MONTHS 9 & 10!!!

June started off amazing spending quality time with MariaNelly! She filled us in on all of her new life events. MariaNelly is a therapist and she has been a beautiful example of grace and compassion through her career. I have been blessed to hear her examples of love through her work as well as witness her strength and passion for helping those in need.

Everyone has to eat, so you might as well do it with friends! Sometimes we find the best quality time surrounding a table and sharing our daily bread with those we love. Here are some pictures of lunch with Mama Zenet who always shares the best life advice and explicitly tells us how she cares for us. We had tea time with Noemi (our friend from Germany) and Lilo (our friend from Chile). Sadly, Noemi left back to Germany, but not before we could make a traditional German noodle dish named spätzle (was like fancy mac n cheese with homemade egg noodles).

I had the opportunity to observe a few classes in the schools here taught by the brilliant teachers of CUDA. One day I went to the schools to observe with Ana (she is the daughter of former missionaries Greg and Megan). Her and her family visited their home Arequipa after many years! It was amazing meeting them and putting faces to the names I had heard in many stories. When I stayed with Manuela she told me about Greg and Megan and the impact they had on her life. Ana, her mom, and her dad were shining lights to me and many during their visit to Arequipa. They offered kindness and encouragement to us. I wish Ana could've stayed :(

While Greg and Megan were here Ana shared her testimony with the church and Greg preached! It was a very special Sunday. Not to mention that Manuela, MariaNelly, Danessa, Paty, and Lola all prepared food and hosted this big group! We also ate Manuela's famous adobo at her house in Characato! It was very special to witness reunions between those who hadn't seen each other in years. Also, Caily's mom stayed in Arequipa for about a month and that was very special. I am so happy she got to attend some of these beautiful moments!

More faces that I love! Lunch with Guadalupe on her lunch break, Avelino market with Lili, and church with Jeremy. They all welcome me into friendship and community.

Manuela in all of her beauty serving up the adobo

speaking of Manuela, I got some film pictures back and here is my favorite! From my homestay with Manuela. I love her!!! I want to be like her when I grow up :)

Church at he house of SolAngel and Alexi! They are cherished members of the church as they offer wisdom and love to this community day in and day out! They welcomed us into their space and even fed us arepas! Their family is from Venezuela. Now with the turmoil and corrupt elections happening in their homeland, we pray for their peace and hope.

Their daughter Sofia came over to our house to hang out after church. We made cookies, breakfast burritos, and painted together! She is a creative and beautiful person!

Another lunch break with Guadalupe, but this time with Caily's mom too!

OUR CHURCH WENT ON A RETREAT TO COLCA CANYON!!!! Ugh! This was essential. We were blessed to travel to the town of Coporaque and stay with our beloved Mama Vivi. We spent refreshing time studying the way of Jesus. How to be with him and how to be like him. We enjoyed God's creation and breathed in the pure air. We got to witness a wedding in town and the culture of Coporaque. The time spent in the canyon was a time of great bonding and sharing life with one another. I feel like my love for this church community grew deeper roots through this trip. I for the third time got to witness the hospitality and love of Mama Vivi, Juan, and Roxanne as they made all of us three meals a day and cared for us under their roof. I was also honored to create craft for our church to represent the lessons we would be learning there. I shared with them a craft I remember doing with my mom and sisters when we were little with Psalm 23. It's a craft with beads of different colors that help you to remember the verse you choose. I chose for us to remember the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

One big theme I wanted to mention from these last two months has been community. Through my time spent with the church on Sundays and individual times I get to spend with the church on the other days of the week, I have seen a love like no other. In times of doubt, lament, rejoicing, mundanity, peace, and curiosity these people are here. They are here for me and each other. They are here to learn about me and to love and support me. I pray every day that I can return the same to them. I have a new appreciation for the value of community as I have been invited into this one.

some pictures I love from the last two months. Sunrises from my window, catacombs in Lima, ceviche from the market San Camilo, fresh fish from the market Palomar, a cute kangaroo on the clothesline, a pretty stack of freshly washed towels, and a bee that needed a snack. Joys and sights that remind me of my humanity and my love for God and the way he shows himself to me.

precious times spent with the people of the church. Game night = popcorn masters at work. Peru Independence Day church cookout = grill masters at work.

Last but not least, I want to mention a theme that has captured my mind most recently. That is the fact that I am so glad to have "littles" to look up to. I am a firm believer that you can learn something from anyone, but the ones we forget we can learn the most from are children. I am overjoyed that I have two little humans that I can consider role models in my life. Adileen and Kinney are my little role models for reals! I witness creativity, spunk, energy, curiosity, and tenderness in Kinney. I learn about dedication, humility, and empathy from Adileen. I am so happy when I get to spend time with them and learn from them.

Thanks for reading!!!!!! Below are prayer requests. Please pray with me.

The Daggetts as they prepare for their next chapter. Peace and continued strength in their lives of leadership and love

Caily and her future. She leaves in December to begin her time in PT school. Prayers for her admissions process into grad school as well as blessings in her last four months after more than two years living in Arequipa.

Guadalupe that she continues to find comfort and hope in God as she asks for more hours at work and looks forward to paying for semesters of school for her son Mateo.

Prayers for Mateo that he leans into the Lord for his confidence. He is starting at a music production school very soon! He will move to Lima and I pray that he find friends that lead him closer to a life with the Lord. That he finds a community and feels the love of a community in a new place. That he preservers through any hardships that may arise to finish and graduate from his school. That his future is a future of love and peace. That he continues to seek help in the form of therapy.

For the relationship between Mateo and Guadalupe. That distance may bring them closer together. That they learn to understand and love each other better.

Prayers for Koki that she may find moments of peace in each day. That her family is doing well and that they love and appreciate her.

Nora as she just graduated from grad school!!!!! I pray that her future is blessed as she continues toward the journey of helping those in need. Prayers for Nora's family that they are all well physically and emotionally.

Prayers for my family at home in Arkansas. Prayers for spiritual, emotional, and physical wellness as well.

Prayers for SolAngel, her family, and Venezuela in the midst of strife and a feeling of hopelessness. I pray for hope in these dark corners.

Prayers for Natalie and her continued growth in her maturity, future, passion, and peace.

Danessa and MariaNelly and their continued strength and passion as the strong women they are. They are inspirations to many and I pray for their peace.

Paty and Iza. Their relationship as mother and daughter. I pray for Iza that she has a hunger to know God more closely in whatever way that happens for her.