I made it a goal once I got back to Peru, that I wanted to get more physical activity. Since sitting in school and riding the bus was not doing enough, I started going to the Sport Life gym that is just a few minutes away on bicycle. It is located in a fairly new building and is owned by one of the professional tennis players from Peru. There is a first floor gift shop, the second floor is a hair saloon, the third floor has weight lifting equipment, the four floor is cardio, and the firth floor s used for lessons like dance and "spinning".
You almost forget that you are in Peru when you go there because the weight machines all have instructions printed in english and each floor has a "personal trainer" that walks around keeping track of people during their work out. My first day there, they took a bunch of measurements, asked me what my training goals were, and set me up with a routine and schedule.
So I am enjoying the gym a few days a week after my language classes. It is also an opportunity to practice spanish with my "personal trainer". On Thursday I meet a guy named Carlos, we started talking and he was very open with me. He is not a Christian but I can tell that he is searching for something in his life. Pray that I would be able to share with him the Good News of Jesus Christ and also be a good testimony.
Oh yes, just in case you were worried about me on the 4th floor of this building, according to the signs, I am in an earthquake secure building.
I returned to Peru this past week after spending a little over 2 months in the USA. The first week I was back happened to be the week of Thanksgiving. So on Thursday evening after my Spanish classes, a big group of us from language school got together for the evening. It was an international affair as we had people from Peru, the USA, England, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland!The missionaries who hosted the event are from Tennessee and gave a wonderful display of southern hospitality. There was no shortage of food to be sure. We were also able to watch some American Football via the internet. I spent a little time trying to explain the game to some of the Germans who were there but I don't think got very far.
The evening was rounded out by singing a few songs together and sharing what we were thankful for. As a superb sunset slowly faded, we shuffled back to our respective homes, full and thankful for our newfound fiends in Peru.
Here are a few more flying videos from Orientation at JAARS. I was able to video some Instructor Pilot checkouts at new airstrips. One of these is in special memory of "Wonderboy" Nathan B. with a camera on the runway video.
I completed my Technical Orientation at JAARS on November 5th and returned to Michigan for a short 12 day period to see some family and friends. I have included a picture of my Mountain week group that I spent 1 week with in the mountains of North Carolina doing some flight training. My orientation ended well and I was given the blessing to continue on towards Peru.
While rare, there have been people that reached orientation and could not put it together or keep up with the fast pace. I was thankful to finish and do well but it still amazes me that I could have been that far down the road and still not be allowed to do what I had trained for this whole time!
As a pilot, there is always the chance that a small accident could take away your medical/pilot certificates very quickly. It reminds me of our position as Christians on this earth, we at any moment could have an accident and be up in Heaven before we know it. Good thing all of this is in God's control and sovereignty!
