Hey all - just a quick note to let you know that I have made it to Pucallpa (FINALLY!) It has been a long time coming and now I am getting settled in and adjusted to the demands that waited patiently for me! I started teaching immediately upon arrival and am getting used to that - I am teaching Old Testament to six high schoolers in SAM Academy. I am now officially apart of Mil Palmeras as the "Missions Pastor" and look forward to lots of projects and such in the coming future. Yet to be set up is the SAM youth group again (just missionary kids), but will be soon in the next week or so!
Please pray for transportation - now I am heal/toeing it (walking) sometimes I take a moto-kar but after a while it gets a wee bit expensive - so I am looking for a cheap motorcycle/dirtbike for transportation.
I'll write more later - but just wanted to toss a word out...
Thanks!
Marshall
Monday, September 22, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The "I Almost Made It" Story
Hey all...this will be my last input from the southern Peruvian city of Arequipa as my time here at language school has finished - I had only raised enough to attend school for three months - and well that is all used up! In reality I need probably another good three months, maybe I will come back in the next year or so for a couple of weeks. I am just now getting everything in order and feel like I am making some progress in my language learning...and well...its time to leave. Pucallpa is waiting and I am excited to FINALLY be heading there and getting to settle down.
Last weekend, we (8 of us who are studying at the language school - 1 Australian, 5 Germans, and 2 Americans) decided to hike up the almost 6,000 metered (19,100ft) volcano Misti that edges Arequipa. Ummm...what were we thinking?
So...we had a guide and he had planned everything and gave us instructions. Our plan was to use both Saturday and Sunday in order to climb Misti. Arequipa sits at 8,000ft. - our drop off point was at 11,500ft. We spent about six hours climbing to the campsite which I am guessing was about 14,500 - 15,500. We had about two hours before the sun was to go down to set up our tents, prepare for the early departure in the morning as well as eat dinner.
We all were in bed by 7 pm - the temperature was dropping quickly and that was the only place that was warm. The wake up call came at 2am. We slowly stirred and got bundled up and gathered what we needed for the second half of the climb. We set out around 3am with flashlights and walking sticks. The temp was about 35 degrees.
We hiked slowly and as we got higher we hiked even slower. As we got higher it got colder and colder. Just before the sun came up at - maybe around 17,000 - it must have been in the single digits - as fingers and toes were numb. The dangers in hiking in the altitude is the sickness that can come from it. Several of us had some symptoms - though I felt fine in terms of oxygen, but my legs were really really tired. It came to the point where I balanced how I felt with how much I understood there was to climb...so at 17,500 and without ever training for any of this...I tossed in the towel and decided to save my energy and strength for the decent from 17,500 to 12,000 for later that day.
Though myself and another person of the group decided to call it a day (at 7am!) I found that this relieved the pressure of keeping up with the group and wondered if I could have made it...but just gone at my own pace - but oh well. My friend descended faster than I did because he did not feel well...so I took my time. The decent was down the ash slope of the volcano...and it was kinda like flying and landing in really soft sand with the occasional volcanic rock that I tried to surf down the slope (did it three times!) I was also able to rest and just sit over looking the city of Arequipa from 17,000 feet - I was able to rest, pray, and listen...listen to silence on a HUGE volcano...wow.
I think I would like to return and attempt again - need to train some...but making it to 17,500 feet without training or having been running...I don't think that is too bad! So...looking to gather a group and head up Misti again sometime in the future! Now it is time to pack for Pucallpa...thank you for reading and praying.
Prayer Requests:
- Pucallpa adjustment
- Continued language learning and application
- Patience as I begin to work with Peruvians solely at the church (culturally speaking)
Last weekend, we (8 of us who are studying at the language school - 1 Australian, 5 Germans, and 2 Americans) decided to hike up the almost 6,000 metered (19,100ft) volcano Misti that edges Arequipa. Ummm...what were we thinking?
So...we had a guide and he had planned everything and gave us instructions. Our plan was to use both Saturday and Sunday in order to climb Misti. Arequipa sits at 8,000ft. - our drop off point was at 11,500ft. We spent about six hours climbing to the campsite which I am guessing was about 14,500 - 15,500. We had about two hours before the sun was to go down to set up our tents, prepare for the early departure in the morning as well as eat dinner.
We all were in bed by 7 pm - the temperature was dropping quickly and that was the only place that was warm. The wake up call came at 2am. We slowly stirred and got bundled up and gathered what we needed for the second half of the climb. We set out around 3am with flashlights and walking sticks. The temp was about 35 degrees.
We hiked slowly and as we got higher we hiked even slower. As we got higher it got colder and colder. Just before the sun came up at - maybe around 17,000 - it must have been in the single digits - as fingers and toes were numb. The dangers in hiking in the altitude is the sickness that can come from it. Several of us had some symptoms - though I felt fine in terms of oxygen, but my legs were really really tired. It came to the point where I balanced how I felt with how much I understood there was to climb...so at 17,500 and without ever training for any of this...I tossed in the towel and decided to save my energy and strength for the decent from 17,500 to 12,000 for later that day.
Though myself and another person of the group decided to call it a day (at 7am!) I found that this relieved the pressure of keeping up with the group and wondered if I could have made it...but just gone at my own pace - but oh well. My friend descended faster than I did because he did not feel well...so I took my time. The decent was down the ash slope of the volcano...and it was kinda like flying and landing in really soft sand with the occasional volcanic rock that I tried to surf down the slope (did it three times!) I was also able to rest and just sit over looking the city of Arequipa from 17,000 feet - I was able to rest, pray, and listen...listen to silence on a HUGE volcano...wow.
I think I would like to return and attempt again - need to train some...but making it to 17,500 feet without training or having been running...I don't think that is too bad! So...looking to gather a group and head up Misti again sometime in the future! Now it is time to pack for Pucallpa...thank you for reading and praying.
Prayer Requests:
- Pucallpa adjustment
- Continued language learning and application
- Patience as I begin to work with Peruvians solely at the church (culturally speaking)
Friday, September 5, 2008
Learning....
Last Friday for my Spanish Practica class my teacher and I walked to town. Now, walking the streets of a place that is not your home is always exciting - especially when you are by yourself. You realize that people all over the world are the same for the most part. You see fruit, newspapers, food, flowers...etc...for sale. But there is something special about having your own personal guide to help you understand what you are seeing and smelling (the smell part is not what you are thinking).
In the above photo there are such items as a big bus - a bride and groom - a house - money - a volcano (arequipa is borderd on the east by three volcanos) to represent protection - and asortment of other things.
As we walked I began to notice these semi chared looking animals that each store was selling. I found out that these were Alpaca or Ostrich fetuses that have been killed for the purpose using them to "break" the land so your land will produce a plentiful harvest. I am told you bury them... with other items and through some ceremony your land is prepared for sewing your seed....and your harvest will be plentiful.
Juan Carlos (my teacher ) and I walked to town in a matter of 15 minutes from our school. He showed me one of the biggest markets in town. It was a big open air market - with a huge orange tarped roof. As we walked in everything looked normal...tons of people everywhere buying and selling. Tons of fruits, meats, and vegatables....and other random stores. We walked by these random stores - and even stopped as Juan Carlos was asking (for my bennefit) about some of the things we were looking at. He began to tell me that people here believe in fortune and luck and are involved into witchcraft - and that the box we were looking at was a box of imporant items in Arequipa in order to bring them luck - and these home made boxes with orniments are for sale and supposed to bring you "luck" and prosperity.
In the above photo there are such items as a big bus - a bride and groom - a house - money - a volcano (arequipa is borderd on the east by three volcanos) to represent protection - and asortment of other things.
As we walked I began to notice these semi chared looking animals that each store was selling. I found out that these were Alpaca or Ostrich fetuses that have been killed for the purpose using them to "break" the land so your land will produce a plentiful harvest. I am told you bury them... with other items and through some ceremony your land is prepared for sewing your seed....and your harvest will be plentiful.
As we left the market out the other end...Juan Carlos asked me if I smelled anything - It was a flowery kind of smell. Now, we were walking down a close nit street - with shops and busniness everywhere. He told me that the shop owners use this type of plant to keep away the evil spirits as well as to bring in quality customers that will bring properity. We also later saw Andian women on the street selling fortune, luck, and prosperity.
I never knew any of this...that the city I lived in which is VERY catholic is and has been mixed with the traditions of the Andian religions. It is called syncratism and the two have meshed into one religion. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of the people here in Arequipa and all over Peru. They need Jesus.
On a lighter note, there is evidence of the Holy Spirit's prensence here in Arequipa. I saw it just the other day as I was walking. He has a taxi service and is actively driving the streets of Arequipa! (Espirtu Santo is Holy Spirit in Spanish)!! : )
It is Friday afternoon September 5th - and tomorrow a group of 10 of us are going to hike the volcano Misiti! It will be a two day journey! Please pray for us! I will update next week about the trip with pics and stuff...and whether or not we made it to the top!!
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