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Billy, Kate & Will in Perú

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Merry Christmas!

Posted on Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Leave a Comment

As Kate and I take some time to reflect and give thanks to God on this Christmas Day for sending His Son as a perfect example and sacrifice for us, we also wanted to take some time to thank all of you and share a little bit about what God has been doing through our program for the deaf this Christmas season.

Last week the kids in our deaf program came together, and decided that they wanted to teach other Peruvians how to “sing” Silent Night in sign language. Together with a number of other volunteers they all came together in one of the busiest parks in Lima, and did just that. It was wonderful to see how passersby gathered around to learn the signs and to learn about the deaf community. It was a blessing for us and the rest of the SU staff to give the kids this opportunity to come along side them and show them that they do have a voice that is worth hearing and to continue to share God’s love with them.

[Read more…]

Posted in: Peru | Tagged: Christmas, deaf, Peru, Señales, video

Three videos

Posted on Friday, August 10, 2012 Leave a Comment

Just wanted to share a few videos from the past few months…

In January, the boys from Girasoles Kusi came to Lima for vacation and Billy and I were able to help keep an eye on 40 boys in a city of 10 million. On one of the first nights in the city, we went to the beach to watch the sunset. It was a big first for many of the boys and they just couldn’t help getting in the water (notice Zócimo who wasn’t expecting the waves and got caught in the water 20 seconds into the video).

In February, Billy and I spent a week in Kawai with a group from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. They wanted to prepare a Korean dinner for the boys which included wantons and a very spicy noodle soup – even spicy for the Peruvian boys who regularly pour ají pepper over their food. Really long noodles and spicy soup made for a fun dinner. Jonathan (who was sitting to my right) was brave enough to get more broth, but then proceeded to sweat after eating a few spoonfuls.

The students at the primary school in Kusi are experts in traditional Peruvian dances from the sierra. Here, two of the students perform a traditional huayno peruano for a visiting group.

Posted in: Peru | Tagged: Kawai, Kusi, Lima, Peru, Scripture Union, video

Quinceñera

Posted on Thursday, August 2, 2012 1 Comment

This year I had the pleasure of joining the team from my home church in Dearborn as they spent a week at our home in Kusi and a long weekend in Ica. During the weekend in Ica, the group and I were invited to join Augusto and Nancy as they celebrated their eldest daughter, Sheyli’s fifteenth birthday. In Peru and much of Latin America, the quinceañera (or simply quince) is the celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday. It isn’t just any regular birthday as it marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood.

Wanting to make this a grand affair, Augusto and Nancy hosted a party for Sheyli at a reception hall next to the Girasoles home in Ica and invited many guests from their church, family, friends from Ica, and the group from Dearborn.

Since this was a formal affair, the guys were taken to rent suits. For 30 soles (about $11) they were able to rent a suit coat and pants for 2 nights to wear. It is really common and inexpensive to be able to rent formal wear (like suits, formal dresses – even wedding dresses!) since most Peruvians don’t own clothing like this because they rarely need to wear it.

Since the guys rented suits, the girls decided to get our hair styled before the party – another deal at just 30 soles (or $11).

And afterward, we all rushed back to the Girasoles house to change…

David (second from the left) with the Girasoles boys that were invited to the party.

The party was scheduled to begin at 8pm, but in typical Peruvian fashion, guests streamed in the doors for a few hours until Sheyli, Augusto and Nancy arrived at 10:30pm.

Typically, the party begins begins with the arrival of the birthday girl, wearing a special ball gown style dress and accompanied by her father. As the father and daughter make their way through the guests, the daughter receives 15 roses or extinguishes 15 candles from special, influential people in her life. Immediately after this, the waltz ceremony begins where the birthday girl dances with her father, brother, uncles, grandparents and other important male guests.

Sheyli dancing with her younger brother, Augustito.

Following the dancing, the parents and special guests give speeches about the birthday girl.

Sheyli

During the reception, the birthday girl usually performs a dance with her “chambelan de honor” (her chosen escort) and her court of honor. Usually this dance is previously practiced and choreographed weeks in advance, and sometimes with months of anticipation.

Sheyli decided to use this opportunity to dance with her Girasoles brothers and one special guest from the Dearborn group, David.

Afterward, a hora loca (where dance music is played for an hour) commenced. Balloons, whistles, noisemakers, masks and confetti were given out to the guests.

About 1:30am after the crazy hour of dancing, a full dinner was served to the guests.

And at about 3:30am after the guests had left, we had a little photo shoot with the birthday girl.

It was a long night (we didn’t get back to our bungalows until after 4am), but it was a lot of fun being able to celebrate with Augusto and Nancy and to be there for Sheyli’s big night!

Posted in: Peru | Tagged: Girasoles, Ica, Peru, photo, quince, quinceñera, video

Peru, Nebraska

Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 Leave a Comment

Yesterday, Billy shared a very clever video with me about what happens when Peru brings its culture to the small town of Peru, Nebraska – population 569.

A team of famous and influential musicians, artists, chefs and athletes in their field, traveled to Nebraska to share the Peruvian culture with their fellow “Peruvians” and produced this 14-minute video of their week with the new ambassadors of Peru – eating ceviche, dancing huaynos, drinking pisco and many other things.

With English subtitles, those that have been to Peru before, will definitely resonate with and recognize what the residents of Peru, Nebraska experience during the week!

Enjoy.

* Now with English subtitles.

Posted in: Peru | Tagged: Peru, video

Advent+

Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 Leave a Comment

About a month ago, I was approached by our Senior Pastor who asked me if I would be interested in filling in for him on the Sunday after Christmas, allowing him & his wife to head out east to visit family for the Christmas season. After long consideration, I decided to take him up on the offer and was given the task of leading worship services on December 26th.

Weeks and weeks passed before I even had an idea of what to talk about. What is an appropriate topic for the day after Christmas? A message about the nativity could be seen as a day late, but despite that, it seemed like it needed to be seasonally appropriate. So after spending hours working my retail job and becoming tired of the Christmas, or I mean, holiday season, a light bulb turned on, and the idea of “Advent+” started to form. Using passages from Isaiah, 9:6-7 and chapter 12, I crafted my message into something I thought relevant to the season, and all year long.

Well, you’ll get the picture….

For those that prefer to read, here’s a copy of the text, including the Scripture passages.

Posted in: General | Tagged: Advent, Christmas, First Presbyterian, message, video
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katebruder

When your uncle comes to visit, you wear your matc When your uncle comes to visit, you wear your matching shirts together (with a flashback to his last visit in January 2020) #littlewilliamnoah
Explored Arequipa, the white city, for the first t Explored Arequipa, the white city, for the first time all together and spent many hours outside under the blue sky. #littlewilliamnoah
The @monasteriodesantacatalina is one of my favori The @monasteriodesantacatalina is one of my favorite places in Peru. There is beauty around every corner and the colors, sillar streets and potted geraniums along the walls are just amazing. This trip we were able to visit as the sun was setting and see the former monastery in a new way. #littlewilliamnoah
Spent a few days outside under blue skies in the C Spent a few days outside under blue skies in the Colca Canyon #littlewilliamnoah
Just a small glimpse into what we did during July Just a small glimpse into what we did during July in 60 seconds #littlewilliamnoah
Celebrating Fiestas Patrias with dancing los capor Celebrating Fiestas Patrias with dancing los caporales 🇵🇪 #littlewilliamnoah
Ready to perform la danza de los caporales with hi Ready to perform la danza de los caporales with his classmates at @coloringdreamsperu to celebrate Fiestas Patrias 🇵🇪 #littlewilliamnoah
All of the people in these photos are now Peruvian All of the people in these photos are now Peruvian! When I first traveled to Peru in 2001 at 15 years old, I never expected that one day I would be a living here as a citizen. After 11 years of living in Lima, I have joined @wngreenman and @greenmanbilly with dual citizenship! 🇵🇪 🎉 🇵🇪 #littlewilliamnoah
We spent the morning with the llamas of @llamapack We spent the morning with the llamas of @llamapackproject and community partners from Cancha Cancha learning about how llamas are used for social development within local communities and to conserve and protect the environment in the Andes. #llamapackproject #littlewilliamnoah
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