Living 2500 miles away from the U.S. can get lonely at times, but thanks to the internet, it's easy to feel like we're just next door! Apparently, we're a little late starting a blog, but better late than never, huh? So, here goes.

We hope this will be informative and fun and will prompt people to pray for us.

Modern missions is a lot different from many of the biographies we read of missionaries from the past. For example, yesterday, we went to a mall on the north side of Lima (the less developed side) and walked past the Chili's, Starbucks, Pizza Hut and Athlete's Foot. Then we went to a huge department store and looked at watches, guitars, blenders and eventually bought some new pillows.

Stuff like this is so familiar to most Americans, but when we left this mall, we drove past thousands of huts and half-built homes without lights or water and saw thousands of people living in poverty, watched hundreds of pedestrians crossing streets and crosswalks, most with vacant eyes and very little hope of a better tomorrow.

Having lived in Lima for almost nine years, this is all familiar to us, but after spending a year in the States, we are experiencing a little bit of culture shock. Lucas keeps commenting on how dirty everything is (so true!), and Olivia and Kyall are trying to remember how to speak Spanish and make friends. Brent is amazed at all the people in the streets and I feel like everyone is staring at the white family with the clean, new clothes!

At the end of the day, we make a point to remember why we're here in cold, dirty Lima, Peru. It's definitely not for the beauty, although there is breathtaking beauty all over Peru, it's certainly not because of the government or the economy. We see the thousands of people as souls, lost and hopeless, and we have what they need......the love of Jesus Christ.

As we begin another "term" (4-5 years) in Peru, we look forward to great and mighty things from God. Join us in our journey....the more the merrier!

Miriam