I spent Christmas with Cameron in a small city in the Peruvian highlands. From the balcony of our guesthouse you could watch the clouds roll in and out over the sturdy Andes mountains. The rain came and went and the sun dropped in and chapped my lips till they hurt, and the 3,000 meter altitude left us short of breath and lightheaded, but it was spectacular. Here are some pics from a sunset we watched:
In Peru the people celebrate Christmas at midnight on the night of the 24th. After eating a feast of turkey stuffed with yummy ground beef and vegetables, potatoes, and applesauce they top off the night with paneton (Christmas cake) and Peruvian hot chocolate. It leaves you in the Christmas spirit with its rich sweetness and touch of cinnamon, even if it’s hot and summery outside, as Lima is at this time of year, but fortunately we escaped to a place with a bit of chill in the air.
I thought I was going to miss out on the traditional dinner because we were traveling during Christmas, but the owner of the guesthouse, La Casa de Mi Abuela, invited us to join their Christmas dinner with all the workers from the Casa and the nearby cantina. We ate Christmas dinner at a long table with about 20 other people—Peruvians and a handful of other wandering foreigners. We drank calentitos (literally “little heaters”), a drink made of Pisco (Peruvian liquor made from grapes), herbs and spices, and toasted to a meal shared in family. In Peru you can meet someone in the morning and by the afternoon they are primo (cousin), tio (uncle) or hermano (brother). I am grateful to live in a country that opens up its arms to the foreigner. The US has a lot to learn from Peruvian hospitality.
At midnight Cameron and I sung ‘O Holy Night’, and as the clock struck 12 fireworks erupted all through the city. We walked out onto the balcony and watched the sky fill with sparkling technicolor. Children all throughout Latin America were taking advantage of their chance to play with fire. It reminded me of the splendor of that night when the true light came into the world. Angels burst into song and the poor shepherds watched in delight. Come Lord Jesus, we welcome you.
So I say welcome, bienvenidos to 2009. A new year is coming and I welcome it with open arms, the way my Peruvian friends have continually welcomed me to their country, the way Don Lucho welcomed us at his table on Christmas Eve, the way our new friend Jorge welcomed us to his home after meeting us on the street on Christmas day and told us how much God loved him, that God was his papa and ours as well, and asked us never to forget him. Jorge, I won’t forget you. I won’t forget 2008 either.
As I welcome a new year I want to remember the last year of life that’s brought me to this point. 2008 was a big year—January: a commitment to the Latin America Mission as to 2 years in Peru; February: a quarter century of life and a new dating relationship with the best redhead in the world; March: schmoozing with celebrities at a Hollywood fundraiser for Burma, a lost passport and an impromptu trip to Philadelphia, and 2 weeks in Peru including a visit to Cusco where the mountains climb into the clouds; April: 3 weeks living in Pasadena with Beby, the wisest, kindest, coolest roommate and mentor a girl could ask for; May: springtime in Auburn, evening walks with dad, working in a special ed classroom with kids who can’t talk but never cease to communicate, and fundraising meetings with wonderful people from Auburn Presbyterian Church; June and July: another Global Urban Trek in Lima and a group of amazing students that brought me tons of joy and laughter; August: time with Cameron in California and Texas—the joy and awkwardness of meeting each other’s families and the face to face time that makes a long distance relationship sustainable; September: relaxation and preparation—am I really about to move to a foreign country? October: yup, I really am; November: getting settled into Lima—new roommate, new job, new language, new life; December: I’ve now been in Peru longer than any of my previous visits. For now this is home. Cameron came to visit for Christmas, and the new year is just around the corner…
Bienvenidos 2009. What do you have for me? What do you want from me? What do I want from you? I don’t have any resolutions yet. No big goals that I am determined to accomplish, no strategic plans or vision statements. Just an attempt to keep an open heart and an open mind. Come on in Lord Jesus.
