Friday
We collected China and Konrad first thing in the morning. After breakfast, we opened suitcases. China had brought a number of things for all of us. It was a blessing to receive gifts from her; she knew just the sort of things we would want.
After that, I took Steph to the posta for a checkup for Daisy. They are both doing well, praise the Lord. We did not go to market because the day got away from us, but Caleb took Esmeralda in to sell a pig. She used that money to buy three sheep to fatten and sell in a couple of months. Percy also went in with another bull and sold him. We had wanted to sell my heifer, but she ended up calving Friday morning! So, I guess we’ll wait a week or two to sell her.
Rafael and Elisabet came in the evening for Bible study. Caleb’s, Esmeralda, Konrad, and China were all here with us. It was a nice group. We were studying about the Holy Spirit: His work, His power, His fruit, His leading. I was blessed to think about how God has led us so faithfully, despite our unfaithfulness at times. He is incredibly patient and kind. I want to be more like Him.
Saturday
I had a recording early in the morning before chores. After that, we enjoyed a pancake breakfast. Well, some of us did. Steph and I are doing an intermittent fasting program together, which means that there is no eating between supper and lunch. I am discovering how much I loved eating just before bed.
Before lunch, a group of us went to pass out tracts in Izcuchaca. It had been a while since we were able to due to closed roads, so it was good to bump into some familiar faces. I especially enjoy giving tracts to the guards in front of businesses and to police officers. They tend to be somewhat despised here, so they are always appreciative of being noticed.
I did some studying and took a nap before we needed to head to Cusco. Rafael’s had invited us couples to have supper with them. Esmeralda and Alicia stayed with the children. We went to a broastería, which is a restaraunt that specializes in breaded chicken dishes. They had other things; I ordered the fried trout.
After supper, we got ice cream and did some errands at the bank before heading home. I wasn’t sure getting ice cream was such a great idea, as it was so cold that night! A cold front had moved through and left the mountains around us covered in snow. That makes the evening air especially chilly.
Sunday
We enjoyed a pleasant morning service together. Konrad gave the devotional and had me translate for him. His Spanish is quite good for having picked it up from his crew of Puerto Ricans in the States. I think he could have done it just fine himself because he corrected me twice when I didn’t say what he wanted to say the way he wanted it said. It wouldn’t take him long in a Latin country to have excellent Spanish.
We were glad to have a handful of visitors who arrived just before the message. The one couple said they are Christians who have been looking for a church. Abbey gave them a tract and an invitation card, so they came to see us. They said they will be back because they felt like it was an answer to prayer! We can pray for Daniel and Luz. They also brought another couple and some of their older nieces along and said they’ll be bringing more people if they can.
We had instruction class with Alicia in the afternoon. We are also having instruction with her on Wednesdays before prayer meeting. It is a joy to see her convictions growing. She is eager to make changes as she is taught biblical principles.
In the evening, we invited everyone to our place for supper and activities. The first activity after supper was a Bible search race with three teams. The last team to be the first to find a Bible verse ten times got to wash the dishes. It was very close with the third team being only one verse behind.
The rest of us sang while the one team did the dishes then I had a Bible trivia section. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Alicia and Esmeralda could call out the answers about as quick as anyone. We then sent the littler ones to bed before playing a game of scarves.
The scarf game has the group sitting in a circle. There are two scarves in the group, and the players have to tie a given number of knots on a scarf around their neck before undoing it and passing it on. If the other scarf catches up to you, you lose. It is much higher energy than my description.
We then played a short game of Swat before calling it a night.
Juan David 