MacGyver

After living here 7 months, I think I have earned the right to be cast on at least 2 shows - Iron Chef and MacGyver. The other missionaries have nominated me for Iron Chef. I cook at the end of the week when the food supply is the lowest in the fridge and I tend to work with whatever food we’ve got. Everyone seems to enjoy it. As of today, I have cast myself on a second show - MacGyver.

I returned home from hospice Saturday afternoon to an empty house. The toilet was running and I heard the water pump engine running so I stepped outside only for a second to make sure the engine was not overheating and heard the door slam shut immediately behind me. Great. I had to kick myslef for not securing the door. I was aware of the risk. I was locked in the backyard. This has happened previously to other missionaries in the house. Of course, no one in the community was home at that time. With 2 of the girls in Trujillo, a third in Neuvo Chimote and another doing the market run for the weekend, help was at least an hour away.

I began to look at my options and I was in luck. Two high ventilating windows were not locked so I stood on the ledge and tried to see if I could somehow fit my leg through one of them but it was futile. I scanned the yard for anything and came across some electrical wire and string! The ball of string was my saving grace. I fashioned a little lasso and weighted it down with a shard of broken glass I had also found and climbed back up on the window seal to fit my arm through the upper ventilating window. On the second pass the lasso took. I couldn’t believe I had fashioned a slip knot and it worked!!! I pulled up on the string which tightened on the lever and lifted the lever to open the lower window. I was then able to climb through the lower window into the house. The luck of the Irish still prevails - even in Peru.

Via Crucis went well for Jennifer. She had put in several weeks of hard work in the parish. I was glad I could be there to show my support. My next adventure is in Lima. I go to stay with a host family and to be in daily Spanish classes and tutoring Monday through Friday. The family only lives 4 blocks from the school! Lima is like any modern city so I am sure I will experience a bit of shock.