Long awaited update!

Visit from Switzerland

We had a visit from Switzerland at the end of August.

Daniela and I attended the 4th and 5th elementary school in Ormalingen together. We never had any contact with each other, but thanks to a school reunion three years ago, we exchanged telephone numbers and she found out that we were leaving for Peru and contacted me at the beginning of the year. Her sister-in-law Yanet is originally from Cusco, but has lived in Switzerland for years. As they could take 2 pieces of luggage per person and Daniela only needed one for herself, they brought us a suitcase filled with presents from our families and the children's godparents. That was a joy!!! We really enjoyed having visitors from home and hearing Baselbieter German!

Vacation Quillabamba

In October, the children had a week's vacation and so we drove to Quillabamba in the high jungle down to 1,000 m above sea level. We visited a ChocoFinca where they grow cocoa, a coffee finca (it was just in bloom and it smelled incredibly good), hiked to a waterfall, watched butterflies in a breeding station and enjoyed the warmer climate with a swim in the pool. During the trips through the jungle, the children set themselves the task of counting all the banana palms with fruit on them! There were a lot of them, because after 75 plants had been counted, the counting stopped.

Diospi Retiro / Bike ride / Barista course

Every year in November we travel to the Sacred Valley near Cusco for a weekend as Diospi missionaries.

Together with another missionary, Gabriel decided to ride the 131 km long, very winding and at times very steep route on his mountain bike. They managed the 2,540 meters in altitude in 11 hours (including breaks) with flying colours! My highest respect for them!

The weekend is filled with fellowship, times of worship, inputs (this year a pastor from Colombia came), excursions, workshops... Gabriel and I spontaneously led a barista course (as we have done several times in Switzerland). There was a lot of interest and we were able to learn new things about coffee cultivation in Peru. It was great to see how God can use our talents and passions here too.

For us, it's almost a child-free weekend, as they play with the other children from early in the morning until late at night and have their children's program. They really enjoy it and it's great for us to see how effortlessly they settle in and make friends.

The children run through the little paths in the garden and you can hear Ilay and Mava's names being called again and again. This is a great joy for us.

Weekend on horseback

Mava and Ilay go to riding lessons every Wednesday afternoon.

A missionary and her Peruvian partner have 9 horses together and, in addition to weekly riding, they also offer overnight rides. Some of the missionaries have already taken advantage of this and everyone was delighted. We planned a weekend long in advance and then set off with the horses on Friday afternoon towards the hut at 3300m above sea level. Our luggage with warm clothes and rain gear was driven to the hut by car. After a 3-hour ascent, we arrived and enjoyed a breathtaking sunset with a view of the snow-capped mountains. We had pizza soup for dinner and fell into bed tired after a board game.

The next day we had breakfast and at 10:00 a.m. the horses were saddled and ready for the ascent to the lagoon at 4300 m.a.s.l. Through untouched nature like in Winnetou. After we arrived after 3 ½

hours at the lagoon. We had lunch followed by a swim in the icy cold water. The children could hardly believe that Rahel and I had ventured in. They filmed the whole thing on their cell phones and giggled to themselves. The icy cold was invigorating and wonderful. Then we set off again on the 2 ½ hour descent. We arrived at the hut at 18:00 and the horses were unsaddled. We were almost unable to walk as our legs and buttocks were so sore. We were all the more grateful that we were able to lie down and rest after a delicious dinner.

The next morning, after a sumptuous breakfast buffet, we set off again on horseback down to Curahuasi at 2650 meters above sea level. Our dog Samy accompanied us on the whole tour.

When we arrived home, we again heard loud music, dogs barking, roosters crowing and trucks rattling along the Panamericana.

Yes, it was quiet and breathtaking in the beautiful nature!

Aniversario IEP (iglesia evangelica peruana)

On 23.11. we celebrated the 12th anniversary of our church. The day before, we met to clean, tidy up and decorate.

The church is located in the basement of a cheap motel. The walls and ceilings are made of rough bricks, the floor is dusty gravel and the lighting includes 7 light bulbs in bright white color. It looks like a prison or a war zone. The municipality does not pay rent for this, only the electricity used.

Without further ado, I replaced the light with warm yellow bulbs and the difference was immediately recognized and welcomed.

There was no light in the kitchen niche without a door. My missionary colleague Ruben and I decided without further ado to extend the loose cables on the ceiling with a light bulb socket and a light switch. Now communion can be prepared with the help of light.

On the day itself, a baptism took place at 08:30 in the nearby stream. Four women were baptized. I was particularly touched by the testimony of one woman. She became pregnant at the age of 18, which is unfortunately not an exception. She later had another child by another man, but he was an alcoholic and violent. She then separated and has been responsible for her two children ever since. She works at the Diospi school and is very grateful for this work, which enables her to finance her children's education. Her daughter is studying medicine and her son is still at school. It is so nice to see where she is today!

After the baptism, the festive day continued in the church with a service. A band from Cusco was invited especially for this. Church representatives from the next largest city also attended.

At the end there was lunch and of course a birthday cake!

We are very grateful that we were able to be part of this church and make our contribution. Gabriel took photos throughout the day. Many people will be happy to receive beautiful, high-quality pictures, especially of the baptisms! I baked a cake and chocolate rolls. We also contributed financially so that lunch was possible.

Water bill

Recently, a tradesman handed me an invoice that was supposedly stuck in our door.

I'm a bit puzzled, because the electricity bill is always yellow and this new bill is blue. Maybe the design has changed, I think to myself and put the note in the file with the outstanding bills.

At the next opportunity, I inspect the bill more closely and see that it is a bill for the water used. I try to find the biller via eBanking under official companies, but unfortunately without success. Even with the numbers provided, no money transfer is possible.

I am at a loss and ask a friend. He immediately confirms that I have to pay the bill in person at the local authority.

I enquire about the counter's opening hours on the Internet, but I could use Google to enter the opening hours myself, as none are given. On the off chance, I go to the municipality before picking up the children from school. There is actually a person there. But without any interest or attention towards me. The person has something important to do behind the counter. I try to remain patient and friendly. Finally, after a brief eye contact, I politely ask where I could pay the bill for the water. She says, a little annoyed, at the till and points outside. Yes, that's helpful and easy. I say thank you and go to the only till, which is also marked Caja. I politely ask again if I could pay my bill here. The man at the counter says no and tells me I have to go to the ticket office at the stadium.

What? At the stadium, I reply, where is there a ticket office? The gentleman replies, just straight down to the stadium. Yes, I know where the stadium is, but I've never seen a ticket office there. He replies: «On the left-hand side of the stadium.» Ok, on the left-hand side of the stadium, I'm curious. I thank him and set off. Straight down, to the left of the stadium, there are small stores, internet providers, stores with pet food and things like that, but of course no cash desk of the aforementioned company UGM.

I have no choice but to go in through the big gate. I ask a woman, but she looks at me puzzled because she doesn't understand what I mean.

I look around and realize that I'm not in the stadium, but in a school. Back outside, I ask an ice cream vendor and he tells me that I have to follow the small road to the left and then enter the stadium, where the ticket office is. Of course, there's a till in the stadium to pay the water bill. I follow the advice and as soon as I pass through the entrance, I see a small brick house with the sign UGM above the door.

Inside there is a desk with a computer and an employee. I show her my bill and she kindly confirms the amount. I pay in cash, thank her warmly and am overjoyed that I now know where the till is. On the way back, I have to smile again and again, as the cash register for the Curahuasi municipality's water bill is not in the municipality building, but in the football stadium.

I'm already looking forward to the next invoice!

What else is going on

In addition to our work and school, we are always busy with broken things in the house. Since several missionaries have lived in this house before us and everyone has tinkered around in some way (sometimes better, sometimes worse), there are always things to improve. For example, our water pressure in the house is so low after 5 p.m. that we always postpone washing up until the next day, the toilet flushes more badly than it should and showers are only possible hot or cold. We have been working on installing a pump for some time now. We got the necessary things in Cusco, but there is always a shortage of skilled workers here. Fortunately, a missionary has taken care of the whole thing. Although it is not his specialty, everything worked out and we have had much better water pressure since the end of November. Now it's really fun to wash our hands in the bathroom. Let's see what's next! We already have one or two ideas...

The water sensor was slightly corroded and no longer worked.