Here and There and Everywhere...

The title of this post is the best description I could come up with for my frame of mind over the past month. It's rather descriptive of our physical locations as well as we traveled out of Peru, stopped in Florida, arrived in Denver, cruised out to Nebraska and are now preparing to leave for Scotland on Thursday. It's been hard to create time to sit and update the blog, not solely for lack of convenient time but also because of the many emotions wrapped up in the last month. While we've been back in Denver, my thoughts have been split between the kids and church in Peru, treasuring the moments we have here with family and friends, and mentally preparing for our move to Edinburgh. This morning I watched the promotional video for New Hope with Tony and my dear friend Dayna and was in tears within the first 5 seconds. I cried and cried as I looked at those little faces again and it gave me the extra push I needed to get over the fact that I don't know where to begin with the next post and just begin to write.

Our last few weeks in Peru were filled with many special memories. The kids were on vacation from school for two of our last three weeks, which afforded us many precious moments with them we would not have had otherwise. We hosted a quinciniera (15th birthday party) for three of our young ladies in the home, which was a great cultural experience for me. We celebrated two weddings with our friends before we left. Tony's mom and I baked, baked and baked with the kids and several ladies from the church. I was enchanted with the number of children I saw flying kites in the weeks before we left, which I learned is the official season of kite flying in Peru. (They also have a "season" of playing with marbles, which I didn't know about either.) I requested and subsequently received an abundance of hugs from all of the kids at the home. Those tight squeezes feel almost real when I think about them now, so far away from the arms that wrapped around me almost hourly for the last month.

Leaving Peru was quite possibly the most heart wrenching thing I've ever experienced in my life. Last year as I bawled my way through the Denver airport on my way to Peru, I had the underlying assurance that my family would be okay without us and that they were supporting us in what we were going to do. This time, my heart ached most because I knew the kids didn't totally understand why we were leaving. How can they understand what this opportunity represents for us when the implications of our departure are so huge for them? I found my deepest consolation in affirming in my prayers that God knows the deepest emotional needs of each one of the kids and asking him to meet those needs in the way that only he can. I pray that somehow the kids will come to know him more as he meets those needs in our absence. It's easy to feel irreplaceable and overly important when involved in supporting and caring so intimately for kids who don't have much in this world. It was good to be reminded of my ultimate inability to provide what these kids need, and to be challenged to trust God enough to meet their needs.

I was humbled beyond words to hear the kind gratitude and reflections from so many people during our last weeks in Peru. We were honored by a special church service that was hosted for us on our last Sunday, a special lunch with all of the workers at New Hope, and many moments of tears, hugs and expressions of thanks that were sprinkled throughout the week. I think it is inevitable to be overcome with a certain number doubts and regrets when a season of life comes to a close, and I believe it is God's grace to provide so many kind comments and affirmations to be spoken during those moments.

In the coming weeks, I'm going to be recounting some of the moments I've treasured and tucked away in my heart. Somehow writing and sharing them with others seems to acknowledge the significance they're due. My heart is overflowing with love for the people of Peru right now and I want to share that with those who may be reading along. Thank you for sharing in this journey with us -I'm back in the blog world and will be writing more regularly again!! Your prayers are coveted for our transition, and for the kids and members of our community in Peru who are feeling the impact of our transition as well.