Hello from Lima!

Greetings from Lima, Peru! We are here again for almost a full day, and again our flight leaves after midnight. We are very comfortable in this airport since we´ve spent a lot of time here.

Our last update was before our bus trip from Yacuiba to Santa Cruz. We had our last meal in Yacuiba early since the bus departed at 8:00 p.m. It is earlier than most people have their evening meal; we found it very difficult to find a restaurant open for supper at the unusual hour of 5:30, and had a choice of two items at that hour. When we arrived at the bus station, we were surprised and touched to find many of the members of the church at the station. It was a cool evening for us, and many of them wore ponchos and two or three jackets. Lots wore toques and hats, and I think I saw a pair of mitts. It´s amazing that we have such different perceptions of the weather...our hearts, however, are on the same page. It was hard to say good-bye, and we will remember their love and welcome always.

Our bus was a luxury liner, especially compared to the trip we made from Tarija and even compared to Canadian standards. I have never ridden on a bus with leg rests and reclining seats. It was a double-decker bus with reserved seating, and Ivan got us the upper level seats in the front. We were able to see the road in front of us, and sit in cushioned comfort. Perhaps it would not have seemed so wonderful if we had not had the trip from Tarija to which to compare it, but it seemed a luxury to me.

Our driver, whom we never saw, gave us some hairy moments. He seemed to have no fear. Do you know how it feels to be sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle and feel the need for a brake on the passenger side of the vehicle when the driver doesn´t stop soon enough for your comfort? I think there are holes in the front of the upper level of that bus. The driver pulled out into the oncoming lane several times and there were vehicles or people whom he narrowly missed. Wayne was a little worried in the beginning; he kept waving people off the road. Perhaps it was just a reflex reaction, but he was urging them through a closed window to get out of the way. Perhaps if he had tried gesturing in Spanish?? No one was injured, and Wayne eventually settled down (closing the blind helped) and, along with most of us, slept.

The ride took about eight hours, and we arrived in Santa Cruz in the middle of the night. Ivan and Emigdio hustled us into cabs to drive to the hotel. That was another hair-raising ride, and I came to think it was just my fatigue that was making me worry. The drivers don´t seem to be concerned. In fact, no one except us Canadians seemed to be concerned at all. We ran red lights - after slowing to make sure there was no one to hit - and our three cabs raced to get to the hotel in record time. We checked in and finished the night´s sleep with no other interruptions.

It was a relaxing and enervating day in Santa Cruz. We had the morning to recover and meet as a team while Ivan took care of some errands and Emigdio met with his daughter who lives in Santa Cruz. We met for lunch and then began some serious shopping. Ray even donated some of his clothes to the church in Yacuiba in order to have more room for souvenirs. Perhaps it was Henry who first said that we considered it a part of our ministry to help the economy in Bolivia. And we did. We were also able to step inside a 400-year-old Catholic church for a few minutes to be amazed. The exterior was made entirely of brick, and it was easy to see that it was 400 years old. The interior was beautiful, and though we did not go beyond the back of the church out of respect, we could see the intricate scrollwork on the ceiling, the carpentry and detailing that encompassed the whole church. Though I am not Catholic, it was amazing to sit in the back of that church and imagine the thousands of people who have sought God in that building.

We had our last supper together with Ivan and Emigdio last night. We have mentioned them off and on in the blog and in our e-mails, and perhaps now would be a good time to say that we owe them a debt of enormous gratitude. Ivan planned and organized our trip with attention to all details (and he will be tracking our flights as we go home to make sure all goes well...even though he is under the weather and has another team arriving Friday), and he has been sensitive to making sure that we are able to experience our STEP missionary trip with enjoyment and, most importantly, learning. I believe that it is thanks to his heart for Bolivia that we can now see as much of the Baptist church of Bolivia as we do. Emigdio has a wealth of experience in Bolivia, missions, the history of the churches we visited, the Bolivian Baptist Union, etc., etc., etc. We were fortunate to have them as our guides and translators, and now our brothers and friends. Thank you!

After supper, we met with Ivan and Emigdio to have their recommendations on how the church might direct the funds which are our responsibility to designate. They gave us their thoughts, and we will be reporting them to the church when we get back, but it was also our chance to say good-bye. We had a few hours of sleep before we headed off to the airport this morning for an early flight to Lima. We have a 16-hour layover here, and most of the group chose to grab a taxi and do some more exploring of the city. Henry, Karen and I have chosen to stay at the airport until the rest come back, and we will be leaving tomorrow morning at 1:25 a.m. It is a long flight to Toronto, and we have a short stop there, and then it´s on home.

Our trip is almost over, and it seems both like it just started, and it seems so long ago. We have experienced a lot, and learned so much that it´s hard to remember it all. We are so grateful to you for being there with us, in prayer and in thought, for keeping us motivated with e-mails and thoughtful messages. Thank you! It has been wonderful to be part of this team...this missionary team, only 10 of which are now in Lima. God bless you (Dios te bendiga).

We will update you when we arrive home, and we will update you once more at least when we have dates for any trip-related events so that you can hear all the details. Like saying good-bye to Ivan and Emigdio, it feels like a let-down. We´ve loved having a chance to experience this with you.

For all of us Diez-peradoes, Dazed and a little Depleted,
In His Name,
Nadine