GUATEMALA VBS 2013

What a strange feeling it was to not be in Gualan for the 2013 VBS.  For 5 straight years, members of Trinity Lutheran Church - Roselle, IL.  have been blessed to assist with the VBS at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection.  This year, there were not enough people to form a team, so we were unable to go.  We'll see what next year brings.

I know that God blessed the congregation's efforts, and I am sure Pastor Jasinto and his youth and other congregation members did a great job both at the church and at their site at Los Limones.  He forwarded several pictures.  As always, it looks like there was quite a large group at Los Limones.  There is now a roof at the site which is a tremendous blessing!

This year's VBS program was Concordia's "Cool Adventures", and it was all about the gifts that God gives us - gifts of forgiveness, salvation, joy, life, and hope.  "Well done thou good and faithful servants!"

ILLINOIS OR PERU?!

Had a chance to visit Waldron Grove Alpaca Farm in Elgin over the weekend.  It seemed so strange to know that alpacas are living nearby!  I thought I was back in Peru again.  They are really a very beautiful animal with a gentle face.  The products made from baby alpaca wool are very special and SOOOOOO soft.

WENT TO A DIFFERENT COUNTRY! GUESS WHICH ONE!

Enjoyed a trip to Peru with my sister Ruthie and 4 of our Egerton family - Nancy, Brian, Dan, and Ellen.  Seemed strange to go somewhere other than Guatemala after all my trips there! Here we are eating lunch overlooking Lake Titicaca - the highest navigable lake in the world. Whew!  12,500 feet, way up there!

 

But here's the REALLY high spot - the highest we visited.  It was a whopping 15,500 feet high!  Whew!  No running around here when we got off the bus. And the snow-capped Andes in the background were beautiful!  

  Ok now let me think about this, is it a llama, a vicuna, or an alpaca!  Well, whatever it is, how cute!

The Incan ruins of Machu Picchu!  Wow!  A dream come true.  The climbing around at a high altitude was difficult for me but was worth the efforts.  It was hard to even drink it all in!  But yes, I really was there!

 

 

Below is the Machu Picchu train station.  Dan, Nancy E., and Ruthie are looking at the camera. 

 

We really enjoyed our train ride.  We were served a snack and on the return trip even had a fashion show of items made of baby alpaca wool!

 

 

 Our quick trip to the Amazon was unforgettable - just slightly toasty with 90% humidity, but very enjoyable.  Our lodge was called the Posada Amazonas.

 All rooms have one side open to the jungle.  We slept with mosquito nets over our beds at night.  Here I am taking a delightful nap in the hammock!

So many highlights on the trip it's hard to know where to start.  Definitely the trip of a lifetime!