Jiron Deustua #1078 PUNO PERU

Our house in Puno

We arrived yesterday right on time.  Most everyone rested well in the bus, and we all arrived ready to get unpacked and settled.  The truck with our things came on time and everything was there and intact.  We checked several times in the past week to make sure that the house would be ready, and each time we were assured that it was.  But when we got here, we found that the first floor was still occupied.  The first floor is the part of the house that our family will eventually live in.  Apparently the current tenants are waiting for tenants in their next house to move out, who are also waiting on someone else to move out!  They had been living in both floors, and moved all their things to the first floor, so they are living crowded on the first floor while we are living crowded on the second floor.  The owner, who lives on the third floor is letting us use the living room, so all the guys are sleeping there until the first floor is ready while our family and the girls are living in the second floor with all our stuff.  The pastor lives about 4 blocks away so he is letting us store our appliances and furniture in his living room.  We were all really looking forward to getting settled and set-up, and this change really took the wind out of our sails, but we re-grouped quickly and are making due.  This house will work great for us.  The owner's have also offered a bedroom and bathroom on the third floor to Kristen and Francisca.  This is such a blessing!  This means that they don't have to share a bathroom with 8 guys, and the room on the third floor is much bigger and will be much more comfortable.  The owner's live in Bolivia and only are here a few times a year, so we will essentially have the entire house to ourselves.  After the first floor is vacant, the owner plans on doing some painting and laying tile on the outside patio, which will be a great place for the kids to play.   After we unpacked the truck yesterday we all went and got lunch, then found our mattresses and crashed for several hours.  Everyone woke up refreshed and in good spirits.  The rest of the week will be spent resting, getting familiar with the city and buying furniture, appliances and other things that the 40/40's need.  So, that is where we are!  Things, once again, have to gone the way we wanted, but we are okay.
One final interesting fact about this house:
Pastor Herman and his family came to Puno in 2008.  At that time, there was no Nazarene church here, so they began by doing VBS and slowing began planting the first Nazarene church here in Puno.  They lived in THIS HOUSE, and once they had enough people they began holding services in THIS HOUSE, in what will be our living room on the first floor.  How cool is that?