A Feel of Peru

Each morning as I roll out of my nice, warm bed, I thank God that the house has hot water, granted, I have to wake up an hour earlier to actually turn it on, but it is hot nonetheless. After going through my normal morning routine, the bus ride to the ARRIBA center quickly jostles me awake an gears my mind for another day. Let me put it this way, the members of the road crew do not fear their job security. The bus driver, with incredible skill, winds amongst the largest holes and hits all the ¨little¨ ones in between. My favorite section on my bus route is the road between tow of the districts of Lima separating Ate (where I live) and Santa Anita (another district). In this particular section, each governing part of each of the districts claims that it is the other´s responsibilityñ therefore, for a couple hundred feet, the bus bounces, bumps, and creaks along the rock-strewn ¨road.¨Along with the bumping of the buses comes the crowdedness fo the buses as well. The Peruvians have a philosophy of, ¨There´s always room for one more.¨ This philosophy, I´m sure had to originate on the bus routes. At times, there will be people jammed into a bus meant only for half the number of people actually on the bus. People are pressed so closely to each other, at times, that it is almost impossible to move, let alone to get off the bus at your desired location when you are in the back of the bus. Numerous times in getting off the bus, the pain in my head reminds me that I am not Peruvian. I think though, the greatest feeling is the saludar (a slight kiss on the cheek upon meeting someone) given to sisters in Christ. How wonderful it has been to fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. What a great reminder of the omnipresence of God.