Goodbye to one Loca, hello to another...

Allison with Adela and family
It has gone quickly, and we still can't quite believe she is no longer here, but Allison has left our Oikos community after 10 months. The last couple of weeks of her stay she managed to have at least 4 goodbye parties (a very reasonable number for Peru!) and one of those we held in our house. Allison with some of the young people

Allison is really missed here in our community - her smiles and enthusiasm, her cheekiness, dancing and singing, her obsession with creams and potions (and homemade avocado and egg-white conditioner), her refusal to drink water out of a plastic cup and most of all her warm and friendly spirit. She did a great job starting up the young people's group whilst she was here and she is already sorely missed by her two small groups which she discipled faithfully and cared for pastorally in many a crisis during her stay.

Allison and Rosa

We have also welcomed a new housemate into the Big Burgess House. Rosa, an 18-year old girl from the Shipibo tribe church we have connections with in Pucallpa, has come to Lima to study nursing. She is going to be living with us and joining in the community craziness for the foreseeable future. She and Allison got on very well and we nicknamed them the 'dos locas' ('the two crazies') as Allison met her partner in craziness in Rosa. Rosa's goodbye speech

Rosa showed her artistic talents writing a hilarious poem in honour of her 2-week roommate, which included lines like 'Even though you shout so loud that I pick my nose, I will still miss you.'(!)
Rosa is definitely missing her partner in crime, and still put her in the lunch count for today (don't worry, the young adults fought over the extra plate of food, so it didn't go wasted!)

So, Allison - the only thing we don't miss is your rotting hair conditioner filling up the fridge. You are missed. Very missed. Thank you for all your hard work here in Lima - come back soon!