A bit of news from our roving Central and South Amercian traveler.

For those who follow Margie Miller on some of her escapades in recent years...you are sure to enjoy today's email from her.  She's not able to send photos but I think you can get the picture from her writings.

Dearest all, this little note by email will be brief, for I am herein the jungles of Peru, in these absolutely beautiful natural surroundings, but with almost NO possibilities for internet connections...no wifi at all,  I am visiting in the home of Herold with his wife Geovana and little 3 year old daughter Paula in the city of Satipo, Peru...and I was also recently in another home with Isai and his precious family also in the jungle in the town of Oxapampa, Peru.  Of course, there is abundant vegetation, beautiful mountains, curving highways and roads, and delicious local cuisine.  Today Geovana will be preparing in their kitchen our lunch of guinea pig, a very, very nutritious  protein meat here in the Andean cultures, flavor they say like rabbit or chicken...I am happy, even anxious to try this for the first time.    (Heifer International has guinea pig as one of the animals they share with families where protein deficiencies are an issue.  We saw them in every families yard when we were in Pachica, Chile.) 

  I will leave tomorrow night, sleep all night in the bus, and arrive at the Lima airport on Thurs a.m. with my ticket in hand to fly off to N Chile.  Myriam will meet me there and accompany me to Iquique.  More later from Chile.   (Myriam is the woman where she spent 5 or 6 weeks several years ago to help her family while Myriam had eye surgery. The 1994 mission team to Pachica, Chile met her as she became one of our team members while we were there.)

  The bus rides and car rides from Lima to Huancayo to Oxapampa to Satipo have really offered me the blessings of amazing natural beauty of the sierra region and now the jungle of Peru...the richness of nature is abundant...but the stark contrasts with the human poverty everywhere causes me heartache, of course.  My friends here are all pastors and very active in their small churches, a seminary, and in presenting workshops for church leaders in Bible and Christian education.  But their daily lifestyle is minimal at best.  They are more than generous with me in affection, hospitality, and meals offering me the best of their customs and menus.  Believe it or not, I am now quite comfortable riding a passenger behind my friends who are driving us from place to place on their motorcycles!!  Wow!!!

  I am here in the home of a friend of Herold and Geovana where I can use his computer to write, as the computer ¨cabinas¨would be very, very busy in the town center.  I will write again to you when I´m next in Lima or in N. Chile.  This is an amazing trip for me...I love you,each one, and so enjoy reading your emails.  Much love, much love, God is good, all the time.  Margie