Student Mentoring

One thing we have really enjoyed about being here is spending time with students. We began student ministry helping with an English class offered to a group of medical students. Another American doctor and his wife that we LOVE (Nathan and Audrey) invited us last fall to help out with their Medical English Night Class at their house.  There we met some of our "favorites"... Willy and Maria. Both are in their first year of medical school, but because their medical school is linked to their undergraduate (pre-med), they are like our college freshmen. They live at home, and attend the medical school nearby. Nathan attended class with these students to learn medical Spanish and has "adopted" the students for his time in school.

Both Willy and Maria are smart, fun and quite good at speaking English. "Spanglish" describes our weekly lunch conversations as we jump back and forth between languages, correcting each other from time to time.

Willy is like "mini-Lee." He loves World War II and strategy games. It's actually a bit scary. So they have a good time together with that in common.

Maria is very bright and motivated. She recently opted to compete in an English speech competition, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, to win a trip to the US! Lee and I helped her practice. I have not heard the result, but hopefully she will win and be able to visit the US. Amelia and I were able to go to her competition in downtown Cusco.

Maria and her little brother with us after her speech.

Willy and Maria were able to participate in a week long internship at La Fuente Clinic (where Lee works).  They very much enjoyed this opportunity!

Maria and Willy view a suture procedure.

Willy and Maria are on the left side of the picture.

Since we returned in January, we have been leading another group of medical students from a different university. Other friends (David and Brooke) who normally host a weekly lunch meeting, went home for a short stint and asked us to lead during their weekly student lunch. We began attending this lunch in the fall and got to know these students. We have enjoyed this time, but are sad that since they are on summer break, they have been scattered about during the lunch hour. Lee has shared a short message in Spanish during the lunch. Many of the guys in this group also lift weights with David on a regular basis. Their "reward" (other than abs of steel) is a trip to the beach at the end of February. Lee will also be going on this bodybuilder beach trip...I wonder if they will be able to tell he hasn't been lifting with them weekly? I mean, other than carrying 30 lb Amelia up four flights of stairs daily! :)