Feliz Navidad! 'Twas the night before Christmas...and the Robinsons were sitting beside a fan wondering if Santa remembered their change of address... This is a very different Christmas this year, Karen's first Christmas away from home and Mark's second. Added to that is the humidity of Lima (no sunshine as yet) and the fact that Christmas is celebrated here on the 24th. Karen's family traditions are continuing on in her absence, though we did manage to partak...

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands The last wee while has been challenging for various reasons. With Christmas around the corner, we´ve felt pretty far from people back home and are reminded that it´s literally like a different world over here. It´s also been challenging to observe the lives of those we´re spending time with - the other night we were at the Casa Hogar and the children were asked to write down what they´d like for Christmas. One nine year...

Arco Iris-Turmanyé The Christian non-profit organisation that we´re currently working with was originally set up in 1999. It´s called Arco Iris-Turmanyé, the Spanish and Quechua words for ´Rainbow.´ This name was chosen as a rainbow is a sign of hope and hope is what those working for the organisation aim to bring to the area of Huaraz. The work is based on 5 main values - love, humility, service, justice and stewardship; values that were clearly evident ...

Hello Huaraz! Up at 10,000 feet life is slower, more laidback and very different from Lima. Resting between the two Andean mountain ranges of the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra, Huaraz is the provincial capital of a region called Ancash. This region is popular with Peruvians and foreigners alike for its trekking, camping and mountaineering, and some of the views here, especially from our roof, are absolutely stunning! The locals modestly refer to it as t...

Movin' On Up 10 weeks since we left home, 8 weeks of language school completed and now 4 days until we move up to life at 10,000 feet. But what is time when you live in Latin America?! Our time in Lima has been a bit of a mixed bag. The highs: time with our mentors when we could speak in English and enjoy home-made food which was always top notch; meeting and working alongside Margaret Saunderson, who has lived here for over 30 years and works amidst the shant...