Construction

One more quick update from us because we have a day off...perhaps our last "true" day off for the next week and a half.  We're taking a vacation today because it's my (John) birthday!  Thursday is our day off already, and since it's my birthday we left the albergue (orphanage) to head out on the town!  It's about a 40 minute public trans ride to Real Plaza, the largest mall in town, where we've been relaxing at Starbucks, Bembos (hamburgers), and TGI Fridays.  Wonderful for a day of relaxing and getting some stuff done online, and enjoying some fantastic food that feels like home.  Tonight we'll go to a nice restaurant in town (it's called Chelsea), and then to a hotel in Huanchaco (the next town over, on the beach).  We had a nice dinner with all the interns last night, and cake from scratch!

The last few days have been nice.  Lots of construction - painting and assembly of bunk beds.  The work isn't bad.  Making lots of progress and getting stuff done.  It's not glamorous, but it's good work.  One positive note since our last post - the leadership has decided to lift the previous restriction on creative projects so Katie and I are back on the market for a ministry-related project.  Katie is leading worship now for our 6:30am morning team devotions, and also helping with another year-long intern's sewing and baking ministry with local ladies.  I am still interested in being involved in something in the community, perhaps helping with an income-generating business idea or something like that.

We are sure enjoying building relationships with the other interns and looking for ways to serve them and invest in ministry here.  Cooking for everyone has been lots of fun, but for the next 10 days we won't even be cooking breakfast.  A team comes in tomorrow morning and while they are here, we hire a cook for breakfast and lunch and go to a local church for dinner.  We'll be doing manual labor around the albergue in the mornings and visiting all the ministries in the afternoons.  We're looking forward to it!  Thanks for your prayers, and we'll be updating again once the team has left!  We've got lots of pictures up on Facebook on my page - check those out!