friday 30th Jan

Hi all! We arrived into Arequipa on the 23rd of Jan and it was real late. We got a taxi to New Hope Home and thanked God for the safe and trouble free trip. For a long time I thought i got it wrong - that i could not stay in Peru for the 5 months and would have to show a flight out before i could get in..this is what the immigration man said to me when i tried to check in at Birmingham.. and was pulled aside. So every time i had to fill out a visa form i sweated lots! but it was ok because they let me board with a dummy booking out of the country.. so when i got to Peru immigration it was like i thought i would have to lie and then get found out and be put in prison or something..ha ha! So after a lot of stuttering and pretending i could not speak at all.. the Peru immigration man said how long would you like to stay for?.. and stamped just that! my 5 months!..

The trip was fun - like i watched 20 films all the way there, the only time i moved was when Peter lost his glasses after waking up and a i was on my hands and knees in the aisle looking under every one's shoes in the dark.

When we got to the home there was a team from Liberty Church there. It was good fun as we got to talk to them and hear all the gospel singing they seem to do all day long.. we even got woken up by it the first time after we arrived. It was a nice welcome really.

The Children's Home: there are about 40 kids and youth altogether.. and some that are older that pop in and out. I still really don't know who actually sleeps here.

Peter and I are in charge of the teen boys. At the moment their rooms are getting painted up and fixed, so we all are moved to the main hall that is like a small church hall in the home compound.

I have got to know some of the names now - i know the ones that get in trouble more but that's ok.. Senor Abel is in charge of the teens, but now a few days in, we have been given our program.. and we are in charge of them when Abel has his days off.

Yesterday and today we were in charge.. and getting to know what's what and how things work . It's coming along.. slowly at times.We both have been managing well but we are with the boys 24-7.. and coming down in to Arequipa center is a good rest..

The program: please pray for this as we are in charge of this :

6.30 Wake up. Abel gets them up really much earlier, but i try to work on that,.,

6.30- 7.30 Make beds and wash, this is really not that much time to get all boys doing this.. and as I'm the last one, i get ready for the day nearly after lunch..

7.30-8.00 Breakfast, and explain program of the day and what each role is for each boy. .their house duties.. this is quite hard at times, as each one has the version of the roles they have..

8.30 Peter and I and other interns meet with David Bolos to talk about the activities of the day and programs for the week.

9.00 I have made a point to make it devotional times till 9.30. This has been a change from what has been done before, but this is all ok because before we where stretched to make a time for this. I gave my testimony today and Peter was yesterday for devotionals.. it went well.. and i have been ok so far in translating.. We played a game ¨bang, bang, sheriff" before we did devotionals today, to get the boys in a better mood. They have never played this before and it was really fun.. i want to make devotional time a time to look forward too and not a chore. i will try to be as creative with devotionals as i can..

at times with the kids is was hard as we tried to get them to do their house duties.. but most of the time really good laugh.. lots of football involved, i still cant score a goal.. ! but at least I'm getting a lot of altitude training..

Monday is our main day off with some other afternoons.

Not this week, but next Friday and Saturday, the interns are organising a camping trip! We don't know where it is but they have done this before.. they said it took 5 hours walk to some valley. The stories of the place and what we might sleep in sounds like a serial TV program.. we don't have tents but we are told we just tell the teens that a date of camping is set and they will be creative and make there own shelters.. they will get all the supports and what works as shelter and make tents.. i think this is the 1st task,, make your tent when we get there. then next task will be find a ton of wood to make a bonfire to keep us all warm and to cook and make a cup of tea with..

I'm sure it will be fine and there will be lots of stories to tell after,..

Yesterday we cleaned the whole 3rd floor which was an almighty task,, because most of it was rubble.. but it looks grand now..

From up there you can see the three main mountains around Arequipa.. it really looks great.. !

Pray for David Bolos as he and his wife will not be in Peru next week and the interns will be in charge to run things with the kids..

Pray for other trips that we are thinking to organise for the kids..

Please keep in touch.. i will add photos next time I'm on line.. I forgot to bring my camera lead..

Ok. its 5.00pm here.. and we have 4 hours left of time off... God bless