Peruvian Independence Day

Making Chica Morada

The food for the evening

Teenage girls from the Bible study in Puente Piedra

Jackeline is the lady that made the chicken dish for the night

July 28th is Peruvian Independence Day. We thought it would be a great opportunity to get to know our neighbors better. We also thought that adults might have off of work as well and be more likely to come to an Independence party. We started the day off early. We went to the market at about 7:30 am. That was a fun and very interesting trip. I just went with our good friend Fernando and we had to carry chicken, vegetables, rice, sugar, pots and pans, and more around the market for 80 people. This is a HUGE market. At one point and time I waited on the sidewalk while Fernando would go pick up everything we had put on hold at all the little stands. Before long I had piles of food all around me and I was the "gringa" just looking like a dork on the sidewalk in front of the bathrooms at the market with tons and tons of food. Anyway some of our good teenage friends were over spending time with us and they helped us cook as well. Also John, Fernando, and Jackeline (a lady that we have Bible study with every week)did most of the cooking while we "helped". We literally cooked ALL day. It was so much fun. We were cooking enough in preparation for 80 people to come over. We made Papa Huancaina (a typical Peruvian apetizer), chicken and rice, and Chicha Morada (the typical Peruvian drink made from purple corn. We cooked all day and had so much FUN! Just in time we finished for the neighbors and other friends to come over. About 50 people ended up coming. The moms
made button bracelets that we had left over from a previous mission trips. The kids colored, everyone ate, and then we talked about how Jesus is the only one that can give us true freedom. It was a beautiful time of fellowship.