Welcome Eisolds!

The month of January has been a busy month, but some of the most exciting news is the arrival of the Eisold family to Peru! The Eisolds are the newest addition to the LCMS World Mission team in Peru. Pastor Mark, his wife Sandi, and their kids, Erik and Annalise made it to Peru on Saturday, January 22nd. Over the next few months they will be taking language classes in Lima as they acclimate to the new culture. The Eisold family serves as career missionaries and are extremely excited to be working in Peru! Jamie, Anthony, and I are thrilled to have them join us on the field and are already greatly blessed by their presence. Praise God for providing us with more missionaries and for all the work He will continue to do in Peru.

Pictured above is our first meal together on the night of the Eisolds' arrival. We enjoyed typical Peruvian dishes and live entertainment! Please pray for the Eisolds and the whole Peru team as we prepare for all the upcoming transitions and thank Him for how we are blessed through community.

New Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Aapw_ddsZs

Go to the above link to view a new video introducing the GEO (Globally Engaged Outreach) missionaries in Peru!

Navidad en Perú

Though I won't be able to go home to the States this year to celebrate Christmas, I'm very excited to learn and participate in some of the Peruvian Christmas traditions. One very popular Christmas tradition in Peru is to drink hot chocolate (chocolate caliente) and eat panetón. Panetón is a type of sweet bread that contains chocolate chips, gummies, or small pieces of fruit. Around the holidays, it can be bought it any store or bodega throughout Peru. The typical hot chocolate is no Swiss Miss mix. It is much thicker and richer than the hot chocolate that I was accustomed to in the United States. The water and chocolate is mixed with evaporated milk, cloves, cinnamon, sugar, and sometimes even oatmeal to create a very delicious, sweet, Christmas beverage. A few nights ago I was able to enjoy this rich dessert combination at the home of some local friends. Yessenia and her daughter Juanita (pictured above) have frequently worked with LCMS World Mission in the past and continue to remain friends with the different missionaries (long and short-term) who have served in Lunahuana.

Enjoy making this delicious drink yourself!

Peruvian Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• -3 cups water

• -1 cinnamon stick

• -2-3 cloves

• -1 oz. square of unsweetenedchocolate

• -1 can evaporated milk

• -1 heaping Tbsp. oatmeal

• -sugar to taste

• Bring the water to a boil with the cinnamon stick, cloves and chocolate cube.

• Once boiled, turn down flame and add evaporated milk and oatmeal. Stir for 5 minutes or until the oatmeal is cooked through. Watch closely to make sure it doesn’t boil over!

• Add sugar to taste and more milk to increase servings as necessary.

  
  

Praise Ye the Lord

In that day you will say:

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done,

and proclaim that his name is exalted.

Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;

let this be known to all the world.

Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,

for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

Isaiah 12:4-6

Vino

"A lo suyo vino, pero los suyos no lo recibieron." Juan 1:11

The following link is a beautiful film put together by members of The Lutheran Church of Panama and LCMS World Mission missionary, James Neuendorf. The film is entitled "Vino" which is Spanish for "Came". It tells the Christmas story as if it happened in present times in the country of Panama. It is in Spanish, but most of the story is visual. Enjoy!

http://www.vinocortometraje.com/