so fast...

Once again time is going way too fast..... But it has been so good. I love this place... And its hard to believe I will be leaving this beautiful country in a month! While I am excited to go home I am also gonna miss this place and the people dearly. Today as I was sitting in a combie(public transportation) I started thinking about all of the things I am thankful for here. I was looking out the window at how beautiful it is and I just started making a list. 

I am thankful for the beautiful blue sky and always white puffy clouds (except for when they are grey and POURING RAIN)

I am thankful for the pouring rain, for how sporadic it is and INTENSE.

I am thankful for the culture, that you can meet someone and then be invited over for dinner OR to live with them?!!? ( and yes that happened!)

I am thankful for how people will see someone they know driving by and will stick their tongue out at them! (this happened today! LOL)

I am thankful for the carefree lifestyle that is so freeing.

I am thankful for the beautiful sunsets over the mountains that I get to see every night from my apartment.

I am thankful for how easy it is to make deep friendships here even with the language barrier.

I am thankful for the trust people have in each other. 

I am thankful for the incredible taste of french fries here...*seriously though they are the best!

I am thankful for the crazy street dogs that even though have been abused will love you instantly with a a few pets they will become your most faithful friend.

I am thankful for the kids here, for their beautiful smiles, and their dedication to games, sports, or even coloring!

I am thankful for combies even the overcrowded ones with crazy drivers that make you fear for your life!!! *talk about Adventure!

I am thankful for the lack of rules/regulations :) life wasnt meant to be lived in bubble wrap!

I am thankful for this place......

My time here has been such a gift. And although I will be leaving soon I know this place will always be a second home to me. God is so good and so faithful.... Don't forget that. It's so easy to be worried about money or future or you name it. But I have to keep reminding myself, has God ever let me down? No.... He has always provided for me and He will continue to do so. My life might be a little different than most, it might seem a little crazy or even irresponsible in ways but what I know is He is leading me and I am... well I am trying to do my best to follow. As for what's next.... well that is a great question haha I think it's important for me to spend time with my family so that's my first focus and then... well there's a possibility of working in Ohio at Marmon Valley Farm (a Christian summer camp and riding stables) but also I have been looking into YWAM (a missionary organization) they have bases all over the world. I'm thinking about one based in Wyoming. Prayers for guidance and direction are greatly appreciated!!! I love you all! and am so grateful for your support!

kiddos at the orphanage playing "memory"

Visitor!

Well this last weekend has been awesome first off I had a surprise visitor stay with me for a few days, miss Jessica! (that was the first time I had anyone stay at my place lol! I totally did not have anything for her as far as a bed LOL so she slept on the floor but she's a trooper!) Saturday we got to go to Carhuaquero working with the kiddos teaching on the 10 plagues, then in the evening was Youth Group, and the next day was church! It was an agape feast and communion time it was such a sweet time of fellowship and God totally did a work through the worship because I was super scared about it (we did In Christ Alone in spanish and Amazing Grace (My chains are gone! in spanish!!!) talk about hard to sing!!! whoa! but God is so very good!!!! and it was beautiful. After church we headed to Incanllada it makes for a very full day! But so entirely worth it! The kids in Incanllada have been such a blessing to me, when I see them I so clearly see the fingerprints of God. We have started with Genesis with them going through the Bible. When we first arrived there was only 2 kids so then we went around the neighborhood and then had 15. It's so cool to watch them come out of their shell. When we hand out crayons and pictures they get serious! And wow they are really good! The funny thing is the first time we came with crayons they thought they were candy and tried to eat them!!! but now they love drawing! :)  God is so good and truly its been incredible to be apart of His work. The more I serve God the more evident it is that it's His work not ours.... In our human-ness we just fail... but with Christ all things are possible.

Jessica and I!

Jessica learning how it works....

my lil buddy Alicia!

Cynthia with our lil buddies inviting more kids to come

riding the combie!

farmland!

wow....

this is the view from my apartment window!

Talk about crazy! haha things have been going great here and time has been going so fast! Cajamarca is the capital in Peru for Carnival (a festival that last.... forever haha  or so it seems) anyhow being so it is expected to get drenched with water balloons, squirt guns, buckets, and whatever is near throughout town for about a whole month... I most definitely experienced that! (being a "gringa" foreigner you are a sure target) It can be really fun! especially getting them back when they least expect it haha! But also during the celebration comes  1 to 2 days of PAINT throwing!!!! Fortunately I missed out on the paint but got some pictures!

On March 7th we had our first visit to the orphanage. It was so incredible! (on my next post ill have pictures from the Orphanage!) We started out by playing with the kids, I got a soccer game going of course :) and then we did some songs a puppet show and a lesson on creation. The kids were really into it and asked some great questions. It was such a blessing to be with them... We will be going again on March 28th I can't wait! The other ministries have been going really well, bellow are some pictures from Carhuaquero and a new ministry in Incanllada (im pretty sure thats not how you spell it but i will get the correct spelling next time! haha) I especially feel bonded to these kiddos :)

:)

Potatoes!

Meet Cynthia and Rosia... <3

Stealing my hat was their favorite game! lol

I will be posting another update soon! (It's been too long!)