I'm headed to Chile tonight to meet up with many friends and former coworkers from Women of the Harvest. They are hosting a retreat for missionary women there, so I get the pleasure of joining them to help the new Retreat Coordinator with her first retreat. I'll be back next Thursday and will post some pictures of the trip soon thereafter.
Several people have been asking about our contact info here so I thought I would post it on the blog. Our mailing address is:
Tony and Julie Bolos
Casilla 290
Arequipa, Peru
South America
We have a Vonage phone that runs through the internet, so we still have our same Denver number: 303-459-7959. I have no idea how it works, but it truly costs nothing to call from Denver and a standard domestic long-distance call from anywhere else in the US. Our internet goes in and out, but usually the phone works well. We'd love to hear from you!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Strange Sun Phenomenon
Several times since we've been here we've seen a strange circular rainbow around the sun, sometimes a double rainbow. We've never seen anything like it and tried to capture it on film:
The Peruvians say that this is common when the seasons are changing, particularly when heading into spring when the rainy season begins. Who knew?!
The Peruvians say that this is common when the seasons are changing, particularly when heading into spring when the rainy season begins. Who knew?!
Weekend Fun!
Last weekend we had a lot of fun with the kids from the home. Friday night is always soccer night for the boys, so I decided to host a chick-flick night at our house for the older girls. They piled in, ate every snack item that we had in the house, and enjoyed watching Pride and Prejudice for the first time. Unfortunately the DVD was scratched (we bought it from a street vendor here for $1, so it's no surprise), so the girls were left in suspense after learning that Mr. Bingley had left town, Charlotte was marrying Mr. Collins, and Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy were tangled up between pride and prejudice. We're looking for a new copy and hope to finish next week! Here we are getting ready for the movie:
On Saturday morning we took the kids to a nearby complex with a soccer field, swimming pool, volleyball court and grassy park for the day. The boys were anxious to play soccer on a full-size grass field. They all got a workout! 
Many of the girls and younger boys were brave and went swimming in the ice-cold water! 
Instead of playing soccer, the girls competed in foosball.
The kids also enjoyed climbing the trees that surrounded the complex. Here is Carmen, looking down at the camera:
We all had a good time and returned home ready to relax. We hope to go back once a month and plan a picnic or barbecue for the kids. I just might get into that ice-cold water with the kids next time!
On Saturday morning we took the kids to a nearby complex with a soccer field, swimming pool, volleyball court and grassy park for the day. The boys were anxious to play soccer on a full-size grass field. They all got a workout! 
Many of the girls and younger boys were brave and went swimming in the ice-cold water! 
Instead of playing soccer, the girls competed in foosball. 
The kids also enjoyed climbing the trees that surrounded the complex. Here is Carmen, looking down at the camera:
We all had a good time and returned home ready to relax. We hope to go back once a month and plan a picnic or barbecue for the kids. I just might get into that ice-cold water with the kids next time!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Boys Will Be Boys
Tony always loved wrestling with his dad when he was a boy, and now he's passing it on to the boys at the orphanage. This is the kind of play that is good for the soul!
Ready...go!
Trying to break free from the grip...
Down he goes...
Tackled and trapped!
Tony explaining the rules
Ready...go!
Trying to break free from the grip...
Down he goes...
Tackled and trapped!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Rockies fans in Peru!
We are regularly amazed at just how small the world has become due to technology. Unless there is a competing soccer game on television, the MLB playoffs are being broadcast here in Arequipa! We are watching most every game and cheering our home team on from a distance. Go Rockies!!
Monday, October 1, 2007
September Synopsis
Regretfully I've realized that the month of September has come and gone without an update on the blog. I suppose that describes the theme of the month - busy! Every day has brought new insights, challenges and growth opportunities for us and the staff at New Hope. The good news is that we are starting to get a feel for the average week here, though the word "average" itself seems to change with great frequency. Some highlights of the month:
A New Family Member
After years of begging for a Great Dane, Tony fulfilled that desire and bought me a puppy in early September. Her name is Davy (yes, a girl named Davy - it's from A Severe Mercy) and she is a wonderful addition to our family. She's growing quickly and is still rather uncoordinated, so we get a lot of laughter from her. Here are a few pictures from the last month - see how quickly she's growing!
Cuddly Davy (5 weeks)
Still cuddly, but much bigger (9 weeks)
Mike and Dana Arrived!
After several weeks of traveling through Central America, Julie's brother Mike and his friend Dana arrived in Arequipa to stay with us for several months. They have come to love the city of Arequipa as we do - great people, great food, and a great climate. Thankfully they love playing with Davy too - it helps to have 4 pairs of eyes to keep her out of trouble.
Mike and Dana are taking Spanish lessons and volunteering a lot of their time at the orphanage. They've been dry walling, playing soccer, and teaching English thus far. They are consistently "wow"-ed at in public and can't get through a conversation without at least one comment on how tall they are. There's no blending in here!
Dana playing with John
A Visitor from Home
Our friend Krista and her boyfriend Mike arrived on Sept. 20 for a 10 day visit. It was a wonderfully refreshing time for all of us - speaking English, playing cards, tasting Peruvian foods, and exploring the country together. After a few days in Arequipa, we traveled by bus to Cusco. We took a train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, en route to Machu Picchu.
From there we took off to the Floating Islands on Lake Titicaca, near Puno. These islands are made from reeds that the island inhabitants weave together to create a sturdy, floating surface. It is absolutely incredible to learn about the history, culture, and methods of construction that have kept these islands around for hundreds of years.
We traveled by boat to a natural island on the lake, Taquile. There we found host families who put us up in their homes for the night. The surrounds were breathtaking - the waters looked almost Mediterranean or Caribbean. 
The island is almost entirely without electricity or running water, and sheep roam the land freely. We stayed in a little mud hut with a thatched roof, small candle for light, and a bed made of mud bricks and reeds. The sheep grazing outside our hut served as our alarm clock in the morning - a strangely pleasant sound because of the novelty of the experience. 
As you can see, September was a month full of blessings amidst the busyness. We vow to post more regularly this month - thanks for keeping up with us!
A New Family Member
After years of begging for a Great Dane, Tony fulfilled that desire and bought me a puppy in early September. Her name is Davy (yes, a girl named Davy - it's from A Severe Mercy) and she is a wonderful addition to our family. She's growing quickly and is still rather uncoordinated, so we get a lot of laughter from her. Here are a few pictures from the last month - see how quickly she's growing!
Our first night with Davy (4 weeks)
Cuddly Davy (5 weeks)
Still cuddly, but much bigger (9 weeks)
Mike and Dana Arrived!After several weeks of traveling through Central America, Julie's brother Mike and his friend Dana arrived in Arequipa to stay with us for several months. They have come to love the city of Arequipa as we do - great people, great food, and a great climate. Thankfully they love playing with Davy too - it helps to have 4 pairs of eyes to keep her out of trouble.
Mike and Dana are taking Spanish lessons and volunteering a lot of their time at the orphanage. They've been dry walling, playing soccer, and teaching English thus far. They are consistently "wow"-ed at in public and can't get through a conversation without at least one comment on how tall they are. There's no blending in here!
Mike and some of the boys at the orphanage
Dana playing with John
A Visitor from HomeOur friend Krista and her boyfriend Mike arrived on Sept. 20 for a 10 day visit. It was a wonderfully refreshing time for all of us - speaking English, playing cards, tasting Peruvian foods, and exploring the country together. After a few days in Arequipa, we traveled by bus to Cusco. We took a train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, en route to Machu Picchu.
From there we took off to the Floating Islands on Lake Titicaca, near Puno. These islands are made from reeds that the island inhabitants weave together to create a sturdy, floating surface. It is absolutely incredible to learn about the history, culture, and methods of construction that have kept these islands around for hundreds of years.
We traveled by boat to a natural island on the lake, Taquile. There we found host families who put us up in their homes for the night. The surrounds were breathtaking - the waters looked almost Mediterranean or Caribbean. 
The island is almost entirely without electricity or running water, and sheep roam the land freely. We stayed in a little mud hut with a thatched roof, small candle for light, and a bed made of mud bricks and reeds. The sheep grazing outside our hut served as our alarm clock in the morning - a strangely pleasant sound because of the novelty of the experience. 
As you can see, September was a month full of blessings amidst the busyness. We vow to post more regularly this month - thanks for keeping up with us!
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