Report #7 - July 9, 2009

Bonjour, we are now in Paris. Our tour guide Pierre took us to the top of the Eiffel Tower and through the majestic Louvre.

 

Just Kidding, Hola, from Lima and Casa Kopling. This morning, our dear friends William and Mary left for the states. The rest of the group enjoyed a late sleep and then boarded the bus to meet with Conrado, the Executive Director of Joining Hands. He gave us a long, passionate talk on the environment and contemporary issues in Peru. He spoke and showed videos regarding the effects of global warming on the Peruvian water supply and subsequently the Peruvians themselves. We were all moved by how the issues affected the lives of the people we met in Huancavelica and also many other Peruvians. After enjoying some tea, it seemed as though everyone was ready for lunch. This was not the case, though, as one of our members was so intimately connected to the discussion that she had to ask how Peru's ecological vulnerability affects the rest of the world. We are not going to name the person who asked a question that created a fifteen minute long soliloquy answer...seriously (Carol). There, we also met Alexandra Buck, one of our mission partners, who translated for us.

 

We eventually proceeded to lunch, where we enjoyed a buffet of traditional Peruvian dishes. As Pastor Amy Miracle says, "The buffet rocked." There were dishes ranging from pig feet to cow heart (along with fresh seafood), which meant that there was something for everyone! Discussions were friendly, with language barriers being ripped down by the second.

 

From there, we headed to Lomas de Caraballyo, a district of extreme poverty north of Lima. This is where YAV Michael Sinklier (A former parishioner of Amy's) works with his host Father Nelson to help the youth of the neighboring area. The group is called JESHENI, a Spanish acronym that roughly translates to "together we will be forever." The youth congregate in a small building in a neighborhood ravaged by poverty, crime, and illegally displaced trash (Very toxic). After walking throughout Lomas, the JESHENI invited us back to their hangout, where we enjoyed dancing, singing, and the Backstreet Boys. Later on, our group went upstairs to participate in a radio broadcast (Michael has helped the youth set up a local station, that they utilize within a limited range), where Evan, Sally, Rebecca, and Amy were interviewed for 20,000 listeners to hear. The questions ranged from the easy, such as, "What do you do in your free time?" to the tougher: "How do Americans deal with struggle?" to the utterly ridiculous: "Compare the boys in the U.S. to the Peruvian ones." We will not name who assured the masses that American girls do actually enjoy boys, but just ask Willy Hauser's sister when we get back.

 

Overall, the youth inspired us with their determination through the harsh poverty that is reality in their everyday lives. It was also a reminder to many that we should be grateful for all that we have back in the States.

 

Our day ended with some Pizza Hut and excitement for our three o'clock wake up tomorrow morning.

 

Bon soir,

Desde Peru, Con Amor

Peru Crew V

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