The Sun Will Come Out…TODAY!

Our 4th of July here in Peru started out as usual. We loaded the bus and headed for the orphanage at 7:30.  Upon arrival we quickly set up our VBS Stations and started to get to work.  We were unsuccessful yesterday in getting all the teams to all the stations due to time constraints, but today we lead a very successful VBS and ended right on time at 10:30.

 After VBS the team loaded up the bus and headed out for a field trip during our lunch break.  To celebrate our independence, we had watermelon and visited Tottus Supermercado which is a combination Super Walmart and Home Depot in one place.  They even have these cool escalators that you can take your shopping cart with you.  Amazing!

 After our excursion, we headed back to the orphanage to get to work.  We continued to work on the 5 bathrooms we started painting yesterday.  We have all learned how you are not supposed to paint a room.  It has been a somewhat of a challenge to say the least just to paint these bathrooms.  Today we did make progress, and we put a coat of primer on every wall in hopes that the paint will stay on better tomorrow.  Please be praying that our painting tomorrow will be sucessful.

 Today we had a team of 5 that we called the “Toilet Seat Experts” – they were John, Ed, Tag, Claudia and Jennifer Switzer.  They put on 30+ toilet seats on toilets throughout the orphanage.  What a task!  Some of the little girls that were there after they had put the seats on where not quite sure what to do about their new “seat”, but it did not take too long to try them out.

The Therapy Room is coming along (slower than we Americans would like), but today Edward, Tim and Eric helped this afternoon get most of the roof framed. They are hoping to finish the roof, walls and floor tomorrow.

About mid-afternoon, we noticed something we hadn’t seen in Peru yet….THE SUN!  The sun broke through the clouds for the first time, and we were all glad for a little heat.

The team then scraped paint off the outside wall.  We are attempting to do the best paint job we can on the outside on the wall tomorrow. This will be a huge task given the amount of time we have left and the amount of work needed to make sure the paint will stay on the wall.  We are very optimistic, knowing that God can accomplish much through those who are willing to work – and we are all willing to work.

 Laura, Sean, Harmony, Rosiland, and Sylvia spent the afternoon with some of the Special Needs Children.  They sang and played with the children, some of which are severely handicapped.

Tonight we went to eat at El Bolivariano Retaurant.  It was true Peruvian fare.  We had yellow potatoes, chicken, beef, and cow’s heart….yes, cow’s heart…and most of us (those brave enough to try it) liked it.  We ended the dinner with a special Sweet Potato/Pumpkin Donut that they call Picarones.  Many in the team were calling for more. 

Tonight, Melody, Laura, Tim, Jennifer Sypert, and Stephanie put together the bags we are giving the children.  We filled them with toys, a Beanie Baby, toothbrush, sunglasses, etc.  These will be a big treat for each of the children.

We look forward to another great day tomorrow!