with the Pastor´s wife Clementina. A lot of kids + no shade = a bit of sunburn

A beautiful view of Nauta!

Pastor Williams put us to work painting the fence around the campamento!

A few of my amigos with the whales they made.

R.I.P our large and scary friend

Happy July friends!!

Sarah here! I definitely feel as though Kelly and I have been here for longer than fifteen days...but I suppose that´s because we have gotten into such a routine here...but along with routines always come surprises...some not so pleasant as others. For example, tonight we we were relaxing a little bit after a long day of ministry. Soon one of the high schoolers Ashley on our team begins to scream ¨Tarantulaaaaaaaaaa¨and lo and behold I saw the largest spider I have ever seen in Peru. After a few pictures and way too many high pitched screams, it was killed with a wooden plank.

Our second week of ministry is going great. It has been busy because yesterday we had the 2 kids programs running at the same time and then Kelly and I have a Wednesday kids program we go to with the kids from our street last year. We were so exhausted by the end, but it was so much fun. We ended a night with a great game. Each kid needed a partner and one partner was to be the bird and the other the tree. Everyone is running around crazily until one person calls out...at that moment the partners have to find each other and the bird has to sit on the knee of the tree partner. Well Kelly was paired up with a young, small boy named Junior. I guess she wasn´t paying much attention to the rules because while all the other Americans knew it would be wise to be the tree, Kelly decided to be the bird. So on the first call we all had a good laugh to see Kelly sitting on the knee of a little boy...she then realized they should switch roles..but it was certainly fun to watch while it lasted...

Beside that weekly program, our daily team is divided into 2 groups and Kel´s group is working on one side of Nauta and my group is on the other side. Today we shared the story of Jonah and the whale and the kids loved it! It is only the second day and many of the children already have learned the memory verse. Ir has been awesome to see the Peruvians on our team stepping up and applying what they learned last week into the programs next week. On Monday we are leaving for the jungle where the Peruvians will get a chance to play an even greater role. I love this method of discipleship...the chance to come and encourage/teach people how to minister to their own people is so exciting..especially the knowledge that the work doesn´t stop when the high school team leaves..in reality it is just beginning!!

After the Bible school today, some of the parents and siblings of the kids in the Bible school challenged us to a game of volleyball. It was 4 Americans vs. 4 Peruvians. I would share the outcome but it is just too depressing to talk about haha.

The Lord is constantly teaching me new things everyday..but if there is any overwhelming theme it is just that he is giving both Kelly and I more of a thirst for Him..not his gifts or his blessings...but Himself. We continue to challenge each other that nothing in this world- no relationship, no amount of money, nor anything else compare with an intimate relationship with Christ. I am currently reading the Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot. All throughout there are various excerpts her husband wrote throughout his life before dying on the mission field. Today I read this:

¨To that soul which has tasted of Christ, the jaunty laugh, the tempting music of mingled voices, the haunting appeal of smiling eyes--all these lack flavor. And I would drink deeply of Him. Fill me, O Spirit of Christ, with all the fullness of God¨

Kelly and I are learning to live like ¨strangers in this land,¨ while working with all our strength, but also looking forward to our heavenly citizenship and we pray the same for you all.

-Paz

-Sarah

P.S- the chiggers and sunburn phase has about passed. The new craze is lice...bu no worries I will be sure to rid of these little friends before giving any of you hugs back in los Estados Unidos.