Not just another taxi driver

It was a few weeks before Christmas and I wanted to find some Christmas ribbon.  I had already found some solid-color ribbon, but I really wanted some ribbon with a Christmas pattern to decorate the Christmas baskets we were making for the La Fuente staff.  So I headed to El Centro and the San Pedro market.

Outside of San Pedro market, there is a row of stores with fabric and lots of things for sewing.  And yes! - I found some Christmas ribbon in one of those stores - yay!  Since I accomplished my task so quickly, I decided to reward myself and walk to Starbucks for a cup of coffee :)  I had come prepared for just such an occasion - in my bag, I had a book that I was reading (Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God - thanks Nan B.!).  A cup of yummy coffee and a good book - one of my favorite things!

So I headed through the arch . . . 

and walked the few blocks to . . .

Starbucks!

After placing my order, I settled in with my book and coffee and enjoyed some nice quiet time.  Alas, too quickly it was time to head back home.  I gathered my things and headed downstairs and outside to look for a taxi.  It didn't take long to find a taxi and tell him where I wanted to go.  I hopped in and settled back for a quiet ride to Santa Monica (where we live).  Usually when I get in a taxi, I greet the driver and ask him how he is doing.  I'll give him directions and such, but that tends to be the extent of the conversation - which is generally fine with me.  Most taxi drivers that I've ridden with will respond to conversation, but they don't generally initiate it.  However, that was not to be the case today.  Apparently, I got into a taxi with a very talkative driver - which meant that I was going to have to listen and talk!  Many of you know that I struggle a bit with the spanish language.  So, when the driver started talking to me, I was a bit terrified!  My first thought was - Oh dear, I'm trapped in this taxi and there's no one else but me to talk.  So . . . I listened (very carefully :) and then . . . I responded . . . in spanish . . . and the driver understood me!  Thus began a conversation that lasted the entire taxi ride.  After I began talking, it really didn't take me long to warm up and just talk.  The driver talked slowly for me and graciously repeated things for me when I asked.  I know that my grammar wasn't always correct and I sometimes used the wrong words and phrases.  But - what I also recognized - was that the taxi driver understood me and that we were having a back-and-forth conversation!  We talked about Cusco, Peruvian holidays (there are a ton of them!), our families, and (of course :) the reason I was in Cusco.  As we neared the apartment building where Ike and I live, I realized that I was actually enjoying the conversation.  I also realized that God had provided just the taxi driver I needed that morning.  He used a taxi driver - a stranger to me - to encourage me and give me the courage to talk - in a language that my tongue struggles with.  He used a taxi driver to refresh my heart and remind me that God's grace is, indeed, sufficient for me.  

"My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.
---  2 Corinthians 12:9a

Adventure in Perú

Curahuasi, Perú

Well, it's rainy season in Cusco.  That means - lots of clouds, rain during the day or night, and damp coldness - b-r-r-r!  So maybe this is a good time to begin blogging again :)  Okay, let me catch you up on life in Cusco :)

This is from July of 2012.

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed."  --  Psalm 57:1

I awoke to the sound of lights blazing in the hallway and Ike's voice on the phone.  A bit disoriented, I glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw that it read 1:00.  Still trying to wake up, I stared at the clock until realization sunk in - it was 1:00 AM.  Now, fully awake, I jumped out of bed and walked into the hall.  What was going on?!  Ike was on the phone with Ask-A-Nurse in the U.S.  He had awoken a short time earlier with searing pain in his left side and back.  Having experienced a kidney stone about 7 or 8 years ago, he was pretty sure the pain might be from a kidney stone.  Well, Ask-A-Nurse agreed with what he was thinking.  AND, they said that he needed to go to a hospital.    So, I called Nathan W. (thankfully, he sleeps with his phone next to the bed!) to ask which hospital we should go to.  So, off we went to the hospital.  We had to wake up everyone when we arrived :)  But we were impressed with the doctor in the ER.  She started Ike on pain meds (of course, first I had to go to the pharmacy and wake up the lady there so that she could give me the meds:) and they got him settled in a bed.  I do have to say that their idea of medicine to control pain in Perú is vastly different from medicine to control pain in the States.  Basically what they gave him, was something along the lines of Advil - not very strong at all!  And of course, we couldn't see a urologist or have any x-rays, cat-scans, blood work, etc. until the doctor and other technicians arrived at their regular scheduled work time.  Needless to say, it was not a good night!  Even with the "advil-type" pain meds, Ike was in tremendous pain and he moaned and groaned most of the night.  Well, I certainly couldn't sleep either- even though they told me I could sleep in one of the beds that was not in use.  I stayed by Ike's bed much of the time and would go wake up the doctor from time to time so she could give him more meds in his IV.

In the ER - notice Ike is still wearing his coat :)  

Nathan W. arrived at the hospital about 7:30 am, so he was there when the urologist came and was able to talk with him.  They did bloodwork, an ultrasound, cat-scan with contrast, and an x-ray.  This was all completed by about 11:30 am and they moved us from the ER to a regular room.  

Getting Ike ready for the CT scan

The regular room that we were moved into.  It was a huge room, and even had a bed for me :)

Everyone was pretty much in agreement that the problem was a kidney stone.  Later that afternoon (well, actually it was probably close to 6:00 pm), the urologist returned with all of the tests that had been done.  Thank goodness, Nathan W. and Mark D. were both at the hospital with us at that time!  We already knew that the left kidney was swollen and inflamed.  Well, the urologist showed us why.  The kidney stone was in the kidney at the opening to the ureter and was blocking the opening and causing the kidney to back up with urine.  He recommended that a stint be placed at the opening to allow the fluid that was being retained in the kidney to pass through.  So then the question became - Where do we have the procedure done?  Nathan and Mark began making calls to our agency physicians in the U.S.  David came to the hospital during this time and Nathan H. called about the hospital in Curahuasi.  After much discussion about options, it was decided that we would check out of the Cusco hospital, take Ike home, and control his pain overnight with some stronger oral pain meds.  And then early Tuesday morning, we would head to the German hospital in Curahuasi.  Nathan H. is on staff at this hospital and he goes there a couple of times a month to perform surgery (opthalmology).  Thankfully, he was headed there Tuesday morning, so we were able to follow him in our car.  

Curahuasi is about 80 miles from where we live in Cusco.   It takes about 3 hours to drive it because you are winding through the mountains.  Curahuasi is a small village and, basically, it's in the middle of nowhere :)  The hospital is actually a mission hospital that was built about 6 years ago by a German couple.  It is staffed with medical volunteers (many of them from Germany) and paid Peruvians.  Compared to many of the hospitals in Peru, it is a state of the art hospital.

The drive from Cusco to Curahuasi is rugged, yet beautiful.

Snow-capped mountains in the distance.

The hospital at Curahuasi

 View from the front doors of the hospital.

When we arrived at the hospital, they immediately did an ultrasound and settled Ike in a room with pain meds via IV.  On Wednesday morning, Dr. Brady performed the procedure to place the stint.  Ike could tell a difference as soon as he came out of the anesthesia!!!  Yay!!  We returned to Cusco later that day with instructions to return to Curahuasi the following Thursday so that Dr. Brady could remove the stint.  We did return the following week and the stint was removed.  And still - no pain!  Evidently, the stint widened the kidney opening a sufficient amount to allow the stone to be flushed out.

Ike eating his soup after having the procedure to place the stint.  This is the first thing he's had to eat since Sunday night.

Though we experienced some difficult days during this time, it was sweet to see the Lord go before us and provide for us in so many ways.  From providing a doctor and hospital to providing a place for me to sleep while we were in Curahuasi, we have experienced God's faithfulness and the comfort and peace that come from that.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  --  Philippians 4:19

Metamorphosis of a dental clinic

Dental Clinic at La Fuente

As you enter from the street into the grounds of La Fuente, this is what you see.  This photo was taken before construction on the dental clinic began.  The building at the far right is where the new dental clinic is now located.

This is a front-view of what the building looked like before construction began.

This is one of the three rooms that was reconstructed into the dental clinic.

Demolition has begun :)  The three previous rooms were opened up into one big space.

Painting

Openings were cut into the ceiling to make "skylights".   Here in Cusco, we get our heat from windows and "skylights".  Of course, they don't help much when it's cloudy outside :)

Electrical work being done.

Working outside.  Originally, there were three doors (one for each of the original rooms).  During construction, one of the doors was removed and covered over.

Still working inside - but, now we have dental chairs :)  There are a total of three dental chairs.

Nathan W. and one of the workers looking at the sterilizer.

Ike and Saulo studying items related to the new x-ray machine.

Cabinets have been installed and Paola is cleaning them.  Paola is the dental assistant.

A view of the main dental area - two of the three chairs are located in this area.

A glass partition was installed to separate the main dental area from the sterilization area.

The sterilization area

The third dental chair is located on the other side of the sterilization area.   The x-ray machine is also located in this area.

cabinets with vacuform and computer

The new front entrance to the Clínica Odontología (Dental Clinic)

The La Fuente Dental Team:  Saulo, Paola, and Ike

Paola - ready to greet and check-in patients

Saulo at work.

Lee Bridgeman, a dentist who is here short-term with MTW, and Ike discussing a digital x-ray.  Lee and his family arrived in Cusco a couple of weeks ago.  He'll be working with Ike and Saulo while they are in Cusco.

Lee and Ike working on a patient.

Blueberries (tumanas) and . . . . Freedom

Interesting title, huh?  So, how do blueberries and freedom go together?  Well, let's begin with the blueberries.  In Peru we call them tumanas and the season for finding them is very short.  They begin showing up in the market places at the beginning of May and they're usually available for about 3-4 weeks.  When the call goes out that somebody is selling them at the market, there's a rush to stock up on them - at least from those of us who are extranjeros :)   Having blueberries (tumanas) means . . . blueberry muffins, blueberry pancakes, blueberry cobbler, . . . Yum!!

Of course, after you buy the tumanas and before you can begin baking/cooking with them - there's a bit of work to do.  First, they have to be cleaned in a clorox/water mixture.  Then, begins the very time-consuming process of sorting through them.  There are leaves, rotten berries, and lots of stems mixed in with the good berries.  Basically, you have to go through them berry by berry :)

Well, yesterday I was sitting at the table, sorting the berries, and dreaming about blueberry pancakes.  And as time went on, and my fingers began turning purple, I began to think about the cost involved with those blueberry pancakes.  Was it really worth it - picking through a kilo of blueberries - berry by berry?  Well . . . YES!!!!   My fingers might be purple and my hands might be cramped, but my mouth was watering and I could taste those pancakes!  Definitely worth the cost!!!

So, I continued working on the berries and I began thinking about other things that have costs involved with them - like freedom.  

Living outside of the States gives you some perspective on the freedoms that we really do enjoy as citizens of the United States.  Yet those freedoms do not come without a cost.  I think of our Armed Forces (and my nephew :) who, often times, "sleep with their boots on" so that you and I can sleep peacefully at night.  Is that easy for them?  No - and yet they do it - for the sake of the freedom that our country was built on.  They know the cost. 

Another freedom that comes with a cost is freedom in Christ.  I am free because Christ paid the price of my sin with His death on the cross.  Christ knew the pain that He would endure, and yet, He did it willingly - for me and you.  

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus . . . "   - Romans 8:1-4

Learning to let go

Well, last Wednesday ended up being anything but a "normal" day for me.  In fact, it was my first close-up and personal experience with the police here in Cusco.  After living here for almost 7 months, I suppose that I have become a bit comfortable with my surroundings, less observant, and (yikes!) perhaps even a bit careless.  The day began as many of our days do - morning coffee :) , checking email, quiet time, preparing for the day ahead.  Since it was Wednesday, I prepared to head to the clinic.  I packed up my backpack and headed for the combi (bus) stop - which is called a parada.  I didn't have to wait long before a combi arrived that was heading close to the clinic.  I hopped aboard and was able to find a seat - that doesn't always happen - sometimes I have to stand :(  Well, the combi was crowded - not unusual - so there were some people standing.  Two men were standing next to where I was sitting.  I was sitting with my back to a window and my backpack behind me (which is a no-no. My backpack should have been in front of me.).  Anyway, as more people got on the combi, the men started crowding me.  That actually is not unusual when you are on a combi :)  I mean we're talking about a vehicle the size of a van that typically crams 25-30 people inside!  You kindof get used to close quarters.  Anyway, the two men would occasionally talk, so I knew that they were together.  Well, the combi stopped at a parada (bus stop) and the men quickly got off.  Another seat opened up across from me, so I decided to move because I felt so crowed where I was.  As I got up to move, I realized that my backpack was unzipped and that it felt much lighter than it should.  I quickly looked inside and, to my horror, my laptop computer was not there!  I immediately yelled "baja", which meant that I wanted to get off.  Well, the person who operates the door and collects the money told me that I couldn't baja because we weren't at a parada.  So I shouted, "el ladron" and everybody on the combi began yelling. The driver then stopped very quickly so I could get off.  I took off running back toward the parada where the two men had gotten off the combi.  (I think that may have been the first time that I've run any distance here in Cusco :)  I arrived at the parada and, sadly, I did not see the men.  They probably took off running the moment they got off the combi and, no doubt, they ran much faster than me.  However, up ahead I saw several members of the Policía Nacional so I decided to run to them for help.  Needless to say, I was extremely out of breath when I finally reached them.  And to be honest, I was about to cry.  But they were very nice and patient and gave me a minute to calm down.  As soon as they heard (and understood :) my story, they told me to quickly get in one of the trucks with two of the policemen.  I thought that I confused them with my spanish and that they thought the men were still on the combi and that we were going after the combi.  So I began to explain again and they quickly told me that they understood and that they wanted me to ride around the area to see if I could spot the men.  So - I jumped in the back of the truck and spent the next 15-20 minutes with the policemen scouring an area of San Sebastian.  After awhile, it became apparent that we weren't going to find the men, so the Policía Nacional took me to the Policía de turismo in Wanchaq.  After filling out paperwork there, they realized that I needed to be at the Policía Nacional police station in San Sebastian.  So back into the truck we go to return to San Sebastian.  I have to say that the two policemen that I spent most of my time with were very nice, helpful, and friendly :)   Once we arrived at the police station in San Sebastian, they made sure that the police there knew what had happened and why I was there before they left me.  After a short time answering questions at the San Sebastian station, the brigadier officer took me to another police building which was back in the Wanchaq area.  Once there, a police woman listened to my description of the man that I saw and made a composite of him on the computer.  The composite will be posted, along with details of the crime.
To be honest, I'm not very hopeful about my computer being returned.  I'm not trying to be pessimistic - just realistic.  Obviously, I'm experiencing a variety of emotions - anger, frustration, guilt, sadness . . .  And, of course, there are the "ifs" - if I hadn't been running late, I would have been riding in the Wilson's van with Nathan and the boys instead of riding the combi;  if I had turned left instead of right, I would have ended up at a different parada stop;  if I had gotten on a different combi.  But - these ifs also help to remind me that it is God is sovereign and He is the one who is in control.  I'm reminded of a verse that I learned in the Crown Financial Bible study - "Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from you alone, and you are the Ruler of all mankind; your hand controls power and might, and it is at your discretion that men are made great and given strength." - 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 TLB
Everything in the heavens and earth (including my computer :) belongs to God.  Yes, I'm sad that I lost my photos :(  and still a bit bothered that someone else is using my computer right now :(  - but, I'm also learning to let go and trusting God to use this for His glory in a way that only He can do.

2011: A Year of Changes, Challenges, and Celebrations

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Well, it's that time - time to say goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012.  I haven't posted in forever and I have so much to say that it's all jumbling around in my head.  So I thought, what better way to hop back on the "blogging wagon", than to try and summarize my thoughts of 2011.

Changes

It has certainly been a year of change for us.  Last January, Ike and I were beginning our second trimester of language school in San Jose, Costa Rica.  As we wind up this year, we find ourselves living in our new home of Cusco, Perú.
In San Jose we lived at 3500 ft. above sea level, while here in Cusco we find ourselves at 11,000 ft. above sea level.  We went from being able to drink the tap water in San Jose to drinking bottled water in Cusco.  We went from the green, lush beauty of the countryside and beaches in Costa Rica to the rugged, brown, majestic mountains of the Andes in the central southeastern part of Perú. (Can you tell that I have a thing about green and brown?  I think that green has always been my favorite color - and now I know why!)
In San Jose, we were able to find many things (or close substitutes) that we needed/wanted.  Here in Cusco - well, not so much.  We don't have chocolate chips (yes, chocolate chips are a very important food item :) , cheddar cheese, peanut butter, etc.  We're learning how to make many things from scratch - like cream of mushroom (chicken, etc.) soup, ranch salad dressing, pizza dough, pizza sauce, and the list goes on!

An area of downtown San Jose

The countryside near our apartment in Cusco

Challenges

Well, take it from us, learning a new language is not easy - especially at our ages!  Perseverance became a very important word in our vocabulary during this time!  Being humbled ran a close second!   Though we have completed language school, studying and learning the Spanish language and culture continue for us.  We are far from fluent - that bubble was burst for us during our first week of language school!  We were told that learning a new language is not an overnight process.  The language school we attended provided us with a solid foundation of the spanish language and now we are immersed in the Spanish/Quechua culture of Cusco.  Most conversations that we have - with neighbors, shopkeepers, people riding on the combi with us, taxi drivers, people at the market, etc. - are in Spanish.  In October, Ike had the opportunity to attend a two-day Dental Conference at one of the Universities here in Cusco.  It was conducted entirely in Spanish!  Of course, every Sunday the church services that we attend are conducted entirely in Spanish as well.  We can carry on conversations, etc.; but our desire is to be able to have deep, meaningful conversations with people - to talk with them about their ideas, opinions, beliefs, feelings, etc.

Learning to make tortillas in Lenguaje class in San Jose

Fiesta time in Cusco

In September, we arrived in our new home of Cusco - a city of about 400,000 people located high in the Andes Mountains.  Adjusting to the altitude, becoming accustomed to water outages, and learning to cook and bake all over again are just a few of the challenges we are facing.  In addition, I must say that there is an amazing amount of dust here!  Much of it is a result of the road construction that is being done.
We have adjusted well to the high altitude here.  I still get winded climbing two flights of stairs (granted, I am not in the best of shape, but I could climb two flights of stairs Georgia without becoming winded) and walking uphill.
We also have learned to keep several buckets full of water at all times.  That helps reduce the difficulties that arise when we lose our water.  Of course, we have also learned that it's okay to leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight when the water goes out before we can wash the dinner dishes :)
Wow - cooking and baking at 11,000 ft. in Cusco is very different than cooking at sea level.  Water boils at a lower temperature - 194.7º F as opposed to 212º F at sea level.  That means that food cooks much slower here.  As far as baking is concerned, well trial and error is the name of the game.

Outskirts of Cusco -  where we live :)  The altitude here is over 11,000 ft.

Lima is about a 1-hour flight from Cusco.  You can drive it - but it's about an 18-hour drive through some pretty rugged terrain.

Yes, that's snow on the mountains in the distance.

Celebrations

We graduated - yay!!!!  Despite the struggle, on August 12, 2011, Ike and I both graduated from the Spanish Language Institute in San Jose.  After a year of hard work, it was rather exciting to gather with fellow classmates and celebrate this milestone.  As I mentioned before, we're not finished learning yet :)

Graduation Day!!

Classmates Angela and Monica with me.  We're now all living and working in different parts of 

Latin America.

Ike and me with Marcos - our tutor and friend in San Jose

Since arriving in Peru in early September, we have found much to celebrate amidst our adjustment process.  Though there have been hardships, we know that we are indeed in the place where God wants us.  As our MTW Cusco team gathered together for Thanksgiving, we shared the many ways that God has blessed us this year.  As we continue to follow God's call in 2012, we know that things will not always be easy (we've gotten a good taste of that already :).  But we also are confident "that He who began a good work in (us) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Phil. 1:6 

Celebrating Thanksgiving with our MTW family in Cusco

Ike and his buddies