While checking out this hotel for my mom's visit in January, I had a funny encounter with a Peruvian guy. He was showing me around the hotel and asking me what I did here. When I explained that I was a missionary, he asked if I were Jesuit. I said I was a Protestant (rather rare here). A little while later, he looked at me furtively and whispered (in Spanish), "Do you believe in God?" Why yes I do! Then, again barely audibly, "Which God do you believe in?" I was baffled. It was surprising, funny, sweet, and strange at the same time.

I told the story to my host family yesterday to get their input. They suggested that maybe he was trying to discern whether I was Mormon or Jehovah's Witness. And as far as the whispering goes, he could have been embarrassed to be discussing faith matters. The macho culture here takes some interesting turns.

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