My first Sunday in Peru

So, we must have finally arrived at the sisters' bach in Cajamarca sometime before 8:00 am on Sunday, April 16.  I had been informed that there would be a "Special Meeting" of sorts, due to the fact that another visiting worker, David Saunders from Australia, and I would be present.  There are normally two Sunday morning fellowship meetings in Cajamarca, so our first meeting was basically just a union meeting for all of the local friends.  Everyone took part, and we had the emblems.  Immediately following, was a gospel meeting in which David and I both spoke.  

After the two meetings, it had been arranged that a young engaged couple would take all four of us workers out for lunch.  The restaurant was a ways out of town, so we got to enjoy a bit of close fellowship in the car on the way there (two in front, four in back).  

The view from the restaurant was amazing.

Pachamanca is a typical dish of the region, so David and I both decided to give it a try.  The menu says that it includes pock, chicken, a sort of tamale, corn, potato, sweet potato and beans.  The price is 18 soles, which is somewhere around $6 USD.

Here's a more complete description of pachamanca, compliments of wikipedia.

Pachamanca (from Quechua pacha "earth", manka "pot") is a traditional Peruvian dish based on the baking, with the aid of hot stones (the earthen oven is known as a huatia), of lamb, mutton, pork, chicken or guinea pig, marinated in spices. Other Andean produce, such as potato, green lima beans or "habas", sweet potato, occasionally cassava or yuca, and humitas(sweet treat) as well as ears of corn, tamale and chili, is included in the baking.

Meat is wrapped in bananaleaves before being put in this kind of earthen stove.

Preparation begins with the heating of stones over a fire, and the meat is then placed on top. The fire is covered with grass and earth, and the resulting oven is opened up after around two hours.  

 Had we only known, we would have ordered one plate to share!

As it was, this was for me, for me alone.

The whole group

Back - Celmira Rojas, Pilar Pastrana, Rosemary, David

Front - Silwers, Kamela

View from the parking lot

On our way back to town

It was lovely to get a little nap after lunch and before the potluck supper arranged for all the Cajamarca friends that evening.  I SLEPT!!!!  

David Saunders labored in Peru for a year back in 2000 or so.  He hadn't been back since, so though he wasn't actually scheduled for Peru on his South American Special Meeting tour, he managed to work in a few weeks in the country before heading back to Australia for Special Meetings there.  I hadn't anticipated seeing him since we weren't scheduled for any of the same meetings in Peru.  However, due to the fact that we both arrived early, our paths did indeed end up crossing before the rounds began.  Incidentally, David had also been at Seneca, IL convention in 2007, my first year in the work, so it was quite nice to see him again.  

Here are a few shots taken at the potluck supper.

These sweet twin girls were likely the most enthusiastic singers I have heard to date.  Fortunately, they were usually on key.  

This is the typical way of carrying babies and toddlers.

I ended up spending four nights or so with this family when I returned to Cajamarca later in the rounds.

Quite a spread! 

Silwers and Rosemary

David and I with Juan Carlos and Gladys and their children

It was a lovely evening.  We had plenty to eat, and David shared his testimony.  Apparently, his father had been on his way to becoming a Methodist minister when he decided that he didn't agree with infant baptism and left the seminary after his third year there.  A few years later, the sister workers brought a gospel meeting invitation to the post office where he was working, and that was the beginning of new life for him and his family.

A number of the friends have the recording of the Spanish hymns that I made upon request when the new hymnbook came out last year.  I loved this exchange between Gladys (pictured above) and her son, GianFranco.  G is six years old or so and quite bright.  

Gladys: Who is it that sings the hymns?

GianFranco: Kamela

Gladys: (pointing to me) This is Kamela.

GianFranco: (matter-of-factly) I figured that out this morning when I heard her sing.

Can't tell him much that he doesn't already have figured out!  

My first full day in Peru was an exceptional one, and by the end of it, I was mighty ready to crawl into bed!