the sun is shining... the students are laughing...and then...

and then it happens.

since coming back to Peru after my Christmas at home, my time has been great. I was ready. Ready to begin again, to get back in the game, to teach, to see my friends, to get back into youth group, to spend time with whatever opportunities God brought into my path. and, well everything was going pretty well. and well, yes it still is. Usually each intern teaches three classes a day, each an hour and half long. but, one of my classes was closed this month becuse there were not enough students for it. the two classes i do have this month have been great. I have a conversation class... which whoa... has grown so much. its in the afternoon, and the last time i had a conversation class in the afternoon there were about 4 students. so that was my expectation for this month... then... a week into classes after more and more students were being added each day... i have about 15!!! They are a very diverse group and I love them. The majority of them are new to SALI, having learned English in their schools and want to practice their English. We play a lot of games, and laugh so much their ages vary from 14 to 28 and its fun to see what each new day brings.
If you know much about me... you know that I LOVE sushi. and... one of my conversation students is actually preparing to move to Japan to study... so that brought up sushi.. so naturally ... we made sushi together! i somewhat learned how to make sushi at home, with some friends... well we really just threw things together and pretended we knew what we were doing. and here in a couple of the markets that are more like targets, they have the necessary items to make sushi with. so last friday about 10 of my brave students gathered together in the kitchen with me and we made sushi, and for each of them it was their first try. yes, they were scared. yes, one was allergic to seafood but wanted to try it anyway. actually, we only used vegetables and no fish to keep things inexpensive, but ...we still used seaweed. yep that student left class and went straight to the pharmacy to get something for his allergy. ....by the way i DID NOT encourage him to try it. but... he likes sushi. too bad he is allergic to seafood. so, my classes are going very well, and actually with that same class next week we are planning a picnic. there are a lot of parks here... well... really more like gardens.. sort of... but for class we are going to try out egg salad sandwiches (which is new to them) and we are taking a frisbee (also new to them) and heading to the park. it should be a lot of fun. especially sine their perception of firsbees are that you use them to play with dogs.

well... on to the harder news to update you with... i could really use some extra prayers from all of you. everything is wonderful, classes are great, im safe and healthy and loving my life here. but last week... my lap top was stolen. my mac! my baby mac! actually it was my laptop and my debit card, drivers license flash drive.. and... alas my spanish book. its very very easy to get robbed here, usually out on the street... but this happen to me in the middle of the day in our own office here at SALI. i had been in class, and usually i take my laptop with me, but that day... i didnt. and... there is no one to blame (except for the theif) the door to our office was open at that hour becase there were teachers coming in and out so much going to class... (usually it is closed) and there was a man here working on our computer system. well, there were two men and everyone assumed that the second man was there working with the first. but.. he wasnt. and quicker than anyone knew he had slipped out the door with my laptop and my bag. everyone was shocked. and i am fighting being bitter about it. but really, i am doing so much better, i have so much to be thankful for, and thankfully no one got hurt in the situation. in an attempt to comfort myself i remind myself that he forgot to take the charger... and i had a password on it... and macs are NOT common here so i hope he is having trouble getting into it, especially with everything in English. yeah... thats what i am telling myself.
so, the past couple weeks have been a little rough. ive not gotten much sleep thanks to the guys that have an internet cafe next to our house, that have been choosing to stay up ALL night EVERY night being as loud as they can. my room is in the front of our house so i can hear everything.

but, in all of this God is good and there are more important things than laptops. and thanks to Dale, one of our missionaries that works with the clinic, sent over to me a laptop that was at the clinic that a short term team left with the clinic. so, i do have something to work with, and many many more blessings around each corner. thanks for your prayers in this and if you know of anyone that has a lil mac they feel could use a new home... you know who to get them in contact with.

...For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.... 2 Corinthians 5:1