Avery Christmas 2008

Avery Family Gathering: Thanksgiving and Christmas

As is family tradition, the Avery's have their Christmas celebration together during Thanksgiving weekend. This year was crazy!!!

We needed to have Christmas the evening of Black Friday. The ladies headed out at 4 a.m., finished their shopping, wrapping, and had Christmas by 7 p.m. that evening. Talk about a whirlwind weekend!

I wanted to share with you a few photos from our evening together. There is nothing like seeing Christmas through the eyes of our children. Noah got to open the first present of the night.

Do you think he liked it? Take a look at Madison's pictures. I think she got a couple things she sorta enjoyed as well.

Makayla thinks her new toy is just her size. Who would want to push her baby doll around when she could be pushed while holding her baby? I think she is on to something here.

Thanks for keeping up with the Crisps. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are now looking forward to celebrating the birth of Christ. We'll be catching up again soon.

Be blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Pilgrims and the Indians

I was able to have a Thanksgiving lunch with Noah today. The children made hats. Some where pilgrims and our little Noah was an Indian. We had yummy turkey and pumpkin pie. The pumpkin pie was Noah's favorite. I thought you might enjoy seeing our little Indian.

Christmas is just around the corner and our household is looking forward to the craziness that is black Friday. All of us get up early to join the discounted price hunt. We wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends and happy hunting to those of you joining the Friday hunt.

We'll be posting our Christmas cheer soon. Blessings, Kristi

Machu Picchu

How Majestic is His Name in All the Earth

Majestic was about the only word that I can use to describe the view at Machu Picchu.

Our group had a tour guy, Miguel, explained to us how the Incas worshiped knowledge. They were developing modern technologies to shape the rocks, but also to predict the weather and much more. Unfortunately, the Incas forgot about the One who brought them into being so that they could learn. This place was magnificent way before the Incas began building a community on this mountain.

I was reminded that our God is so wonderfully creative. I was able to enjoy His creation very much that day. Now, I am very afraid of heights so being on top of a mountain was not the easiest thing I have ever done in my life. But, comfort zones are overrated, right? Machu Picchu is definitely worth being rated one of the new seven wonders of the world. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I am blessed to have seen it.

Looking Over the City

Cristo Blanco

The white Christ seems to be a very popular figure in South America culture. Paul and I have a picture of one in Honduras as well. We drove up to the mountain to where the Christ looks over the city to shoot an interview with Edwardo and Maritza, the founds of the National Church.

The Christ is near some Inca ruins, but that was the first of many we would experience on our trip.

You can see a picture here of Nancy (in the red shirt) who wrote the interview questions and Tom Johnson our video guy.

Ann Seaney translated the interview questions for us so that Maritza and Edwardo could complete the interview.

While the interview took place many of us explored the surroundings. There were llamas just below the side of this ledge and Rachel got real close to one. Also, there were ladies walking around with llama pets and traditional dress. They would like to paid for a picture.

Lindsey, our photographer, got some great shots during our trip. We will be using these in photos in the field brochure and missionary posters.

There is something to be said about having a Christ overlooking your city. The dominant religion in Cusco is Catholic. I was able to visit a Catholic Church while on the square. They were taking communion and the church was very ornate. It is a very different service from what I am used to, a lot of singing, and a lot of crossing. We did not take any photos at the church because they asked us not to.

What exactly are you doing in Peru?

Just another day at the office...or not.

Today was filled with video shoots with David and Cathlene Strong. We are going to use their interviews in a field video. Tom Johnson is shooting the video, Nancy Shuman is conducting the interview and Rachel is subbing as a handy grip while she gains information for stories she will write.

Tracy Dubois is updating the field's web pages while we are here. Today she is working on
interesting cultural tidbits. Here is an interesting
note about Peru - they place ceramic bulls and metal crosses on their roofs to gain to ward off evil spirits and
to ask for more prosperity.

Lindsey Hawk is shooting the field's digital photography during this trip. We will use the photos for the World Gospel Mission website and for general prmotional needs.

I am updating field information, keeping you all up-to-date on our responsibilites and
responsding to e-mail requests.

Joyce Benbow is transcribing David Strong's video interview. Transcribing means she is typing out the conversation for others to use and for Tom to pull from easier in the video editing process.

Pat Sebree is not feeling so great. The altitude is really effecting her today so she is taking it easy. We are all thankful the missionaries have oxygen tanks to help ease her symptoms.

The Strong's and Ann Seaney will
be taking us to a dinner theatre and buffet tonight for dinner. We are looking forward to this cultural experience. I should be able to post some of those pictures for us tomorrow.

This afternoon we are headed to a plaza sort of like a town square to shoot video interviews with the National Church founders. Our missionaries work alongside the National Church and its pastors.

Okay, I need to update more materials so I will write more later. Enjoy and I hope you all are having a wonderful day!

The Morning View

The Best Part of Waking Up...

So, this is the view from the Daudi and Cathlene Strong's roof top. Yes, this is definately not Indiana. I woke up to the sounds of roosters this morning and thought where am I and then figured out that this is definately not home. The mountains are beautiful!

There are houses you can see for miles and miles. Buildings are very close to one another. You can see below that this is one of their neighbors do their morning hand washing.

The flights coming into the airport go right over the Strongs house. Here is a picture I took of one of the planes while I was enjoying the view.

And yet one more thing you don't see in Indiana every day. This is another neighbor. Do you see the McCall just sitting on the ladder. This is a pet and I was impressed that it did not need to be caged. Just another day in Peru! More pictures later...

Travel and Arrival

TRAVEL

This is the Ideas in Motion team leaving from Indianapolis on our way to Cusco, Peru in South America. Our flights were all thorugh the night so we actually arrive in Peru on Tuesday morning early.

There is no time change in Peru, however the altitude is much greater than home so we get tired easy. Just walking upstairs and taking a shower is a challenge.

We had a special guest at dinner this evening. In Peru they are known as cui, however you know this creature as the guinea pig. It is served in here in Peru, however we did not eat this little guy tonight, We just kept him aroung for fun. Daudi, Cathlene, and Ann are taking us to a buffet tomorrow night where we will get to taste this kind of food if we choose.

"Taste like Chicken" : )

Well, this is just the first day and we weren't here the whole day so tomorrow is jammed pack with video interviews, writing, and photography. I'll post more tomorrow. We are safe, we have all of our luggage, and we are all ready for bed.

Night all!

Peru or Bust

Peru, South America

My bags are packed and my jet plane leaves in the morning. I (Kristi) have the once and a lifetime opportunity to visit Peru. I will be taking my department to serve as a media support to this new World Gospel Mission field.

We are going to do what we do day-in and day-out, but in Peru for this small missionary team. Both David and Cathleen Strong and Ann Seaney are due to return to the states next year for Homeland Missionary Assignment so the updated ministry information will be of great help to them. The team will be in Peru for about a week and while we are there we will get to take a couple days to visit Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu, one of the 7 wonders of the world, is known for as "The Lost City of the Incas".

Pray for my team. There is 8 of us going and travel can be complicated. Pray that we will be a blessing to the missionary team and that we can tell their stories well.

I'll try to keep you updated along the journey.