Hola Family and Friends



We will start this episode by telling you about the pictures that we don't have that we wanted to show you.

Last week we had to move the Capilla in Quilmana from the rustic location (that we showed you in the previous weeks instalment) to the new location which we will have to show you at another time(because we don't have the pictures anymore).



The members from the Imperial Branch and the Quilmana Branch turned out in full force. furniture was moved cleaned and set up in our new 2nd floor "Casa Capilla." Partitions were manufactured, lights hung, and pictures placed. It was work and everybody helped. While the chapel was being readied the others were preparing to take care of our more temporal need and were preparing a traditional Peruano meal.



The new chapel does not have a kitchen but that would really not make any difference as many of the home don't either and everyone still gets fed. A make shift fire pit was arranged with bricks and quickly a wood fire was burning and water was boiling. Chickens were cleaned in the only sink there, vegetables were cleaned, and lunch was on. We are still debating exactly in what order all the comida was prepared but it was delicious. Oh yeah, all of this was done on the main street of town. Some time I think that it is possible to stand on too much ceremony.



Trust me the pictures would were awesome and told a much better story but my camera, back pack, clothing, scriptures, and other various hard if not impossible to replace possessions had a change of ownership when some crook decided to rob us while on the way to Lima last Friday.

Our motto here in our district is "You are in Peru, NOW!" and this was just another one of those moments.



We are having some really great experiences as well as we immerse ourselves in serving other people. Our Spanish is coming but not as fast as our impatience would like it to. We have the other missionaries come and tutor for and hour several times a week when they can.



Last week, on preparation day, we went with the missionaries from Canete and Imperial to meet the missionaries in Mala for a fun activity of a photo scavenger hunt. It only took a couple of hours and was a fun diversion from the labors of everyday. We down loaded pictures of that before our unfortunate turn of events. Here they are with our commentary.

This was our starting off point and the little blue and green mottos in the picture are our most usual form of transportation. We sometimes think that there are two of these units for every person in Peru, unless you really need one then there are two people in very one.

This is Elder McAllister, and the first item on our scavenger hunt. This is also the typical pollo (chicken) vendor. Who says you need to refrigerate chicken.

Fish did not live in fridge before they died why after. These fish are caught about four kilometers from Mala in the ocean.

These are exactly what they look like and a considered a real delicacy here in Peru. Which is good because the eat everything except the hair. Nothing goes to waste. More open air marketing, they say that nothing ages the meat more than hanging in the heat for a day or two.





The smiling police officer was probably the trickiest picture to get as they are hired for there ability to not be nice. However, when Debbie stepped up next to him he was all smiles. The picture of us, we are standing on top of a house that is built in to a hill overlooking the city of Mala

I guess it easy to tell who was taking the pictures as here is Elders Boulton, McAllister and Hermana at the gate to a cemetery. I must tell you about Elders McAllister and Boulton, they actually live in tent like the forts we all used make as children made of blankets and clothing. It is on the roof of a building and if you look at the positives, it allows them to have a sun deck, fire pit, solar clothes dryer, and view to the ocean on the west and mountains to the east. Elder Boulton said to me the other week, "if you consider that being in Peru is like a 2 year camping trip, you just have to tough it out, you will be okay."

This was not part of the scavenger hunt but I could not resist taking this picture. Look carefully at the 3rd floor upper left of the picture. It is an ingenious structural feature, a cantilever. You just use long bamboo poles extended of the side of the building and then pile heavy stuff on them.

This is where we had lunch together. Note the sign on the roof. Pollos al Cilindro. The chicken is cooked in a cylinder.

Here is the cylinder out front of the restaurant. Consider the convenience of this, this restaurant is attached to the Chapel.

Pollo and papa fritas for all. From the left: Jurez, Leon, Zea, Boulton, McAllister, US, Tanavasa, Mendoza, Lebeau, Fuentes, Grossman. These missionaries are the cream of the crop and very deserving of a little R.&R.

Me en Mi Casa the little place we call home.

Yes "la decorator" lives here too. Note the splash of color (bowl of candy) and art on the walls.

This is the more practical side of our home. I know it looks like a stove but it is much more than that, it is also our water heater for our clothes washer, hot water for washing our faces and dishes. It also functions as furnace, and towel dryer. By the way if it looks like there are bars on the windows, there are and no, not to keep us in.

The master suite comes complete with a bed and closet.

Check out the huge electrical switch in the bathroom. Building inspectors take note. This is a 250 volt power switch for the electric shower head. The first time I used it I made the mistake of moving the shower head while the switch was on. Shocking, note to user don't do again. The positive side is, it is instant hot water and only runs out when the water does or the power fails.

Take care, and we are livin large in Canete!

WE ARE IN PERU NOW!

d. & d.