I got back from Peru yesterday afternoon. I have not completely processed the experiences I had there, but I can relate that my heart was broken by what I saw and heard. The poor people of Chincha Alta, Chincha Baja and Tambo de Mora are still living in rubble all these months after the earthquake. Sanitation, water and other things that we take for granted are enormous challenges for them. Much of the sanitation is handled by an army of stray dogs.
We didn't build any houses. The materials never arrived. We spent the week putting in the foundation of a church and parsonage, all with hand tools alone. We bought a ton of rice and doled it out in the refugee camps and some neighborhoods. We visited people in their hovels and prayed with them. We entertained little children and bought them ice cream. We accomplished next to nothing in material terms, but we showed the people of the area that their brothers and sisters in Christ remember them and love them.
Most of our group was of Puerto Rican descent from the Bronx and well able to communicate with the people. This allowed us to speak more directly with the individuals whom we came to serve than if we were just a bunch of anglophone gringos. I admire the way they make do with what is available, how they manage to smile in the midst of so much loss.
I will probably blog about Peru exclusively for the next few days as I use this blog to help me process the experiences.
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