Christmas is alive and evident everywhere in Lima. Jockey Plaza put up the first tree and it was three stories high.
We put up this cute 4 foot tree that the Gough's left and added some miniature peruvian hats, gloves, dolls, red Christmas gourds, and white llamas!
This nativity is at the entrance to the area office.
We gathered for our "Lunch Bunch" party and enjoyed a gift exchange.
All the senior missionaries sang Christmas carols to the missionaries at the CCM. We had a great time visiting with them and serving them hot chocolate, breads and cookies.
It was a magical evening with our Christmas lighting ceremony! Below we have Larry and Elrain Thompson and three of our sister missionaries!
We are getting set up to sing our Christmas carols.
These missionaries are very happy and dedicated.
More happy missionaries!
It looks like these missionaries really do have the "Light of Christ" in their eyes!
President and Sister Cardon enjoying the lights.
Members of our Manti Branch.
We joined in on a picture with some of our branch. The following pictures are some of the great senior missionaries here in Lima.
The Neilsons and Phil and Leslie Speed
Kris and Bob Bloomer
Mercedes and Kent Willis
Colleen and Tom Cavanaugh
Bruce and Jody Packard
We walked home so we could see the beautiful lights at the temple.
The trees were all draped with tiny white lights.
The life size nativity is hardly visible because of its brightness. There were no Christmas lights near the nativity to detract from the message: The birth of the Christ-child is the reason we celebrate Christmas!
These trees were stunning!
The manager scene is on the left.
Mercedes Willis and I put together these baskets for twelve of the most needy families in the Manchay Ward, where she attends church. We call her the "Christmas angel".
We had lots of fun working together on this project and appreciated the donations we received from other senior missionaries.
Later that night we attended a performance of the "Nutcracker" by the Ballet Municipal De Lima. It was a marvelous production and the best I have seen.
We attended with the Cardons, and their son, Tavin.
It was a beautiful theatre with these wonderful winding staircases and balconies!
We were surprised that the theatre was so beautiful and clean and that the performance was so lovely!
The next night we met Seth Elledge and his darling wife, Yanina at the temple with their nephew and two nieces. We walked around the temple grounds, had dinner across the street and then went back to our home for dessert.
The nativity was more than life-size and sent a message to all that the Christ-child is the reason we celebrate Christmas!
This was a sweet family of 15 that traveled 14 hours in a bus from Piura to make their yearly trip to the temple. We love meeting our brothers and sisters who sacrifice so much to attend the temple. They were so happy!
Seth and Yanina Elledge and their nephew and two nieces!
We had a wonderful evening visiting with them!
On Christmas eve we met the missionaries at the CCM for a service project at an orphanage called CIMA. It was about an hour outside of Lima.
They were all excited to be able to work together and serve the children at the orphanage.
We loaded up the 150 missionaries on four huge buses and headed past Manchay to Cieneguilla!
Lots of singing in the back of the bus.
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We unloaded the buses and headed over a walking bridge to get to CIMA!
Motor taxis and motor cycles shared this bridge with us. The cars have to drive thru the river to get to the other side. Notice the hermana doing her laundry in the river.
We walked about 2 miles along this road.
This is the entrance to the orphanage.
There were just a handful of kids that stayed for the Christmas break. Most of them went to relatives or friends in town. CIMA is a foundation started by a man from Montreal, Canada. He provides shelter, food, and teaches them how to work, develop skills, and talents for their future.
What to do with 150 missionaries?
When we arrived things were run down and very drab, so the CCM brought green, yellow, and white paint to brighten up the place.
We're ready to begin.
This is Hermanas Callister and Moody! They are awesome missionaries!
They organized zones to tackle the various jobs.
We started painting these picnic tables and benches and the hit all the fences and play equipment.
Half of the zones started loading bags with sand to make dikes along the stream that seems to flood every year. It was amazing to see what these missionaries were able to accomplish in 5 hours of work!
They will paint all these benches green!
This was a broken down bus that the orphanage painted just to add some color.
The dorms at CIMA.
We had fun watching these three play marbles. They usually have 100 children staying here in this program. They learn a trade that will provide them a job when they leave. They have all been abandoned by their parents, but can visit other relatives near by. They can leave the program, if they wish, but most stay because they have housing, food, and are developing their talents and seem very happy.
This teeter-totter looked new after it was painted.
The front entrance now is freshly painted and looks more inviting.
When the kids return back here, they will be surprised and excited to see a fresh coat of paint on their play equipment, tables, benches, and all the fencing.
The missionaries are teaching this cute boy how to paint.
This sweet boy wanted to paint with me.
The founder/director, Jean, thanks the group for their hard work!
The missionaries were happy to help out this orphanage with the various projects and felt like they made a real difference for the children.
The CCM missionaries, also, put together much needed hygiene kits for the orphanage!
On the way back to the buses, a local van got stuck in the river, so the missionaries came to the rescue!
They were able to push it back on solid ground!
On Christmas day, we gathered with other senior missionaries at the Packards for a great feast and lots of fun conversation!
Bruce, Phil, and Leslie busy in the kitchen.
Sister Casos and I are the same height! We are blessed to have such wonderful new friends!
This nativity was a perfecto centerpiece!
Kent Willis is part of the legal department. He got the best chair by the tree!
We had a rewarding and happy Christmas here in Lima. Feliz Navidad and Bendita Navidad!
Looks like a great holiday!
ReplyDeleteColleen Wilson