Home sweet home?

After arriving in Arequipa 10 days ago, we are starting to feel some semblance of "home" here. We now have a bed, living room couches and dishes - though we're still working on a table, desk and several other items that will make this feel a bit more like home. We've established some sense of routine with our morning walk to the corner to catch a taxi, daily duties at New Hope, and the process of catching a taxi from rural Pachacutec that will take us back home at the end of the day. Here is a photo of New Hope, the view as we enter the gate each morning:It was wonderful to have my mom here with us for the first 10 days. She helped us settle into the house and was able to spend a lot of time simply getting to know the people that we will be living, working, and attending church with while we're here. She was able to get a glimpse of what our "normal" life will be this year, which I believe will bless us all as we try to communicate the experiences we're having here in Arequipa. We went to a local market with a new friend that lives here in Peru - an experience not soon to be forgotten! The meat market was incredible - cow and sheep heads lying on the counter, intestines of every kind piled up (and for sale) and whole, hung chickens lining the aisles. Out of consideration, we've decided to post a photo of the fruit section rather than the meat market for you all to see!

This week we are anticipating the arrival of three girls from Ica whose parents were killed in the earthquake. We do not yet know their names or ages, only that they are between 5-10 years old and are now without family because of the devastation in their area. These girls will fill the 3 spots that are currently open in our home, bringing the number of children to 50 exactly.

We hope to post again this week with several additional pictures and reflections on the process of settling in. We would love to have you leave a comment if you're reading to help us keep in touch with you individually. Thank you for your many prayers for our travel and work here in Peru.