China Is Back!

I’m late on my update, so some of you have been asking. I’m sorry.

Yes, China made it home, praise the Lord. She brought a friend with her; the young lady is staying in Caleb’s guest room and will be around for about a month or so. I am glad China has a friend here.

I went in to Cusco Monday afternoon to finally take care of the payments for some residency stuff. I was happily allowed inside the businesses since I had my vaccination card along. I also went back to the post office to pick up a box from my family in the States. They actually sent two boxes, but the one is still in Lima.

They have done this each Christmas so far; this is our third Christmas here, but it will be the first for the others. It is special to have a connection with family over the holiday. They were very sweet to share with us. We decided to go ahead and open the box that evening since we’d be waiting until next week for the other box. Funnily enough, everyone had something in the first box except for the two wives.

Thanks, family! We love you. 🧡

Back to Cusco… After paying my various things, I walked up to Plaza de Armas and got a sandwich at McDonald’s. That was my lunch and supper. I got an extra sandwich with fries for the girls to have on the way home. I had a bit of time to kill, so I sat on the steps in front of the cathedral and watched people. There are lots of tourists again.

That reminds me. Last week, when I was in Cusco with Rafael, some foreigners walked in front of us at an intersection. I mentioned that there are lots of tourists in that area to which Rafael agreed. I then said, “Why do they feel like they can come to our country and take over the streets!”

It was funny how Rafael reacted because he at first started to agree, then he stopped, astonished to see that I was upset at someone, then it clicked that I was a foreigner talking about foreigners. He laughed and laughed when he got the joke.

Back to Cusco… I arrived at the airport two minutes after the girls landed. They were slightly late because there had been a storm, and the pilot couldn’t land. China says it was her most turbulent flight, and Leonela agreed. I collected them with no trouble; it is so nice to be able to park at the airport again. We then headed home.

The girls talked the whole way home. Leonela graciously talked Spanish the whole time after I told her that China needs the practice, and she has been talking nothing but Spanish to both Steph and me. I am grateful, and Steph is really enjoying it.

I wish I could share with you all the joy that was bouncing around in the truck on the way home. They couldn’t tell stories fast enough. Well, China did most of the talking, calling on Leonela to confirm some detail or another. I can tell China thoroughly enjoyed her time there; she said it was no great suffering to have stayed extra days, but she was really glad to be home.

In other news, I’ve been having more and more trouble with César. He simply does not want to work. I have to keep after him all the time, and even then, he works at a snail’s pace. Besides that, he begs for candy and cookies and so on. We had been talking here that maybe it would not be a good fit; I had decided to let him go on Friday.

But yesterday, he noticed two young ladies about the place, and things got even worse. He asked me if it is prohibido to have romance in our church; I told him it was not and left it at that. I think he thought that meant he was free to try. He spent the whole day trying to catch the attention on one or both girls, finally brazenly coming into the house and asking Leonela various questions. I chased him out three times!

I made it very clear that he was to leave the ladies alone and work, but he asked if it wouldn’t be a better idea for Leonela to teach him English. Dear me. Neither of the girls is here today; China is teaching, and Leonela is safely with Belinda. César has found every excuse to knock on the door while I was away so that he can peer in. He was even seen walking out into the yard to peer into the upstairs windows.

I talked with Percy this morning, and he is going to help me talk with César this afternoon to make sure he understands that he should not come back after today. I hope he listens and does not make further trouble for us.

He has been listening to heavy rock music today, despite my having told him not to. I’ve shut it off twice and talked to him again, clearly telling him it is not to be played. He just doesn’t listen to what he’s told. He wanted to know what song I prefer; I told him I prefer silence. “How about pop music?” he wondered.

Sigh…