Pascua

After lunch today, I was pretty sure I was going to have to tell you that Easter this year was kind of a dud.

You see, I have heard that you only really understand a culture when you spend the holidays in it. So I was really looking forward to our first holiday in Peru. But we asked our family what they were going to do to celebrate Easter, and they told us about the traditions here, but nothing about us being part of their family's tradition.

By the way, I woke up around 5 am to fireworks going off in one of the plazas nearby. It is tradition to have a sunrise mass beginning around 4 am, and during the service, they burn a statue of Judas. But there are actually explosives involved. I really wish I had gone, since I ended up being awake anyway!

So we went to church this morning, and it really didn't seem like an Easter service, although we did take Communion, which was great.

Then we came home, heated up our lunch in the microwave, and ate alone, just me and Brandi. They weren't home.

So we spent the afternoon just hanging out in a mostly empty house, Brandi talking to family on skype, and I mostly listened to music.

At 4:00, we had a get-together at the office, with an egg hunt for the kids of Extreme staff, and a bunch of desserts and snacks to celebrate together the resurrection of our Lord.

After, the Arequipa 40/40s went to go have their Bible study at the Wilkin's apartment. The Cusco 40/40s then decided to hang out at Stephen and Alex's house. We went up onto their roof, and started out in prayer. We then just shared some things that are going on in our lives. Then we worshipped in music, singing everything from Beloved by Tenth Ave. North to How Great Thou Art, to He Knows My Name, Draw Me Close, and How He Loves. We had some personal prayer time, and shared our requests in the group and closed all lifting each other up in prayer. It was probably the best time of worship I've experienced in  Peru, and was great to share that with the family I will live with for the next two years.

After, we went down to just hang out while a couple people used the internet, since they don't have it at their house. But I spent the whole time, probably more than an hour, talking to the guy's host parents. And they are awesome! Seriously, their mom is so sweet. And it is awesome to get complimented on my Spanish. It feels like such a slow process, but I carried on a long conversation and was understood and everything. It was a great end to the day!

So as we finish out this Easter day, I am so thankful for the sacrifice my Lord and Savior gave. We were bandaged and bruised, awaiting a cure, but Jesus came, our beautiful king, bringing relief.  Let's let go of all the things that have kept us from him! And praise him, because the curtain in the Temple was torn on the day he died, making a way for us to enter into the Holy of Holies, as we hide in the wounds of Christ the same way Moses hid in the cleft of the rock as the glory of the Lord passed by! Praise his holy name! THAT"S my King!