Am I in Prison? Nope just doing some fundraising training in a shady part of Lima, Peru!

This is my room! Homey right? I woke up this morning and felt like Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic shaking the bars on my windows yelling "Let me out, I am not a third class passenger". I arrived last night at about 1a.m. and quickly rememberd that I am from the United States. Here is what triggerd that realization:
1. No seat belts in our van.
2. As we pulled up to the compound we are staying my first thoughts was 'are we staying in a jail'?
3. I asked if I could run in the morning. The response....not unless you want to run for your life...so nope no run this morning.
4. I then saw my room, which by the way is the best one here. Top floor, by meself with my own bathroom. Which brings me to my next American/Only Child moment.
5. Hey, how come they don't have little hotel soaps and shampoo's for me here?
6. Had a good sleep minus the occasional siren, horn, (ok alot of horns) and woke up to something that sounded like a cross between a injured dog and a chicken. Seriously I was half laughing, half bewildered.
7. More to come on this subject..and my interesting meals so far...

Came down to breakfast and met the Young Life staff from Parugay (Fabien), what a wonderful man...more on him later, new staff guy and committee from Columbia, Argentina, some committee from Chili, and the country director in Venezula. Again, I can't tell you the quality of these friends. Humble, funny, generous, and born leaders. You would want anyone of them to be Area Directors or business leaders in the States.

I was introduced to my interpreter, Rosana (see picture of me and her below:). Soon the staff and committee arrived from Lima. (25 total of them). We were ready to jump into our training. See the picture of me delivering the goods.

We ended early tonight and the Columbian brothers wanted to get 'ice cream'. I thought this meant a little trip down the road. Left at 7:45, and we just got home...11:30. Being a 'on my own schedule' kind of guy it will take me along time to get used to the 'slow relational speed' down here. Ice cream a :45min drive...no biggy, walk, stop, talk, look, take pictures, talk, sit, laugh, spontaneous dancing, talking....ice cream. Get lost, stand around for :20mins, one group goes on scouting trip for other, back in car home in 4hrs flat. Latin American trip to Ice Cream shop.

Seriously. This is an incredible place, with even more incredible people. The training is going very well as each country walked out of today with a fundraising case statement almost ready to present to donors.

We will get to see more of Lima tomorrow and also attend a Capernum Young Life Club.

Thanks for your Continued Prayers....please see yesterdays posts for prayer requests.

Jamie