Bienvenidos! Welcome to Arequipa, Peru!

After twenty-four hours of travel, the plane landed in the “white city” of Arequipa, Peru. It was all too familiar. The sights, the sounds, the smells, everything made me think of Honduras. It hurt a little to be so heavily reminded of that place that I came to love so dearly as a missionary, but that feeling was soon overcome with excitement and curiosity as I realized the overwhelming amount of new things that I would learn and experience during this Peruvian Summer. 

      

Julio Sumerinde is a Peruvian native. He is a business owner of a textile company called “Peru Sweet Home.” He has been working over the last year to run for regional president here in Arequipa. As part of his preparation for the campaign he has decided to have a group come in and prepare an assessment of community needs within the region. (Here is where I come in)

I was accepted as an intern for the Program Evaluation Assessment Team (PEAT) in the fall of 2013. We worked to prepare professionally as interns for different organizations across the world. We have team members in Utah, Cambodia, India, Uganda, Malawi, Ecuador and Peru. I was given a partner, Conner Blake, and assigned to the public opinion survey project here in Arequipa. Over the last six months we have worked to prepare project details, proposals, funding and approvals so we could enjoy this amazing experience working abroad. 

I couldn’t imagine a more exciting experience that is catered directly to me. As a double major in sociology/Spanish along with a minor in international development, I could imagine an opportunity that could apply all those things in one. To say the least, this will do great things for my studies and future career.      

The Sumerinde family has invited us into their home with such kindness and generosity. His wife, Jackie, is Ecuadorian along with their first three children who were born in Ecuador. Only their youngest was born in Peru. Eric(18) is on a mission in the north of Peru. Eva(15) is a sassy teenager. Juliana(13) is an even sassier teenager. And Angelina(6) is just a friend to everyone. They are a beautiful family. I have already learned so much from them.   

The city is crowded with people. Everywhere I look I see faces that tell a story. Strangers on the street intrigue me, because I see so much foreign experience in their eyes. People all around me have knowledge and experience that are completely unknown to me. I am anxious to get to know this culture and get closer to the reality that they live on a daily basis.

We have begun forming a research team of university students that will help us in distributing a survey through interviews across the entire region. We are really please so far with the dedication and the quality of work that these students are willing to do. We are getting to know the city and are trying to become comfortable with getting around in the city. 

Arequipa is surrounded by huge two huge mountain ranges, Pikchu Pikchu and Chachani. In between these two mountain ranges lies “El Misti” or “Wawa Putina”, an active volcano that last erupted in 1985. It is a miraculous thing that I can’t stop looking at. It just amazes me.     

It was a special treat to have Julio take us on our first cultural experience yesterday to a place called Yusina on the outskirts of the city where we could see historic steppes in the mountain side developed by the Inca civilization for irrigation. We had a traditional Peruvian lunch that knocked our socks off and saw some beautiful sights.  

The food here is delicious. Every morning we have hot chocolate, bread and fruit. It is very traditional to eat soup for lunch and then a large dinner in the evenings. Rice is served with every meal. It has amazed me how different the customs are here compared to central america. Beans basically don't exist and a tortilla here is what we would call an omelet. Because Jackie is Ecuadorian we also get to taste a lot of home-cooked Ecuadorian dishes. Yum!

We had everything from pickled pig's foot to fried guinea pig all in one lunch. Our stomachs are now Peruvian, or at least trying to be. It really threw me off when Julio grabbed the head of the guinea pig, ripped off the bottom jaw and then slurped the brain right out of the skull! Ahhh! It was something I had never witnessed. 

BEFORE

AFTER

After we had conquered the pig's hoof and guinea pig. Julio said we deserved a reward so he took us to a place where we went for a horseback ride and saw some beautiful parts of the country. It was a culturally colorful day. 

I am already in love with the food, the people and the culture. I only thing this place is missing is my beautiful fiance. I thank Heavenly Father everyday for technology, but being engaged over Facetime isn't that fun. But we try to make the best of it. Recently one of our favorite games is to catch each other making an attractive face then taking a screenshot...

I do not know what I have done to deserve this girl, but she is the best thing that has ever come into my life. There are no words to express the love that we share. 

She is everything I wish I could be and more. She is my greatest inspiration and always will be. She helps me maintain an eternal perspective and move forward confiding in Christ. Her presence teaches me daily that God knows us and wants us to gain eternal salvation as families. That knowledge and testimony is my most prized possession. 

I look around me and see the world that God has created for us, his children. It is amazing that he has not only provided this period of progression for us, but he has given us evidence here on earth that there is a greater plan at hand. With so much to take in, the world and this life can seem completely overwhelming, but God intends for us to make an effort to learn, understand and grow. All around us are people, places, thoughts, words and feelings that can teach us if we let them. We can see the light of Christ in all of God's creations if we let our hearts be vulnerable to that divine illumination.