Lima: the first days

     I’ve spent two full days in Lima, Peru. (not pronounced like “lima bean”… but like Lee-mah) It’s been great and hard and funny and confusing... a big mix of emotions. The past two days the international students had orientation, and I tentatively picked my classes yesterday. Class starts on Monday and I’ll attend 18 hours’ worth of classes until we register the next Monday and I’ll narrow it down to 12 hours, which is my max for the semester. A lot of the international students are fluent in Spanish, which I did not expect. I’m here to learn the language, and they’re here to learn architecture or medicine or communications in Spanish. Oh well, I’ll get there.

     Lauren is the only other student from UNC that is here with me. We’re currently living in a house with a pastor and his wife. His 14-year-old daughter also lives here, along with his first cousin and the maid, Veronica, and her 6 month old son. The house is huge, to say the least. I haven’t even seen all the rooms yet! It has been great to be here, but the issue is that it’s a long way to the university. Taxi rides are expensive, but buses are cheaper. If Lauren and I end up having an 8am class, we’ll have to leave the house around 6:30am. Anyway, we’re going today with Maria to check out some places closer, hopefully with a family.

     Maria is a woman who attends the church that Vicente pastors, Restaurando Vidas (restoring lives). She brought Lauren and I to the church on Wednesday and introduced us to a Bible study of about 20 people as missionaries. Lauren and I looked at each other, not knowing what to say… we are missionaries, wherever we go. But I don’t think we’re the kind of missionaries that they may think we are. Anyway, they gave us a very warm welcome, and asked if we would teach them English.

     After that, she took us to a radio and television station that the church has a channel with or something. Long story short, she introduced us (again, as misioneras) and interviewed us on TV, and then on the radio, about why we were here, why we wanted to learn Spanish, when did we become Christians… We were on TV! It was a crazy/nerve-wracking/cool experience. Note: Lauren and I never knowingly agreed to come here and do this—there’s a language barrier for ya.

     So it’s been crazy… but I know that God is promising me much growth in this time. The ability to give up resisting Him and thinking that I have control, only to begin relying on Him and Him alone for everything. In a place where I may have little else going for me, He is my Constant, my Provider, my Comforter, my Sustainer. He is here with me in Lima as much as He would be in North Carolina. I will praise Him for good, and praise Him when things are hard by coming to Him, knowing He loves me so deeply.

     “Come to Me when you are weak and weary. Rest snugly in My everlasting arms. I do not despise your weakness, My child. Actually, it draws Me closer to you, because weakness stirs up My compassion—my yearning to help. Accept yourself in your weariness, knowing that I understand how difficult your journey has been.” –Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young