La Loma, I love ya

I've now been to La Loma twice. Last Sunday, 3 of my Peruvian girlfriends and I took a taxi out of Huánuco 30 minutes into the countryside. Turn left up a hill, drive through a little town, and you'll find La Loma, a beautiful retreat center where you can eat a fabulous 4 course Peruvian meal, wander around the gorgeous grounds, and even spend the night. After lunch we walked up the hill to the Quechua town of Conchamarca and visited the local church. By far the highlight for me was the hour we spent listening to a local man talk about how God rescued him and keeps giving him opportunities to share that same gift with others. It felt like a piece of heaven, sitting around recounting stories of God's great love, meeting others who've experienced the same. One day those conversations won't have to end!

Peruvian Birthday #2

It was my birthday Tuesday and the ladies surprised me with a full-blown birthday tea instead of the cake and hot drinks I was expecting.

What a great time we had! Sandra, Sara and Ana came from church; Jan, Martie, and Marilyn from the missionary community; and 4 new friends as well!

We aren't supposed to live alone, and I thank God all the time for putting me in a community here!

I also thank God for this piece of dessert heaven which we are calling Pecan Pie Upside-down Cake. Thanks Jan!

Comeback

Some of you know that "The Princess Bride" is one of my favorite movies. I'm mostly a fan of Inigo Montoya's quest for the 6 fingered man who killed his father, but if ROUS's want to make a comeback, I'm all for it. The photo below was taken by a friend while visiting the high jungle city of Tingo Maria. They were looking in another direction, when her sister said, "What is THAT?" She whipped out her camera to catch this shot. We're all still wondering many things, not the least of which is, who taught that Rodent Of Unusual Size how to HOLD ON to a person on a bicycle?!!

I lift up my eyes to the hills--Where does my help come from?

This verse from Psalm 121 has always been one of my favorites. When I think of this verse, I find myself looking up at the hills around my hometown(s), and imagining God coming over one of the mountaintops, down into the valley of my life to rescue me.

I wonder what Israel thought of this verse when David wrote it. When they looked up to the hills around their home, were they wondering if those hills would provide safety from attackers? Would they think of strength coming from alliances made over those hills?


Living in the Andes, the superlative of hills and valleys, I can lift my eyes up to the mountains any moment of the day. In fact, they are hard to avoid. (The view above is from my yard. These hills circle 360 degrees around Huanuco.)

Quechua people groups make their homes on these mountains, up to many thousands of feet higher than where I live. What do they think of when they lift their eyes up to the hills? Maybe because of their majesty and awe-someness, maybe because of their danger and intimidation, maybe because people control others through fear, maybe because of evil... for whatever reason, Quechua cultures traditionally fear and worship the mountains around them.

They believe that a mountain has the power to protect them from falling or the power to throw them off the mountain. Mountain spirits are believed to be responsible for landslides and failing crops. Sacrifices and other acts of worship are considered essential to appease the spirits of the mountains. To this day, many Quechua people fear the mountains and do whatever they can to keep themselves safe. Pastors struggle to pray only to God, worrying that they might anger the mountains that they've always prayed to.

When one of my Quechua friends looks up to the hills and asks "Where does my help come from?", the answer given in the rest of the Psalm 121 is life-changing:

My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip--
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you--
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm--
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.