Notes from Peru

This is from my friend and adopted son in Peru. Some of you may recall he was deported from the Estados Unidos about two years ago. The digital image is a place K used to serve in Peru and is called San Juan de Lima. As we drove through the area I did not want to breathe because of the smell. It has garbage stacked along the one paved street. People and dogs sort through the trash looking for anything recyclable or edible, respectively. The little shack, nowhere near the quality of a 'Tough Shed' is built for families to drag home to some patch of rocks on the hillside. Miguel told me this area is not the worst of Peru as we could not drive there or we would not come out intact. You would find it interesting the very poorest live highest on the hillside, which is entirely devoid of any green or vegetation, no grass or trees.

The following was excerpted from the email I received today from Miguel. He is full of faith and rather stoic as he meets the challenges of his life and his family.

"I believe there is a reason for everything, there is a purpose for me being here in Peru and there is a purpose for everything that had happened to me in the course of my life.

I cannot understand why since I have being a little boy had a sense of belonging to something bigger and the presense of the spirit was always around me for diferent reasons I guess the lord want me to take care of a lot of things so he put me in the family I belong. for some reason it is my call to help my brothers my mom and my dad. is not something I decided to do it is just natural to me to do because the lord decide it was my call and for some reason I know it is.
I cannot say why but that is how it is I cannot complain because of that the lord always blessed me more than all my brothers and my family. I was always happy even in the bad times and always was able to help them even with money to go to the US. I can say that the lord always give the tools to do wath he wants me todo till the point I was not worry about money or food, because even when I used all my resourses to help others the lord somehow returned to me ten times more what I give to others over and over so I can say I always did good here in Peru even when things where so hard and jobs were so low and all it was because of the lord and his miracle ways to acomplish his purposes.

I feel very blessed George I love you and respect you a lot even more than my natural father. we are so a like that I know you understand my feelings, how I think my goals, dreams and plans. and that is why I feel very happy and atached to you. I can say that I see my self in you only that you are thousends better than me but I hope some day be as you are. and put others first than my self, just be focus on the gospel and the kingdom of the lord. so far this life is just temporary and a tiny piece of sand compared to the eternity of the kingdom of our heavenly father.

In my short 30's I can say I have being through a lot but at the same time I can say that my life had being full of privileges compared to others I have a lot. I'm rich as you said. in fact I feel I'm wealthy. I'm so happy because of the knowledge I have about the gospel. I'm priviledge to be a member of this wonderful church while other people are lost in the darkness of this world, I have the light and the guidance of the spirit the Malchisedec priesthood. I'm married to a wonderful woman will be soon sealed in the temple and will give the priesthod to my brother Renzo, as you can see and rich and blessed.

I know some people think they are not priviledge because they have being born in south america in a third world country where things are so hard and there is too much poverty, but I feel blessed because I know the road to the kingdom of my heavenly father it is not easy so i do not pretend to live in a fantasy world where everything is easy and you have everything that way you cannot apreciate what you have.

I'm looking forward to be there with you and my kids when they called you grandpa. I will let them know about you and let them know what I learned from you and how you helped others. I will show George Jr. how to be as his grandpa. and I will always set the example talking about you. they will go to missions and will bring souls to the lord. and all that will be possible because you helped this lost soul and rescue it from the darkness when others saw just another ilegal in trouble you extended your lovely hand to me helping me not expecting anything in return just showing the pure love of jesuschrist you have in your heart.

I will see you soon in the temple when I'll be sealed with Vanezza and you will be in my heart and toughs when i'll be giving the priesthood to Renzo. remember that all that is going to be posible because you decided to help just another ilegal in trouble who will never deserve all that you are doing for him. you have changed my life forever you are the biggest miracle in my life."

Our tinsel culture

Impossible for me to understand and it is damning evidence for this tinsel world in which we live. As Tom is now out at Paramount, Brad may be in for the highest amount ever paid to an actor, $39 million, to play the successor role of Ethan Hunt. From a Google web news piece you can read on...

"Newsmakers | Reports: Brad Pitt for the next 'Mission'
By Tirdad Derakhshani
Inquirer Staff Writer
Insiders and sources are talking (anonymously, of course). The groundswell is swelling: Paramount, which recently fired its golden boy Tom Cruise for his alleged weirdness, is gunning to have Brad Pitt replace Tom in the role of Main Studly Guy in the next installment of the Mission Impossible dynasty. At least, that's what various reports say that various other reports (in London's Daily Mail and the Evening Standard) are saying.

Brad apparently would not play Tom's Ethan Hunt character.

"They're set on Brad taking over as a gutsy new head operative who puts together his own unique team of specialists," an anonymous insider tells the Mail. (Ethan would be retired off to some sunny isle with his new wife.)

Paramount, the reports say, is being real gutsy by offering Brad $39 mil for the flick, which would make Angelina Jolie's beau the highest-paid actor in the history of thespianity"

Littering is permissible sometimes...

Every once in awhile things come across the stern that merit publication here. From one master:

"Each of us might well ask, “In what ways am I shrinking or holding back from discovery?” Even meek introspection and meditation may yield bold insights! For example, we can tell much by what we have already willingly discarded along the pathway of discovery. It is the only pathway where littering is permissible, even encouraged. In the early stages, the debris left behind includes the grosser acts of commission. Later debris differs; things begin to be discarded which have caused the misuse or underuse of our time, abilities and talent.

Along this pathway leading to light, stern and unsought challenges sometimes hasten the jettisoning, which is needed to achieve increased awakening. If we have grown soft, hard times may be necessary. If we are too contented, a dose of divine discontent may come. A relevant insight may be contained in reproof. A new duty beckons us away from comfortable routines wherein the needed competencies have already been developed. One may be stripped of accustomed luxury so that the malignant mole of materialism may be removed. One may be scorched by humiliation so pride can be melted away. Whatever we lack will get attention, one way or another. It is the way of things"

Aptitude tests and 'W'

I recall being in grade school and taking exams called the Stanford Achievement Tests. The questions were varied and some have stayed with me through the years as with other exams I took in high school and college. One of the kinds of questions designed to measure some sort of logic or aptitude was of this type -- 'A is to C as B is to D'.

We have enjoyed the recent discovery of Pink Panther movies by our grandson J. He is 11 and the humor of those wonderful movies spans the years between him and his grandparents.

I concluded, (based upon the wisdom gained in elementary school), that Inspector Clouseau is to police work as George W. Bush is to ______. (Fill in the blank)
A. The Presidency of the United States
B. World Peace
C. The environment
D. All of the above.

Is there is anything any better...

...I want to know. This AM after riding with RA to our office and back, she on the trike and me on the Stout, (and it was good again), we sat outside in the cool morning air having a pleasant Sunday AM visit. While sitting on the patio I saw a nectarine drop from the tree. I searched through the branches and found several perfect fruit. They are so juicy you have to lean over a sink to eat them or stay outside. They were cool because of autumn nights. They are so sweet.

I am accepting nominations from anyone who can claim they have anything equivalent to our tree ripened and nighttime cooled nectarines. Come by and we will share a couple with you, but don't ask for a bucket.