doink doink

Well, yesterday and today I felt like I was 'one' with Law and Order (hence the doink doink -- I watch way too much tv) Yes, I had jury duty. My first time and a memorable experience. I went in yesterday and sat around for a while listening to possible jury members being interviewed. Today I went back in and we were all told to go home. Pretty cool huh? I'm looking forward to get back to work. I really missed being there the whole day.

Next week starts VBS. Son Treasure Island! Oh how I love pirates. :o) Please be praying that the Lord will work in the lives of the kids who attend.

Oh yeah! Also pray for my helper at Day Camp. I don't think that she is saved. I pray that I will be a good example to her.

Bye Bye!

too much sugar

The kids had WAY too much sugar today. There were a few birthdays at day camp today so we had a lot of sweets. I'm so thankful it is Friday. I am totally looking forward to the long weekend.
This coming week is Family camp for my church up at Hartstone in Potter Valley, CA. I have so many great memories there. Last year Julie and I drove up for a day and we had so much fun. I'm hoping that we can go up again this year for a day. I have great memories of being completely dirty, staying up late with my friends, sleeping under the stars, playing card games, learning to drive a stick-shift (that didn't go well), swinging on swings and so many more things. I love that place! A lot of people don't like it, but it will always be family camp to me.

a little disappointed

I just found out today that I didn't make it into Majesty (the singing group at Masters College). I was very hopeful this year, but the Lord must have a different plan for me. Part of me is relieved, but I think more of me is sad. My parents are sweet. They think that Dr. Plew is off his rocker. :o)
Well the Lord knows. And I know that more doors will open for me to minister in Santa Clarita this coming year.

Karly

Karly is a girl in my class. She is 6 years old and has so much energy. If you think of me, please pray that I will have patience with her. She is the loudest kindergartener I have ever met. I know that the Lord has her in my class for a reason.
I love working with day camp. The kids are so much fun, challenging, but fun. It is super hot here right now and we spend a lot of time outside. I am so happy to have a job that I love!

101 degrees

It has been really hot here in Santa Rosa. Yesterday it was 101 degrees. phew!
I worked all day at day camp and we were outside for a lot of it. It was very hot. And then I road my bike home. Lets just say I was a little tired. But I LOVE day camp. I am really having fun with the kids. We are all starting to get to know each other. The PreK and K are so cute too. Thier personalities are hilarious. There does tend to be a lot of tattling though and tears. But I like them a lot.
Today I went to a baby shower for my college pastor's wife. It was so nice. I am so excited that she is having another baby. Thier kids are SO cute and I know this new girl is going to be a doll.
Well stay cool!!

Sorry

Actually I'm not sorry. Last night after dinner my family played Sorry. What a good time of laughing. It was a long game too. And in the end the person who was losing won the game. :o) Such an unpredictable game.
I love it when my family plays games. It is so fun! I love my family so much.

Today was my first day of Day Camp. We went to toobtown. What a day. I am so tired. But it was a good day. Tomorrow will be totally different than today was. Lord will it will go well. I get to work with the little kids and I have some great ideas to make things fun for them. I really love working with kids. I am so excited that I can make money doing something I love to do.

home

Well, I've been home for a few days now. It is nice to be here. I have started getting ready for my job that starts on Tuesday. I am really excited. I'll be working with PreK and K. It will be fun. If you think of me pray that the Lord will give me patience and wisdom as I work with them.
Here are some more pics from my trip!


(me reading to some kids at the children's home. The book is not upside-down just to let you know. It is two books in one)


(these are the girls we stayed with. We had such a blast with them, it was hard to leave)

More pictures to come :o)

Heading home tomorrow

Today was election day here so we stayed at home all day until church tonight. It was fun though. All of the teachers from the states came over and we had brunch. They are such a fun group of people. We laughed a lot and ate a ton of food.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Everyone took a nap until church.
Tomorrow is our last day here. We are planning on going to school to play with the kids at recess and then finish packing. It will be sad to say goodbye.

Thanks for your prayers!

Day 17

My muscles are soo incredibly sore right now. We spent 4+ hours working at the new property that they school bought here in Lima. We dug holes, removed cactus, transfered chunks of cement and got really dirty. It was fun, but exhasting. I looked really tan by the time we were done, but the shower removed it. I'm such a white girl. :o)
We were able to relax tonight and watch a movie so that was fun. Tomorrow are the presidential elections here so we are not allowed to got to church. They are very strict about voting so there are no public gatherings allowed. So all of the teachers from the states are getting together for brunch. It will be a really fun time.

I'll be home soon! (I'm happy and sad)

Day 16

Praise the Lord!! Tonight a girl was saved and there were several other kids who were interested and talking to leaders! It was really exciting. This was at Alta Ruta, the junior high group. 2 of the interested kids were ones who I tutored after school. God is good. I am so thankful for their curiosity. They were the ones who sought out leaders to talk about salvation! The ministry there at Alta Ruta is a good one.

After school today the school had a staff meeting and they thanked us for coming and helping at their school. They told us that we were a blessing to them, but they were all such a blessing to me and the other 3 girls as well. After the meeting they had an afternoon of games, for the staff. So we got dragged into playing games. (If you know me you know that I am terrible at sports and pretty much hate them, but I played) Peruvians really like to play games together, usually outdoor games. We did a few relays and then played futbol. Yes I played futbol (soccer in the US) I was terrible at it, but it was fun. Although I did get kicked in the shin by one of the girls I have been staying with. I have a lump. But it was a fun afternoon.

This morning didn't go as well unfortunately. For some reason I was really testy and easily annoyed, but after lunch I was able to spend some time in the Word and in prayer and the Lord really worked on my heart.

I am sad that today was our last day at the school, but I have so many great memories and I am so thankful for the time I have spent here at La Molina Christian School.

Please be praying for the kids who were saved tonight. Also there is a little girl from the children's home who was rushed to the hospital last night and is still in intensive care. Evidently she took several pills (they think they were for epilepsy, but they are still trying to figure it out). They took her to the hospital and had her stomach pumped, and she should have been taken out of the Intensive care today, but she was having hallucinations so they wanted to keep her in there longer. She is such a sweet little girl. Please pray. I hear that she is having a great attitude, but it must be scaring being in a place you don't know.

Well, I'm totally worn out from playing futbol so goodnight!

Day 15 so I'm told

Today things were a little different. Naomi taught the 5th graders about Eric Liddell. They were really quiet which was a change from when I taught them math, but thats ok. Then we did more of the same old things.

After lunch Kristi and I picked up 2 kindergardeners from classes and walked them home. They live at the children's home that is associated with Kids Alive. Kristi has gone there several times since we have been here, but this was my first time. I felt really out of place and didn't know what to do. It was a little hard at first, the kids we walked home took a nap and during that time I pretty much sat around and tried to talk to other kids. They spoke English for the most part, but wouldn't talk to me very much. I was feeling pretty discouraged. But the 2 kindergardeners woke up from thier naps and I played with them in the sand box. Then things went much better. They have a set up there where they have 'moms' for 5 or 6 kids. It was cute because the little girl I was playing with kept on talking about her mom and sister. And I later found out that the sister she was talking about wasn't really her sister, they just have the same 'mom'. I don't know if I am making sense or not. Sorry.
We had fun playing in the sand box and it was my birthday several times. They made me sand cakes and decorated them with sticks and little green berries from the trees. Then they sang happy birthday to me and had me blow out candles. So cute. (fact: Peru has at least 5 versions of "Happy Birthday")

We had dinner at the Pace's house. It was a really nice time with them. We really haven't been able to spend a lot of time with them, but we know that they are very busy so we understood. When Andy drove us to thier house he had just realized that it was the first time we had been there. But we were very thankful for the time we did get to spend with them. They are a really neat family.

It has been so great to minister here and I hate to think about leaving.
There have been several teachers who have mentioned specific students who need the Lord. Please pray for these children and their families who are not saved.
Thanks for your prayers and support.

--Jamie

Day 11? I really have no idea now

(This picture is me telling the Bible story to the 1st grade class)

I guess it is a good thing that I don't know how many days I have been here. It is going to feel very strange and sad to leave. But enough thinking about that.


Guess what I did today!!??!! I was a substitute teacher!! I was really excited. I taught 5th grade math. Lesson plans and all. Well I didn't really do the lesson plans, but I followed them. :o) I am really excited. But after today I have confirmed that I do not want to teach the 5th grade. It was hard because they wouldn't stop talking and pay attention. But I still like it. I know that I want to teach. Soon hopefully. So that was the highlight of my day.


(La Molina Christian School - where I have been spending my days here in Peru)

Yesterday we were able to get a tour of a Christian Deaf School. It was really neat. The Lord has really blessed thier ministry. I think that they are going to be building a bigger auditorium soon to fit all the people who attend on Sundays. It was great to see that ministry.

Hmmm let's see what else can I say. Tonight I learned to wrap presents the Peruvian way. That was pretty cool. And umm I really have nothing else to say tonight except for... good night. :o)

Day 9

Ok first of all I totally forgot to say last night that 2 kids accepted Christ at Alta Ruta!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! It was very exciting. I got to talk to the person who talked with one of the girls and she said that the girl really understood! God is good.

Today we went downtown in Lima. We saw a ton of things. It was a very touristy day for us. But we had a fun time. We saw the presidential palace and the changing of the guards, which consisted of a marching band (!) playing at the gates, we actually didn't even see the guards switch because we were watching the band. We went to an old church or monestary that is now a musium and got a tour which included the catacombs. yuck, I didn't like that part. I decided I would make a terrible Indiana Jones. But the cool parts of the tour were the library and the choir loft for the chapel. (surprise surprise) They were both beautiful and it was interesting to see the technology they used for lighting and sharing music. The music was printed on HUGE books and then they were placed on a rotating stand in the choir loft so that everyone could see it. Interesting. I really liked it. (I'm such a choir nerd)
Then we went on a bus tour which was really cheep. We went in a small bus up a very, very, very steep mountain on a one way street. :o/ At one point we had to stop and wait for a big truck to back inot another street so we could keep going. Fun times. I was nervous. The whole time a woman was talking in Spanish and I honestly didn't understand a word of it. But once we reached the top we could see all of Lima. It was really cool, except for the haze which covered most of Lima. :o)

Over all it was a fun time, but we are all worn out.
Tomorrow we are going to a different church. So I'm sure that will be fun.
Have a great Sunday!!

still day 8

I thought I would write more since the last one was this morning before anything happened today.

We spent all day at the school today. School went well. Naomi taught the 3rd grade bible story and we all lead music. It was fun, but that class is a handful. After school tutoring went really well. I am really starting to like working with the 6th graders. We have a fun time, but I still don't think I could ever handle teaching that age all day long. That would be such a stretch for me, and they make me laugh so I have a hard time being serious. But tutoring them is fun. They really like to study science so that helps too.

Tonight we had Alta Ruta, which means some thing like the high road. It is for 6th grade to 8th grade. It was so much fun! They had set up a volleyball net so we were playing with a beach ball. (The only kind of volleyball I can play :o) It started out with hardly anyone playing, then these two older girls came in and were standing around so I went and pulled them over to play with us, they were reluctant, but I think they had fun. We played for a while. I really feel like I connected well with the girls. Even though my spanish isn't very good. I sat with them in the devotional time and at the end of the evening one of them came to find me to say goodbye. I am really excited about them. I really hope to see them next week.

There is another group here working at the school, they are from Iowa I think. They are doing some different work than we are, but we are seeing them at different ministries. The pastor who is with them spoke at Alta Ruta tonight. I totally had flashbacks of Mexico!! He had to be translated by the director of the school and it reminded me of Kevin and Ernesto. I sure do miss that time there. I know that the 7 years I went to Mexico prepared me for the time I am here and who knows what my time here is preparing me for. [Kevin if you are reading this you should send a group to Peru and I'll go too :o) ]

Tomorrow we are going to downtown Lima. I think that we are going to see some big buildings or something and some ruins. I really don't know and I am starting to get tired. So on that note I am going to hit that hay.
Good night one and all.

Day 8

Ok so now I have totally lost track of how many days I have been here. I haven't had time to get on the computer lately.

Things have been going well. We are continuing to go about the same schedule. So there isn't much new.
Please be praying though, a few of us have been feeling sick to out stomachs. :o/ Not too fun.

The other night 3 men came over and we had a focus group. :o) We got to taste test a new cereal they were making and want to market in the US. It was fun and the cereal was good, but if I told you what it was I'd have to kill you. ;o) Lets just say it was purple which made me a little nervous at first, but it wasn't too bad. I'd buy it. Then we tried some peanut butter that tasted ... nasty! Peruvians don't eat too much peanut butter, they don't really like it. So the guy that made it didn't really have a good perspective while he was working on it. But it was really fun talking to them and giving them ideas of what Americans would like. We did a lot of laughing.

Well, I have to keep getting ready for the day. Have a good one!

Day 6

Today was a good day, except for all of us woke up really late so we were rushing around trying to be ready to leave on time. It wasn't the best way to start a day off. But in the end we were just fine.

School was good. I think the best part was tutoring the 6th graders after school. They were responding really well to what we were teaching them. I think that they are getting used to us and the way we are teaching them. Although personally spiders aren't my favorite topic. Oh well. I'll survive.

I think that tonight is going to be a quiet evening which is really nice. But the rest of the week will be busy, but I'm sure you will hear all about it. :o)

Have a good one!!

Day...5 I think :o)

So Yeah, I've lost track of days. It is going well here. I am really tired tonight though.

Please be praying for:
more sleep (or enough sleep)
Naomi wasn't feeling good today; so that we will all stay well
Joy for the tedious tasks we are asked to do
and the salvation of the unsaved students.

Lets see what happened today. We are continuing to work with the 1st grade. They are so cute and are still shy with us at times. Some more than others. But they are darling. We taught them the wordless book song today and made bracelets with them. It was really neat. They learned the song pretty well and understood what we talked about. We tryed to encourage them to tell thier friends and hopefully those who don't know Christ as thier Savior will take it to heart as well.
During recess we played jump rope with them. WOW they loved it! There was such a long line of kids waiting for a turn.

After school I tutored the same 6th graders in science. I am learning so much about bugs. (yuck!) But the kids seem to be understanding it. So hey that works for me.

Oh yeah I forgot that I didn't write anything yesterday.
Church was great. Once again it wasn't what I expected. Their worship was pretty contemporary, something that I wasn't expecting because of my experience in Mexico, but it was great. (I use the word great a lot don't I?) It was really nice because for the service they had someone translating in the back so I hear english in a little radio thing ( I don't know what it was called). After church we went out to lunch with tthe missionaries who are in charge of teh school. We got to try some Peruvian food which was really good. I was a chicken though...I didn't try the intestines that they served there. It just didn't sound appetising to me. :o/ After all our bellies were full we came home and took a long nap until the evening service. It was a great day. (once again 'great')

Well, I'm going to head to bed. G'night sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite (I have 2 bites and it isn't fun)

Day 3 in Peru

Today has been the most tiring, but it was great at the same time. We did A LOT of walking today. We started out the day going to what is called the Indian Market. It is pretty much a place where you find cheap souvenirs. It was a lot of fun. And I found some really cool things. Then we walked to the beach which was pretty close. We just looked at the water from up by the road, but it was nice and cool there. (yeah sounds like a great mission trip huh?)

After we got back from there we walked to one of the teacher's church. Then I had by first experience on a Peruvian bus. :o) It was interesting. They are small and they drive kinda crazy. We took it to a smaller village which looked a lot more like what I had expected coming into Peru. It reminded me a lot of where I used to go in Mexico. Very small homes that seem like they are hardly held together. It is sad, but the people seem to be getting on well.
We helped out with a Bible club. The kids were excited to be there and participated really well. When I say that I helped really all I did was hold the song sheets for the kids to see, but hey someone has to do it. :o) We hung out for a while and talked with some little boys. They enjoyed asking us how to say some things in English and laughing at the names. We didn't leave there till after dark and by the time we got back to the house we were pretty tired. I think it will be an early night for all of us.

I'm looking forward to a time of worship tomorrow. God has been so gracious to us.

oh yeah and we are finding out how kind the people in Peru are...we were whistled at so many times today. At one point we walked past a basketball court where there were a lot of guys probably all ages. It was really hard not to laugh at it. It is really funny. Other than that the people here are really nice. They greet with a kiss on the cheek instead of a handshake, which has taken some getting used to but it is fine now.

It is hard to believe that this trip isn't almost over. I'm so used to going on week long trips. But I am excited to see how the Lord will continue to work through the time we have here. Thanks for your prayers.

Day 2 in Peru

Today was a big day. It was our first day working at the school. We are at La Molina Christian School. It is a really neat school. Kristi, Naomi, Jenn and I worked with the first grade today. They are so cute and shy. I loved it. I taught the Bible lesson! And the kids were getting it! I am so excited. It makes me more eager to teach in my own classroom, but I need to wait for the Lord's timing.
We also spent a lot of time in their library. They are changing thier system to the Dewy Decimal System. It is a lot of work, but once we got going it wasn't too hard. I don't think it will take too much longer to do. Thier library isn't super big. But I did start sneezing because of the dust. Typical of me. :o)
Tonight we went to a youth event they had on the school campus. It was a lot of fun. They were having a game night and I was in charge of one of the game tables. We played Nervous. It is like slap jack, but there is a little more to it. I lost both times, but it was so much fun. I was totally the minority because we had to say numbers in Spanish. I know the numbers, but it takes me a second to connect the number i see to the Spanish word for it (if that makes sense). But it was really fun.
Tonight one of the teachers is babysitting 2 girls from the school and they are watching Narnia. It is a lot of fun here. The teachers are children are really sweet.
I'm not sure what we are going to do tomorrow, but I'm sure I'll tell you all about it soon. :o)

quote for the day: "Did she turn into a head of lettuce?" (yeah I'm not even sure how that one came about, but it was really funny at the time)

God Bless - please keep us in your prayers!!

--Jamie

Day 1 in Peru

Well, I'm here in Peru!
Our trip went really well. It was a long day and we didn't get to the house here until 1 am. But the Lord was so gracious. We were able to sleep in a little and didn't have a lot to do today.
Tomorrow we start working in the classroom. I will be teaching 1st grade bible (well just telling them a story, but that is something). And I will be tutoring 6th grade science. I never really knew much about bugs, but that is what I get to teach on. :o) We'll see how that goes. I am so excited to be here. The other teachers are really great! We had dinner with them tonight. What a group! I really like it here. I know that this trip is going to fly by.

Please be praying for...
salvation of students (many of them aren't saved)
good health
rest, sleep, however you want to put it.

Thanks for your prayers.

quote for the day: "don't step on the machette" said by me (funny story, but for another day)