Author - Mark Cote

Favorite food and drink?

“Lomo Saltado, Kola Escocesa (local red soda), Chicha Morada (purple corn drink).”

A special memory so far?

“Singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in several languages with our friends at the language school whenever anyone has a birthday; being the daughter of a choir director and now going to choir practice only in Spanish – and being part of a fun alto section! On a serious note, walking by a little boy everyday for two months who seemed scared and was selling candy by himself on the pedestrian bridge and trying to show him that someone cares even though my vocabulary was limited.” Read More

This past Sunday, we joined with two families we have studied with (one from Germany and one from Sweden) in our language school on an outing to the zoo in Arequipa, Peru. It was a a wet day, and not just because it was raining (read to the end of this post)!

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Our last post featured a video of our family’s playful plunge into a pool as a reminder of the “play” that characterizes God’s children in His redemptive mission.  This is a photo of Jacob with a bandaged chin, which he cut his very next time down the slide. Both our plunge and Jacob’s mishap occurred moments apart several months ago, and they symbolically remind us that serving in God’s kingdom is simultaneously playful and painful.

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After traveling to the states for a special family wedding and extending our stay through Christmas, we have returned to Peru with one-way tickets to take a deeper dive into our language studies and life here in Arequipa, Peru, before moving to Pucallpa in April. The short video below captures our family at play on a Peruvian red and white water slide, which like wisdom playing before God in His creation in Proverbs 8:30-31 (where “rejoicing” can be translated “playing”), symbolizes life in the mission of God in His new creation. Thank you for joining with us in the playground of His new creation mission which has made what is broken and dying whole and new through the death and resurrection of Jesus!

DSCF2439 from Mark Cote on Vimeo.

Remember our first “family plunge” video? View it here.

As you enjoy these pictures from our first few months in Peru, may our smiles speak of the thankfulness in our hearts for your friendship and encouragement as you have joined with us in this journey. Even more, may we all reflect the countenance of Christmas in gratitude for our Lord and Savior – the firstborn of the New Creation –  Jesus.

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On this eve of Thanksgiving, from the conversation around our dinner table to once again hearing Linus’ reflections at Charlie Brown’s table of friends, I (Mark) found my thoughts trailing back to the realities of the first Thanksgiving feast. In taking a break from peeling a big pile of one of the 500+ varieties of potatoes in Peru, I would like to share some of these thoughts in this space with the hope that we all might be “moved.” Read More

Favorite food and drink?

“Inca Cola and those noodles at that restaurant in Lima. I love the noodles at El Pilon.”

A special memory so far?

“Playing with my friends and loving all the people in Peru and loving the policemans .” Read More

Favorite food and drink in Arequipa?

“My favorite food and drink are whipped cream and Guarana.”

A special memory so far?

“My favorite thing to do is play soccer with Peruvian kids.” Read More

Favorite food and drink in Arequipa?

“My favorite food and drink are pizza and Guarana.”

A special memory so far?

“A very good memory is visiting another family. They are our friends. I like playing on their swing set.” Read More

Seven years ago this morning, our day began in Isaiah 41:8-10 (click here and scroll down to read). Little did we know how this particular Servant Song in Isaiah would characterize our own lives going forward–chosen as His servant and helped, strengthened, and upheld by “His righteous right hand,” or in Spanish, “mi diestra victoriosa.” Within hours after reading this passage, we sat in an ultrasound room as a doctor of man turned to us and declared our baby to have a terminal defect that was incompatible with life. Yet God had already spoken over this child–“His beautiful servant.” How? Read More