Long Update

Hello Everyone! Hola a Todos!

I do apologize for the long delay in me updating the blog. Just let me tell you what all has been going on.

After arriving safely in Lima last Sunday, I went with one of the Reapsouth team members to the airport to begin picking up the SMT 07 (Summer Missions Team 2007). What a night!...This was one airport night of many.

On Monday, I helped with more preparation and with errands as well. Then at 9pm, some of the reapsouth team and translators went to the airport to pick up the 50 or so that was coming in that night. Wow..what fun.
"Hey do you speak english? Are you a missionary? Are you with Reapsouth? Then you're with us!" This is mostly what I was saying as I held the great big sign that said Reapsouth SMT 07 on it. You should have seen some of the faces of the people coming through. Everyone probably thought what in the world is this tall gringo doing. I had an advantage over most of the people there hold signs because I was taller than them. It was histarical, but I guess you have to be there to understand and get it ;).

After a LONG night, we head back to the office and I began helping collect passports and visas and escorting people to the hostal and translating for them as they wanted to get a little something before bed.

Wednesday came! "The Amazin Grace for the Unreached" began. A few of the Reapsouth team members had organized an amazing immersion day for orientation. The theme came from the TV show "The Amazing Race". This involved us finding clues and getting to the next one as fast as we could. WE could break or fasforward, but we had to do it wisely. We also had to complete a task when we received the clues. Some of those tasks included: taking pictures with random people that had certain stuff on, getting birds to land on your shoulder, getting directions (in spanish), bargaining with taxi driver's, drinking a frog milkshake (yes i didn't mispell here), visiting the fire department and sliding down the pole, and getting our team members safely to Chosica (two ours away) for orientation. Haha...it was so much fun. We were all teamed up with translators, but when we got to the clue to get to chosica, i was the only person that spoke spanish and there were 6 non-speakers with me. We were in a Convi where there is always room for one more! Haha...you can imagine. I was pushed to the back of the bus and the non-spanish speakers were towards the front and had no idea what was happening. The frog juice was interesting. THe worst part was watching them kill the live frog. Gross...! The shake was sweet with honey and things in it. Wasn't that bad. If you want to know more about immersion day, send me an e-mail josuesarco7@hotmail.com because my time in the internet cafe is running out...lol.

After orientation (i got sick, but it was amazing), we were back in Lima and me with stateside partners to review summer ministry and then the research team (that would be me)stayed until yesterday and we just arrived to Ayacucho. THis is our first stop of MANY! So keep praying for us as we travel the mountains of Peru and go where no white person as gone (that we know of!) ... haha...we are very excited.

My team mates names are Jenna Hilles (Raleigh, NC) and Sarah Anderson (Chicago, IL).
They are a blast and awesome people of the Lord!

Please pray for our health and safety as we continue to travel for our Lord Jesus Christ and make His name know among the nations.

We give all the glory, honor, praise and humor to HIM!