From Cesar Hi folks! It´s been a while since our last contact. Certainly, this pandemic has changed all our routines, lives and even communications. We want to update our news. This summer is quite unusual because we cannot enjoy outdoor activities. We spent whole February in lockdown. Fortunately, government decided to finish this measure even though figures are not going down. On one hand, we feel very blessed because we haven´t been infected with COVID. Our country is experiencing a second wave of this illness with no good results. Sadly, our government delayed so much to get vaccines to us. If everything is going well, we (our family) expect to get vaccination in September. Something that you might heard about Peru is how corruption has undermined the highest levels of leadership. A big scandal was revealed two weeks ago: several political authorities got vaccines secretly for them and for their families before doctors and nurses. All of them have been expelled from their jobs but that event discouraged our people very much. Peruvians are very near to celebrate a national election but we feel there is no one honest candidate that we can trust. It feels a discouraging environment among us.
On the other hand, we started another academic year on March 1st. So far, we have lost almost 20% of our student population. Almost all of them were forced to change school because families cannot pay their fees. All staff (including myself) have reduced our salaries between 20% to 50% in order to get through these difficult times. However, not all are bad news. We feel very thankful to God because He keeps us healthy and blessed with jobs. We are looking for good lessons that God wants us to learn and we think that those are related with perseverance, resilience and personal growth.
From Jessica Hello!! Sorry for our long silence. These days were busy with several small things I had to do. What I can say, these last days in Peru were difficult. People are getting COVID-19, several people are dying, there is no room in hospitals or beds in UCI either, so many sad and stressful news. On the other hand, we must stay at home, I think, we got used to that, but boys, especially Cesar Jr is suffering. It is a bit difficult to work and study the four of us in a small place. We all have meetings (studying, working or teaching) and we must organize our schedules very well. In the last letter, I told you about a Hebrew material I wrote. Well, I´ve just finished to send all of it to our editor (yes, our editor, Cesar’s dad has finished a book about preaching). So far, I am waiting the editor send me the material so I can review it and he can subscribe it as a book, then, we have to print it, but we don´t know when we could do it yet. We are taking one step at a time. It took me a lot of time to send it to the editor. This week I am finishing lecturing Hebrew at Seminary Evangelical of Lima University. They called me again for summer term. Another thing that happens, is that the seminary of our church called me to teach Theology. When I receive the invitation, I was scared and so nervous I didn´t want to accept (that subject always was taught by Cesar) but the minister, and my husband, encouraged me to do it, they told me that I can do it. The attendance of our church is very well prepared, so it demands me a very well preparation. I accepted the challenge, I am nervous, but I think I can do it, please, pray for me. It supposes I would start that subject in April. I must start preparing the subject these days. And, the last news is I have started a master’s degree. It is focused on Family science. This is a topic that I like, I love counselling and this Master course is the closest to that. So, that is why I couldn´t write before. I have classes many days at night (6:30pm to 9:30pm) and Sundays (8:00am to 2:00pm), but I am excited. At last, I can study something that I like, and I will be better prepared to help persons and families which is my goal. It supposes will take me a year and a half.
Many, many thanks for your support, it helped us to enroll me in this new family project. We thank God for His love and care to us.
I am happy, nervous, scared sometimes, but trusting God He is moving us to the place He has prepared for us. We want to be prepared and ready for it.
About Cesar Jr, thanks God, he started attending to the men´s fellowship and he has started serving in the youth group. He continues working at the bank, he was chosen among his team as the best employee, and he was congratulated for his work. He still needs a cardiology exam, but because of the 2nd wave of the COVID it is not possible. The doctor says that because he is young he can wait, but, it is necessary to check it when this pandemic end.
About Carlos Jr, he has finished 2 subjects at the university, and he will start again in April his regular term. He attends and serve in the youth group; he likes to read many Christian books and he is always asking about theology topics.
Prayer Requests
- For Peruvian political situation. May God use national elections in order to put right people in positions of authority. May God raise good men and women for leading this country.
- For keeping us healthy. May God protect us from COVID 19 and protect our extended family.
- For Cesar´s dad, may our Lord keep giving him wisdom to guide the school.
- For our economical situation. May God provide economical incomes in order to be responsible with our payments. (flat, Carlos and Jessica´s fees studies, etc)
