Time in Lima

Thursday morning started very early for me. Think it's jet lag starting to hit. I call Dinah in Santiago. They are 2 hours ahead of Peru and she's having lunch with David and Pui See. Afterwards I do reflections. It dawns on me that I am so proud of Julian and Serene and the team Terry, Delia and Ailay. They have opened the way and established a model of church planting in South America for the rest of us. For me, it's pure privilege to see the team in action. This is so awesome.

It's time for Terry and I go to collect my visa. It's a cold day and another long wait. I get the Ecuador visa till 12 Dec. My flight leaves Quito on 11 Dec so the Consul gave me one day grace. For that I'm thankful. Next Terry brings us for a Peruvian lunch and we come home for a cup of coffee. Julian is working on the computer in his room preparing for camp. Then I notice Terry is reading the latest Hope Church Singapore Breakthrough testimony. He tells me he reads them regularly.

The guest room for me is on the roof top. There is a small, steel spiral stairway to the top. You walk through the open where the laundry hangs to the room. In the afternoon I find some bird feathers in the room as they are blown through the bottom of the door. I almost pick them up before I remember migratory birds and bird flu. So I pull the airline sticker tape from the suitcase and use it to dab/stick the feathers (just in case) and throw the feathery tape right into the bin.

Then I start to type what I have learnt from Lima. Next I reply to my wife's email from Santiago. Later in the afternoon four local leaders start arriving for mentoring sessions before the team huddle later. Tonight's huddle focuses on final preparations for the weekend anniversary camp. I can't stop yawning during the camp discussions. Jet lag is at peak level. Then the team practise action songs for the camp with me half-dazed. The actions cause me to begin to wake up. I only realise I have not taken a photo of the huddle when it's over.

Friday morning is waking up fresh. It's spring. The weather is cool in the morning and cold at night. Sometimes it's hot in the afternoon but yesterday it was cold. Every one is out this morning. There is time to read the Bible leisurely and pray. Then I spend time preparing for tomorrow's anniversary camp. Next Julian and I have a long 5 hour lunch. Then we come back just in time to pick up the team to go out. On the way, we laugh over the bar of soap that 'miraculously' lasts 6 months.

Tonight we have dinner at Pardos Chicken, a famous Peruvian restaurant. Here's the photo by Terry. The drink is chicha made from purple corn. The team insist I have anticucho which is cow's heart. It's interesting. This is exotic dining with good company. Then the girls offer to bring me shopping for gifts. This is our last opportunity as camp starts tomorrow then I fly to Ecuador. They have great fun helping me choose gifts as Julian and Terry stay aside for some manly talk. It's great to have shopping consultants from Singapore.