Paseo

Our church spent the day out in the country today.  I think I may have tonsillitis and I was feeling extra crummy this morning and really just wanted to lay on the couch all day.  However, the sun was shining, the sky was blue (after weeks of rain and cold) and I knew a day outside would be good for us and the kids.  We packed our backpacks and met up with several families at the church.  There are so many things about a paseo (outing) that are special.  The food we eat, the way we get there, where we end up, the games we play.  It is different and wonderful.  Today we ate baked noodles, sweet potatoes, rice and chicken.  Everyone brought food and everyone shared what they had.  We all met at the church at noon and walked up the hill together to find transportation.  We took three dogs with us.  We found a taxi and a small bus, called a "combi",  to get us all there.  8 kids and one dog piled into the way back of the station wagon taxi, while 5 adults crowded up front.  The rest of the group piled into the combi.  When we got to where we were going, the taxi stopped on the side of a road and we hopped out and began walking through a field.  We walked past some cows, past people doing laundry in a stream that we crossed over and finally settled at the edge of a cement soccer court. 

getting settled

crossing the stream

The kids immediately took their shoes and sock off to get into the water.  Soccer balls and blankets came out.  It was nice.  It was Sunday afternoon in the country.  The kids ran through the clumps of grass, splashed in the creek and found dirt piles to play in.  The adults played soccer, volleyball or sat and talked.  We ate lunch together and soaked up the sun.

"Watch out for glass Thomas!"

Chad throwing the football

busy girls

the kids discovered and captured lots of tadpoles

the boys playing with Chad's football

Thomas and Mateo

Jesus, Chad and Thomas

 

After several hours we packed up our things.  We crossed the creek, walked passed the people who were now relaxing after finishing their laundry and bathing themselves in the stream, past the cows and back up to the road to find a way home.  We waited for about an hour before we found a ride. 

waiting and waiting and waiting 

 The kids threw rocks off the bridge into the stream while we waited.  When that got boring, the big kids went down and stood on opposite sides of the stream and threw rocks toward one other, trying to splash each other.  I watched people washing their cars with buckets of water from the stream, families doing laundry, eating, laying in the grass.  What an amazing thing to get to experience a genuine Sunday afternoon in the Peruvian countryside!  Not only do we get to experience these things, but we get to participate.  My kids played with other kids all day, we talked with and laughed with friend- real friends.  Our family was the only English speaking family there but we were totally comfortable and a part of the day.  We weren't special guests, we didn't receive special treatment.  We were part of the group.  I am so thankful to be here-