Peruvian Holidays
There are two US holiday celebrations we are encountering in a new way at this time of year: Halloween and Christmas.
Halloween is popular. On October 31st, young children go from home to home or from store to store with a parent, or several children go with a few parents, saying something like "Hal-een" and holding out little orange plastic pumpkins, into which merchants or homeowners put several pieces of candy.
Most times, the children were dressed in costumes, and the most common ones this year were: Superman, Spiderman, Snow White, witches, devils, and Michael Jackson. The same costumes appeared all over our area of Lima.
Businesspeople in Peru imitate business practices of the US and Europe. Thanksgiving does not exist here, so the next merchant's holiday is Christmas, and marketing for Christmas begins about the day of Halloween, similar to the practice in the US.
We are in a desert. Therefore, people buy small artificial evergreen Christmas trees at Wong or other "supermercados" (something like Walmart). You are able to buy lights, ornaments, and so forth, all at Wong.
One of Julie's hobbies has been collecting nativity sets, but we gave up much of that when we moved to Lima. However, for her birthday in October, I bought her a ceramic nativity set in Andean motif, made in the Ayacucho area of Peru, complete with shepherd and his vicuñas.
We pray for people in Lima at these holiday times of the year, that they may find true blessings in Christ. We pray for our students, that they may pass the gift of the love of Jesus Christ to everyone they meet.
And we pray for, you. May you be blessed during the holidays.
How are we doing?
Present Ministry: We are excited about what we have been doing and what is ahead. We are seeing evidence of the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit in what we are doing, thanks to your continuing prayer and financial support.
Residency process: Hopefully, Lydia's process is nearing completion.
Prayer Requests:
• For our students in their studies.
• Seminary, parish, and diocesan ministries and finances.
• That we spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all that we do.
Blessings! – Shaw, Julie, and Lydia
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