Read More about What I Have Been Up to!

Here is my latest newsletter.  Read more about what has been keeping me busy.  Thanks for your prayers and support!!

Why Not? Maybe God will Send me a Camera

Well, my nice digital SLR was stolen recently.  It is a long story, but suffice it to say, my camera situation is lacking.  :(  So, when I saw this, I had to re-blog.  I've been praying that the Lord would provide me a new camera to record my ministries.  Maybe this is the way!  :)

Click here to read more.

 


CONTEST/ GIVEAWAY ~
REBLOG AT A CHANCE TO WIN A NIKON D40!
I will be giving away a Nikon D40. Currently I am getting a new one which is being shipped right now so I decided why not have a contest on tumblr for my current one! Whoever reblogs this has a chance of winning this. I will pick the winner at random. You are allowed to double reblog also. My tumblr is www.deedeejo.tumblr.com and I will message the winner by the end of next week and you will have to give your adress and everything and I will keep it confidential! The giveaway includes:

• A extra long lense
• The orginal lense
• An extra battery and charger

A Few of My Favorite Things

Greetings -- they are very important here.  It is customary to greet everyone in a room and/or meeting as you arrive and leave.  For men, handshakes and for women a kiss on the left cheek. Even in hailing a taxi, there is a customary greeting. "Buenos dias" (or tardes or noches as the case may be). "al San Martin, segunda cuadra" (the direction, 2d block of San Martin).  After negotiating the price, you enter and again, another salutation "Buenos Dias" from both the taxista and the passenger. And sure, leaving a party or gathering with 20 friends may take a little longer, but it is one of my favorite things about Peru.

Alleen McLain's photostream

Alleen McLain's photostream on Flickr.

Check out some of the photos from my life in Peru. I will continue to update regularly and have it on my sidebar. Enjoy!

A Moment Captured

Sugar Cane fields burning in the distance from my apartment.

 

And the aftermath that floats over to my apartment.

A Moment Captured

NEW CLOTHESLINE!

I got a new clothes line (and added 2) and am pretty excited! The old ones had metal hooks that kept rusting and coming out of the wall. My handyman figured out this wooden piece that will last a lot longer. Since I do not have a dryer, this is an important piece of "machinery" in my house.

One Stop Shopping -- Chickens and Dental Care

Our short-term team "season" has started and it got off to a great start! We were thrilled to have Jason Vassar return for the 4th year and second year to bring a team. This energetic group worked tirelessly. In addition to seeing a lot of patients, we had the opportunity to spread the word about our clinic in Wichanzao.

Drew giving flouride treatments to the kids.

Don Jose is a patient in our clinic and took advantage of these free services.

Our location Day Three -- Primavera.

Jason in the back of the cab holding on to the table! Thanks for all you do for us!

To see more photos, go here to my Facebook page.

The last day we actually set up the clinic in the Wichanzao market--a first for me! And it turned out great. It was a little odd at first setting up near the chickens and fish, but once you got used to the smell, it was not bad. And it was full of patients! There is a short one minute video below showing us setting up and then a second one minute video of the clinic in the market once we were working. Thanks to Jason and his great team for joining us and working to serve the Lord here in Trujillo!

Setting up:



And our clinic in action:

Ollanta Wins

Ollanta won tonight. 52.5% of the vote to Keiko's 47.5% of the vote. It was very close. Now what? I suppose we can worry, discuss, and see what transpires, but the comfort I find it in all is that there are some truths that will not change -- God is Good; God is Great; God is Glorious and God is Gracious. This is in His plan and He will work it to good. 

Celebrating Ollanta Humala's win in Peru

A Moment Captured

Sunday in the Park

Notice our group playing kickball/whiffle ball (batter's choice) and 

the group of Peruvian boys behind us playing soccer. . .two cultures one world.

Cancer or Aids?

Mario Vargas Llosa compared Peru's presidential candidates to cancer and Aids. The entire country is deciding between the lesser of two evils today. It has often been referred to as "an impossible choice". The first election was back in April, there were several candidates (Peru has over 20 different political parties). No one got 51% of the vote, so we are now having the "run-off" today between the top two vote getters: Keiko Fujimori and Ollanta Humala.

Keiko and Ollanta after their televised debate.

Keiko is the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori who is in jail serving a 25 year sentence for death squad massacres. Ollanta has been compared to Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and is rumored to want to throw all of us foreigners out of the country (though I have no credible source for this rumor). Either way, it is tumultuous race and today we will have a new President. One that half the country will hate.

The campaigns have been going strong for years now and we are finally reaching the end of a long, hard road to the presidency. I remember last year being in Cajamarca and a press team met our plane (arriving with FPC Jackson for a week of medical campaigns). Keiko was on our plane and had started her bid. Back then in July 2010, we did not think she had a chance. Today she may become the first female president of Peru. It has been interesting to watch this election and the people's very strong reaction to the final 2 candidates.

Everyone says they are not in favor of either. This has puzzled me as at least 50% of the voters the first time voted for them. Notwithstanding, many Peruvians tell me they are not voting at all. This is a strong statement as you are required to vote here in Peru and are fined if you do not. Monday Ollanta was here in Trujillo. Keiko arrived Wednesday and both had large rallies in the Plaza d'Armas. (Interesting side note: these political rallies are called "meetings". It is always funny to me when in Spanish it is an English word.) We have seen signs, rallies, parades, campaigners for months now and in about 6 to 8 more hours it will all be over and a new President will take office for the next 5 years. To read more about the candidates, this article here has a good summary.

For now, please remember to pray for Peru and the elections today. Stay tuned and I will post hopefully later tonight or tomorrow about the winner.

A Moment Captured

Walking home from Bible Study

I love the parks all over Trujillo