This is a double post. I wrote the first the day we arrived, but did not have a chance to post it. Thanks so much (in advance) for taking the time to read!
August 12, 2026 — We made it!
And we’re off!
I write these words from the guest house that will serve as our home for the next month in Lima, Peru. Yesterday, August 11, we completed a few last-minute tasks, finished packing, made sure our bags were under the required weight, and drove to the airport. After some confusion at the front desk which almost resulted in a rescheduled trip, two flight delays, and one hour taxying around ATL airport, we arrived in Lima along with most of our bags (the rest have since arrived)!
As Adriana and I talked throughout the trip, making sure we got through every checkpoint, it kept hitting us that each delay made the trip more doable. The delay in Grand Rapids gave the front desk people enough time to figure out how to resolve the confusion (it took over an hour). We could not wait to get off the plane in ATL, but once we did, our wait was quite short for the next flight. The Lord was with us!
As we close a long and beautiful season in the US, many emotions fill our hearts. Leaving friends and family hurts! Beginning a new life excites us. Driving down the streets of Grand Rapids for the last time fills us with nostalgia.
Perhaps more than anything else, we are thankful!
- Thanks, family! You have loved us well! These last two years living close have been a true treasure. We will miss you!
- Thanks, friends! You made leaving Grand Rapids hard! The pain reminds us of all the sweet time that we enjoyed together.
- Thanks, Redemption City Church! You have been a family, a source of encouragement, a home.
- Thanks, supporting churches and individual supporters! Your support and investment in us and in our ministry means so much. We feel honored and humbled to count you as brothers and sisters and teammates. We could not be here without you! We feel God’s love and care through your sacrificial gifts.
- Thank you, Lord! You have provided above and beyond in countless ways such that we are full of joy and love!
August 25, 2026 — Two weeks in…
Today marks two weeks since we departed from Grand Rapids for Lima, Peru. The time has flown… and at times crawled. We’ve been busy working on the logistics of beginning life in a new place—getting phone lines, setting up banking, looking for a more permanent abode, looking for a car.
We’ve also spent time with family and friends. Adriana’s Dad had a birthday in early August. He was on a work trip by himself…not the best birthday celebration. So, this Saturday we celebrated with him in person. What an awesome privilege that we haven’t had the past 13 years.
Our first Sunday in Lima, we attended Esperanza Viva Evangelical Free Church. Adriana and I began serving at this church when it was a church plant about 21 years ago. We were teenagers. We also attended and served there for several years after we got married. We enjoyed reconnecting with many friends!
The kids are enjoying themselves and doing well overall. They love spending time with their tías, prima, and abuelos. They like going to the market and are dying to go on a bus.
This period of transition has many joys and frustrations. I’m anxious to start work, and I have a couple of meetings this week. At the same time, our family needs to settle in and find a bit of stability. This will remain the priority for the next few weeks.
Looking ahead:
- Adriana will begin homeschooling the kids sometime in September. She will continue to do so through at least the end of 2026. The Peruvian academic year begins in March, and the current plan is for the kids to begin attending school in 2027.
- I begin teaching in the second half of September. My first course will be on the poetical books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Songs).
Please pray:
- For health. Everyone has gotten sick with stomach issues except me. Thankfully none of the illnesses have been too serious.
- For patience and wisdom as we make many big decisions.
- For a home and a car.
- For wisdom and guidance as we look for a church home.
- Please give thanks for the Lord’s provision.
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Thanks so much for the detailed update with pictures! I have been thinking of your family so often and have prayed for you each time.
Both Jim and I are so glad that we got to meet your entire family prior to you leaving.
We are continuing to pray for you as you adjust and find a new normal. So sweet that you have family and friends nearby in Lima, too.
Paula Kramer
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