am staying with friends who have broadband and so can send my first Peruvian posting! arrived here in Lima at midnight Thursday night having been on the go for 24 hours. never has being able to lie horizontal been so welcome. quiet day today, staying with old friends Richard & Rachel, who moved here from the UK 10 months ago. 
trying to get a sense of the culture and feel for the place – they took me to a little nursery school that they’re beginning to be involved with (they are both medical) in a nearby shanty town. eye-opening –
not least because it is perched on the side of a mountain which is susceptible to earthquakes and just happens to be being quarried. ho hum.
in the long-distance shot, the school is the pair of darker blue buildings…
but was really impressed with the school – about 15 children, many from very troubled backgrounds.
it is fascinating to be here. i’ve never been to South America, i don’t speak a word of Spanish, and i’m supposed to be giving 6 talks to pastors next week at a Langham preaching conference (follow the link in the right hand column to find out more about that – they must be mad to be sending me here). 
yet the really weird thing (yeah – what do i know after less than 24 hours?) is that i feel strangely at home. it is all very familiar after 4 years in Kampala. similar social problems and challenges – i guess poverty and deprivation are the same wherever you go. even the streets look similar – littered with rubbish and market stalls (selling everything from looseats to mobile phones via chicken nuggets on sticks and american newsmagazines). it’s more developed here than Uganda – more tarmac and streetlighting (even in parts of the shanties), dual carriageways and a dead posh airport – but it feels like the same world as Kampala – which certainly cannot be said for Marylebone!
no doubt i’ll feel very differently tomorrow. if i can, will keep things posted over the week – otherwise, will report on my return.
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mark, this is a fantastic blog! and i’m not just saying that to be nice. well, kind of. it’s been too long since we’ve last talked–i’ll send you an email shortly to catch up. hope you’re doing well.
Marko
this is great – to hear from you in SA. almost the 1st Meynell in SA I think?
amazing stuff! strong stuff! inspiring stuff!
A favourite comment from Snoopy – Charlie Brown says “Sometimes I lie in bed at night and ask WHY?” and then I hear a voice saying “WHY, WHAT??
good luck to all on the course.
luv us
Wonderful! You sound very at home already in Peru.
Great to be able to learn a bit about life in SA – particularly from your first impressions there. It’s like hearing from ‘our own correspondent’ …. photos and all. Just amazing! Excellent too to be treated to the whole new world of ‘blog-keeping’ …. Am just about to log on to your schedule with LPI. Look forward to hearing impressions of the rest of the trip.
You’ll be missed at ASLP tomorrow. By the way – did you know there is a super photo of you on the AS site, complete with face paints (with palm trees) from last Sunday at the CZone Family Lunch – on the CZone page? Great stuff.
Will try not to use up all the space in your blog…..!
P.S. The Meynells Family album is really great too. Whole thing is excellent. Well done Mark.