Christmas Time Approaches

Whats up everyone?!  Well tomorrow will be one month since I have arrived in Peru and so much has happened.  Its amazing to just sit back and watch how things unfold every day.  Nothing is like you expect and then what comes is so much cooler than you could have planned it to be.  We have been making a lot of progress on our house building.  Everything is almost in place to pour the concrete for the floor and we will begin construction on the walls sometime late tomorrow or Wednesday.  The 2 Swedish guys, Brent and I will have PLENTY of room in this place and I think I mentioned that we have this HUGE pole that will stick out about 10 feet above our house that we are going to place a flag at the top of for Andres' restaurant.  We are also going to build a crows nest to be able to see all of Chorrillos from... and the surf of course!!! haha.  Andres' is so excited.  He and his family will be able to use this place for a lot.  He and his family of about 10 live live here and share the space of a house and the restaurant for their living quarters.  It can be a bit hectic when everyone is around but they have been so welcoming to us and make us food all the time so it has been a great experience so far. 

As Christmas time is right around the corner we have all been trying to think of things to do for the kids but were unsure of what we could do for 60 to 70 kids that we could all afford and couldnt really come up with anything other than buying a bunch of skateboards and giving it to them.  We were out yesterday after church and were just walking around one of the local places in a market and Andres gets a call from a friend that says hey come back to the restaurant... there was a local toy drive today that we had people donate to and we had a bit too much and we want you to have what is left over...  We jumped in the car and drove back to the restaurant expecting a pickup with a bed half full of toys and left over goodie bags and to our surprise we found a big u-haul sized truck with about 6 guys unloading HUGE plastic bags full of toys and clothes into the front door of the restaurant.  We were all so excited to see this amazing surprise.  We jumped out to help and continued to unload these bags along with water, juice, chocolate milk, cokes, bread, and sandwiches.  It was amazing.  Just really makes stop and think... how could there not be a God.  We didnt "need" to give the kids or the families anything and yet now we have something to give everyone.  It blows my mind.

So Christmas Eve is Friday and I couldnt be more excited.  They call Santa here... Papa Noel.  So cool!  The kids along with everyone else will stay up until 12 midnight on Friday night and its a huge celebration much like our New Years Eve with fireworks and everything... except they get to open presents and everything that night.  Then Christmas Day is an extended celebration that lasts all day.  I am really starting to miss the family time that I have back home for the holidays but I am excited to see how another country celebrates such a special time of year. 

I hope that this post finds everyone back in the states or wherever you are in an awesome Christmas spirit!  If there is snow where you are... eat some for me! 

Love you all and will post again soon!
Chris

Long time guys!!!

hey everyone!!!  Sorry it has been so long since my last post but things here have seemed to take a turn of events...  The guy Andres that we are staying with that began TPC in Chorrillos has been so kind to offer us a place to stay there is only one catch.... We are going to BUILD that place!!! haha we are so excited though.  He owns a restaurant that is right beside his house and there is a place over the bathrooms that will support another room and we will build there.  It is quite the view also!  There are two guys who came here from Sweden that we have met up with and they were just going to pass through but after they had been here 3 days they felt like this is a place that they should stay for the rest of their time here!! Its so cool to see what is going on... and by the way, one of the guys is a carpenter!!! So cool how God worked that out.

We will buy the wood today and begin taking the roof off of the bathrooms to begin work as soon as possible.  There have also been a few of the older boys who have offered to help out so this place should be up in no time!  We are going to make it into a really rustic looking surf shack.  so pumped!!!

We have been hanging out with the kids almost every day and on the weekends we have helped out in the kitchen at the resaurant.  We are slowly learning Spanish but most of the older Peruvians know English so well.  We got to take some of the younger kids out last night to go surfing before the sun went down and it was awesome.  All these kids are so good at surfing and snowboarding... its rediculous!  I have made a couple of friends so far that are really cool guys. 

Well I guess that is all for now.  Just wanted to update you all really quick.  Much love and thanks to everyone for all the prayers and thoughts!  I will post pictures of the new place as soon as construction begins!

Chris

Week 2 coming to a Close

Whats up guys?!  I was going to post a little video clip but it is not loading for some reason.  I think its too big so I will shrink it and post as soon as I do.

Brent and I got to surf again today and then went to Chorrillos tonight to meet with the group again.  There is such an awesome feeling going there because there are many younger kids who just look at us and laugh but when I speak a little spanish its like they switch gears a bit and start to be like oh man he speaks a little bit of our language.  So we talk a little bit and I ask them about surfing and what they like to do and then before you know it there are a bunch of little kids circling you and whispering and giggling.  Its awesome though.  Oh for the day when I can speak fluent Espanol and talk to them better... haha for now body language, hand motions and broken spanish will have to do.  It is still fun just to interact with them.  We will be joining the group of Christian Surfers in Chorrillos for in two weeks to head south to San Bartolo and serve the kids who live there for Christmas.  The kids are going to put on a play and sing and someone will preach about Christmas.  Luckily I was listening intently tonight when Zelmar, the leader, called me out and asked if I understood what he was talking about.  I said yes and told him in English what I could understand from what he was saying and all the kids started to clap for me... haha it was funny.  I could feel my face turn red though.  Its quite different being in a place where you are helpless without words.  Makes me have more compassion for people in the states that dont know English.  The night ended well though and we had a blast.

Tomorrow we wake up around 7 and meet Andres down at the beach to hang out with him and the kids.  They are all having their picture taken for their surfing lessons so we get to go and hang out with them all morning.  Andres will be taking us around Chorrillos on Tuesday morning.  We are really excited to hang out with him one on one.  The difference between where we are staying right now and Chorrillos are night and day.  Chorrillos is very run down and streets with dirt and trash.  We are staying in the "Buckhead" of  Lima if you will.  Lots of middle class and upper class with a mix of lower class.  Im really excited to get closer to the kids though.  I will post some pictures very soon.  I know you guys are chomping at the bit to see what it looks like down here... I would be too!  Will post again soon!

Chris