Moving to Monaghan!

It's been a while since I wrote. Tings have been a bit tough coming home from peru, and many things were up in the air since I came home. I interviewed for a job back in february...got it, but it has take until now (April) to get my police clearance to start the job. So the new job started 2 days ago. I got my police clearance on Tuesday and started on the Wednesday. The new job is in Monaghan...the South of Ireland. It's been a pretty whirlwind experience. I got here, am staying with a family in one of the churches in the area, on a farm and basically just trying to find my way about. I met with the girl who is off on maternity leave (my job is just a community leave cover...so just for up to 9 months) and tried to get some information on what it is that I'm actually supposed to be doing, and she wasn't much help to be honest. She doesn't really want to hand over her job...she's from the area so she's still going to be involved in the youth work in the area...but she hasn't given me any guidance at all...no contact numbers, no people to get in touch with and no idea of what Im supposed to be doing. So it's all a great time!!

Apart from that things are great. I have been out on the farm a couple of times...got the shock of my life as when I walked into the sheep house all one side were being readied to go to the slaughter house. I could never make a farmer's wife...I'm too soft I think. Monaghan is lovely...it's been a couple of lovely spring nights, so I think I'm seeing it at it's best. There is a possibility of me moving into one of the manses in the area..I drove past it the other day and it's a huge old place...it would be great to get the house...a bit of a hang out for the young people that I'm to be working with...but the church are voting on it on Sunday after church, so I should know by Sunday whether I have the hosue or not!

So after 6 weeks of waiting the job has started and I'm loving it so far!!!

November Newsletter

Emma’s November Newsletter

This is the last newsletter that I will be sending from the beautiful city of Arequipa. My two years finish here at the end of November, and I will be home again in Northern Ireland in cold December, just in time for Christmas. The last two months have passed in the blink of an eye, the month of October concentrating on planning and carrying out the mission trip to Pisco. It was a difficult and challenging experience for the whole group that went to Pisco and we know that some of the alumnus that went with us have been thinking about how they live, their attitudes and also how they want to do something to help those less fortunate in the future.

On the 31st October we had our Light Party, or “Fiesta de la Luz.” We had 2 sessions, one in the morning during school time for the children in the nursery department with over 200 in attendance, and then another party at 5pm, after school for children in primary school. There was less of a turn-out at the evening party, but it was still a very fun party. The exciting part of these two parties was that many of the students who went on the mission trip to Pisco volunteered to help with the organization and want to be involved in these activities that we have.

November has been a busy month. We have had 2 Open House Saturdays, basically a time when different departments in school show off what they have been working on during the year. It was the first time that Proyección Cristiana has had their own display, and we were able to talk to a huge number of parents about our projects and what our plans and hopes are for the future.

As well as Open House we started our Social Project the 3rd week of November. Basically every student in the College prepares a Christmas box and we take all our students to schools in shanty towns or less affluent areas in Arequipa and the surrounding area. Each student presents their box to a special friend and gets to spend some time with them.

The month of November has been very difficult for a friend of mine (and my hairdresser), Sandra. She was taken into hospital and found to have a tumor on her ovary. The tumor was too big to operate so had Chemo and radiation therapy. I have been to visit with her a number of times and try to encourage her during this difficult time. Sandra does not have any health insurance so she was literally in the oldest and worst hospital in Arequipa. Sandra is not a believer but through conversations she showed a real interest in the bible. She didn’t have a bible of her own so I bought her a bible back in February, and every time I passed by her shop she was reading her bible and always had it with her. When I visited with her in the hospital we were chatting and she asked me to pray for the ladies that are on either side of her bed. Even in this situation I can still see Sandra’s interest and God working in her. Being in the hospital visiting Sandra has really made me so thankful, I know that in the UK we have a health care system that is not perfect but it’s pretty good, and here in Peru I have insurance and the resources to go to a good hospital if I should ever fall sick. Please keep Sandra in your prayers over the coming weeks and months and please pray for someone who would be able to support Sandra when I leave Arequipa.

In Arequipa my very last official engagement is on the 1st December. The school organizes the Christmas party for the children and families at Shalom. This is always a very special time of the year and I am very happy that this will be my last function. It’s always very special to see the teachers and children of the college getting involved with the families that attend Shalom and it really is a joyful way to finish both the year and my two year Stride in Arequipa.

Lastly I’d just like to thank you all for keeping up to date with my news here in Arequipa and thank you for all the support that I have received over the last two years. Mission would not be possible without people at home faithfully praying for projects and people. Thank you for letters and emails that have come over the last two years and I hope to have the opportunity to meet up over the coming months.


Prayer and Praise
For the team of Proyección Cristiana, for Gloria and Carlos and the friendship that we have built over the last 2 years, and for the seeds that have been sown in the colegio.
For the mission trip to Pisco, that the students that went would continue to be impacted by what they saw and would continue to evaluate their lives and their faith.

For Sandra, that if it is in God’s will he would heal her, and if not that she would find peace in the hope we have in Christ.

For the special Christmas party in Shalom, that all the plans would come together and that the teachers in the colegio would enjoy spending time with both the children and mums in Shalom.

For safety as I leave Arequipa and in my travels as I head home in December.

Praise God for the support from friends and family at home during my two years, and for the experiences that I have lived. I pray that I will have the opportunity to share a little of what I have learned with you as I come home to Northern Ireland.

Viaje Misionero a Pisco!

It's been a while since the last post, mainly because there's been so much preparation for this trip we just took with the kids from school.

After the earthquake in mid-August we decided as a department that we would take our next mission trip to the affected area. So over the last month or so we have been preparing in school for this trip, collecting food and clothes, preparing the kids that were to go, and we ourselves as the team leaders took a trip to Pisco to see what the need was and to make contacts with churches and schools.

The last week has been really busy. We have been shopping for food using money that had been donated, and with this food we made up food packages...we made up roughly 2500 mixed bags, with milk, sugar, pasta, rice and other essentials. As well as making up the food packages we bought medicines that the doctor who was accompanying us would use in her consultations. All this, as well as clothing donations had to be bagged up and puts in big sacks to be sent ahead and would be waiting for us when we arrived.

On Tuesday we finally had everything done, all forms from parents signed and kids all at school ready to go. Rosemary the boss came down to school to pray with the parents first and then with the team and then we headed off. Normally these longs trips are done at night time, but as our drivers didnt know the road they decided it would be better to go by day. What a ,ercy that was as when we were driving along the hilltop roads there were a couple of places where there had been rockfalls and one place in particular where more than half the road was blocked by a huge boulder.

The trip to Pisco took us from 7.30am til 9.30pm. When we finally got there everyone was tired and hungry so really it was eating and then off to the school were we would be spending the night. We were a little worried that the kids would spend an uncomfortable night just sleeping on the floor with no mattress and just a sleeping bag, but in fact everyone was so tired that they were out like lights!!!

Wednesday was our first day working. After breakfast we went to our first appointment. It was a little nursery school, there should be about 50 pupils, but since the earthquake attendance has been very low, about half of the pupils were there. The attendance problem was the same in every school we visited. The teachers told us that parents are so scared that something bad is going to happen again that they aren't sending their kids to school.

Our team gave their presentation, with songs, drama and puppets and then they spent some time with the kids giving out little bibles and food parcels. During this presentation the doctor did a medical check on all the children and Carlos the psychologist did a workshop with parents.

After this first program we headed across the block to a primary school. In this primary school the number on the roll is somewhere about 150 pupils, but there was only a fracion of this number at school. These children have been having their classes outside due to the building being unsafe, but recenlty the Dep of Education has said that they can actually enter the buidlings.

Yet again we did the program with Carlos giving his workshop with the teachers in the school. We had a very fun dance competition with Pablo Turner stunning everyone with his dance moves, and all the children joining in with the songs and choreographia.

At the end of the program when we were giving out the food bags we hit a difficult point, and a point which caused our kids and our team to think a little bit. As the walls of the school had fallen down kids wnadered in off the streets looking for food. How can you tell someone who hasn't eaten for a while that we can't give them a bag of food becasue they don't go to the school where we are at. It was a very difficult situation for many of the kids and one that was repeated a couple of times during our couple of days in Pisco. The reality was that we only had a limited amount of food, and the reality was that we couldn't help everyone, but to have to say that we couldn't give them milk for their baby was a heart breaking situation.

During all of this we saw how God was really looking after our group and guarding us from danger. The situation is so desperate in Pisco that trucks with aid are still be hijaked and robbed, people are desperate for food. People seeing our school bus and with the news spreading by workd of mouth that our group was giving out food, our situation could have gotten out of hand, our kids could have been put in a dangerous situation, but God was very good. I have an example of this.

In the afternoon of the forst day we were going to do an open air programme in one of the settlements, near the schools of that morning. We were going to do the program, Carlos was going to give the devotional and then we were going to give out food to the families that had come. The baptist pastor that we were working with that day said to us, probably not a good idea and advised us to think again. When we did think about it we realised that it wouldn't be a good idea and we would be putting ourselves at rick. The probability was that people from all over would hear that we were giving out food, more people would come than we had food for, and people becasue of their desperation would get angry. The pastor suggested doing a longer programme in the evening in the room that he was using as a church since the earthquake, and there we would be able to control the number of people that would be coming.

We did take the pastors advice and we had the program in the locale. Even this was difficult and even in this controlled environment there was one point where I did feel a little bit scared becasue of someone almost causing trouble to get a bag of food. as well as that difficult part there was a young mum with 3 kids, a widow who came up to me and asked me for shoes...I had only brought one pair of shoes with me to Pisco...had I had nother pair I would have taken off my shoes right then and given them to her, but how difficult to turn her away without!!

After the evening programme I had a chance to talk to some of the younger girls, they were telling me about their experiences about living in tents, about where they were during the earthquake and really their experiences were horrifying.

Many of the kids on our team had seen and experinced a lot that first day, had seen a reality that was different from what they live here in Arequipa. We had dinner that night together and then the kids headed to bed early without complaint and thinking about what they had seen.

Day 2 was our busy day. We were to visit 2 school, but each of these schools had a morning session and an afternoon session, so we were doing 4 schools programs and then in the evening, before heading back to Arequipa we were going to do a program in the IEP church. We started off the day going to the comedor run by the IEP church. This is basically a communal kitchen which cooks for the neighbourhood. There are many of these communal pots throughout Pisco. They are supposed to get help from the government, but many times this government help doesn't get through. We felt it would be a good experience for our middle class kids to share in tthis experince and see how these people really live and eat. The truth was that the food that we ate in the communal kitchen that day, both breakfast and lunch was more delicious than the restaurant where we had eaten the day before.

After a breakfast of porridge and bread we went to our first school. This school was a state school, but the Director was a Christian and several of the teachers too. We got a very warm welcome and had a lovely time doing the program with these primary kids. After the program we gave out books and food to each of the pupils and spent some time with them talking about what they had gone through while Carlos was finihsing off his workshop with the teachers!

After this primary school we went to the college where we had been sleeping at night. This college has more than 2000 girls on it's register, in the morning session there were roughly 1000 girls hearing the gospel and receiving food packages. It was very exciting and also very nerve wracking to be in front of so many students, but what an opportunity we had!!

The Director of this college talked to us for a little bit and he told us that many of the girls were worried becasue a local radio station had been announcing that there would be another earthquake on the 18th October...the day we were there doing the program in the school, and this earthquake would be bigger and more powerful than the one in August. Many of the girls had listened and were traumatised both by what had happened in August and the thoughts of another earthquake. Our programme was hope and we tried to point out to the girls that our only hope is in Jesus and in His death on the cross for us. It was a great opportunity to talk with these girls, and especially after the prgramme and after the giving out of the food we had a chance to talk with some of the grils personally and they were talking about this radio station and the possibility of another earthquake, and we had the chance yet again to share about the good news that we have in Christ.

After this program, we went to the communal kitchen for a feast of chicken and spagghetti and Papa a la Huancaina...potato in spicey sauce. It was a moutain of food that we all received and truely delicious.

After eating lunch quickly we went back to the same primary school of that morning to do another programme and spend time wth the teachers. When we got there some of the children had done some drawings of what they lived through during the earthquake, they had drawn the cathedral that had collapsed during a mass, where most of the people had been killed, and the pictures had the lines of bodies outside in the plaza. It was truely horrific to see what they had gone through and the number of dead bodies they had seen in the last month.

After spending time in this primary school we headed back to do the afternoon session in the girls school. The attendance was very low in the afternoon session, there was maybe 600 girls in attendance, but just as noisey at the 1000 that had been there that morning. They listened atently to what we had to share with them and after the program I had a lovely time talking with a 3rd year class about hope, and the only real hope that we can have.

After this college there was only one more program before the road home. We headed back to the communcal kitchen where the IEP church are having their services in the area. We talked with the families, the doctor attended their children and becasue of the donations that we had received both from N Ireland and England we were able to leave a sack of rice and sugar and other necesities for the communal kitchen so that they would be able to attend their community in the best way possible over the coming days.

The mission trip was a very humbling experience for a lot of us. When we were in the college here in Arequipa, putting together the bags of food we thought we had a mountain of stuff to take, but arriving in Pisco and seeing the need there was it really was a drop in the ocean. However we believe that God is able to use this drop in the ocean, this little seed that has been sown, and he will be able to cause it to grow. The people that we met are barely surviving day to day and need hope and we were able to use this oppotunity to speak about the everlasting hope that we have in Jesus Christ. We hope that not only the children, young people and adults that we met in Pisco were impacted by our trip, but that our own kids from the Colegio Internacional will also be impacted by what they have seen and will have a passion to help those less fortunate than themselves!!!

The Earthquake

It´s been an odd week for me here in Peru. After having a spectacularly tiring but fun day dancing in the parade for Arequipa day a disaster struck. I was sitting at home watching the rest of the parade on TV and the presenters talk about an earth tremor. Now that was surreal, that the TV was shaking as the presenters were talking about the tremor. The tremor continued and for the first time I had to leave the house. It seemed very strange to me. Normally with a tremor comes a roar as everything shakes. This tremor was silent, the floor just moving from side to side, not up and down.

I didn´t think anything more of what happened until a little later that night when I signed in to msn. My american sister Erin Turner sent me a message asking if I was alright after the quake...I was like...What quake??!!! After checking out the news I saw the first reports of the disaster. The epicentre of the quake was out to see south of Lima. Lima wasn´t hit bad, but the departments south of Lima, Pisco, Chincha and Ica were affected badly. Up until 2 days ago they were still pulling bodies out of the rubble. The death toll is around 500, there is no food, no water and aid is having trouble getting in, and the distributors are having trouble getting it to the people that need it.

It´s difficult to know what to do in this situation. We could have taken off, gone stright up to Ica and tried to help. However not being trainined, not being personel would we even have got near the site, would we be more of a nuisance than a help?? We´ve talked a lot about it at school. My personal feeling was that we need to plan something, we need to help, but in the best way possible. Peru in this moment is in the headlines, people are sending aid and the people who need to be there are doing what they can. We as a school can plan for another time...maybe 2 months time we can go to Ica, or Pisco, or Chincha. We can head there when the rest of the world has forgotten about the people there, but yet they are still struggling with the after effects of the quake. They will still need food, they will need thigns for their houses, clothes, anything that they can get their hands on. 85% of houses have been destroyed in the Pisco area. We as a school can spend the next 2 months preparing for our next mission trip, we can gather up food, clothes, whatever we can find, and we can take it to Pisco, when the people there have been forgotten.

Do I feel that we´re doing enough?? I don´t know!!

The Inca Trail and Macchu Pichu

I recently had the most amazing experience. I got to go with Latin Ventures (a group from the Uk coming to peru to raise money for Latin Link) to walk the Inca Trail.

I went to Cusco on Friday 11th May on the overnight bus. I arrived in Cusco on the Saturday morning. We were hoping that I would arrive, get into my room and have a nap before the activities, but that wasn't to be. Instead I sat in reception and waited for the others.

The plan for Saturday was to go rafting. The group were feeling prety tired and some were suffering from the altitude, so most of the group didn't go. I went with a girl called Rachel. we went with 2 other girls form another group. It was a,azing. We were out on the river for a couple of hours, then went for lunch and got back to the hotel about 5pm. We arrived to meet the guides for the Inca Trail, Priscila and Fredi. They were telling us al the details that we needed to know before heading off on the monday morning!

That night we headed out for dinner, then I wet for ice cream and coffee with a guy called Simon, and then we all headed back to the hotel.

On Sunday we woke up and Simon was very sick, a lot worse than the precious day. So Rut took him off to hospital while we went to 2 different churches, I headed off to a Maranatha church, and the other half went to a presbyterian church. Afster the churches we went to a crepe place for lunch.

After dinner we had one last briefing about the Inca Trail, the others headed back to the hotel and I went to the hospital with Ruth to see Simon. He was pretty bad, but surviving. His diagnosis...severe altitutde sickness with pneumonia!!! He would have to be in hospital for 3 days...so no Inca Trail for him!!!

On MOnday morning we headed off at 6am. It was a couple of hours on the bus to get to our starting point. Everyone was very quiet...nervous, not knowing how hard the trek would be I think. We started walking at a nice pace, the weather was nice and we were enjpoying walking and talking, with priscila and with Fredi.

Our lunch stop was unbelievable...the porters and the cook ha gone on ahead and set everything up.. They had put out little bowls of water with soap and towells to clean up ebfore lunch. Lunch was amazing, a taste of what would be on the whole trip. After lunch we had only a couple more hours before reaching our campsite for the night!

The first night was absolutely fine. One or two of our group were a little tirted and a little funny in the tummy so went to bed early, but we had nice chats and thenall headed to bed early to get started early thte next day.

We were woken up the next morning early with a cup of hot coca tea...yet another thing that happened every day...we felt like queens!!! Breakfast was pancakes...unbeleivable!!! We were told that day 2 would be the hardest day, a big climb...probably 6 hours of up!!! it was a really tough day, thats for sure, we ended up with 2 groups, the two sarah's, me and the guide fredi took the lead and the others were in the second group behind. We ended up getting to our camp about 2 hours before the second group. It was a really tough climb, but on the way down we had a nice chat with some Romanian Canadaians, who we ended up talking with for the rest of the trek on and off!!

That night we had a nice time with the porters and the cook...a singing competition. As well as that I had a really interesting talk with Fredi about faith and what we believe and all of that...it was a good time!

That night not many slept so well as it was really cold, we were high up at altitude. The next day I suffered quite a lot from a bad hip...made worse I think from the cold in the night, but about 4 pills later I didn't feel a thing!!!

Days 3 was a nice walk, there was some going up, but the view from the top was amazing!!! We kjnew that we were nearly there, we chatted a lot with the Romanian guys on this day, they were really interested in what we were doing, why we were in Peru. Seems that they were leaving Cusco to go and walk in Colca Canyon and possibly climb Misti...crazy!!!

On the night on day 3 we arrived at the main campsite. there was a little shop, showers and a whole lot of people making a lot of noise!!! We slept early as we were to wake at 4 to get started. On day 4 we had to say goodbye to our porters just after breakfast...we wouldn't see them again They gave speeches saying that we were a dofferent group, that we were happy even throug the tough times...it was cool to know that we were seen to be different!!!

The last day there was some going up. We got to the Sun gate at about 6am, ready to see the sun rise over Macchu Pichu...there was a whole lot of mist. The other groups went on, but as there was no rush we waited for a while to see if MP would appear...and appear it did, and it was spectacular!!!

We walked down about another 2 hours or so and then arrived at Machu Pichu where we had a tour and waited to meet with Ruth, Simon and another elderly couple who in the end decided not to do the walk!! It was great to meet up with them.

We spent some more time in MP and then headed down to the town of \Aguas Calientes. We met Fredi for lunch, and then spent some times in the town, Simon and I had more coffee and ice cream!

That evening we went to the hot baths and then headed to bed. The next morning we had some time free, so Simon and I went exploring slong the river, then found a little coffee shop for more coffee and chat. Then we all met for lunch, and then got the train back to Cusco.

That evening in Cusco we met with one of the LL families and then headed back to the hotel. The others left on the Staurday morning early and I had all day in Cusco to spend. I met up with Fredi and then I left on the bus. I arrived in Arequipa on the Sunday morning after having slept really wel;l, but still completely shattered after the trip.

What a wonderful time, to be with people from home who are rasining money for Latin Link, but also to see a new part of peru, a part that I didn't think that I would get to see. Macchu pichu was amazing, definately one of the wonders of the world...but honestly, I think that the 4 days previous, with the mountains and the valleys and the beauty of the surroundings...thats what really took my breath away!!!

Weekend in Lima

This weekend I had a rather interesting experience with travel in Peru. You think that in all things in Peru the one thing that would run as normal without too many glitches. Well not so!! It started off on Thursday afternoon. I was supposed to get a flight to Lima at 12.30pm. So I arrive at the airport at 10.30am. You would think it would all go to plan...not so. We arrive and the people at the airport tell us that the plane has been cancelled....but they could put me on a flight at 5pm. Thats ok, there goes my afternoon in Lima with Ruth KP.

I think though that it's OK as I still have time in the evening to spend with my friends from Arequipa, Jeremy and Amanda. I get to their house after paying 50 soles and almost diing 6 times in the taxi, and we have pizza and chat!!!

We had a lovely weekend at the beach in Lima. Forst we visit the Evangelical Seminary in Lima for a wee talk on culture with a guy called Donny, who's a Scot who has lived in Peru for 30 odd years. It is also the seminary where my friends Steve died last year. It was very bizarre to be sitting in the building for devotions where he fell through the roof and see the place where he died!

After the meeting at the seminary we headed to the beach after a quick stop at Starbucks! We arrived at the beach and had a loevly relaxing time for the whole weekend. We talked and discussed our culture shocks, and problems that we have had, and expereinces, and also the blessings since we have been in this amazing cou ntry!!!

From there on Sunday we headed to the aiport. We were supposed to get on the plane at 7pm, so we were at the airport at 5.45pm. We arrived to find that the plane had left at 5.30pm. Now if you know anything about Peru you know that things don't go on time, and they never go early!!! So you can imagine our surprise when at the aiport they tell us the plane has left...over 2 hours early!!!

Anyway they rescheduled us for today, Monday, at 2.30pm. This meant we had an extra night in Lima. It was a lovely time, we relaxed in Ruth's flat with pizza and doughnuts, and watched a movie. Then we woke this morning and had breakfast at the Marriott. It was breakfast buffett, for residents there's a special offer, so we sat and ate and it was only $10...well worth it, and I don't have to eat until next week!!! Also while sitting with my friens having breakfast it turned out that I got offered a ticket to do the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu in 2 weeks, so I'm very excited about that at a very low rate!!! So there's that to look forward to!!

Eventually we got to the airport today and everything is on time, and finally here I am back in Arequipa...quite a weekend full of adventure....I love Peru!!!

February in the jungle!

SO I have been in the jungle. I left the last day of January and arrived in the heat of Pucallpa. I arrived and Leo was there to pick me up. As he doesn't have any transport we jump in a motor taxi and head out to TeC. The heat was incredible even at 10pm at night. We hang out for a little bit with Kyle and Cristina and then I go to bed.

During that week there was a group down from the States helping to do high tension electric wiring around TEC and trying to improve the system there. It was a nice time. THen we had a special craft day for the ladies in the area, they came over and we taught some crafts and had some time listening to the gospel.

Another day we headed to the orphanage in Pucallpa to meet some of the kids and see the place. It was a sad visit but also very interesting.

After that group went home we had a week without much big stuff happening. I did a lot of administration for TEC, rewriting manuels and hymbooks and things that they don't have a lot of time to do. Cristina and I also planned our Enlgish lessons for the next week. Also during that week I had a lot of time to be with Leo, to meet his family and to get to know his mum. I also went to his church met his pastor and people who are important to him in his church family. On the Sunday (4th) he did ask his mum's permission to be with me and she gave us her blessing.

The following week was the camp with young people from churches in the area. There were about 60 people there. It was high energy from 6am til 10pm. Cristina and I taught english classes every day and it was a fun time.

I spent Valentines Day with Leo. He came and picked me up on a motorbike and we went to his football academy. I saw how he works and then after that he showed me around his university. From there we went to his house so he could change and then we went out for lunch at a really nice place for fried ceviche. From there we went for ice cream, a very special moment in Las Vegas, and then went back to his house so he could get ready for training with the university team. While he was there I stayed with his mum and didn't do much other than sweat becasue the weather was horrifically hot!!!

Leo came back and we went to church togehter, where yet again I sat and sweated!!! From there we went to a pizza place for dinner and then headed back to TEC in a motortaxi!

he rest of my time there was lovely. It was nice that Leo came over to TEC a lot and nice that I got to meet his family. I was absolutely amazed about the people i met in Pucallpa and when they talked about Leo they talked about what an honest Godly man he is. They talked with such respect it was lovely to see. I cannot believe that Leo has chosen me to be with him, God is blessing me richly...it's just been hard to leave him in Pucallpa while I have come back to Arequipa.

So after Pucallpa I was in Lima for the Peru team conference. I was a little worried as I had to ask permission from the team leader about Leo, but they know of him and know his pastor and they are very pleased for us both. The conference was very good, I was a little nervous about it all as there were so many new people, but it went very well and met some nice people there.

After the conference on my last night in Lima I went and spent time with my friends Laura, Becca and Susan from language school, and then we went to the Rosses house for dinner as they have just arrived in Lima from Arequipa. It was lovely to spend time with these people and made lima a nicer place. I had such alovely time catching up on all the news and hearing about each of their different placements.

So i arrive back in arequipa yesterday to find pudding with a sore foot, so i take her to the vet and she has an absess. The doctor squeezes out the pus gives her some drugs and she's fine. so then he said you need to bring her back for the next 3 days to give her anitbiotics to stop infection, so i take her today. I hold her while he tries to give her the injection, she moves and the vet sticks me with the needle. Then he tries again, after the jab she's crazy, is scratching all round and scratches up my face, narrowly missing my eyes. Then after she calms down he goes to give her the other one. This time I hold her tight, but I guess my thumb is in a bad position, she clamps her jaws around my thumb and bites and holds on to my thumb. I can;t let go because he's still giving the jab. Evenutally he's done. I get her jaws off my thumb then puddings' ready to go home. So we leave the vets, Pudding is fine but Emma has blood dripping from her thumb and her face and to think I have to go through this the next 2 days as well!!!