things happen... like EARTHQUAKES!!!!

Currently Listening to: Let Go by Holly Starr. Yes thats right, it is now out on iTunes starting today...    so go support Holly and BUY IT!!!;-) please;-)

I'm sorry. Kinda left you all just sitting for a few days. Sometimes I think about writing a blog, and then i tell myself that I just wrote one last night (when in reality last night turns out to be 4 nights ago) haha. But oh well. Here we are, and much has happened. I'm gonna sum this one up in fotos. ;-)

1) Pachacamac

 So we went to Pachacamac (very fun to pronounce). Some of the exchange students and I have started this "get to know Lima" thing where we basically just go to random places in Lima (or a little bit out of it) to learn about the area where we live. So Pachacamac is the 2nd most popular visit in Peru behind Machu Picchu. And honestly it is stunning. Some photos, like this one....

 The buildings were so well done then that they are still standing perfectly now. So, what is pachacamac. Basically it was a religious fortress where there were temples, pyramids and buildings dedicated to the Incan religion. Ending at the top with the Temple of the Sun. It can be considering a great tourist location not only for the views but for the fact that it is one of the only places where you can see original Incan Temples. Due to the Spaniards, there is little if nothing left of many Incan Temples. The problem is, when you conquer someone in Peru, you build your temple over theirs so they KNOW that your god is stronger. That is exactly what the Spanish did. But not here. The reason the Spanish didn't is due to special "witch doctors" and powers that were said to be within Pachacamac. It was a really awesome experience.

We even me a woman from Biejing. When we introduced Andrew to her (guy on the left) and told her that he was from BELGIUM her broken understanding of english actually caused you to think that we said biejing and even further caused her to believe that that tall white gringo was from Beijing. You can only imagine what happened next. At the least... funniest thing that's probably happened to me in my exchange.

2) Tattoo.


So my friend Lucas (from wenatchee) was an exchange student here in Peru about two years ago and he's back visiting for a couple weeks. And what better way to remember it than with a new tattoo haha. It was actually pretty cool. He wants to be a priest and decided to get Jesus Christ tattooed on his body in Ancient Greek.

 Nina and I decided that his type of crazy on an exchange is getting a tattoo. Our type: going to a tattoo parlor and watching someone get a tattoo. I think I probably yelled more than Lucas. The sound of the needle was just a little to much for me ;-) haha

3) Valentines at my church.


So my church decided to have a little valentines related youth service with dinner and a comedian and cool stuff like that. Even an Ipod give away. I ended up going with....

Valeria (friend), Carolina (host sister), and Daniela (host cousin). It turned out to be a spectacular night. The music and worship even more incredible;-)

3) 25th Birthday Party!

Yes the following picture would be the birthday girl talking on the phone during the party haha.

If you haven't met them, meet Jesicca (Jeka) and Luis (Pajaron). Really, this picture is horrible but hey it works. ;-) These two are my pole vault buddies in Peru and definitely my best friends. And watch out, you will probably very soon be seeing them in the Olympics jumping for PERU!;-)

 At the party, I learned how to make Pisco Sour, the Peruvian national drink. It was really interesting, considering I have no idea about alcohol and things like that. But the had me make it, and they told me it turned out SUPER Good! Which made me feel good. haha In the end the even went as far to say that I am now truly Peruvian.

Quick story, that girl that Pajaron is standing by, yah, he's going to ask her to marry him today (Valentines Day). Something even cooler than that... HE ASKED ME TO BE HIS BEST MAN!!!!! So crazy. So I will definitely be coming back to Peru. He thinking they will get married in about a year and a half, after he finishes with his schooling;-)

4) Zoooooooooooooooooooo!;-)

Yes we did. We went to the zoo in Peru! (that rhymes;-) It was very awesome and our number 2 stop on our days of GETTING TO KNOW LIMA!;-) Very exciting. This picture was taken at the entrance.

 This sign says, "I'm on a diet right now and other food that you might give me could do me harm." Thought it was ironic that we took this picture with BIG MAMA;-) haha. Though my mom would like this sign.

 Don't let the fact that this picture is crooked take from the amazingness of it all. These were like "trees" grouped together and shooting up 20 feet into the air. They were EVERYWHERE in the park.

 A very cool and relaxed jaguar that we saw;-0

 Story. Started talking to these parrots and evidently peruvian children don't know that parrots talk. Within about 8 seconds I had at least 10 children screaming "hola" by my side:-)

The closest thing you will get to a safari in Peru. A giraffe eating out of a second story window and a tiny zebra in the distance. (there wasn't even an elephant;-( )

5) Earthquake!!!!

So to end this ridiculously long post I will now talk about the pandemonium that went on tonight in Peru. So, I got back from going to the mall with some friends tonight, sat down to eat dinner at 11:00 at night, and started to hear a rumble. I literally thought it was coming from my stomach. Sounds from the walls, sound from the ground, sounds from millions of houses in lima being shook around like popcorn in a bag. The rumble was so different. It was like as if the entire earth had indigestion. In the end, the sound was what made me get up from my seat all alone there in the kitchen an run for the front door. When everything is moving, including the house, your first impression of an earthquake comes from the sound. I felt like a train was passing by, but only this train was passing by touching my house. 

The scariest part. When I got to the front door, after trying desperately to grab the "drunken" doorknob, it was locked. And locked so that you cant get out without a key;-( That was definitely the first time I have ever seen my life flashing before my eyes. As I hear my family screaming as the came down the stairs. I put myself as near to the doorway as I could while the rumbling took over entirely. 

In the end, the whole thing lasted a little more than 30 seconds, which is actually very short for an earthquake here. But for a gringo like me, it was the longest 30 seconds of my life. And it made me realize yet again how God has continued to protect me... to love me. 

Tonight was just another way of God telling me "oh, there are still areas of your life you aren't trusting me with." And an earthquake was definitely one of them. So now that I'm in my bed and everything has stopped moving, I encourage you to think... what parts of your life have you not given to God. It may not be in huge or obvious things, but God want our hearts even in the small things.

Because he should be trusted more than any key that will open any locked door. 

The Lord is our Safety. Trust in Him.

Blessings,

Lucas

P.S. My parents will be here in 6 days!!!!;-)