Pieces of a Peruvian Memoir

God is doing amazing things.

2009-08-05T22:22:00.002-04:00

Due to swine flu (which I know is not the politically correct term now, but I am too lazy to look up the correct letter-number combo) breakout in Peru, the government asked schools to postpone the start date until at least August 10th. Therefore, whereas I would normally be starting school tomorrow, I get an extra two days to plan, which is DEFINITELY necessary . . . Our staff is going to take a day trip to an island on Friday for a little R & R before the school year takes hold of us and runs!

I am excited to start the new year, though, and see all that God has in store. I have spent the day planning and am excited about my content and the way that God will weave His message through it! It was also a blessing to see familiar faces today as students filed in for registration! :) I love those kids . . .

A what-could-have-been bump in the road did present itself a week or so ago, when I noticed decreased vision in my left eye. I finally made it to the doctor yesterday, where they discovered that a cataract (that I had known about) finally moved down into my field of vision. Due to the density of the cataract, I returned to another doctor's office today to have the inside of my eye examined with special equipment. The results were positive, and it appears that all is normal except for this huge white thing (also known as a cataract) that has essentially rendered me blind in my left eye, temporarily. The doctor has said that the cataract surgery will probably leave me with even better vision than before because it corrects near-sightedness. So, hooray! Aside from the nuisance of going and getting it done, and healing, all is well. God is faithful, and has even provided financially. Insurance should cover all, but payment up front is required before I'm reimbursed. I received today, though (only a day after finding out all this news!), a generous amount of support money that was donated prior to my knowledge of this condition. God knows exactly when and how to help! Perfect!

the time has come to write.

2009-07-11T19:44:00.021-04:00

The following is a running list I have kept over the last 6 months of things I ought to write about on this here blog. Pues (Well), I didn't. Insert here any number of almost-meaningless cliches, such as, "Well, it's the thought that counts, right?"

Wrong. If, just before eating you, an elephant were to think, "I really shouldn't do this!" but then proceeded to eat you anyway, that thought he first had really DOESN'T count, does it?! ;-)

Yet, the solution to all this isn't to write 10 pages worth of what God has been doing in my life over the past 6 months, is it? You simply don't have time to read all that, much like I don't have the time to write all that, yea? Eh . . . I tried to keep it short, but I couldn't. Here, I've decided to give you a short (well, I'll try to keep it short) caption, if you will, of all the major highlights of the past 6 months + corresponding picture(s)/video if available. Please also check out the right side of my blog page for more current praises and prayer requests. Blessings to you and yours -- Enjoy!

The Jungle - In January, just after Christmas break in the States, I went with Lindsay, another ICSL teacher, and a friend of hers from home, Angel, to a city at the edge of the jungle in Peru: La Merced. Major Moments: We went to two a-m-a-z-i-n-g waterfalls; got stuck in a car, in a river, on the way up a mountain (yet, we lived through it to tell of God's deliverance! (and humor)); fished in the middle of nowhere with fishing line, a very small stick, and beef (I think it was.) as bait.

Angel, Lindsay, and Me:
The taxi driver and me, after crossing the scary river:
Mmmmm. . . Bananas!
ATTEMPTING to Fish:
Pretty Waterfall :):
High School Retreat - In March, almost the entire high school and high school staff went to Kawai (a nearby beach camp site) for a weekend of worship, Bible study, and fellowship. There, I taught a small group about relationships with people in general. God blessed what was said in that small group time and in the other teaching times that weekend. I very much was blessed by the joy that came from interacting with the students outside of school.

Teacher Humiliation:
Relay on the Beach:
Trying to Fit on One Small Piece of Cloth:
Girls Performing for the High School Retreat Airband Competition:

Pucusana Outreach - Later in the semester, all secondary students and most secondary staff went out to an orphanage, which is still under construction and is about 1 1/2 hours outside of Lima, to do service work. Some painted, others planted posts, and still some did other labor.

At the Orphanage:
New Home for Next Year - Since arriving in Peru, my roommates and I have known that we would need to move out of our house at the end of the school year. The missionary family, the Ayalas, whose house we were staying in, would be back in July of 2009. We were incredibly blessed when the Blocks, another missionary family, approached us and asked us to move into their house for the 2009-2010 school year while they are in the States on furlough. Their daughter, Julia, just graduated from ICSL and will be attending Wheaton in Chicago in the fall. The father, David Block, also decided to return to Wheaton to finish the credits needed for his Master's degree. Mother, Kay, and other children, Laura and Andrew, were to accompany them. Laura will be entering 10th grade in the States this year and Andrew will be entering 8th grade. Please keep them in your prayers during this transition time! This family is dear to me!

The Blocks (A Picture Stolen from the Internetz):

New Bible Class for Next Year - My course schedule is changing a bit this coming semester, as long as things go as planned.. (At ICSL, we always have to be flexible.) Right now, the idea is for me to teach an 11th grade Bible Doctrines class in addition to my regular 4 high school English classes. Please pray for me as I begin to prepare for this class. I'm so excited, as I believe it will challenge me to grow in my faith, but I also know that by this, God is asking more responsibility of me.

Spiritual Emphasis Week - Thanks to a FABULOUS missions team from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, this past semester's Spiritual Emphasis Week was wonderful. Students were in class for half days and then went to both large group and small group sessions as well as took part in activities that all made them think about, "Why?"

SEW Team and Secondary Students:

Talent Show - ICSL had a talent show. ICSL students are VERY talented. and creative. and funny. I LOVE them all. <3>

Trip to Pisco - A friend, Jessica, who also teaches at ICSL, had taken a previous trip to Pisco (an area of Peru devastated by the 2007 earthquake) but, upon returning to Lima, realized that she had lost her Peruvian residence card. In order to get a new one, she would need to file a police report, and she was going to have to do it IN Pisco. So, she and I boarded a bus one Saturday and took a day trip to Pisco. It was good to get out of Lima, to be a companion for Jessica, and to see up close and personal the type of damage caused by the earthquake I've heard so much about. I didn't take any pictures, though; sorry about that. The police station was VERY old school though. Most things done by paper or typewriter, it seemed. And even the police flirt with gringas in Peru - "No, we will not go with you to the discoteca tonight!"

Wisdom Teeth Extraction, Eye Infection, Scratched Cornea - This past semester has been one of far too many health complications. First it was my eyes. I had an eye infection, which I had to go to the eye doctor for. Then, I had a scratched cornea, which I had to go to the eye doctor for. Then, one of my wisdom teeth came out, in a way that was not pleasant, so I yet again had to go to the doctor (well, this time the dentist.) And then a place for x-rays. And then the oral surgeon for a consult. And then the oral surgeon for the surgery (all 4 teeth were taken). And then an after-surgery check-up. Yep. I'm banning doctors for a while, hopefully. God was gracious in all, though. He provided me the time and the money and perhaps most importantly, the ability to not swell or bruise at all after the surgery! :)

Dad’s Poor Health - I haven't been the only one with health issues. I had a scare earlier this semester when I received news from home that my dad was in the hospital, receiving 3 liters of oxygen just to breathe normally and in need of an operation. God strengthened me with the prayers of all those around me, both at ICSL and in the States. My dad is doing better now, but he is still weak. Please keep him in your prayers, along with my mom, who is with him with each moment of decline in health.

Dad - Christmas 2008:

Friends’ Weddings - One significant drawback to living in a foreign country: missing the most special day of many friends. Asked to be in 3 different weddings this year, I will not be making an appearance in any. It is simply too expensive, especially when responsibilities here would restrain me to only spending a weekend in the States anyway. My prayers and love to these friends for their support despite my inability to be around in person.

Ashley and Dave:
Katie and Chris:

Chrissy and Brad:

International Cultures Day - At ICSL, we like culture, and we like it a lot. So, we spend an entire week celebrating as many as we can.

Raquel - A dear Peruvian sister in Christ, Raquel, who teaches Spanish at ICSL, had a stroke this year and suffered from an aneurism. Praise God that she has recovered at a miraculous rate and in miraculous ways! Praise God that our school community was burdened with the need to help her and her family cover the financial responsibilites of all the medical help she was receiving! Praise God that we used only a small portion of the raised money to buy her a wheelchair that replaced what she was using: a white plastic lawn chair that had been put on wheels! We are praying that Raquel will return to school soon because we miss her, but we also very much want her to get her rest!

Raquel:
Helida’s Sister - Our maid, Helida, came to work upset one day this past semester. We quickly found out that her sister was in an accident. From what can be peiced together, it is believed she was hit by a train. I do not know her sister's current condition, but please keep this family in your prayers. The medical care that Helida's sister was receiving was not exemplary.

Staff Banquet - At the end of the semester, the ICSL staff celebrated a good year. We all took sighs of relief and ate very yummy food.

Me and Elizabeth:

BLOOM brunch - This past year, I have led a small group (very small: only 1-3 girls ever showed up) Bible study for 10th and 11th grade girls. Let me tell you: it was such a blessing to me! I love these girls. I joined with the Bible study for 6th-9th grade girls for worship time. Collectively, these Bible studies are called BLOOM - Becoming Like the One and Only Messiah. We had a nice brunch at the end of the semester to close the year out. I am SO looking forward to how God will continue to grow these girls into the next year.

BLOOM Girls:

Junior/Senior Banquet - ICSL Prom. Fun, fun, fun. A lot of work to organize - Praise God for all of Kathy's planning! It was a blast!

Miss McNally, Angela, and Miss Murrell:
Best Friends - Lynea, Alisha, and Julia:
Class of 2009:

Imagine here that you would be seeing a video of Eden, my roomie, doing a very funny something or other. If only video uploads didn't take SO long.

Graduation - My seniors graduated! Oh how I will miss them! May God watch over them and keep them on their journeys into adulthood!

Class of 2009:

Moving - Well, the school year ended, and the time came to actually MOVE into that new house I told you about.

We have animals at our new place. Dog: Sadie. Cat: Espie.
Sadie, always watching Espie:
Funny Picture of Our Cute, Cute Cat:

TOEFL - It is now summer and I've been teaching a summer class for 3 ICSL students who are about to be seniors. Because they are ESL students, they need to take an exam, called the TOEFL, in order to graduate from ICSL. My class is test prep for that exam. Pray that God would give them the confidence and the motivation and the facilities to learn all that they are being asked to learn and me the patience and the knowledge to be the most effective teacher.

Spanish with Irma - I decided to finally get myself a Spanish tutor. I was taking Spanish everyday for 2 weeks, but I've gone down to 1 day a week. The cost and the time was just too much, and I should relax at least a little during my vacation. I'm certainly learning, but speaking well is going to take me a LONG while. I assure you. ::SIGH::

4th of July - I found myself a little sad when July 4th rolled around this year. I missed the States. I missed my family and my friends. Yet, Lindsay threw a 4th party here, and really, I had such an enjoyable time! Friends + American Food + Elizabeth's Tequenos + Vacation Time = Great.

Recent Conversations with Students - Praise God for the continual reminder that He has sent me here and for the glory of His name. Some of my students need to hear that truth and the truth of God's grace, I've been reminded very recently, and still others are living out the truth for themselves! May God equip me to do that for which I have been called.

Upcoming Birthday - I'm almost 24. I can't decide if I'm happy or sad about that. Take one good, long look, or shall I say looks?, at me at 23.

Taking a Nap. First Year Teachers Have it Rough:

It's much more fun celebrating age when you're not the one getting old. Happy Birthday Eden:
Karaoke Night:

Ok, okay, so, I write a lot, even when I don't intend to. I'm just holding up what's expected of me as an English teacher. To those of you in Peru: I love who you are and what you've meant to me this past year. You have enabled me to truly LIVE here and make this place HOME! To those of you in los Estados Unidos (the United States): I love you and miss you greatly. Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement. My current plans are to visit at Christmas time, so make some plans to spend some time with me, por favor! :)

For more amusing stories of life in Peru, which I personally always enjoy, check out my roomie Eden's blog @ http://edenpage.blogspot.com/

And, for those of you who have made it this far, please begin prayerfully considering financial support for now or at the turn of the next year, when loan payments will begin to be due. God has called me here, and I am confident He will provide by whatever means - perhaps you! - He sees fit.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

-Philippians 4:19

Commitment Card
I would like to support the ministry of Amanda Frances Murrell at International Christian School of Lima (Project Number: 003134).

(Check all that apply.)
Prayer (so that I, too, may be reminded to pray for and thank God because of you)

One-time gift (Enclosed amount: $___________)

Monthly support (Amount: $________/mo.) – If you would like to offer monthly support through an automatic donation service, please request another form from me and send it to NICS along with this commitment card. Remember to use my project number when designating how you would prefer your donation to be used.

Please provide all of the following information:
Name:_____________________________________________Email:_____________________________
Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone:_____________________________________________

Reminders:
· Make checks payable to “Network of International Christian Schools” or “NICS.”
· Please include “Project # 003134” on the memo line of the check.
· Do not write my name on the check.

Please mail, along with gift, to:
NICS Finance Dept.
3970 Goodman Rd. E
Southaven, MS 38672

If you have any questions, you may contact NICS at 1-800-887-6427.
A tax-deductible receipt will be issued to you within 2 weeks.

Summer's End

2009-02-08T18:28:00.005-05:00

Feeling a bit unmotivated to post, this one will be short. School starts tomorrow and, while I'm really excited, I am also anxious to see how I'm challenged to grow in the coming months.

__________

Lord, use me in ways honoring to You. Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear and my heart to compassion for all things to which You call me. In thought and word and deed, may You work through me to bring Yourself glory and praise. Forgive me for my pride, for my selfish-ambition. Forgive me for my skewed priorities and for my disbelief. Make me into a steward of love and truth to my students and all those I may meet, to all those in need.

Jesus, thank You for Your unfailing strength, saving grace, renewing joy. Thank You for this precious, relaxing, rewarding summer in Peru. How great are You that You have called me to this place! How great are You that You are! That Your greatness is not conditional upon that which You have given to or taken away from me. That You are good and love and truth and justice forever and ever. You bless me in ways indescribable. In ways I do not deserve. You shall be my King always. Mi Protector. Mi Poder. Mi Sustentador. Mi Refugio. Mi Libertador. Mi Ayuda. Mi Gran Amor.

__________

A Quick Recap of my Summer:

1. I went to the edge of the jungle, to the cities of La Merced and San Ramon. It took an 8 hour bus trip to get there. I trekked through the rainforest to see beautiful waterfalls and electric blue butterflies. It was absolutely beautiful. One day, I went on a "tour" and got to experience being in a car that got stuck in the middle of a river in the middle of a road in the middle of nowhere on a mountain overtaken by the rainforest. I also got to wade in not-so-hot hot springs, which was the disappointing and ultimate destination of the tour. I got to fish without a fishing pole but with raw chicken as bait (I didn't catch anything). I got bitten, a lot, by mosquitoes.

2. This past week, I went surfing for the first time, off the coast in Lima. I didn't make it to standing up, but it was enjoyable after overcoming the fear of dying. Well, and getting over the fact that my instructor insisted on asking me out. Ew.

3. My roomies are back! :) Lauren's family (mom, dad, and sis) was here for a week visiting. What a blessing they were to me! :) I enjoyed accompanying them as Lauren gave them the grand tour of our lives in Lima - to the Magdalena open air market, Metro, Parque Kennedy, and elsewhere!

4. Overall, I played much more than I worked, and I don't regret it one bit. Hopefully I won't be retracting that statement at the end of this week. :) I'm loving this life, and yet still working toward storing my treasure in the life to come, in the life eternal, in the life that is to be shared with my God in heaven.

Occurrences in Magdalena (If you didn't already know, that's where I live.)

2009-01-12T23:26:00.003-05:00

Several things I think worth noting have happened during my first day back in Peru. They are as follows.

1. I have re-arranged my bedroom furniture. This includes switching out a child's desk and desk lamp for others a bit more sophisticated found throughout the house. This also includes switching out a large bookshelf for a smaller one that was not being used in the upstairs hallway. Although I have not fully finished decorating, the room is much more mine that it has ever been. Yay! Pictures to come.

2. In the midst of re-arranging furniture, I met the ugliest, biggest bug -- cockroach -- ever! Needless to say, I freaked out, but I stood my ground, sprayed it with about a gallon of Raid, attacked it with the yellow pages, swept it up into a wad of paper towels, and promptly disposed of it. I would have taken a picture, but my camera is out of batteries. Say thanks for the reduced likelihood, now, that you will have nightmares.

3. I have come to the realization, if I had not already, that there is no way I could ever live alone for the rest of my life. It has been quiet around here, despite the fact that I have had background music on all day. And though I would normally be terrified that I'd fall into a stoop of lonesome pity parties over the next 2 weeks before my roomie Lauren returns, I have been so blessed with friends here that have assured me I have no reason to be alone and sad. I was called by a friend today who welcomed me home and extended an open invitation to her house. Another I spoke with online, and plans are in the works to go to the beach. And, still, I have had 3 others want to make plans to hang out in the coming weeks. I am so incredibly blessed with the gift of friendship that God so perfectly knows is just what I need!

4. I went grocery shopping. Walking to the grocery store (about 3 blocks away), shopping, checking out, walking home, unloading groceries, sterilizing fruits and veggies, and making/eating a tuna sandwich and yogurt for dinner took a whopping 3 hours or so. Shew! Can you guess why I don't enjoy the grocery or cooking!? I am going to try very hard, though, to cook and eat all my meals at home this week. We'll see how it goes.

5. Peru is home to fun fruits that most Americans don't have access to. One such fruit is the granadilla. I tried it when I first arrived in Peru about 6 months ago. I couldn't remember if I really liked it, so I decided to buy another one today while at the grocery store. I tried it after dinner. I didn't like it. Some say it looks like snot, and I'll go as far to say that it pretty much tastes like snot too.

6. I forgot that, in Peru, I cannot flush my toilet paper. Fortunately, I only forgot once, and there are no mishaps to speak of because of the incident.

7. It is definitely warmer here than it is in KY right now. We don't have air conditioning, so I'm sleeping with my windows open and only a thin blanket over me. I'll take this, any day, over the bitter cold that I had to endure just yesterday.

8. I'm trying to make loose plans for the rest of the week: 1. Spend time with God. 2. Relax. 3. Finish organizing/decorating my room (i.e. go through financial paperwork, shop for some fun comfort home-y items, de-clutter the extra bedroom where I've temporarily stored my suitcases, etc.) 4. Read A LOT, write, and plan for school.

Answers to Aforementioned Questions

2009-01-12T23:25:00.002-05:00

1. Q: So, do you like [Peru]?
A: I love it! (smiling) I love my school, my students, my friends. I love the weather, the food, the experiences, the traveling. I love the dependency on God, the faithfulness of God, the youthfulness and adventure I feel while here. I wouldn't exchange this, where I am right now, for anything.

2. Q: Have you found anyone special?
A: Although I would like to write lengthy commentary on how silly of a question this is, seeing as how I think I would mention, without prompting, finding someone special if he really were THAT special, I'll conclude by saying that my answer simply is 'no.'

Here are the top two questions . . .

2009-01-10T21:55:00.005-05:00

. . . that you'll probably be asked upon returning to the States, if you are a single woman and move to a foreign country. I know, from experience.

1. Q: So, do you like it?

2. Q: Have you [subtle pause, with the lifting of an eyebrow] found anyone special?

Almost Time

2009-01-08T23:58:00.002-05:00

It is late.

I need to be awake in 5 hours so I can pack my things up and head to Louisville, yet I don't feel like sleeping. I want so badly to be home again, in Peru, and I will be in 3 days, but I'm not looking forward to all the packing and goodbyes and last-minute errands that need to be taken care of before I can ever step foot on the plane.

Please pray for my heart.

A Quick Glimpse at 2008

2009-01-01T23:33:00.039-05:00

Since it is January 1st (yet probably January 2nd by the time I actually post this), I have been feeling a bit nostalgic today, quite appropriately if I may say so. Thought it might be a good time to reflect on all that's happened this past year:

January 2nd-April 25th: Student Teaching at Bryan Station High School (BSHS), Lexington, KY
Thumbs Up: I learned a lot, about myself and what I treasure, about teaching, about human nature . . .
Thumbs Down: It was the most exhausting and unfulfilling challenge I have yet faced in my 23 years of living. I came home defeated nearly every day, reluctant to return to school the next.

Above: A photo of working hard at BSHS. This was during one of my finer moments, in which my students created story boards about short stories they had read individually. We then spent a day in class having a short story fair! You wish you were my student, don't you? :)

May 3rd: Graduate School Graduation, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Thumbs Up: They say I'm certified to teach, and they gave me a Masters degree to prove it! :)
Thumbs Down: I have less money than I did when I was first accepted into the program.

Above: A photo of me and my secondary English grad school friends just before receiving my diploma.

Later in May: Obtaining a Career! An invite (and acceptance!) to depart from Lexington, KY and travel to and live in Lima, Peru
Thumbs Up: I honestly can't think of any "Thumbs Ups" and "Thumbs Downs" for this one because everything has been good about this opportunity and decision. What an amazing God I have to have planned ALL THIS for ME! :)

Above: A photo of the school where I work.

June 14th: My Best Friend's Wedding, Lexington, KY
Thumbs Up: Jessica Lynn found a real catch!
Thumbs Down: I had to give my love over to a new roomie :(

Above: A photo of my beautiful BFF on the happiest day of her life, and me and the other girls she chose to be a part of the splendiferous occasion adoringly look on.

June 22nd-July 4th: Pre-Field Orientation (PFO), Southaven, Mississippi
Thumbs Up: I learned great things about transitioning into a new culture and teaching at an international Christian school. I met wonderful people who are now currently serving Jesus Christ all over the world.
Thumbs Down: I probably gained 15 pounds from the good Southern cooking I had at my fingertips for the whole 2 weeks!

Above: A photo of me and my fellow ICSL staff, at least the other newbies like me who needed to attend this pre-field orientation.

July 14th: Departure from Louisville, KY to Lima, Peru

Above: A photo of what I thought would be my last taste of greasy, yummy American food in the airport. Yet, alas, Burger King exists in Lima too!

Above: A photo of me and one of my favorite women in the whole world giving goodbye hugs, at the airport just before walking through security. She also gave me some beautiful daisies as a departing gift!

July 21st: I turn 23!

Above: A photo of me, my niece Harper, and my sister Gil posing in front of my Peruvian-inspired cake that we ate in celebration of my birthday and going-away.

Above: A photo of the food spread I got to enjoy on my actual birthday in Peru.

July 14th-December 21st: Living, Teaching, Serving in Lima, Peru
Thumbs Up:
For this, I'll give a top ten, in no particular order:
1. Loving friends that I'm pleased to say are also co-workers

Above: A photo of me and a few beautiful ladies with whom I traveled to Arequipa, Peru. Aren't we cute?
2. Amazingly witty, forgiving, and caring students from all over the world

Above: A photo of 3 senior girls, taken on the last day of school before Christmas break/Peruvian summer.
3. The opportunity to eat cuy (guinea pig) on which tufts of hair are still present (no joke!) and live to tell about it

Above: A photo of the cuy. Unfortunately (or perhaps it is fortunate?) you can't really see the hair that was definitely not removed from the little critter.
4. Paragliding over the beautiful Pacific Ocean

Above: A photo of me preparing for take-off.
5. A trip to the deepest canyon of the world to see condors, eat alpaca, shop for good buys, admire the beauty of the mountains, and spend time with great people

Above: A snapshot of the Colca canyon.
6. Living in a beautiful home that another family has sacrificially opened to me and my roommates for a year, which is tended to and taken care of by a humble and gentle woman, Elida, to whom my roommates and I owe much gratitude

Above: A photo of the house. Across the street. From mine. Mine is much more home-y.
7. Experiencing comfortable temperatures year-round

Above: A photo of the skyline from a high-rise building. The temperatures may consistently be pleasant, but the sun surely doesn't always shine, especially in the wintry month of August.
8. The great amount of things I am just surprised to get to learn each day: from attempting to learn a new language to figuring out lesson plans to discovering how to travel from here to there or to buy this or that, to being discipled in my faith by mature women of Christ to uncovering cultural differences every day is exciting, although, granted, sometimes also very frustrating.

Above: A photo of Brazil, a busy street close to my home. Although you wouldn't think it from this picture, those crazy drivers I am still trying to understand!
9. Very cheap fruit and fresh fruit juice - que rico!

Above: A photo of my roomie Eden and her sister Dale trying and enjoying some of their first Peruvian fruit.
10.The faithfulness of God despite my occasional lapse in trust. I have survived and have found inexplicable joy despite moving away from friends and family that I've always known, despite feelings of great inadequacy in teaching, despite misunderstandings and miscommunication between myself and students, despite a nasty stomach-thing (what I believe to have been a parasite?), despite all that this challenging and humbling road that I never would have believed I would have taken entails . . .

Above: A photo of one of many bathroom fiascos. Here the toilet overflowed and Eden is working to clean it up. This toilet still doesn't run properly. Perhaps that should go on my to-do list of things to work on before school starts back again.
Thumbs Down: Men whistle at me. All day long. Wait . . . since when has making women feel beautiful been a bad thing? I guess this "complaint" doesn't belong here after all. :)

Above: The outdoor market close to my home, shown here, is a prime place for some old-fashioned cat-calling.

December 21st-December 31st: Visiting with friends and family in Louisville and Lexington, KY for the Christmas holiday
Thumbs Up: Reuniting with those I've missed dearly
Thumbs Down: Missing Peru and having to face the inevitable goodbyes once more, in just over a week

Above: A photo of me and Claire, a friend from ICSL, taken at our staff Christmas banquet just prior to returning to the States.

Above: My oldest niece, Ayla, and I pose on Christmas Eve.

Here's to a new year, filled with as many blessings as the last! To God be the glory in 2009 - and, of course, forever more.

is anyone still out there?

2008-11-18T20:41:00.003-05:00

I wouldn't be surprised if no one reads this post; after all, it has been over a month since my last one, and it can be tedious to click on a blog every day only to be disappointed by a lack of updates. (Sorry, Katie!)

I am currently lounging on one of two couches in my living room enjoying the sweet taste of homemade pecan pie (made by my roomie, Eden!) and a break from work. Obviously, work has been time-consuming and burdensome, as you haven't heard from me in a while. If you haven't heard me say it before, I'll say it again: I'm convinced that teaching has to be one of the most difficult jobs out there! School, over the last several weeks, has become my life. And, although I came to Peru to teach and to serve in such a capacity, I am slowly learning that being placed on this mission field also requires of me, foremost, time with God, and then also time with people and time to myself, relaxing or having fun. I need all of these things to stay healthy - physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially. I laugh to myself when I recall having said something like, "I'll be okay if school consumes my life," before the year began. I think I knew in my head and my heart the way I attach myself to the tasks set before me. I have inherited workaholism, which is a terrifyingly oppressive weight to bear, especially when coupled with the tendency to desire perfection, which itself sprouts from feelings of inadequacy. Despite all this, though, I continue to grow here. I learn more about myself. I face challenges I never anticipated facing. I find joy in suffering, for I know it makes me more like Christ.

One of the most difficult realities I have had to endure here is that of my own depravity. I alone am not sufficient for anything. I've been hit with humility over and over again as I've had to apologize for teaching concepts wrong in class or organizing events in ways that are different (perhaps worse) from the ways they were before or forgetting to contact parents or lacking discernment about the things I allow my students to do or not to do. My heart has broken as I've had to bear such guilt, but it has also been restored by God who assures me that His strength is made perfect in my weakness, that I am not incapable of being loved or even liked if I make mistakes: unfortunately, a very hard lesson for a girl who is often way too hard on herself.

Life here has started to become routine, but in many ways it is still not home to me yet. I long to do some simple things that will make my house seem a little more like a place I would choose to live. In the States, I was used to cleaning my room almost every weekend, making sure it was nice and neat and PRETTY. Here, my room stays clean because I have a maid, but it is not at all adorned with things that are ME. I would like a bed spread that I pick out and some photos on the walls and a way to organize school things so that my bed room doesn't look like just another class room! Moreover, I didn't cook in the States and that hasn't really changed here, but sometimes the task is a bigger one than I want to tackle simply because the kitchen is not organized in a way that makes sense to me. It in no way is a criticism of the family in whose house I'm staying; it is simply a result of my neuroticism. Today I've really felt the longing for some American t.v. - an outlet for mindless musings. I hope to bring back some movies or t.v. series on dvds after Christmas break.

Other things like not having a car or going to the post office or mall with ease sometimes make my life here feel not so much like the one I've always known. With each passing day, I'm beginning to realize that those are things I need to re-learn, things for which I need to schedule special time. It is a choice to push aside the normal goings-on of life in order to work; sometimes I need to choose to not work, even if that means a lesson plan is not the way I had hoped it would be.

With all that said, though, I am still very much loving and blessed by the choice I made to come here. My students and friends here are so good to me. For a recent magazine project, two of my sophomore girls interviewed the rest of their class to get their input about me. Among their comments were some about me being cute, beautiful, creative, loving, and awesome. It was incredibly sweet! One of my friends, Claire, the ESL teacher at school, spent some of her time this weekend hand-writing out recipes for me that would be easy to make; she knows I don't and can't cook but that I want to. She made sure to include practical advice, some of which is quite humorous. I was so blessed by this simple gift that I nearly cried - it reminded me of my sweet Jessica :) who has taken care of me for the last two years.

I have jillions of things I could write about - stories of hope and of joy, of sadness, of pain, of laugther, of frustration, of friendship, of teaching - but I can't possibly record all those here and now. However, here are some special prayer requests:

1. Tomorrow the entire seondary school (7th-12th graders) will be traveling an hour and a half south of Lima to work at an orphanage building site and in a couple of Peruvian national schools sharing the Gospel. Please pray for safety, for the hearts of ICSL students (believers and non-believers alike), and for those we will be sharing Jesus with.)
2. There are less than 5 weeks of school left until Christmas break. I (and other teachers) have more grading than I know what to do with. Please pray that I would have the time, energy, and right attitude to approach such a task.
3. I will be in the States on December 21st! Please pray for safety as I travel, for a car to drive once I arrive, for finances to work out while I'm there. Please pray that I would spend good time with my family and friends so that it is satisfying but not so much so that it will leave me disgruntled about returning to Lima.
4. It is time for me to pay back student loans; instead I'm filing for deferment. Please pray that my paperwork reaches the proper person's desk in time and that this deferment is approved.
5. I have found a church family, at least for the time being, but I'm still not altogether confident it is where I'm being called to stay. Please pray that God would place upon my heart wisdom in either staying or going, and that I would not become locked in to my choice based upon convenience or comfortability levels alone.
6. I don't speak Spanish. Enough said.

Thank you for your prayers and for your support.

Contact me if you want to spend some time together over the holidays! I can't wait!

Love and blessings,
Amanda

Spring has Sprung! . . . and so has 2nd quarter . . .

2008-10-12T10:37:00.009-04:00

October 12, 2008. I have now lived in Peru for 90 days! Winter has come and gone, and Spring has arrived. (And, no, I'm not really counting the days; I just stopped to do that for the purposes of this post! I don't have time to be counting days, to be honest. Each day here is filled with unexpectancies: new responsibilities to oversee, new tasks to accomplish, or new adventures to undergo. God has been faithful, though, as I have certainly been struggling my way through the first quarter of my first year as a teacher. Lesson planning and grading are daunting tasks when I'm not quite sure I am doing them correctly. Moreover, my heart is burdened each day by the needs and desires of my students, especially for those who do not know Christ and exhibit such despair and/or confusion. My students are dear to me, and my heart is overjoyed that God has brought me to a place that is so relational. A couple weeks ago, ICSL (my school) had its first Spiritual Emphasis Week of the year. Spiritual Emphasis Week is a time that the school sets apart for extra fellowship with and teaching about God. Instead of having a chapel time only on Wednesday during that week, the students attend a chapel every day, each one usually hosting a different speaker. Class times are also cut throughout the week so that girls and guys can attend break-out sessions about topics that are especially pertinent to them. This past time, high school girls attended break-out sessions related to the power of words and purity of heart (Psalm 19:14). The week concludes with a praise concert and a time when students can choose to make commitments to Christ or steps in their faith. I pray that I will see the fruit of that time in weeks to come.

In other school-related news, I have begun leading a 10th and 11th grade girls Bible study after school on Thursdays. Although I have led small groups before, the task of leading my students is a foreign one to me. It will be challenging to find a balance for the relationships I form with the few girls who I mentor both inside and outside of school.

Somehow, my days ultimately revolve around school and yet, I am currently lacking in specific stories to tell. It is, though, I Love to Read Month at ICSL and students are pitted against students and teachers against teachers to read the most pages for prizes! Too bad I can't include all of ya'll reading this blog in the competition. After all, if I could, you could win a Globo Pop (a Peruvian sucker - yum!), Starbucks, a Dunkiin' Donuts breakfast, and/or a lunch on ICSL, among other things.

Perhaps more exciting things to report are that 1) I'm coming back to Kentucky for Christmas break! (December 21-January 11) and 2) I just returned from Arequipa, Peru in southern Peru and have some pictures to share with you:

ICSL was not in session for Wednesday-Friday of this past week, so I, along with 4 other female teachers at the school, took a plane to Arequipa for four days to get away from Lima and rejuvenate before jumping back into school.

Arequipa is surrounded by mountains, snow-capped ones at that! It is the second largest city in Peru (after Lima), but it still maintains a sense of antiquity and homeliness that is sometimes difficult to experience in everyday Lima. We spent a day around the main center square and a night at a hostel before we then traveled to Colca Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world known for its resident condors. On our trip to Colca Canyon, we got to see llamas and alpacas, experience and swim in natural hot springs, watch Peruvian folkloric dance, and taste various Peruvian cuisines (e.g. I ate alpaca!).

I Have NO IDEA . . .

2008-09-21T00:43:00.002-04:00

where 2 whole weeks have gone! I'll try actually posting something of substance tomorrow, but now it is bed time, especially since I've been working for about 13 hours today.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Kawai sounds like Hawaii but is in Peru!

2008-09-06T19:42:00.017-04:00

I told you there'd be more alliteration. (See title of this post and the last.)

The call to be on the mission field is one of much confusion and blessing.

School ended promptly at 3:30 p.m. last Thursday afternoon just before I scurried away to Rachel and Jeremy Hollie's apartment to help Rachel prepare her 6 mo. old twins, Esther and Joy, for a weekend away in the foothills of the Andes. After we were picked up by Annie and Jens Erickson, along with their 4 kids (Lad, Reuben, Kelly Hope, and Oliver), we picked up two other teachers from the school, Jessica and Debbie, on our way out of town. The girls rode together in one vehicle while the men and the children occupied the other. Our first task was to make it out of Lima, which, by the way, is huge. Traffic can be and was painfully slow, and unfortunately it gets dark at 6 in Peru since we're so close to the equator, so we didn't do much sightseeing Thursday night. Yet, it was a good experience to drive through one of the many parts of Lima that is plagued with poverty and crime. It is eye-opening to see that all people do not live the way I live or expect to live. While in this part of town, we were stopped by a man who threatened to not let the guys' vehicle pass without first giving him 10 centimos (less than 4 cents) - both a scary and disheartening situation. Jens refused him the money based on the principle and the man let them go, eventually.

It took several hours to get to Canta, a small town nestled in the mountains. The ride was peaceful yet amusing once out of Lima. It was great to talk with 4 other women about God's calling in our lives and where God has placed each of us. It was interesting when that conversation was interrupted; our car broke down. It was affected mostly by the altitude, we think. It continued to have troubles the rest of the weekend, but we made it there and back safely, so all was well. Moreover, the stop gave us a chance to gaze at the stars that we would otherwise not get to see in the city. :)

We stayed in a nice but pricy (by Peruvian standards) hotel Thursday night, but switched to another hotel on Friday night because the prices were going to go up for the holiday on Saturday (Santa Rosa). All in all, though, our accommodations were very nice. On Friday, we traveled up to the mountainside, pitched a tent, and soaked in the sun. I went with Jessica, Jens, and Jeremy on a 2 1/2 hour hike up the mountain. Though out of shape, I made it! Along our way, we probably saw more cow dung than we did grass or rocks. The culprits:

They decided to join our group for the afternoon.

We also encountered some large cacti. Jeremy actually fell in one. It was quite unfortunate. There were also thistles we had to dodge (which Jessica landed her hands in) and dreadful cliffs we had to avoid. Yet, the view was our reward:

Also, just for the fun of mentioning it, we ran into some quail that would suprisingly fly off in front of us and scare Jessica silly. :)

The highlight of the hike was probably when we reached our goal and looked beyond to a tunnel that we thought we'd explore. Jens' initial thought was to cross this bridge to get there:

The rest of us quickly vetoed that decision and found another route. Once to the tunnel, we took off our socks and shoes and waded through some mucky water and pointy rocks. It sounds gross but, really, it WAS fun.

The hike down the mountain was much faster but nonetheless still a bit scary. Once we reached the road, we actually hitchhiked back to our camp site. It would have taken us a loooong time to get back had we decided to walk it.

That evening, back in Canta, we ate dinner and played some Cranium (my fave!) and relaxed in the company of good people.

On Saturday, we drove to another small city, San Miguel, to eat some choclo con queso (corn with cheese) and chupetes de fresa (strawberry popsicles, kind of) before we headed back to Lima.

The weekend was refreshing and fun. I felt as if I was spending time with family, and I was able to escape from the pressures of school, even if just for a short while.

Here are a few more pics of Canta and the surrounding area for your enjoyment:

After a great weekend away, I returned to school on Monday. School continues to go well, but it is difficult and takes, sometimes, every ounce of my brain power. Then, I am reminded that it is not by my power or strength but by God's that I am enabled to teach anything in that classroom of mine! Here is a list of specific things I am struggling with that you could be praying for:

1. Lesson planning. What else can I say? It is just difficult. I worry over every minute of every class period. Am I teaching enough reading strategies? writing? grammar? vocabulary? listening and speaking skills? literature? The list goes on and on. I am short for ideas on how to keep things interesting and totally academically sound.
2. Finding enough time to keep up with all the material. As an English teacher, I have to read a lot. A lot of literature and a lot of student writing.
3. Remaining patient at all times, representing the Spirit of God in me. This is so especially important for those students of mine who do not yet know Christ. May Jesus be revealed to them in my classroom, day in and day out, so that they may come to know Him ande seek Him.
4. Sorting through the tedious organizational tasks. For those of you who are teachers, you will understand this one. Every day, I have about 10 more things to add to my to-do list just to keep the routine goings-on of my classroom functioning properly. Late work, make-up work, grading, conferencing with students, meeting the requests of other teachers or administration, preparing for special events, and the list goes on and on . . .

Some praises related to school:

1. My students and fellow staff continue to give me so much joy. The are entertaining and encouraging, forgiving and wise. I had a particularly rough day 2 Wednesdays ago when I was overcome with a feeling of inadequacy. I started crying after our morning staff devotion; quickly I was surrounded by other teachers, my friends, who prayed for me and affirmed what I was doing. One piece of wisdom: At least I'm not making my students more stupid.
2. My students are learning, I think. And, they are being challenged, I think. At least in some areas.

As for this weekend, which I awaited eagerly, I went to Kawai (hence the title of this very long blog post), a beach about 2 hours south of Lima. There, I and other staff members were able to bond by walking on the beach, playing in the ocean, singing praise songs and eating s'mores around a campfire, watching a movie, hiking up a cliff over the water, playing ultimate frisbee in the sand, and eating some genuine Peruvian food over some good conversation. It was cold, and sand now has followed me home, but God has been so faithful to reveal His mercies to me while away from my home in the big city. I am learning that, above all else, I crave and need the knowledge of Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1-2).

Here are some pictures from a weekend at the beach:

Sometimes I pause and consider, in awe, the greatness of God's glory and provision in my life. How blessed I am that I get to experience a slice of God's creation in Peru! The treasures that I find here, in the people and in the culture and in my school, are overflowing. At the same time, I am burdened, mentally and emotionally and spiritually, by the responsibility I have here. I am realizing each day, more and more, whether in Peru or not, the Good News I have been entrusted with and the Glory which I am to reflect both in word and in deed. Though I may struggle with teaching and at the end of each day fail miserably in that, I press on to attain the highest of goals in drawing near to my God, my Lord and my Savior. He is my Shepherd and will never lead me astray.

P.S. FINALLY, here are some photos from the day I went paragliding, like I promised. Sorry it took SOOOO long. Warning: They are in no particular order. Some of the pictures were taken of Parque de Amor (The Love Park) and Larcomar (a fancy mall) before we went paragliding. These places are right next to where we took off!

Cow Dung, Cacti, and Quail

2008-09-02T22:43:00.004-04:00

Stay tuned for stories from my trip to Canta (in the foothills of the mountains), my first experience with counterfeit money, and more alliteration!

Fotos

2008-08-25T00:51:00.004-04:00

Randomness, courtesy of my roommate, Eden:

(A Shot of a City Street)

(A Very Poor District in Lima; I hope to travel up to the cross sometime.)

(Piled into a taxi. There are no seat belt laws here!)

(At a parade with a new "friend" - not. He did tell me I have beautiful eyes though!)

(Someone brought a monkey to the parade!)

(Me and my roomies, our first night here!)

(Learning how to run a household in Peru, and thinking things quite funny.)

(An especially warm and sunny, winter day viewed from a bridge that crosses Brazil, a major road close to my home.)

(An across-the-street view from my home.)

(Pouting after walking a long, long way in heels on a Sunday after church.)

Still no paragliding pictures . . . I'm working on it. It is on my to-do list.

Santo, Santo, Santo es mi Dios (Holy, Holy, Holy is my God)

2008-08-22T23:09:00.007-04:00

And so ends another week of school. This week was a little rocky, trying to figure out what things work in the classroom and what don't. Thinking of creative, academically-sound activites for learning certain knowledge or skills is one thing, but implementing them is totally different! God has me right where he wants me, broken at the foot of the Cross, unable to look anywhere but up for help. I cannot do it alone. I cannot do it without Christ.

I probably got the most "homesick" that I've been this past week, when my roommate's sister (who has been visiting for the last month) got on a plane to head back to the States. I found myself a little jealous. I don't believe it's because I don't want to be here, though. I think it's just my base desire to feel comfortable and confident in my surroundings, to have it easy. Yet, my goal here is not to live a simple life; it is to, in the name of the Gospel, bear witness and bear sufferings, as they come, to the saving grace we've all been offered. I find hope in that alone. Without the redemptive promise, I would not be here in Lima. I would not love the way we were created to love. I would not embrace the day with an eternal perspective. I would not have joy and peace. I would not . . .

I have mountains of lesson planning still to do this weekend for the upcoming week (thankfully it is only a 4 day week!), but I was able to get out tonight and enjoy a night "out on the town" with some girl friends. We went to a park that, at night, displays colorfully lit water fountains (including the tallest one in S. America!). One was a maze that we got to play in and dodge getting drenched. Another was an arch of water that we got to walk through. Another featured lazer lights and projected images of Lima. It was a great attraction to see. We also got to eat some Chifa (Chinese food) and ice cream of course (3 scoops: Mango, Brownie, and Cheesecake. . . mmmmmm).

Some other highlights to mention: I get to go to the mountains (Andes) next weekend! I'm SOOOO excited! :) I'm going with some people from school and we're going to stay in a cute little hotel and just rest and enjoy the beauty of Peru! I can't wait to share with you this experience! The following weekend, I get to go to the beach (a nice one outside of Lima)! It's good to know that I'll be fortunate enough to escape from some of the monotony and stress of lesson planning to actually experience life and fun in Peru. I have been incredibly blessed by the invitations to do these things. Praise God!

Please be praying for me as I lesson plan, that I would have the wisdom to prepare things that invite students to learn not only about English language arts but about Jesus Christ as well. Please pray for me to have confidence and joy while planning and teaching. Please pray for my students, for the other teachers at my school, for our administration, that they would be filled with the guidance of the Holy Spirit in each and every choice.

Here are the people I get to work with everyday, the people I love and the people who, of Christ, love me in return:

Dear Jesus, thank you for being You, mighty and loving. In joy or in distress, I will bless your name. Thank you for this season of blessings. Thank you for my school, my friends, my faithful blog readers. Thank you for my health and my security. Lord, teach me to love others as you surely love me now. Create in me a desire to know and love You more so then certainly we may be ever closer. Among my friends, my family, and my school community, protect those who need protection, heal those who need healing, comfort those who need comfort. Grant me peace and teach me about Your will. Lead me as I make decisions about my priorities; may I not allow school to become my idol. Ultimately, I serve You and Your kingdom. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in YOUR sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Reedemer. Amen

Gratitude

2008-08-16T23:56:00.007-04:00

Thanks be to God for the joy I've been given this week. I love teaching!

Don't get me wrong: Lesson planning is hard. I get tired and exhausted from long days. I'm not always confident that I'm teaching what I need to be teaching in the way I need to be teaching it.

Nonetheless, I feel so satisfied at ICSL. And, I kinda like the challenge when I don't allow Satan to make me feel defeated.

Students are so kind and affirming. Apparently, I'm not only a "good teacher" that allows students to graciously offer their opinions in class (student feedback), but I'm "fashionable" too! I've had students ask for more work for the sake of their own learning. I've had students feel comfortable enough to ask for help or a listening ear after class. I've even had students stop by my home on a Saturday afternoon to get a book for a project approved and just talk/hang out for over an hour.

I've gotten to experience prayer with my students. I've gotten to worship with my students during Chapel on Wednesdays. I've gotten to hear an atheist proclaim the goodness of Christ at work in my school.

I'm so humbled by the faith demonstrated by those around me, and it stirs in me a desire to know God more. I pray that that thirst never goes away.

And though I love school here, I am reminded at the same time of my dear friends who are starting their first, second, and third years of teaching back in the States. I miss sharing their excitement and anxiety with them. I miss my friends who I am used to seeing once, twice, . . . five times a week. I miss their affirmation and their inclusion, their love.

I know that time and distance can halt friendships and relationships. Please, please don't give up on me while you are there and I am here. I care for you no less than when I was with you.

For my fellow English teachers (namely, Amanda and Ashley), I thought I'd share a couple fun things I'm trying with my students. I know if I were at home, we'd all be bouncing ideas around together. No reason why we can't do that over the internet!

1. I'm teaching an "identity" unit to my seniors right now. We started off by reading Oedipus the King, and we'll later look at personal essays and Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street. For Oedipus, I have decided to let the students create their very own Google Literature Trip. Have you seen these?? Go to www.googlelittrip.org and check them out. I'm pretty pumped about it. With nightly reading, my students have reading guides. I slowed down the reading to give them time to go back and re-read, creating detailed outlines/timelines of the storyline of the play. I have given mini-lessons so far on characteristics of a tragedy, elements of plot in Greek drama, and motifs. My students are really into the story, and starting Monday, they will be using class time to create their lit trips in partners. If you'd like my project instructions and rubric, just email me and I'll gladly send them your way. I have no idea how it will all turn out, but I'm excited to see. The computers may run Google Earth slowly and my students may be a little computer illiterate (their words, not mine) and I may not know enough about it all, but at least we'll be learning!

2. I'm doing a short story unit with my freshmen and my sophomores right now. For the sake of time and available resources, I'm unfortunately using the textbook more than I would like, but I think I decided today that we'll only be using the textbook just for the stories it provides. In class, we'll be working on reading strategies like think-aloud and learning from mini-lessons about various literary elements. Moreover, we'll be spending each week for the next 6 weeks working on one of the five steps of the writing process so that the students may produce their own short stories. (2 weeks will be devoted to the revision process, so that I can teach on some important generalized writing techniques that will be crucial to the academic writing we'll be using all year.) At the conclusion of the editing process, my students will create a movie/story trailer for their short stories using computer software. For their trailers, students will need to demonstrate how to foreshadow events and grab the attention of an audience (which will nicely lead into a unit on persuasive essays.) I'm hoping to be able to show all the students' movie trailers to the secondary students maybe during lunch sometime. We'll then have a time of actual storytelling where we'll invite others to come. Extra Bonus: The storytelling time will be at the very beginning of October which just happens to coincide with my school's commencement of "I Love to Read Month," which is a big deal. :)

As for where I teach, take a look:

(Pictures of the outside of the school and of my classroom. I would like to still do more in the classroom, but hopefully that will get accomplished as the year moves along and I feel more comfortable with finances.)

In other news, I finally had some icecream here in Peru. And, uh, all I have for it is one word: delicioso!

And, regarding Spanish words, I still know none. Well, almost none. Now I understand how it is possible for someone to be "immersed" in a culture and still fail to learn the language. Working and living in an English-speaking setting all day really hinders one from interacting and speaking with Peruvians in Spanish! I really really really need to and would like to find a Spanish tutor as soon as possible. I need to check out my options.

I also am still trying to figure out what I want to do about plugging into a church here. Do I attend English-speaking services where I'll fit in and understand, or do I attend Spanish-speaking services that will challenge me to learn the language more quickly and introduce me to more Peruvians though at first I may not be able to fit in or be fed? As for tomorrow, I think I may go to a Spanish-speaking service at 9 and then an English-speaking one at 11. I don't know if I'll want to keep that up, or even if I want to continue going to this church (Calvary Chapel of Lima), but for the moment it is working.

And, on that note, considering all the work (and church) I have ahead of me tomorrow, I wish you a goodnight with my love and with my hopes of blessings for your lives. I will write again soon.

A Glimpse into My Second Day of Teaching

2008-08-08T22:49:00.003-04:00

Well, first a quick scenario from the first (day of teaching, that is) . . .

Freshman English:
Me: Blah blah blah . . . (Syllabus details)
Break from the Syllabus
Student 1: Where are you from?

Me: Kentucky

Student 2: Oooooooh. It totally makes sense now (emphatically).

Who knew that my accent was so distinct?!

and then today . . .
Junior English ESL:
This class is so great! Well, they are ALL great. Today we did some descriptive writing - actually a pre-reading activity using book cover art. It was so great when my students used context clues to already figure things out about the book and express those things in English, nonetheless! Now that I am attempting to learn a second language, I have far more respect and esteem for those who are working toward bilingualism than I ever have before!

Sophomore English:
Bell Ringer: Write about 3 things you would like to do as a part of this class and why.

Me: Okay, now we'll go around the room and mention at least one of the things you wrote down, so then you all will know what kinds of things you can look forward to me planning this year.

Student: Depart from the textbook.

Me: No worries. We're not going to marry the textbook in this class. We'll have to use it for most of your reading, but many of our activities will not come from the textbook.

Student 2: So, we'll just be dating it?

Me: Uhhhm . . . yea, I guess!

Whole Class: Some grumbles.

Me: Oh wait! No, we'll just be friends with the textbook!

Student 3 (a male student): I like that idea much better.

Me: Yes, of course. We've gotta leave you room for a girlfriend!
_________________________

Teaching is going to be sooooo rewarding and sooooooooooo challenging all at the same time. I am incredibly blessed to have the students I have, to be surrounded by the staff of ICSL. It's going to be a great year. Praise God!

A Sigh of Relief

2008-08-08T00:10:00.002-04:00

It's official. I have lived through my first ever day of teaching!!! And, it went well. Sure, I did or said or missed some things, which made nothing perfect, but I was reminded yesterday that pretending to be perfect prevents others from seeing God work through me. It demonstrates pride and that I can do it all alone, and I certainly can't!

I'm very excited about my students who are so fun and so unique. I will surely learn so much from them. (Hopefully, also, they'll learn from me!) Most of them can speak more languages than I can (so, more than 1!) and have seen more of the world than I have! It's so amazing to get to see God's creation of diversity everyday in the classroom.

I hope to still load pictures here and update with more specifics in the next week or so. Until then, here is a verse that you may want to glance at. I used it as a guide for gauging where my priorities are. It brought great comfort.

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galations 5:6

Being "Good Enough"

2008-08-03T16:45:00.003-04:00

Countdown to the First Day of School: 4 days.

Nearly three weeks have passed by so quickly here in Lima, and my period for adjusting to the culture is about to merge with the beginning of school. This past week has been packed with inservice time, and although it has been busy and overwhelming, it has also been encouraging. It means so much to me to go to work and be able to worship and pray daily with my colleagues/brothers and sisters in Christ! I have paused several times to try and comprehend all the blessings this place offers. How beautiful it is also to work alongside Christian Peruvians and engage in their language and culture!

Another part of me, however, is burdened by the responsibility I have been given here. I am not just a teacher of high school English language arts, but I am also a witness of the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. I wonder, "Can I do this?" or more usually, "Can I do this well?". And, I am so easily able to fall into the pit of self-condemnation that hurts not only myself but those around me. I search for affirmation and when I am not filled, I convince myself that I am not good enough. It cheapens the love that people do have for me, and more grievously it cheapens the love I claim to find in Christ. The Holy Spirit has prompted me to remember that I, in fact, can do nothing well apart from God. I am to be weak so that His strength is made evident. That I must lean on Him to accomplish His will here is ideal - necessary even. I shared a verse with several close girlfriends a couple months ago while I was still in the States, and I was reminded of it today at church. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 reads, "Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." I shall not be able to boast of anything other than that which God has enabled me to do! I am confident God will grant me competence to teach as needed. Please continue to pray that I would be open to accepting what He has to offer over what I am able to offer myself (which is not much!). And please also accept my sincere apologies if I have ever denied your love for me.

Here is what my days will look like at ICSL:
7:45am - Staff Devotions
8:15-9:02am - Freshman English
9:06-10:45am - Plan
10:50-11:37am - Senior English
11:42am-12:29pm - Junior English
12:29-12:59pm - Lunch
12:59-1:46pm - Plan
1:51-2:38pm - Junior English ESL
2:43-3:30pm - Sophomore English

I have some pictures of the outside of the school, and I'm working on my classroom early this week. Once I'm able to take some pictures of everything, I'll get some up here. And, yes, those paragliding pictures are still to come. I'm on Peruvian time, now, and things move a lot slower here! :)

This and That

2008-07-26T12:00:00.009-04:00

Today is really the first day since I've arrived in Lima that I've been able to leisurely roam about the house with no outside commitments. My roommates have gone their separate ways for the day, and I have chosen to stick close to home, post on my blog, relax, perhaps go on a walk a little later, and get some school stuff done. (School starts in less than two weeks!)

To refer back to my previous post, I still don't have the paragliding photos to put here, but you can check out my roommate's blog to see some very nice shots of the whole experience. Hopefully, I'll still be able to post some of me sometime soon!

I do, however, have some pretty awesome photos of llamas! One day after Spanish classes, the new staff and some of the school's Spanish teachers went out for a "cultural" experience. We went into several stores where we can find a lot of American products (Wong, PlazaVea, and Hiraoka), but we also went to a ruins site right in the middle of the city! Unfortunately, we were unable to take the tour because they had closed the place down for the day. However, we got to hang out with some llamas. They liked kisses . . .

(From left to right: Eden, affectionate Llama)

. . . and they had a bad case of allergies. Or at least this one did because he sneezed all over Claire!

(From left to right: Understudy for the 7th dwarf, Sneezy; Claire, Debbie, and Me!)

While such activities have been fun and new, Spanish class has been quite challenging but beneficial! I've been in class from 9:30-11:30a.m. every day this past week. Immersion may be the best way to learn a second language, but it still isn't easy!

(From left to right: Juanita (my lovely Spanish teacher) and me)

The picture above was taken at a my "surprise" birthday party that the new staff of ICSL threw for me :) Thanks, guys! I turned 23 on Monday and had Spanish class and a staff meeting that morning/afternoon. Later, some of the teachers came over for cake and Inca Kola.

It was a great birthday!

Later this week, the new staff went on a guided tour around the city of Lima. Here are some pictures I took:

You may see in some of the pictures buses and taxis on the street. Other than walking, those are my primary modes of transportation. They don't quite work the way they do in the states, though. You don't call for taxis here; you wave them down, and they are everywhere! You bargain how much a ride will cost; there are no set fees/mileage, etc. Buses are a whole other story! The cost for bus rides stays fairly set, although you learn what they should cost by word of mouth alone. There are paraderos (bus stops), but they aren't exactly defined as much as a North American would like them to be. You choose the bus you get on by its number on the front or the street names it posts on its side. You pay a bus worker, not some change machine like we have on buses in the States. Buses have 2 workers: a driver and another person who waves people onto the bus, takes money, etc. There is never not enough room on a bus here. If there are no seats, you stand. Sometimes there are more people standing than there are sitting. All vehicles stop very quickly here in Lima, so you must hold on tight unless you want to end up in the lap of a stranger!

Other things you may be interested to know:
-Security is very important here. Doors are trickier than you think they would be, and individuals wind up owning a lot of keys! For my school/classroom alone, I have 19 keys. Yes, I look like a janitor when I carry them around. For my home, I have 3 keys. Many people here have more.
-Street merchants are everywhere here. Some have stands, but many carry their products in their hands and try to sell things on buses while they are stopped at red lights.
-Gas is not self-service here. Moreover, cars can merge into an extra lane of the street and get gas without ever having to pull into a gas "station". Pumps are on the side of the road and workers are always ready to pump gas for anyone who pulls up. You don't even have to turn off your engine! Dangerous? Probably. Convenient? Oh yea! :)

Alright, I won't bore you with any more Peruvian details for now, but please also check out my new prayer request/praises section of my blog!

Fiesta!

2008-07-19T23:49:00.003-04:00

It is ten 'til 11:00 p.m. in Lima on this Saturday evening, and my neighbors are throwing a (very loud) fiesta. Please keep in mind that I can already hear everything my neighbors do (e.g. push microwave buttons or answer a telephone). Magnify those sounds by 100 and you have what I'm surrounded by right now. Although I enjoy the cultural induction, I would appreciate some sleep. While I wait for the noise to die down, or before I give up and really give sleeping a shot, I thought I would go ahead and post an entry.

Unfortunately, I do not yet have the photos downloaded onto my computer that I want to show you, but I went paragliding yesterday! All of the school faculty walked, after our cookout, to Larcomar, a ritzy mall on the coast in Lima. We were going to bowl there, but when we arrived we were informed that it was league night and no lanes would be open. As several began to toss out alternative activities, I threw out the idea of paragliding. Jens, another teacher, asked, "Seriously?" The consensus was "Yea!" Jens knows someone who got us a deal: $20.00 for about 25 minutes in the air. It was great, both relaxing and thrilling. The guy who took me up was a trip, though. He wanted to exchange tricks for a kiss. I kindly denied him the pleasure. He also was very fond of teasing me. He would make me flap my arms or would tell me that something broke and then wait a moment before telling me he was only joking.

I did not have him in mind tonight when I said aloud, "Se necesita muchacho." Rough Translation: In need of a boy. Really, I was reading a sign (posted at a restaurant, seeking hired help) aloud just for the oral Spanish practice. The girls around me laughed at my expression of wanting male companionship. I promptly explained myself. Nonetheless, men here are eager to show their appreciation of North American beauty. Men constantly make kissing noises at white females on the street. I am told I am beautiful more times here than I have been told in my whole life! One man even told me he loved me. At least I know the men aren't afraid of commitment here! The most shocking thing is that many men here have bought car horns (yes, installed and used regularly in their cars) that whistle at women!

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On a much more serious note, I wanted to post at least briefly on one aspect of Lima, something to be mindful of at least. My living situation is above average here. I am in an area that would be comparable to the middle class in the States. In fact, our school's business manager just moved here several weeks ago from Kabul, Afghanistan where he has been living and remarked how much this feels like the States to him. I am not at all suffering here, but don't misunderstand: many Peruvians are. The unemployment rate here is outrageous; about 50% of all Limenos (those that live in Lima) are without jobs. The mortality rate here is also very high. I recently read a small booklet about Lima given to me by fellow missionaries. The very last chapter is about bullfighting. The author, Paul Clark N., explains bullfighting and its connection to Limenos' view of death. He writes,

"They say that Death has free access through the Large Gate of the bullring, that the serpents of fatality dwell within. But then again so it is in every street in this city of Lima. Death is around every corner, but so is Victory. Life must go on. The struggle must continue."

I may be comfortable with where I live and what I have been given, but I also want to remember that I am in a city with people that know trials much unlike the "trials" I have faced. I am here to serve these people. Please pray for them as I do. Please pray for opportunities to arise that will enable me to serve them.

I am humbled now as I write since I myself have already been so well served by people in this city. Men will hop off busses to help with directions. Tomorrow, Betty, a Peruvian teacher from the school, will take me to her church. My maid (yes, I have a maid) has and will do so much for me! Her name is Elida, and she comes twice a week to clean the entire house, do laundry, cook, mend clothes if necessary, water plants, and go to the grocery or run errands. It will take getting used to, as I am not inclined to want to treat another as my "servant." Yet, the practice of having maids here is very common, and it actually employs those who otherwise would not be employed. It puts money into the pockets of Peruvians who in turn invest it in their own economy.

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Well, the party next door is still going strong and church will come early tomorrow. I'm going to give sleeping a try and will post again soon, hopefully with pictures this time!

God Bless!

I'll bet you wish you were here . . .

2008-07-18T13:06:00.005-04:00

. . . if you only saw the type of food I get to eat! At pre-field orientation, a presenter warned us that we would gain weight while abroad. Now, I understand why. Lima is internationally known for its cuisine! I'm going to be so spoiled! One of our new favorite restaurants is San Antonio's. It is a nicer restaurant, but I still only pay S/.12 (soles) or $4.00 for a meal! Yesterday for lunch I had a Bali sandwich (pechuga de pollo, mayonesa, duraznos de jugo, y pacanas; chicken breast, mayonnaise, peach juice, and pecans) on delicioso bread! This morning for breakfast, I had a tortilla española which is pretty much a potato omelette. It was very tasty! I also had a frozen de fruta (frozen fruit drink), maracuyá flavored. Maracuyá is a fruit that is unable to be translated into English as we don't have it in the States. When you cut the fruit open, it has what looks like a lot of sunflower seeds coated in a sticky citrus fruit sauce.

The other night we went to a bakery to eat empanadas (pastry-crusted, meat/vegetable/cheese filled sandwiches). Just before we left I got an harreje de chantilly for dessert. See the picture below. It was AMAZING.

Now, don't you wish you were here? I thought so.

Speaking of food, I need to get ready for the cookout that is being thrown for the teachers at the school this afternoon . . . :) I like food entirely too much. Perhaps I should join that gym I visited the other morning here. We'll see . . .

The Video, at last!

2008-07-17T19:33:00.003-04:00

I have internet now! Hooray! Here's the video I wanted to post earlier. I'll write again soon :)

Home Sweet Home

2008-07-17T10:40:00.002-04:00

I have arrived safely, and things are going well! My internet access is still somewhat limited, but I'm hoping that gets fixed tonight. I'm learning so much already that I don't really even know where to begin. Yesterday was a feat going to the grocery for the first time! Apparently, you must weigh all fruits, vegetables, and bread before taking them through the checkout line. Had we known, the trip would have gone rather smoothly! The language barrier is probably by far the most hindering thing to me right now. Something as simple as pointing to and ordering a dessert from a bakery is difficult. I am learning some words though - slowly, but surely. After all, it's only been 3 days. I need to go get ready for the day; I think we're gonna try out the bus systems again today. There's really nothing like posted bus routes or schedules for public transportation here like there would be in the States, so my roomates and I are a little intimidated about how we're going to learn to get around on our own! I did want to go ahead, though, and post a video tour of my new home. I apologize for the poor quality! I'm an amateur, but it should give you a pretty good idea of what Peruvian homes (or at least homes in Lima) look like. Enjoy!

(Video coming soon - technical difficulties)

God is the goal.

2008-06-29T22:51:00.002-04:00

Wow. God has been teaching me some things this week. Today, He taught me two particularly humbling lessons.

1. We have been singing a beautiful song that I have never heard before during worship this week. I have pasted it here for you:

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor through this storm
You have called me
To this passing
And I follow though I'm worn
May this journey
Bring a blessing
May I rise on wings of faith
And at the end of my hearts testing
With your likeness let me wake

Jesus guide me
Through the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure
When the midnight meets the morning
Let me love you even more
May this journey
Bring a blessing
May I rise on wings of faith
And at the end of my hearts testing
With your likeness let me wake

Let the treasure of the trial
Form within me as I go
And at the end of this long passing
Let me leave them at your throne
May this journey
Bring a blessing
May I rise on wings of faith
And at the end of my hearts testing
With your likeness let me wake

It has been easy, in the midst of preparing to move abroad, to think of my Jesus-commissioned "journey" as one merely to Peru, to teach, to serve. Through the wise words of a worship singer tonight, though, I was able to step back and understand that this journey (lowercase "j") is only one among many that compose The Ultimate Journey, that is the one to God. My passage, my mission, is to become ever nearer to God, and to glorify Him in all that I do.

2. The second lesson I gathered today from a friend. Some of my deepest desires, when gone unfulfilled, can become the greatest daily sacrifices rather than the greatest stumbling blocks. Instead of lamenting over the things I do not have, may I be able to leave them at the altar in Jesus' name!

As for this day, what a blessing! Given a break from 8a-5p classes, I spent the day at the pool with a great group of girls and then had some ice cream afterwards. :) It was refreshing to have a chance to just relax.

Blessings to all,
Amanda

PFO

2008-06-25T16:26:00.003-04:00

I arrived in Southaven, Mississippi just outside of Memphis, Tennessee safely on Monday afternoon. The drive went very well despite being stopped by a cop. He was a very nice fellow, let me go without even asking to see my drivers license or registration. Apparently, they have laws in TN about following too closely, he said (as if there aren't laws about that in Kentucky!). I was very grateful, though, that he was nice enough to stop me for safety concerns and not to hand me a ticket. I think it helped that I was cute, nice, and from out-of-state! :) I learned my lesson and made sure to keep my distance the rest of the trip!

So, I've now only been here a couple of days, but it has felt like forever. I'm adjusting to living with 5 other girls in a classroom that has been converted into a bedroom and sharing community bathrooms. It's dorm life all over again + 4 extra roommates! All in all, there are about 170 people at this Pre-Field Orientation (PFO). Many of the participants are about my age in their early 20s. There are also many families with young children.

I have gotten to meet a lot of very fine people from all over the States and world! It is really very fascinating. It is also very frightening to realize just how little I know about living internationally. I'm not quite sure what I've gotten myself into! Things are starting to become more real, and I'm finding out that this decision is REALLY going to change my life. When I went to Hong Kong in 2005, I saw my future ahead of me in the States. I was going out of the country for just a month; I would survive! Now, I'm leaving for at least two years and cannot fathom what is, God willing, to come after that! The future is almost completely unknown. God will sustain me, but I must find the strength to believe that truth in every moment. Please pray for me and the others here with me through our time of transition.

I believe there are about 11 other teachers here going to the same school as I am. Two actually have already been in Peru for a year, so they are extremely helpful in filling us new ones in on everything we should know! Having them here is surely a blessing!

I have started to connect with some of the teachers. Those connections, I pray, will only solidify in the next week and a half.

I am meeting with my mentor in just several minutes so I won't write much else for now, but I hope to check in again soon and write something perhaps more interesting!

Love!

Oh Foggy Days!

2008-06-03T14:07:00.004-04:00

It's rather unfortunate that I'll be arriving in Peru under such circumstances. :(

To Accompany the Previous Post

2008-06-03T13:46:00.001-04:00

Tribal Peoples

2008-06-03T13:39:00.003-04:00

Surfing on the internet for news about Peru, I found this article.

It is most interesting that there are ~15 tribes in Peru that remain isolated from the outside world, and it is most sad that they are threatened by illegal logging and oil exploration.

A Note on the Title Image

2008-06-02T23:01:00.002-04:00

The image behind the title of the blog (now centered, which makes me happy) is of Machu Picchu, ancient ruins in Peru. For now, since the picture is pretty, I will keep this as my header. I hope, though, to take some pictures of the Miraflores district where I will be living in Lima once I arrive, so that I may use one of them here.

I also hope to really start posting once I get to Peru. For now, my posts will remain as sporadic and uneventful as such.

Countdown to Peru: 41 days!

Humble Beginnings . . .

2008-05-06T21:35:00.001-04:00

Okay, so here I go! I have begun this blog as a way to record thoughts, ideas, prayers, insights, moments, etc. - both mine and those of others - and as a way to keep in touch with loved ones (and interested ones) while I am in Peru.

Also, I have selfish aspirations of becoming a writer. You may soon see that such aspirations are in vain, but I cannot become a better writer until I first begin to write.

Countdown to Peru: 68 days!

God Bless,
Amanda