It's funny...You would think after flying all night to get to Lima, Peru with about a two hour cat-nap on the plane would do a person in for the next day.  Not so!  I can only speak for myself, but I feel as though I have had this incredible energy to just go...and see....and do.  We arrived in Peru around 5:00 a.m. today, made about an hour trip by bus to our hotel (hostal), and hit the ground running when we got here it seems like!  We had an incredible worship time with the sound of the waves in the background, breakfast, and a van full of kiddos from Hannah's Hope joined us for a play day!  I have to say I didn't know what to expect from the children.  Some of those who have been to Peru before on a mission trip knew some of them already and were SO excited to see them pull up...calling some of them by name as they saw them through the window.  The kids piled out and gave each of us hugs and kisses on the cheek...melted my heart instantly!  I don't know any of these children and vice versa, but everyone just jumped right in with one another and started connecting.  We spent some time singing with them (they shared some songs they had been practicing), we played with the beach balls and parachutes, and played in the sand.  For me, though, the time I spent with Gisella (I'd say around 8 years old) was wonderful.  We could not speak each other's language, but we were able to communicate as if we could.  We ran in and out of the waves hand-in-hand so many times I lost count.  It was a spur of the moment decision to get into the water, so I had some super soggy sweats when I was done, but what a blast!  Gisella was more than willing to tell me how to say "sand" or "birds" in Spanish...she smiled the entire day I think!  I am AMAZED at what I have seen so far...friendships forming, children smiling, laughing, singing...God is here.  He is SO here.  He did exactly what all of us asked of Him before we came to Peru.  He met us here...and it's only day one!!!  I feel blessed to be here...it's a trip of a life time.  Someone once said, "God lives just outside of your comfort zone."  And that is the truth!
Sara Hoppe