Quakes & Shakes

Hi. I’m just writing to keep you all informed of what I’ve been up to this week and plan to be doing next week. I can’t believe the days are flying by so fast.

One of the reasons I’m sitting here on the internet is that at 15:12 (according to the clock in my bedroom) there was a quite strong earth tremor and as usual I’m checking the internet to see what information I can glean about it. It seems to be still too soon as I can’t find anything about it.

I was having a little Saturday afternoon nap when the tremor started, and I thought maybe it’ll just pass, but then it got stronger and the windows rattled very loudly. There was a bit of a pause and then it started even more strongly at which point I thought that I should maybe get up after all and stand under the doorposts. I had just got my sandals on when it stopped. I was already feeling guilty enough about having a lie down without being got out of bed in such a dramatic fashion! An earth tremor is a really odd experience. One part of you wants to worry and the other is so blasé about it. In my case usually by the time I've decided its worth doing something about, its normally over.

I checked out the back window beside my bedroom to see who was about and also to check the sea. (For those who don't know, the house I'm staying in is almost beside the sea). Thankfully no apparent Tsunami’s in sight. As I looked about you could see people out in the street talking to neighbours and mothers taking their children to play on the grass near the sea away from the buildings presumably in case this might be followed by a stronger quake.

I tried phoning other missionaries just to check up on each other but the networks were understandably to busy. It’s all just another interesting aspect of life in Peru, and a clear reminder of how much you rely on God for protection in every aspect of life. Lately Ilo has had a lot of muggings, robberies and even kidnappings. This afternoon reminds us that God protects us in ways we don’t even think about, and for which we are grateful.

To keep you up to date, I have started preparing for the courses I hope to teach at the seminary. Although I’ve been reading for them over the past few months, when I’ve had the time, now I’m getting it down on paper so to speak. I’ve missed this kind of study and, whilst the task is daunting in many ways, I’m also very excited. I’ll maybe write a bit more about this over the next few weeks.

Tomorrow after the evening service in Ite I plan to go to Tacna until Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon I have arranged to meet up with the Peruvian Misión Rescate team members to do their evaluations. Please pray that this would be useful in highlighting aspects that could be improved or taken into account for next year’s team. The rest of the three days I hope to visit the churches and pastors we previously visited promoting next year’s team to give them another letter with a submission deadline for applications. Hopefully this will hurry things along as we would like to have the candidates confirmed well in advance of October. Pray that young people apply, but also that God would give us guidance as we interview and select the right candidates.

Thanks for reading this blog and upholding me, and all the other missionaries here, in prayer.
God Bless,
Alistair.