My fingers are sweating

It is very hot here in Santiago right now.  For the past two weeks it has been to the mid to high 90's.  Today it hit 100.  Most of the time there is a nice breeze so if you're in the shade it's not too bad.  Not much breeze the last week.  Today it rained a little bit for the first time since we've arrived.  It barely got the road wet but it rained!

We just love it here.  I can't say enough how wonderful the people are.  They are so warm and friendly, and very hospitable.

The couple to the left are a young couple recently married.  She's the primary president and he's the branch clerk.  They are Brenda y Javier.

This is our wonderful Branch president and his lovely wife.  She is from Peru.  They met online and started corresponding.  Fell in love, he went to Peru to meet her and they were married three weeks later.





This is the S family.  They moved here a few months ago from Venezuela.  Just love them.  Myrna gave me my first plant cuttings.  We're going to cut more so I can get ready for the rainy season and plant some plants.  His parents also moved here but right now, they're visiting family in the states.


 

This is Katy and Tomas.  He's a musician and she sings.  She is due to have a baby in a couple of weeks.  She's the one we had a baby shower for.  We just love them and their sweet family.  They have two children already.  He is quiet.  She is energetic and fun t be around.





We leave the members to feed the young missionaries.  Occasionally we'll be visiting someone and they bring out a huge plate of food.  They give us way to much food for a serving but we eat it.  It's great because with the heat I don't really cook much.  I probably cook a meal a couple of times a week.  To tell you the truth, when we get home we don't really feel like eating much.

I love the fruit!!!  I was looking forward to coming and enjoying fresh fruits and juices from the tropics.  We get lots of watermelon, mango, pineapple, maracuya (passion fruit) and other types of fruits that we just don't have in the states.  We usually make fresh orange juice each morning.

Here is a member climbing a tree to pick ciruellas.  They look a little like grape tomatoes but they're a fruit.

 One of the families gave us these platanos.  They're not bananas.  They're more of a carb.  I love them.  Mark-- gag.

Here are the oranges we buy for juice and maracuya (on the right)

We've had some funny experiences with the food.  They make this corn drink, called chicheme- they cook the corn a long time until it's real soft, they use the corn and water it was cooked in to make the drink.  They add water.  Here's a link to a recipe http://www.cocinerita.com/chicheme/.  I've had it three times.  The first one was not so good.  The second one was ok and the third one was delicious. Poor Mark just can't handle it.  Mark is not really good at hiding his feelings so he about gags when he tries to drink it.  I feel bad for him but I don't want people to be offended.

There was a baby shower for one of the sisters from church.  It was a fun time.  She had invited a few men to help her husband cook the meat for the party.  One of the games they played involved the four couples there.  The women were blindfolded and had to feed their spouses baby food from a jar.  As I was feeding Mark, I could hear him gagging.  I didn't want him to be sick all over me so I fed him slowly.

I make chocolate chip cookies or brownies and everyone loves them.  The first time I bought chocolate chips I left them on the shelf in my kitchen and they melted to liquiid.  Not just melted but liquid.  I keep them in the freezer now.

I feel so blessed.  My health is great.  We are working hard.  I love the people.  They seem to love us. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for this opportunity to invite others to draw closer to their Savior and thus help them and support them through trials and difficulties.

I LOVE PANAMA!!