Tying up Loose Ends

Painting the back of the church! 

The church painting is finished, my stitches are out and our tickets to Arequipa/Lake Titicaca are BOOKED! Let’s recap.

Last Monday, our little team of church painters took a much needed day of rest. I know it’s only been two weeks since I’ve stopped running, but can I tell you something? Painting the church makes me feel crazy out of shape. My THIGHS were by far the sorest part of my body. My thighs?! I hate to think of what kind of awkward squatty position I paint in.

Anyway, Tuesday it was back to the grind and Wilfredo, Prudencio, Billy, Katrina and I made the trek to Monte Sion to finish up painting. Katrina and I tackled painting the outside of the church, while Wilfredo and Prudencio touched up the inside. Perhaps my favorite part of the day was watching Wilfredo paint over all of the accidentally paint splotches we made, just to watch Prudencio leave another three seconds later. We started the day with every intention of finishing the job, but alas, we ran out of paint and sunlight before we could wrap things up.

Prudencio: Paint brush in one hand, Inca Cola in the other. 

Wednesday was the GLORIOUS day they took my stitches out. When the doctor glanced at my foot he hesitated and asked me to clarify how long my stitches had been in, but eventually said they were ready to come out and I did a happy dance in my head. The bad news? He says I still can’t run for THREE weeks! While I appreciate a good excuse to be a lazy turd, that’s going to make five weeks total without running which makes Melissa an unhappy, slightly pudgier camper.

After getting my stitches out, Katrina and I celebrated by booking our plane tickets for our next trip: Arequipa and Lake Titicaca! Lake Titicaca is where the Incans believe the sun was born and is the highest elevated lake in the world. Arequipa is known as “The White City” and has Colca Canyon on its outskirts, which is supposed to surpass the Grand Canyon in beauty. We leave in two weeks and I’m super excited—despite our host family’s repeated warnings that one person got lost and died in the Canyon last year.

We're clearly working hard. 

Friday we bid our adieu to Billy and Anna, as they prepared to make the trip back home to Pomobamba. Billy’s constant commentary on our lives has been entertaining over the last few months (and at times slightly offensive…”That man is SO, SO fat! He is even fatter than MELISSA!”) I know I’ll miss his passion for selling popsicles, singing performances and “jokes” (which always just end up being a long story about one of his friends farting.) The surprise of the day was his mother, Anna, giving us a very tearful goodbye. This Chavez family is infamous for being criers, but the farewell was a reminder to Katrina and I how hard our goodbyes are going to be with the rest of the family in July.  

Paint crew (minus Billy): Wilfredo, Prudencio, Katrina & I. 

Friday night we trekked off to Monte Sion for a little more painting and our weekly bible study. Now—don’t fool yourself and think we had a boring night of slapping a paint brush against a wall because anytime you travel to Monte Sion with Prudencio, it’s an adventure. Prudencio has two cars, and I’m not sure which of them scares me more.

To clarify, Monte Sion is at the top of a giant hill, which can challenge the most capable of cars. Prudencio’s cars…they…well, they just aren’t the greatest. If the car is full, two people have to get out and walk up the hills, otherwise the car won’t make it. At one point, the car made it halfway up the hill, then couldn’t go anymore and we had to slowly reverse back down the hill. But if you think going UP is a thrill—the going down—THAT, my friends is where the action is. Prudencio’s car has a tendency to die—and when it does, there aren’t any breaks. As we went down, Pudencio happily recounted the tale of the time his car died going down the hill and he nearly drove onto someone’s roof. Prudencio is notorious for being absolutely fearless and one trip in his car to Monte Sion will convince you of it.

Our reward for those long days of painting: sunsets. 

Anyway—nobody ended up coming to the bible study on Friday, which has been a reoccurring problem in Monte Sion. Saturday, we headed back (once again, a delightful adventure in the Prudencio-mobile) and FINALLY finished the painting job. Prudencio and I touched up the paint on the outside while the rest of our group took up the tedious job of chipping paint off the floor inside. Once we got things ready to go, we started our service. It was the first time I’d ever seen Prudencio preside, but it was an experience I’m glad to have had. The family loves to joke that Prudencio is long-winded, but he kept things moving along at the perfect pace.

Farewell Anna (left) and Billy (the wee one)!! 

Sunday it was my turn to preach in Filidelfia. Lately, writing sermons has become more and more challenging. I continually realize that I don’t process and dwell on a scripture like other people do; my brain is a weird place and it does what it wants. I think this week I finally came to terms with that. I ended my service with a short meditation where everyone could stew a little on the scripture and come up with what it means to THEM—because that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? It’s charming to entertain the idea that I have some great wisdom to impart on everyone, but sometimes, people are better off filling in some of the blanks themselves.

Tomorrow, the insanity of MEADS (Ministerial Education and Discipleship) unofficially kicks off because a few church leaders are flying in. The actual classes and services of MEADS won’t start until Friday, but whenever we have visitors in town, we’re always on the move. So here’s to another week on the go and hoping that everyone enjoys the church’s new makeover!