And now I live in Peru

Lima, Peru. It's been easier in ways and harder in ways than I was expecting. Easier in having the apartment and school feel like "home". Harder in that I severely underestimated how exhausted I would be. Always. Every Day. Over and over again, needing naps and fighting to stay awake. It's been such a blessing that we are surrounded by people who have done this before: Katie, our roommate is starting her third year teaching 2nd grade; Ivan and Kristie came down 14 months ago; and Rich and JoAnn Davis who are long-time veterans at several decades of experience in South and Central America. And they have all told us: the exhaustion is normal, it will last for at least several months, you just have to be aware of it and take care of yourself accordingly. So, it's good to know that what I'm feeling is normal. But, I'd rather be feeling fully rested and energetic.

Also, harder than I thought is the fact that Peru has earthquakes. Wasn't really fully aware of that until we got here and Thursday morning Katie told us what to do in case of a tremor, just so we'd be prepared. Well, ok. Just in case. She says a really big one hit last year and so we're not due for another for like 30 years. But tremors can happen. Ok. Whatever.

Didn't expect to experience two within 48 hours of that conversation. Friday night at 1:44 a.m. it woke me up. The noise was really the most surprising. Windows rattling, but something else, too. Just not right. So Katie comes and tells us yes that was a tremor, and if another doesn't start within a minute or so, we're likely done. ok. nothing else so i went back to bed. I had to take a little bit to write in my journal, because it unsettled me (no pun intended) more than i thought it would. Then, SAturday morning I was awoken again by another stronger one, just before 7:00 a.m. A little longer, stronger. Long enough for KAtie and I to get to the living room and sit down in front of the couch. Cindy was otherwise occupied. Check out her blog for more on that. (www.zeeblebop.com)

Saturday was very tiring all around, mostly i think because of the unsettling way it started. But it ended very well: we went to a "youth" meeting at the church affiliated with the school. In Peru, "youth group" is basically anyone who is single, from like age age 20 to 40. It was all in Spanish, but Katie translated for us, and I even got a lot out of the Pastor's talk, and enjoyed the singing. They had a small group of worship band people and words so that Katie could show us which one to sing. Most we knew in English, too. They had gotten soda and munchies for us, too. Afterwards, starting at ten o'clock at night, we started playing volleyball. It was fun and I managed to NOT make a total fool out of myself.

Sunday we went to church, in Spanish, again excellently translated by Katie, and again, I got something meaningful out of it. Pastor called us up to the front at the end, and introduced us and prayed for us, and also prayed for all our friends and family who we left, and who are missing us, and thanking God for them and asking God to be with them while we are gone. It was cool. AFterwards a lot of people came up and greeted us, which in Peru includes a "kiss" on the cheek. I wasn't sure if i'd like that, but I don't mind it at all.

Today was the first day of classes that I was "the teacher". It went ok. No huge problems. Again, very very exhausting. This evening, cindy and went back to the school (after naps and dinner) and arranged my room in a way that i like more than it was. I can only hope that the way I've arranged my students won't be a complete and entire disaster. I'm literally writing lesson plans the day before, if even that. I should probably be writing some now, except that SOMEONE (who shall remain nameless) told my sister to firmly but gently tell me to blog. So, i have now blogged. And, I will have some times tomorrow to do lesson plans. Tuesday starts with Peruvian History, which is taught in my classroom by a Peruvian teacher, so I'll have 40 minutes of work time. So I can plan English. Then after English is Spanish Communicacion, also taught by a Peruvian teacher, so I'll have 40 minutes more to plan, for Reading and Math. Then after that they have a special kind of Math that they use in latin american countries, so i'll have another 40 minutes, and then lunch, to plan for Spelling/Handwriting, which won't take that whole time to plan, so i'll be able to start grading some papers, or planning for the next day! Then after Spelling, they have Choir. Another 40 minutes to grade papers and do more lesson plans. Then we go to the library. Actually, no we don't, because I just mentioned that to Katie and her class goes to library then, and that was an error on the part of scheduling by the person filling in for my class until now, and so i'll have to figure out tomorrow morning what is going on. But, I think I can get through tomorrow. I think I will like Tuesdays.

There's SO MUCH to plan, to do, to set up- everything a teacher would do for the start of school, basically. And i'm doing it while already at full speed, and trying to also get the hang of living in a new country, and working around other people's schedules to go places because we're not able to go more than a couple of blocks in any direction by ourselves... Cindy needs new shoes, some capris, and i need some shoes, and shirts. But we can't do that on our own, we've got to have someone to take us on a bus, in a taxi, or in their car. We will get the hang of it (especially busses) and be able to be more independent, but for right now, it's a lot to try to manage and organize and still get enough (extra) sleep to not collapse.

So, your prayers are a big part of sustaining us, I know. And i am not regretting any of this for a moment. I'm very glad we came. I think that it will be challenging, but rewarding and enriching, and life-changing. I know it will change how I trust God, continue to change, since the three years in Chicago were a very big start of changing the degree in which i trust Him. I think our time in Chicago was very much a kind of preparation for this. We'd both be MUCH more lost and overwhelmed if we'd come directly from Indiana. So, God's timing and plan was in motion even when I couldn't possibly see how.

I should get to bed. Mom, I really would like to have that foot bath I gave to you when we moved! My poor feet are not very happy having been suddenly forced into wearing shoes 14 hours a day when they usually have a month to slowly build up callouses as the weather gets warmer and I wear sandals, etc, a little bit more day by day. Nope- this was POOF! You're in winter, and now you're in SUMMER. get out all the shorts and summer clothes you have. Oh wait, don't have very many because you thought you'd have plenty of time to buy some before June? HAH. too bad. And here, it's "fall" (although with 80 degree days....) and so a lot of the summer clothes are being changed out for "winter". oy.

HEre are a few pictures of our apartment. And the view from the apartment. WE are on hte fourth floor. it is wonderful. the apartment is a gift from God.

Well, nevermind. Soemthing is not working right and it's taking forever, and I really need to be in bed.
Goodnight.

The Next Big Step

The Next Big Step for the Leinbach Sisters is Lima, Peru! Yes, South America! Cindy and I have decided to accept a very whirlwind call to serve as teachers in a English-immersion elementary school in Lima. We first heard about this school and its need for teachers at the very end of January. At the end of February (two weeks ago) we decided to go for it. We leave for Lima two weeks from tomorrow- Wednesday, March 26! (I know! Terribly fast and I've done a TERRIBLE job at keeping this blog current. All I can say is that I've had a LOT on my mind, and a LOT to do!)

We STILL have a LOT to get done. We will purge our apartment of as many items as possible, giving away to friends and family everything we can, and donating everything else to Salvation Army, etc. That all has to be done by Good Friday, and Saturday we will load a truck with the furniture and items we wish to keep in storage. We drive the truck to Elkhart Indiana to unload into several locations, the primary one being my Mom and Dad's. (Just when they thought they were good and rid of all our belongings!)

We'll spend Easter, Monday and Tuesday in Indiana with family and friends. Our flight to Miami leaves from O'Hare at 6:00 a.m. (yikes!!!). We will land in Miami at 10:00 a.m. and wait around until 5:15 p.m. for our flight to Lima, Peru. Yowsers, I still can't believe it.

The link with the title of this blog is for the school we will be serving: Monterrico Christian School. Their school year started yesterday; they are covering with subs for our classes, and the classes of 3 other Americans who are answering the call at the eleventh hour. Ironically, all 3 of those other people are also from Chicago! (or suburb)

Cindy and I went down to the US Passport Office in Chicago yesterday and applied for the fast-track process, which means we will have our passports TOMORROW (Wednesday) afternoon! Now we have to muddle through the Visa process. Prayer for that would be much appreciated, as I am currently getting mixed signals about the requirements. I am waiting for a call back from the Peruvian Consulate in Peru (an English-speaking staff member) to try to clarify whether we need a Tourist Visa. Why tourist? Well, because we are going so quickly, we don't have time to apply for and wait for our religious visas before we go, so the school recommended coming down on a trouist visa, applying for the religious visa once there, and we can take an overnight trip into Chile to pick up the religious Visas when processed. (You have to pick up visas outside of the country.) Please pray that we can get all the Visa info straightened out.

I'm not working now, and Cindy's last day of work is this Friday. We're taking only what will fit in the bags on the plane- we each get 2 suitcases for minimal fee (like $5 each) and can reserve up to 3 more for a rather hefty price. We will be living in an apartment with one or two other female teachers. The part of Lima we will be in is fairly wealthy, and therefore safer. The principal and administrator both said that if we've lived in CHicago then we should be a step ahead of other 'newbie Americans' since we will not suffer culture shock of rural to urban as well as American to Peru. I'm sure Lima will be very different from Chicago, but there are just things endemic to big cities that living in one helps you understand- like navigating safely, keeping bearings, using taxis/busses safely, etc.

We should also have access to very good medical care at the private clinics in Lima. God has also done wonderful things here in CHicago to provide for both me and cindy to have the meds we need and prescriptions for refills through the time we're gone. Praise Jesus!

So when will we come back? Right before Christmas, Lord willing. Their summer break starts then, and we'll be home for all of January, possibly some of February before heading back down for the start of the second year of teaching. We decided early on that if we went for one school year, we'd go for two. We're not completely opposed to three, we'll see what God tells us.

As you see, Lima isn't TOO far from the famous Andean Incan ruins of Macchu Pichu- Anyone wishing to come down and visit us is more than welome!!! Dad is already asking for our school schedule of week-long breaks, and Mom has said she'll go get her passport (just as soon as she's up and walking about after her second knee-replacement surgery two weeks ago!).

I will post more information and pics of our future students in my next blog.