The last full day

What a day!

This morning, we woke up and breakfasted as usual, and then headed to the town of Tioyacu, where there is a nice soccer field and a river with a great natural pool. After an intense game of soccer (my team lost), we changed and headed into the water - which was rather cold! There was a dam of sorts built which made a great slide for intertubes. After spending time there, we traveled to our next destination, Yacumama (mother of the water), where we saw a small zoo-type exhibit (monkeys, a predatory cat, some parrots) and then headed off to another spot on a river to do some eating, relaxing, swimming (wading for me - the water was frigid). It was a nice day. Upon returning, we have simply been relaxing and so forth.

Today is our last full day in Moyobamba. From my point of view, it is nice to be coming home. Experiences here have been so rich and so educational (and rather fun as well), and I am getting anxious to talk about them in English, to see the family I haven't seen in weeks, and sleep in my own bed. But it is easy to feel at least a little bit sad about leaving, of course. The Vargas family is our new family. And their house is, indeed, a home away from home. There is now within me an urgency to get more done here. Not in the American, get-ahead, help-people-and-have-something-to-show-for-it way. It's more of understanding how much need there is here - not need to be indoctrinated with American culture, but need for some necessities. Public health. Clean water. Good schools. Access to computers in school which could mean better jobs. So, I think what I want to say with these somewhat parting words is that any of you who have had even a moment's thought about coming should follow that instinct. You can be part of making a big difference here - and you wouldn't believe how fun it is. You wouldn't believe how fun it is to laugh at your ineptitude at Spanish, to eat more plantains than you ever thought you could, to gain new family. It is fantastic and no less.

As promised, here are some pictures from the computer lab:

And with that...

Goodbye, Moyobamba. It has been a wonderful three weeks. I imagine I may write again in the blog to reflect after being in the States a while, but this (for now!) is goodbye.

Bendiciones a todos - Peruanos, Americanos, todos. Gracia y paz.

Happy trails -

sch

Another good day in Yantaló

A quick one tonight, folks...

Today was another productive day in Yantaló - the children were taught to select, to change font size, to change font, to use bold and italics and underline, etc. Many of yesterday's students returned today and several new ones showed up as well. By the end of the day, we were goodbyeing and handing out email addresses - it was a nice way to finish.

As it turns out, we have finished our work now. Tomorrow the Vargas family (minus Elizabeth) is taking us on one last adventure to some touristic type places. It promises to be a great way to finish up our time here.

I will hopefully be writing tomorrow night and finally remembering the pictures of the computer lab and making my final signoff. Thanks so much to everyone for reading and keeping us in mind. It is wonderful to share such profound experiences and wonderful to have folks who care to hear about them. Grace and peace to you all.

Happy trails -
sch

An exciting day!

Buenas noches, all.

Today in Yantaló was an exciting day - sixty-five kids practiced on the new computers at the public school, most of them using a computer for the first time. They were taught to use the mouse and the keyboard, to open Microsoft Word and practice typing, to use Paint to draw. Andrés and Robinson took the lead, Dawn and Daniel played with those waiting outside, and Megan and I (along with plenty of help) circled the room, answering questions and pointing out features, etc.

After a couple of days of not knowing what to do, I think all of us felt good today - something had been accomplished, and something good. We left the house rather quickly tonight, so I forgot to bring my pictures, but I will post them soon. There are several good ones.

This afternoon was restful (and, I think, well-deserved), as has been the evening thus far. I, for one, feel rather rejuventated and excited to return to work tomorrow; I feel reasonably confident that I am not alone. Otherwise, I will be brief again, and will look forward to a longer entry with some photos quite soon. Grace and peace.

Happy trails -
sch

Another Day in Yantaló

Today was an exciting day in Yantaló. We finished getting the computers set up, checking all the disk drives, setting the backgrounds to pictures of various places in Yantaló, having some members of the community come in to see the computers and learn a thing or two. After spending the morning there, we returned to Moyobamba to eat and to relax for the afternoon. This evening, we returned to Arizona Chicken (I know all you previous travelers are jealous) to eat with the (or, rather, as a) family and now the nightly internet ritual takes place.

The rest of the week (that is, the three workdays that remain) look like they will be filled with teaching people how to navigate the new computers. I will be sure to post some pictures of the lab, and perhaps we can eventually put some in First Press - Victor wants very much for Bill Meihlan to see the fruits of his labor - as do we. I am afraid that we haven't done as much with the computers themselves as I expected - the electrician types did a lot of work for us. But the opportunity to teach and interact will be a wonderful way to finish up here.

And with that, I will leave this a short entry. More to come as we continue to work and experience. As always, grace and peace to all.

Happy trails -
sch

A Second Sabbath

Hello all.

Today was a surprisingly busy sabbath! After another wonderful breakfast (which we have every morning...and today we had fresh-squeezed orange juice), we headed to church. After yesterday's adventures, I found myself rather exhausted and this made it rather hard to concentrate on the Spanish, but it was a good service nonetheless. Today, the church said goodbye to one of its members, Eric, who leaves tomorrow to go live in Naranjos and be the lay pastor of the Presbyterian church there. It was clearly an emotional affair, and I could undertsand! We have been blessed to interact with Eric on several occasions, as he drove us to our medical clinic sites almost everyday.

After church came lunch, and after lunch was the weekly sports afternoon at Annie Soper with folks from the church. Even I ventured onto the soccer field today, along with Andrés and Dawn. Dawn and Leslie and I also got involved in a very lengthy volleyball game which involved fierce competition and lots of clear examples of my undeniable ineptitude. It was a long and tiring afternoon, physically - but it was good to interact with folks from the church, as our departure on Friday both seems and is (and will continue to be) closer and closer. Returning to the States will be very nice - familiar language, familiar faces - but already I can tell that this place will be missed.

Tomorrow we return to work in Yantaló. All of us will be going there in the morning to do what we can with the computers. I am not sure if the work will take us all week; it depends on how things go. But it is exciting to begin our last week of work and hopefully leave Yantaló with a good computer lab.

Otherwise, no earth-shaking news. All of us feel quite well and are enjoying ourselves. We will keep praying for you; please do the same for us. And I will be back to write soon. Blessings as you begin the week!

Happy trails -
sch

Climb every mountain...

Hello, hello!

This morning, we met up with several other young folks from the Presbyterian Church and went out to El Morro de Calzada, a beautiful mountain nearby, to spend the day hiking and enjoying ourselves. The hike up was about an hour and a half long (including multiple rest breaks). After resting a while at the top, we went to the very very top, where there is a very tall cell phone tower.

For the men of the group, the mission - should they choose to accept it - was to climb atop the tower and send a paper airplane into flight from the top. Whoever created the airplane with the best flight (in terms of distance and sustained altitude) was the winner. The winning airplane was created by Daniel and traveled so high that it became a speck in the sky. Quite impressive. Three cheers for testosterone.

While up top, we ate lunch, talked, played card games, took photos. It was a great way to spend the day. Perú has views that would easily make North Carolina jealous, I think - though I love the North Carolinian mountains quite a lot. Moyobamba and the surrounding villages find themselves in what is almost a crater - they are collectively surrounded by mountains on all sides. Beautiful. The town of Calzada was especially visible, and the university site is very close to Calzada. Daniel helped us decide just where in the rather large landscape that might be.

This evening we visited the youth group at the church again, playing games and talking about the Word, of course. The games played sometimes disrupted the proximity of our translators, Leslie and Andrés, which made things interesting for those of us who are less Spanish-proficient. It was, nevertheless, lots of fun.

At this point? Dawn and Daniel and Robinson are in the plaza with the guitar, Leslie and I are internetting, Megan and Andrés returned home. I won't pretend to speak for us all, but I am absolutely exhausted, and will be heading home as soon as I leave here to curl up with a little Harry Potter and follow up with a lot of sleep. There are church services and soccer games to be had tomorrow, after all. 'Night, y'all.

Happy trails -
sch

¡Feliz Día!

Today, my friends, was quite the day.

Andrés and I went to Yantaló today, where we were happy to discover that an electrician and a computer technician were hard at work on the school computer lab. After watching the electrician install outlets for a while, Victor was able to retrieve the community's truck and deliver all the donated machines to the room. We have set up the desks as they will be and sixteen of the twenty-two have computers on them. The power and networking equipment are not finished yet, but should be finished soon and we should be able to keep busy next week, setting up the rest of the computers, networking them, and perhaps making some educational posters to put around the room for the kids (Be sure to Shut Down your machine when you are finished!, etc.). The work situation for Dawn and Megan, who are less inclined to work with computers, remains uncertain. They may end up helping us in the networking and so forth; otherwise, they may just show up to the central plaza in Yantaló and announce that they want something to do.

The road to Yantaló is bumpy at best. Plenty of dust follows each motor vehicle that passes, occasionally clearing to reveal a Peruvian on horseback, carrying coffee beans; other times, revealing a farmer leading his cows down the road. Having traveled to Yantaló in conversion vans, station wagons, and motorcycles, my preference is undoubtably the back of a motorcycle. The bumps in the road, though never quite comfortable, somehow afford a certain sense of adventure. The wind blows fiercely through your hair, however cliché that may be. The view is incredible.

Returning from Yantaló, as one enters Moyobamba, the paved road begins, and the feeling of transition from dirt and bumpy and to paved and smooth is familiar - perhaps from some sort of pickup truck memory. In any case, the smooth, paved road feels so comfortable at first. Maybe I stand alone in this next sentiment, but after a few moments, the smooth road feels so boring. It's easy to miss the adventure, to miss the bumps in the road.

From the moment our plane touches down in Miami, the road will be much smoother. The water will be okay for drinking; the showers will be as hot as we want them. Already, though, I can tell that I will miss, in a strange way, brushing my teeth with bottled water and shuddering slightly at the cool water in the shower. I can tell already that the abundance and comfort of the United States will make me miss the frugality and simplicity of Perú. I will miss the adventure. I will miss the bumps in the road.

Thank goodness a week remains for us.

In other news, today was Victor's fourty-eighth birthday. Dawn, Megan, Andrés, and I took the Vargas family out to dinner at Las Bahamas and also gave him a chocolate cake. It made me wish that every day was some Vargas' birthday so we could give them something each day. In the States, we are taught hospitality: offer your guest something to drink, tell them to come in, tell them to have a seat. But this, my friends, this is hospitality that we are experiencing. Those that have already returned to the States can tell you in person. I think I have said this already, but the Vargas family is full of wonderful people, and we are blessed to know them.

Tomorrow we will be hiking with some other jóvenes (young folks) from the church in the morning. We will be sure to take pictures. Sunday will be our last day in church. Please keep praying (but not worrying, of course!) for a full week of work next week. It is hard to imagine that, a week from now, we will be spending the night in Lima and leaving early in the morning for Miami. Time has flown faster than I would have ever expected; luckily, I don't feel cheated: what a rich time it has been. And what a wonderful week lies ahead.

It appears a half-hour on the internet flies just like all other time, so it is time for me to sign-off. Blessings on the weekend, everyone. Looking forward to writing soon.

Happy trails -
sch

Hello again to everyone.

Today has been another relaxed day. We are told that the electrician began to work on the computer lab in Yantaló, so Andrés and I will be going there tomorrow with Victor to see how things are going. Hopefully things will be ready soon so we can install some computers. In any case, we are enjoying our time with the Vargas family and with the people of Perú. This Saturday we may be going on a hike with some young adults from the local Presbyterian church, which should be a great opportunity to continue interacting with the community here.

Otherwise, I suppose things are slow around here, but not in a bad way. We are having a good time. I am sorry that there isn't more to write; for now, no news will be good news, and when it comes, much news will be great news. Grace and peace to everyone!

Happy trails -
sch

Another hump day...

Hello, hello!

Today was another mostly restful day. Dawn and Megan went to Yantaló to help with their Independence Day Parade and ended up sitting with the administration of the town, billed as something to the effect of "the queens of North Carolina." We have a feeling it was Victor's doing, being that he is a nice (and quite comical) guy like that. Andrés and I couldn't work on the computers today, so we attended Moyobamba's Independence Day Parade and toured the city with Daniel.

I want everyone to understand the "go-with-the-flow" attitude espoused by the people of Perú. For Americans like us, it is difficult to deal with the concept of showing up to work and having nothing to do, but in Perú, it is much less of a big deal. So when I requested prayer that work would present itself, I in no way intended for anyone to worry. If the rest of this time here turns out to be simply an opportunity to build relationships and experience culture, we will have done part of what mission is all about - being in partnership. I don't think that we have run out of ideas, either. The computers might be ready by next week. If not, we might look to teach English to the kids who are out of school and out of things to do. So pray, but please don't worry. We are having the time of our lives. The more FPC folks experience the folks down here, the better our partnership becomes and the more we are able to return and continue working.

I am not sure what is on the agenda tomorrow, but I will let you know what ends up happening. Please know that we are all in very good spirits and happy, whether we are working hard or merely enjoying our partners in mission here. Life is good, friends. Life is good.

Happy trails -
sch

A day in Yantaló

Saludos a todos. Today was our first work day in Yantaló, and proved as adventurous as all of our workdays have. Megan and Dawn worked with kindergarten students at the local school, playing games and teaching English numbers and colors and greetings and goodbyes. It seems they had a busy day, but had a good time interacting with the students. There does exist one problem, however, in working with the students: beginning tomorrow, they will be out for vacation until a few days after we leave. ¡Ay! Andrés and I began working with the LabCorp-donated computers with Victor, which also proved a bit problematic. The room where the computer lab is to be is without sufficient power to supply the computers. At this point, it is a room with desks and chairs. We have arranged the chairs in the most sensible configuration, have gone through the equipment available to us and decided what is already in our possession and what more is needed, ran some errands, and have roughly mapped out a plan. Unfortunately, the electrician cannot begin working on the lab until Thursday, which potentially has us out of a job for a while. I do hope we will be able to finish the project by the time we leave, but we will simply have to see. If nothing else, we will have planted good seeds and can hopefully continue this mission otherwise. This afternoon found us rather exhausted again - Megan and Dawn from playing "Gato, Gato, Perro," Andres and me from playing run-all-over-Perú-seeking-equipment-and-expertise. Being thusly exhausted, we took a while to rest and relax, napping, reading, talking. Daniel (cousin of Leslie and Robinson) came to visit, and we took a walk to el punto, where the picture to the right was taken. It is a bit dark, but rather beautiful. As impoverished a nation as this is, it carries a great wealth of natural beauty that, in my opinion, would probably be destroyed at the introduction of America-style wealth and progress. Our walk out to the point was one of many nice opportunities to bond as a smaller team that we have had in the last few days. We have enjoyed being together the whole time, I think, but I am starting to feel us becoming a good team, partners in mission, old friends. Tomorrow will begin later in the morning than today did, and given my recent lethargic tendency, that is good news. Please add to your prayer list a hope that we find some good work. I am not entirely sure how long it will take to fix the electricity in the room, or what other work we might find for the less computer-inclined among us, but let us all pray that avenues show themselves and that we react with patience and hope when they don't. On a personal note, I miss everybody. It is wonderful to be here and in such good company, but already I am anxious to share my experiences here face-to-face in spoken English. Don't mistake me for homesick, though: this place is amazing and the nine full days that are left are nothing but a blessing. And until that face-to-face spoken English occurs, there are digital photographs, blogs, faith, and prayer. Grace and peace, everyone. I will leave you with these words, untranslated, from a song sung at church. If you are dying to translate them, you can get a computer-generated (and therefore somewhat inaccurate) translation at http://babelfish.altavista.com. Te pido la paz para mi cuidad Te pido perdón por mi cuidad Ahora me humillo y busco tu rostro ¿A quien iré, Señor, sino a tí? Happy trails - sch

Another restful day

Greetings again to everyone.

Earlier this morning, I realized that time never passes the way we think it should. Always we comment that time passes so quickly, or that it has been a long day or a long week. Never do we say "Can you believe how normally time is passing? It's incredible!" I say this only because, as I began to write, it felt as though it had only been a few minutes since I last wrote to you.

Today has been nice and relaxing. We did get up this morning to see the folks returning to the States off. It was a sad affair! It is sad to see such a good group go. But it is still exciting to be here for another two weeks and do more work and experience more. Lots to learn, of course: I am going to do my very best to get those who speak English to STOP speaking it to me!

Otherwise, today has been restful and easy-going. We did try to see the parade for Moyobamba's anniversary, but the rain made the idea less attractive. We headed home, stopping in to visit with Leslie and Robinson's cousin Daniel along the way, and spending most of the day resting, talking, playing card games, reading. As it turns out, Robinson is quite the poker player (fret not, we played with candy)!

Tomorrow our work in Yantaló begins, and I am excited to be beginning. And I will certainly keep you updated as we continue here. Grace and peace to everyone.

Happy trails -
sch

A day of rest

Grace and peace, everyone.

Today has been a very nice day indeed. It began with church, which lasted from 10 until 12 - so let it be said that Peruvian Presbyterians have much more patience than their gringo counterparts. Listening to the Spanish proved interesting as well. I must say, if I may take a personal moment, that I understood a lot. The sermon was very moralistic and all of the activities of the churches here are rather charismatic. Quite different from the frozen chosen of the PC(USA), but very interesting to experience. After church, lunch was prepared at the Vargas home (spaghetti!); after lunch, it was the weekly soccer game at the Annie Soper School. Andrés, Dawn, Luke, and Ken all played as many of the rest of us watched and cheered. Some of us left the game to visit the site of the University we are working to put here. It is a beautiful piece of land, and it will be wonderful to see what unfolds there.

Dinner and devotions were also at the Vargas home, and we had a nice time talking about our experience here. And that statement proves a nice segue into the next topic - folks are leaving! Tonight, for many of the team, is the last night in Moyobamba. Tomorrow they will leave for Lima by way of Tarapoto. They will spend some time in Lima before heading back to the States. I told them already, but I want to tell you cyberspace folks as well: this has been a wonderful group. We have gotten along well, worked together well, and enjoyed one another. I also want to say how proud I am of First Presbyterian Church. I think it has been a great church for quite some time, but the last few years have seen such growth, both spiritually and as a community. The kind of intergenerational fun we have had on this trip serves as a testament to what is happening in our faith family, and that is the kind of news that's fun to share.

After a week, I have to say that this experience has had its hardships. Shallowly, I might mention that Peru's hottest water is warm. More importantly, I might mention that even as I learn the language more and more, even as I feel more and more comfortable using it, there are moments at which I haven't the slightest clue. The most pertinent problems, though, exist in differences - and as open-minded as we want to be, sometimes difference is just difficult. Culturally, socioeconomically, linguistically, theologically, this place is different. And that is hard to grasp. Nevertheless, despite hardships, there is such beauty. And though hardships never really disappear, they are mostly outweighed by the differences that strike chords with us - the slowness and simplicity of life here, the hospitality we have been shown, the landscape.

And today has been a great day. I mentioned in devotions tonight that, when many of you ask about the trip, many of us will be tempted to say "It was wonderful; I had such a good time." This will be true, but it will only scratch the surface. Coming to Moyobamba is not an issue of good or bad, of fun or not, like vacation is. It is a matter of learning and loving a culture, but feeling slightly heartbroken at the hardships certain people face. It is a matter of realizing the ignorance you have carried until you saw this kind of poverty with your own eyes. It is a matter of great complexity. But today has been so nice and restful - a great sabbath despite the plentiful activity. To share a worship experience with the Moyobambans, to watch our own play soccer with locals and other missionaries alike, to share with one another the joy and profundity of the last week, has been a great way to kill the past twenty four hours.

Thanks to everyone for wading through a week of my musings. I think the next two weeks will bring lots more reason to write home, and I look forward to writing to you. I hope also that I can look forward to your readership. It's a good thing.

Happy trails -

sch

Visiting the Jungle

Just a quick entry today, folks - we all need some sleep before church in the morning.

Today we visited la selva (the jungle). It was not the wildest of safaris, as there is a very nice place where we were served lunch and where we rested in hammocks and so forth, but we were close enough to see lots of fantastic foliage, enjoy the natural swing (take your typical swingset, make it natural, add a pinch of Tarzan), and see monkeys jumping from tree to tree! It was wonderful. Getting there took forty minutes in the van and then forty minutes in a boat, and it was a perfect way to end the first week here (and the only week for some).

After returning from our adventure, we cleaned up, rested, and then headed out to dinner, after which several of us visit the Presbyterian Church's youth group (really a group for young adults). It was quite difficult to understand, but I did catch some of the general message anyway - and the words to the songs are projected overhead. It was good to see folks getting together on a Saturday night at church - not a bad idea. After youth group, we checked out the celebration for Moyobamba's 465th anniversary, which was full of music, food, and Moyobambans. All of us are tired after a long week, though, so our visit was brief.

And now here we are at the internet café. Tomorrow we will go to church and then enjoy a day of rest (and perhaps some play), and then most of the team will begin the journey back on Monday.

It is amazing what one can learn in one week, from differences in culture to Spanish vocabulary to ways we might save the world. The process of getting ourselves oriented with the culture, with the people, with the street signs, with one another has been a blessing. I think worldviews have changed already - and already folks are speaking about their next trip to Peru, me included. It is my understanding that the pace of our progress here depends on the feelings of some higher-ups in the PC(USA), but let me say that what we are doing here is more than good and fulfilling - it is exciting. I hope some of you reading will be inspired to break out of comfort zones and come lend a hand. It certainly involves sacrifice and patience, but our church's mission here is a very powerful thing and it is wonderful to feel a part of what is happening.

Blessings to everyone as the weekend continues. Our prayers are with you in Los Estados Unidos, and some of us will be seeing you rather soon. For those of us for whom it will be a bit longer, we look forward to writing more as we continue living and learning.

Happy trails -
sch

The work week ends...

I simply must take advantage of the opportunity before me and say, confidently, "Hey, y'all." One does begin to miss certain words after a while.

Today we held our last medical clinic. It was in Algarrobos, a small community nearby, where the owner of lots of land has parceled it off and sold it to various persons. A small building for the Presbyterian congregation there is very close to being finished and really is rather nice.

Lots of fun was also had today. Ken Mottinger played his first game of soccer ever, in a game with gringos and Peruanos alike. We also went to the famous Hot Springs to sit a while and relax, which left us quite relaxed and ready for a good dinner, some ice cream, and a visit to the internet café. A good day.

The trip, for those of us who are only staying for ten days, is winding down. Tomorrow, though, will be a great last hurrah: a trip into the jungle to see the animals. The remainder of tomorrow and Sunday will be days of rest, and then it won't be long before most of us are back in the States. Andrés, Dawn, Megan, and I are here for two more weeks, however. Our work situation is not totally certain, but there is much to be done here.

It has been a long week and a long day - and I wouldn't be surprised if the ordeal of getting those pictures up gave me my first grey hair. (Kidding.) Anyway, given all these factors, I will be more brief and less philosophical tonight. All I can say is that things are good, God is good, and Peru is simultaneously beautiful and in need of help. And that is why we are here.

Goodnight, todos.

sch

"Tasty Water"

Let me go ahead and explain the subject I chose for this entry. Today we traveled to the village of Mishquiyacu, a tiny village about two hours outside of Moyobamba. The ride there was an adventure, to be sure. Bumpy roads, mountain curves (a la Blue Ridge Parkway, almost) taken way too fast, crossing a creek and a river in a fifteen-passenger van. What a trip. The name "Mishquiyacu" means "tasty water" (or "good water," but I like "tasty" a lot more). There is a Presbyterian Church in Mishquiyacu - it is pastored by a lay pastor who also is the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Tarapoto and it has a grand total of five members. We did manage to see thirty-seven patients/patient groups today. Another success.

When I say "village," I mean it. The greatest technological advances in Mishquiyacu are the motorcycle the pastor rides into town, the corrugated tin roofs, and the building materials used (about one step above mud bricks and thatched roofing, though both of these exist either in town or close by). Dawn and Luke played many games with los jóvenes of the town after school was finished. Included were Red Rover, Gato Gato Perro (think Duck Duck Goose), the Hokey Pokey, the Chicken Dance, and fútbol, of course.

We have celebrated two birthdays in the last two days - Doris and Luke. Each has received multiple outbursts of song (we sing once in English, once in Spanish, and sometimes add a Christian Happy Birthday that is sung here). It has been a joy to share such special days with special people in a special place.

Some of the group leaves tomorrow to begin the adventure to Cuzco. They will visit there until they meet up with the rest of the team (minus those of us staying three weeks) in Lima before heading back to the States. Their departure from Moyobamba instigates, for me, simultaneous feelings of both "Goodbye already?" and "Goodness gracious - I will be here for two more weeks!" What an experience this has been already. The team is really quite the well-oiled machine. All of us enjoy one another and all of us have worked so well together at the clinics, if I may brag a bit. We have experienced extremes - jealousy for the beauty of the surrounding mountains changes quickly to sorrow for povery, malnutrition, poor public health. We continue to wrestle, as with all missions, with what exactly we are called to do. We cannot - and do not really want to - impose American life on these folks. We appreciate so deeply the simplicity and slower pace of life here, but it is too easy to wish running water for those who don't have it. It is a struggle I look forward to continuing to tackle; I think and hope that my teammates feel quite the same.

Okay, one more time. I forgot to bring my pictures. I did upload this picture the other day, though. This was taken at La Casona, the hotel where half of the team is staying. Doris is chatting with Leslie, whom many of you may have met when she and her brother Robinson visited the States earlier this year. Leslie and Robinson's family has been hosting the rest of the team, and they are the kindest and most hospitable folks any of us has known.

I'm afraid that there aren't any more interesting pictures. I will do my best, now that I am at my preferred internet café, to bring pictures. Lots of them.

Time is running out. I hope everyone in Los Estados Unidos is doing quite well. We look forward to sharing more stories with you in the coming days. Grace and peace a todos.

Happy trails -
sch

A Hump Day Update

Hello everyone.

My apologies for the gap in entries over the last day. Last night, the team was visited by a missionary who has been in Perú for almost 50 years, and by the time all was said and done, it was too late to go out to the internet café.

The last two days have been quite busy. Tuesday was spent in Yantaló, seeing the patients who couldn´t be seen Monday along with a few new ones. It also included some entertainment for the citizens of Yantaló - the children who were biding time near the clinic were presented with renditions of "The Tooty Tot" and "The Hokey-Pokey." What an exchange that was. It was realy fascinating to watch them participate in our silly gringo activities. Sometimes we get so caught up in seeking profundity in our cross-cultural experiences that we forget that silliness has a certain transcendent quality.

Today we traveled to Metoyacu, a small village outside Moyobamba (across the river which is just below Puerto Mirador, where several teams have stayed when traveling here). It was a much calmer affair, but we were able to see forty or so "patients," some of which were individuals and others who were families visiting together. The first pickup soccer game of the trip occured, as well as a game of baseball in front of the clinic. Noé also put his seminary training to use, speaking a few words to the folks of the village. There were several touching moments, from playing with children to laughing with our Peruvian friends about language inadequacies on both sides of the table.

While today involved crossing a river in a boat, it is my understanding that tomorrow involves removing shoes and crossing a creek on foot. It certainly sounds interesting. Photos are still on their way; we are in a different café tonight and hooking up the camera is a bit too complicated. I will be here for two and a half weeks more, though, so keep your eyes peeled.

I feel like there is so much to say and I only skim the surface with each entry - but I suppose some stories are best saved for our return home. In any case, please know that we are well, that we are learning, that we are growing, that we are excited. And please leave comments! This means you!

Grace and peace to you all as you enter the second part of the week. I plan to be back tomorrow with more news. Did I mention that you all should leave comments?

Happy trails -
sch

Takin' Care Of Business.

¡Hola a todos!

Our second day in Perú has been stressful on many levels, but continues to be lots of fun. As mentioned yesterday, we began our work here today and it was quite the adventure. The morning started with breakfast, which might seem an insignificant detail until you understand that this was, to a degree, an adventure in itself. Those staying at the hotel were met this morning with a nice roast - yes, for breakfast! Those of us staying at the Vargas-Silva household were treated to a typical Moyobamban breakfast, the most exotic element of which was plátanos al horno - literally, baked plantains. Victor (the father) recommended slicing the plantain lengthwise, inserting a piece of cheese, closing it back up, and proceeding this way. I am ashamed to say that I did not try this particular technique, but it seemed to go over well with the rest of the group.

I can't believe I spent that many words on breakfast.

After breakfast, all of us met at the hotel, where we chatted with one another and with the High Point group as we waited for the vans. Then, it was off to work in a small town named Yantaló, where the aforementioned Victor is the vice-mayor. Mostly, High Point folks worked to mix and pour concrete for flooring in a church facility for the local iglesia presbiteriana and Burlington folks ran the medical clinic. Don, Luke, and Andres did join the cement crew, however, and one High Point nurse joined us at the clinic.

Running the medical clinic was a trying but fulfilling experience. The patients arrived before we did, and when we had arrived, each had given his/her name and age. For some of us, then, the job was to call out the names and screen the patients, asking them questions about their conditions in order to help the doctor and nurse treat them. We are blessed with Noé, Laurie, and Andres, all of whom speak Spanish fluently. Dawn, Megan, and I have studied Spanish in school, and Genie has picked up some useful frases in her experiences here. For those of us who, after spending the night in a home where father and mother and grandmother don't speak English, felt reasonably confident about wrestling with the language barrier, it was quite the reality check. After interviewing a couple of patients, those of us who are less-than-fluent were exhausted, I think. Eyes were examined and reading glasses were distributed, medications were prescribed and distributed, gifts were given, games were played - all of us worked together, with varying levels of Spanish proficiency, to get the job done, and we did quite well. Eighty patients signed up to be seen today. Thirty-two visits to Dr. Jorge were made, with some families visiting as a unit. It was a success. Progress was also made at the Presbyterian Church, where I believe I understand that half the floor has been laid.

Those of you who have previously traveled with FPC to Perú might like to know that Pastor Calvin had some surgery and is staying here in Moyobamba with his brother, as he is in a lot of pain and is not in a position to serve the church in Soritor. His role in Soritor is being filled by itinerant preachers and it seems that Pastor Calvin, whose operation was only a week ago, will return when he is feeling well. Also, Dora mentioned that the Yantaló church was essentially a box made of bricks last summer. It now has doors and and iron "windows" and is beautiful. I decided that I would be quite proud to worship in a church that looked like that.

I am afraid that this entry will also have to be without pictures - I am about to run out of time and they won't have time to upload. Not to worry, though: today included a performance of Karlean Davis' famous ballet dance (perhaps this is only familiar to youth), an effort to sing "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" in Spanish (fyi, this would be "Cabeza, Hombros, Rodillos, y Dedos" ), and a massive tickle attack on me instigated by some precious - if aggressive - Peruvian boys. I can't guarantee that pictures of all these exist, but cameras were brought out during the entertainment. I'll do my best to get them for tomorrow.

Okay, time's about gone. Tomorrow we return to another day at the clinic. More stories are on the way, I am sure. Grace and peace.

Happy trails -
sch

The adventure begins!

By my calculations, we are somewhere near twenty-four hours into our adventure here in Peru. We took off from RDU yesterday about 5:30pm, arrived in Miami around 7:30, took off from Miami around midnight, arrived early this morning in Lima, took off from Lima at 8:45am, arrived in Tarapoto, rode for two and a half hours on quite the bumpy van ride, and now we're here safe in Moyobamba, which is showing all the early signs of a home away from home.

Already there is plenty reason to write home. Cameras were left on airplanes and swiftly recovered, teeth were accidently brushed with the don't-drink-it water, flights were delayed - but I think speak safely for everyone in saying that, all in all, things are muy bien. Cultural lessons have already been learned: don't put toilet paper down the toilet - the trash can beside the commode is there for a reason; cansado means "tired" and casado means "married" - so be careful. It is clear that most folks here are below our poverty line, but I have to wonder if they don't easily surpass our happiness line. In any case, the best part of the cultural encounter so far has been the overwhelming sense that life here moves at a slower, friendlier pace. Our hosts could not be nicer or more hospitable.

This evening, most of us are cleaning up, resting, settling in. Some of us will be going to Moyobamba Presbyterian's evening worship shortly; it will be exciting to worship in all Español. Our work will begin tomorrow morning as we travel to Yántalo, where many of us will be working with our first free medical clinic and where some of us will help our colleagues from High Point to lay the foundation for a sanctuary. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin to serve our primary purpose here.

Please also keep us in your prayers as Dawn Martin shouts across the internet café to find out how to say "I will be here for three weeks" in Spanish. We are such gringos.

We came straight to the café from an early afternoon meal, so I didn´t have a chance to grab my camera before heading over here. The good news, though, is that I will be able to post pictures once I remember to bring my equipment with me. Blessings as this weekend closes and a new week begins. More to come soon.

Happy trails -
sch

¡Bienvenidos!

Hello, everyone.

I imagine that most folks who would find themselves here would know me, but - just in case - my name is Stuart, and I'm a member of First Presbyterian Church in Burlington, North Carolina. This Saturday, July 16, I - along with several other folks from FPC - will be traveling to Moyobamba, Peru, to do mission work. For the first week, we will be traveling to towns around Moyobamba to host free medical clinics for the people there, as well as helping to lay the foundation for a Presbyterian church near Moyobamba. After this first week, most of the team will return to the states; however, four of us who are college-age will be staying in Peru for an additional two weeks, working to set up a computer lab using computers which have been donated and teaching folks how to use these new computers.

I've set up this blog so that I can relay my experience with family and friends at home, and hopefully it will be a vehicle for our church family to read up on the adventures of all of us travelling to this beautiful country. Perhaps some of my colleagues would like to post their own thoughts as we step through our journey. We will see as time passes.

In any case, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers - and please keep in touch! At the bottom of this entry is listed the current number of comments received. If you feel so inclined (and I hope you do), you may add your own comment by clicking this number. It will appear at the bottom of each entry - and copious entries demand copious responses. I look forward to hearing from all of you.

Grace and peace to everyone in the days to come. Current countdown to departure is five days!

Happy trails -
sch