This weekend makes three weeks now in Lima. Saturday night we gathered again with the other North American missionaries at the local Rodizio here in La Molina. More events are planned for Monday lunch and dinner. Friday night RA and I went to the local Chifa and enjoyed shui mai. Not as good as the Jade Garden in Seattle but respectable.
We were very busy Friday and Saturday in the temple as bus loads of members from all over Peru arrived to have a day at the temple. The temple grounds are filled with folks, and not just adults, but youth and children. They are a beautiful people. They take very serious their temple responsibilities and family history and enjoy their trip to the temple.
When the folks arrive here by bus they can change and have lunch or dinner in the cafeteria. Usually there is a long line and the tables are mostly taken on Fridays and Saturdays. I shared a table with a 12 year young lady here from Arequipa. She was with her family and their young women's group and had several hours to wait before they could get in and start their baptisms. We, the Norte Americanos, are a bit of an oddity. You find yourself being whispered about and stared at. Everyone is friendly and will initiate a greeting almost always in Spanish. Few students or young people have the luxury of studying ESL. Lots of smiles from everyone.
I see some of the hardships in the lives of the Peruvians such as never seeing a hearing aid on anyone who is hard of hearing. I have not seen any prosthetic devices on anyone missing a leg and the crutches I have seen looked like something pulled from a Civil War Museum. One appeared to be handcrafted from native wood. They make do the best they can and I admire them greatly.
I thank fellow workers for their patience and understanding due to my limited vocabulary but do express to them that in my heart I am almost a Peruvian – "Soy casi Peruano en mi corazon." It is easy to love them and feel of their hospitality and kindness.
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