Mothering Sunday and Oikos

Life is great here in Chorrillos, Lima. We are really busy, as well as being really happy, at what is going on in our lives as a family and also our ministry. The family are healthy as well as the extended family. Anna commented to me that she has cooked for at least 10 people every day this week. Our church is called Oikos, which is a Greek word from the Bible which means family, house, household or extended family, and I suppose you could stretch this to meaning community as well. Our house certainly feels like community and extended family at the moment. It is a real blessing to be able to share life with so many people that pass through our house, are working with us, or just pop in to our house, whether it is for discipleship (formal or informal), or any other query, at any point of the day. We certainly seem to have a full table at lunch time most days. Good we bought a big table!

The photo frames the mums have made in the mums and tots group

As part of Oikos we have a small service on a Sunday, started on Easter Day. We are slowly growing, and on Mother's Day (Peruvian Mother's Day that is) we had 20 adults and more than 14 kids. (It is always harder to count how many kids there are due to them constantly moving about!).

Walter cooking the cake to celebrate Mother's Day

This was a really special day, as many of the mums had received little or nothing from their children, and it was great to able to encourage them, and we also have a few males starting to come along, as well as young adults, which is our current prayer. Everyone stayed for cake, the majority for lunch, and we finally had a 'quiet' house at 4.30pm!! We then went out as a family (Daddy, Mummy, adopted aunt Lili, and sons Daniel and Joel) to Larco Mar a place we sometimes go on special occasions and had a afternoon snack and juice.

Daniel however got a temperature, and wasn't very happy, hence the massive smile!
It was a great day, and has been a great month.
2010 is looking and feeling great.