down some culture values, underlying assumptions, or at least form some diagnostic questions. Frankly, the man left me perplexed.
Okay... so fast forward a week, Nelton and I walk into the airport to wait for the Dominican team, when suddenly Nelton asks me, “Who is that?”
I see Willie and respond, “Willie?”
“No, that?” Nelton asks again.
“I think it’s Paulette.”
“No. That other man with them.”
I barely looked before recalling information stored from an earlier conversation with Paulette, “Oh! I think his name is Cliff......Russell?” 
“No, Bethany, we know him.”
I look closer, before Nelton realizes, “It’s the man with the false money!!”
We both laughed, a little surprised that we would ever see him again, and I though, “ohhh this will be interesting.”
He didn’t recognize us, and I wasn’t going to be the one to give away our identity. I was a little surprised when the only seat left on the bus to Nauta was in the back next to him. It was only a couple minutes out of the airport parking lot before I hear Nelton curiously asking, “So whatever happened with the false money?” To which, Cliff freaked out, laughed, went wild saying, “YOU WERE THAT GUY AT THE RESTAURANT!” He preceded to explain the whole deal to Nelton, that he went to the bank and learned all sorts of tips about figuring out what false money looks like and so on. Indeed, his money wasn’t false, there were a couple years when bills were made that were weaker.

Back to the Trip...

The trip itself was pretty structured and scheduled as the YWAM team had several goals to accomplish to meet the requirements for the training program they were in. Consequently, I fell into the background and jumped in where and when I was needed. It was glorious to see how much God has changed me over the past year. The old Bethany would have been freaking out, running from here and there trying to figure out what I could do and working overtime just to stay occupied. The new surrendered Bethany was so relaxed and at peace, trusting God to bring me face to face with the encounters I was to have, and he did.

Paulette confirmed this change, or maybe she first pointed it out, when she confessed to me that it is so refreshing to be around me, because I am so laid back and relaxed, waiting for God to have His way. She was a little nervous about my returning, because she didn’t have much energy to keep up with me. We laughed, because it seems like God brings us through these changes together. It’s not that I have lost my passion or energy for the work of the Lord, I think it’s just a life-changing realization that He is going to do what He will do in His time. He doesn’t need me to complete His work, He graciously allows me to come along and obey what he gives me to do. I think another reason I am more relaxed, unstressed, and not worried is because I am here for longer than two months. This is life now, there is no reason to stress out about seeing results in a short amount of time. I am able to take the proper amount of time to really study the culture and learn the language.

The trip was long, scheduled, and full. We started at the mouth of the river and went to three different villages, one a day. In each village we had children’s ministries at 3:00 pm, women’s and men’s ministry at 4 pm, a soccer game at 5, dinner at 6, then the night service at 7 pm.

After those first three days, we headed up to Estreno, spending a day and a half there before making our way on up river. We visited four different villages, one a day, before going back to Estreno and moving onto Iquitos.

Most of my key highlights had to do with people on our team. I had good conversations with Ketty, Julie, Eric, and others, encouraging them in the face of the trials that had broken out and taking time to just be a listening ear.

I also inherited a bell ministry. Someone had donated those color coordinated bells to the ministry and we whipped them out for the trip. So that was my role. I “taught” the kids the bell songs during the childrens ministry, then I led my bell choir for the night service. It was a riot, and beyond me why I got the ministry as I have little to no experience in the music world. I had a ball though because I’ve always wanted to play something and I was leading my whole little choir.

It was crazy coming back to Estreno, not many of the families have returned, I think maybe only four were there. It felt like a ghost town, but apparently it’s been more populated than before. But in a weird way, it was peaceful, and felt more like coming home than anything.

I did have a great time one afternoon with a couple guys from our team, Jamie and Roy, who are very interested in learning English. We decided that after Nelton and I get married and move back to town, I will have English classes for them. Jamie wants to be a translator for preachers and speakers one day. The future is starting to take shape.

That’s about all I can think of for now... so I’m out.

Back From the Jungle

I just got back from the jungle yesterday, and we are leaving again today or tomorrow, we really aren't sure. So I don't have much time to fill you in on everything that God is doing here and what all has been happening in the past two weeks. But let me just say, it's incredible!! I didn't bring my computer with, because I didn't want to babysit it, but I will bring it on this trip so I can write as the stories unfold, then I can just post them when I get back!

A historical event will be taking place in our part of the world, a meeting with 183 native villages to protect the rights and educate the people. This is why we are heading back into the jungle so soon. The event will be Aug. 3-5, please be in prayer for what God is doing in our part of the world.

I was working in the next newsletter last night and hope to get it sent out today, so that will give some more details that I am not able to share right now due to time.

Keep praying and I will see if I have more time, depending on our departure.

The Happenings

Life here is moving ahead. Hard to believe a whole week has past. On Friday, I thought it was only Wednesday. I don´t know how the days manage to slip by so rapidly.

Yesterday it was pouring here in the city of Iquitos. Nelton popped by to tell me we were going to ¨bañar como los pobres¨(bath like the poor). He pulled me outside and we stood under the gutters and got soaked in a matter of 2.8 seconds. It was so refreshing after 2 straight days of heat without end, the fan had broken in the midst of the painting project, so sweat and I spent a lot of time together.

Many of the neighborhood children were out playing in the rain, and we didn´t hold back from our share of fun. Countless eyes peered from cracks, doors, windows, or temporary shelters, watching as we ran down the streets like two little kids, laughing and splashing each other. I can only imagine what they were thinking as we were the only ones over the age of 13 celebrating God´s glorious and refreshing relief from the hot Peruvian sun. We made our way to his sisters, just to greet her. Ketty opened the door in surpise and looked at us laughing and playing. A grin broke across her face as she shook her head and told us we were crazy.

Today, we look forward to the week. Nelton is busy getting final details together for the team that comes from Costa Rica in two days. I spent the majority of the day with Paulette, catching up to speed on the ministry. She reflected on the last year or so. It has been a hard year, one of moving forward, stalling, stepping back, and needing to find sufficient strength to keep going ahead. We are glad to be together again and anticipate the weeks and months ahead.

We head for the jungle on Wednesday night. A team from Costa Rica comes and we will waste no time in getting into ministry. We will leave late Wednesday night to start the trip to the jungle. We will spend about five days at the mouth of the river, doing ministry in various villages. Then we will continue up the river. The team consists of two missionaries from Canada, who are bringing Dominicans they have been training in ministry, they are being exposed to the foriegn field. I believe there are four guys and one girl. I will be linking with the girl and assisting her in anyway she needs. I expect that it shall be a trip of seeing God move as he continues to bring about much needed freedom in communities that have only known certury upon century slavery and bondage. Pray for these days as they will be strategic in light of the events that have been happening in the jungle recently.

Daily Life

Things are still going great. I have been studying Spanish regularly. Yesterday I spend about two and a half hours in the books and came away discouraged. I too a diagnostic test in the SATII Spanish Review book, which I am using to brush up on Spanish, review, and learn more. I found that I am ¨average¨ on both vocabulary and reading comprehension and ¨unsatisfactory¨in grammar and something else. When I saw Nelton later in the evening I told him I took a test and it told me to stop speaking Spanish. We laughed and it just motivated me all the more to study like crazy.

I am also using some of the tools aquired in SPAR (Stratigic Planning and Research) to help me research the cultural values, assumptions, norms, and customs of Peru. It has been quite comical as I am actaully living in the culture and not just dropping in to study it for three hours a week. I believe I have tapped into a key value of the culture through some wonderful observation and the next thing I know that observation is overturned as someone does exactly opposite of what my theory said was the norm. It´s been fun.

Yesterday, Nelton and I started painting the room, which was comical in itself. While he was out for the day, I cleaned the floors, washed the walls, and carefully taped the edges of the walls. I had wanted to get plastic to cover everything in that small room, but Nelton insisted we would just be careful, besides, it´s a waterbased paint that comes out with a little water and scrubbing. We began painting, and in no time, the floor was covered with little specs, or quartersized gobs of paint. So much for my taping.

Beyond that, there were 4 other people at one time crammed in that little room sitting on the bed in any empty space they could find or creeping around the small walkways I had created, and giving a live comentary of the whole ordeal. On of the guys was impressed with my taping idea, so it was worth it. Except for the floor is still a mess and needs to be scrubbed.

The climax of the night was when Nelton was using last bit of the paint in the plastic bin to do some touchup work before putting it back. He was climbing around on the ladder he had engineered from two chairs, and had set the paint on the ledge of the half wall the comes up between the room and the bathroom. I had just finnished scrubbing one section of the floor to a point that was satisfying to me, and had stopped to admire my work when suddenly my ears perked to the sound of something falling, Nelton gasping and saying, with a bit of a chuckle, ¨Oh my gosh, I don´t believe it.¨ I slowly turned, saw indeed, what I had feared, green paint splattered over everything. I quickly shut my eyes and for maybe a minute tried my hardest to imagine it away, all the while Nelton is chuckling. It was comical. Glory to God, he is right, it does wash out with relative ease. He would not permit me to clean it, but finnished up, cleaned all the paint off my arms and face with a wet clothe, and then took me out for a wonderful dinner. After dinner, I cleared off the bed, showered, tiptoed around the paint explosion and crawled into bed. The mess still sits there. We are going to finnish painting tonight as we only got through half of it, and I suspect tomorrow will be cleaning day.

I have been taking pictures of the project and hope to get them posted when all is said and done.

Prayer Request

• Marriage Paperwork. We have been checking into stuff, bringing all the needed documents and paperwork in, and working with a man. Today I brought in my document of singleness (something very important here, but something we do not use in the States). I was not sure if it would work, but the man said he would check into it for us. So, from what I understand, he is going to check with his boss to see if it will be acceptable. If not, there may be a long process we have to go through. So just pray that it will be acceptable! I will keep you posted.

More later!

Here Comes My Life

Well, I am in Peru. I tried posting a blog in the airports, but everywhere charged for the use of wifi. So I waited, and well, what I wrote is old news (maybe I´ll post it later).

It has been a good couple of days here so far. I arrived to Iquitos on time, Monday, July 6th. Nelton was actually there! I was suprised and totally excited to see him. Before I got there, I wasn´t sure who, if anyone, would be there because of the problems in the jungle. So it was wonderful when I saw him, several members of his family, and some other friends.

Nelton and I had the reunion I always dreamed of, the one where he´s actually there (lol) and I run and throw myself into his arms. It was beautiful.

He was able to take the day off work and we spent the day together. I was suprised, but not shocked, at how quickly my Spanish came back and how much I had to say. I am sure I talked all day. I haven´t spoken English since, because Paulette is not feeling well, and Willie´s been working.

Nelton got off work yesterday at five and when people came for him, he said, -it will have to wait until tomorrow, I´m with Bethany now.- I felt valued. I see so much growth and maturity in our relationship, it´s encouraging.

We are doing well together. Getting the room set up for me, and for us when Sept. 13th should come around. We have been plans for the few days ahead before heading back to the jungle, we want to paint the room, get marriage stuff figured out at the equivelant of a court house, my visa stuff, paperwork for the mission, check into internet and a landline for the room, and hit the gym (I know 223, can you believe it!?). Then July 15th, the team from Costa Rica comes and we head out to the jungle.

Culture shock wise, I am still in honeymoon phase and wondering how long it will last.

Ministry wise- I´m taking this week to settle in and focus on the things that are more permantent than the past, when I have only come for 2 months. I think it´s a wise decision not to cast myself into busy ministry too quickly (as in yesterday and today, like I'm used to doing, that will come next week). There are times I get antzy and feel like I should be doing something like ministry and I have to remind myself, I have permission to take care of other stuff for this week.

However, Nelton and I have had some great talks as he has bought my up to speed on what´s been going on in the ministry. There is not much I can say except-- my heart is breaking and I´m saying -Lord, all this is impossible without your hand at work!!- I can´t do anything without him.

I thank you for your prayers and plead for you to continue in this manner.

All my love!

Leaving Soon

Only a little over a week before I board a plane with my two suitcases and a carry-on to embark on a journey it seems my whole life has been building up to, I move to the mission field of the Amazon Peru as a missionary. 

I really can't describe the emotions I am going through, the only thing I know is that when I think of the life ahead of me by reflecting on the past behind me, my blood boils with the anticipation of all that God has in store. I know His faithfulness has carried me this far and I stand amazed at the blessings He has poured upon me to this day.  In light of all He has done, I can't help but be excited about where His grace will carry me.  I leave without knowing anything except that God is good.