Mother’s day is the second biggest holiday here in Peru. Our neighbors that travel for work once told us, “We make sure that, no matter what, we are home on Christmas and Mother’s Day.” I love how much Peruvians celebrate and honor their mothers.
On Mother’s Day weekend and leading up to it traffic is horrible and the malls and markets are packed with everyone preparing for Mother’s Day. And then on Mother’s Day all the restaurants are full because it is the one day of the year the moms refuse to cook. The roads around the cemetery are also blocked off and lined with a flower market because everyone also makes sure to visit the graves of their mothers or grandmothers on that day. Traditionally they would take the mother’s favorite food to have there at the cemetery, but these days they mainly just decorate the grave with flowers and wreaths.
My first Mother’s Day in Peru (as a mother, see the picture below), our neighbors, Pedro and Frecia, invited us to spend the day with them because they knew we didn’t have family here and wanted to share that with us. Because of the generosity we were shown that day, I wanted to pass it on. So, this Mother’s Day I wanted to have a full table and I knew if I cooked food, they would come. So I cooked a meal and we invited anyone that was a part of our church meeting to stay and eat with us. Those who don’t have a mother living or who don’t live near family ended up staying and eating and we shared the afternoon around the table.
There’s a song I’ve recently heard that says, “I want a house with a crowded table.” And that is what I wanted for Mother’s Day and we had it!
Here’s a short update on our kids and what they are into! Our kids are still in school. The school year here starts in March and goes until December. Adileen is in 3rd grade and Kinney is in Kindergarten. They both attend the same school. It is a Peruvian private school so all their classes are in Spanish. They are the only US Americans in the school. They do have an English class and Kinney did ask us a couple months ago, “Why do I have to take English class?”
Adileen is really into gymnastics. She loves it! It’s fun to watch her! She did a competition last year that was international. There were gymnasts there from Peru, Chile, and Bolivia (And the US if you count Adileen and her friend Ellen :) ). Adileen won her division. Apart from gymnastics she loves being with her friends. She has such a sweet spirit and is a good friend. It has been really neat getting to see her make friends and love on them and do it all in Spanish!
Kinney is active. He loves soccer. He plays soccer everyday at school with his friends and just recently he has begun a soccer class with a few classmates. He won’t speak Spanish to us but he does speak Spanish in school and with his friends. He is beginning to read in Spanish and at home we are starting to work on reading in English too.
Prayer Requests
Paty as she takes over as director of CUDA (see more about this below).
Our kids as they navigate school and friends and new people and goodbyes.
Our new neighborhood that we can begin to get to know neighbors and form community here.
Catta as she studies in the university while also helping so many people.
Feminas, the group I’ve been studying the Bible with, that they may come to know God as a God of love.
Our house church, that we can welcome new people and become a safe community to come into but also servants in the city.