Hasta los Confines de la Tierra: Week Seven--ciao, Perú

As I write this final blog post, I'm sitting at my desk here in good ol' Texas. What an amazing month and a half it's been in Peru! Natali and I spent our last couple of days in Curahuasi going out to a chicken restaurant with the other interns (because the trustworthy restaurant that serves Guinea pig was closed--darn!), celebrating Natali's birthday on the 17th, and doing Kids Clubs. Also, we joined the Diospi Suyana dental clinic for a campaign in a nearby orphanage, where we got to develop x-rays by using a "dark box" and soaking the plates in three different solutions for varying amounts of time. On the morning of the 19th, we said goodbye to the precious Caire family and began our few days of tourism before leaving the country. We toured several sites in the Sacred Valley, including Moray, the Salineras, and the ruins of Ollantaytambo, all of which were fascinating and impressive. Since sweet Natali got sick the night before our Machu Picchu tour, she didn't get to see much of it, but I climbed Machu Picchu mountain and joined the tour group afterwards. The ruins are just as fabulous as they are reputed to be, and getting to explore them with a Spanish-speaking tour guide was really special. Natali and I spent much of Tuesday and Wednesday simply relaxing and gift shopping in Cusco, and our flights on Wednesday/Thursday went smoothly. Somehow, the Peruvian guy that I sat by on the flight to Lima ended up asking for my number, which I'm still fairly bewildered about. (I don't think our phone numbers are even compatible.) Arriving in Texas was surreal and exciting, and my heart just about burst with joy when I saw my family. The internship completely surpassed all expectations that I had; I have learned so much and gained countless new perspectives on life. Working alongside such a faithful missionary family taught me that God always provides, although perhaps not in the ways that we might want or expect. Seeing the suffering of people living in poverty showed me that Jesus is truly all that matters in this life. Hearing so many incredible testimonies reminded me that prayer is so powerful, and that it is the most important work of believers. I am convinced that the Lord used my time in Peru as another step on my journey of sanctification--and I can't wait for the lifetime of walking with Him on that journey that awaits.