Earlier this month, Billy and I had the opportunity to make a quick trip to Kusi, one of our homes for abandoned boys. The directors, Angel and Rosa, invited us to celebrate the graduations of 6 of their boys: 5 from elementary school (Arnold, Frank, Kevin, Martin and Mauricio) and Eloy, who graduated from high school. Since they were unable to attend the graduation party that their school hosted, Angel and Rosa decided to have a big party at home with the other Girasoles boys to celebrate their accomplishments.

Frank, Mauricio, Kevin, Eloy, Martin and Arnold

I’ve heard stories of what happens at school graduations, but had never attended one before. They are much more of an evening event compared to our high school graduations in the States. Whereas my graduation from Cranbrook lasted a maximum 2 hours, graduations here are more of a party that last all night. Wanting to make this party similar to what the boys would have experienced at their school, Rosa had a whole ceremony organized. The graduates were dressed in a (matching) shirt and tie, special graduation photos were taken, a cake was decorated, dinner was served and there was lots of dancing.

As the padrinos (godparents) for the party, Billy and I bought new Bibles as gifts for the graduates. We both were given the opportunity to share a few words- to tell them how proud we were of their accomplishments, how much we value their friendships, and most importantly, to tell them that they have a bright future and a God-given purpose for their life.

with Eloy and Martin

with Arnold and Eloy

And if we hadn’t had enough fun yet, to finish the party off, a group of friends from town joined us in an hora loca. Literally translated, the hora loca means a crazy hour, which here in Peru means a straight hour of dancing without stopping. It was so much fun to dance with the graduates and all of the Kusi boys amidst confetti being thrown, shaving cream-like snow in the air and lights flashing. By the end of the hora loca, the graduation boys were just dripping with sweat. (Lovely.)

It was a wonderful evening of sharing and celebrating. It truly is a blessing to be a part of this ministry and a part of our Girasoles boys’ lives.

The Kusi boys with the graduates

with Mauricio and Arnold during dinner

(…I have to share one last photo from the weekend. The newest boy at the home in Kusi, Socimo, arrived just a few days before Christmas. When Rosa, Billy and I were picking up a few things in town, Socimo came with us. He spent the whole afternoon holding either Billy’s or my hand, and then during dinner wanted to take a picture with me.)

Happy Graduation! is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

I’ve written about my experiences in Ica before. It is one of the properties that my group from First Presbyterian has visited every year since 2002, and it is where I most recently wrote about delivering water. Ica is located approximately 5 hours south of Lima, in the Atacama Desert – considered to be the driest desert in the world.

Wanting to do something fun with the boys for the holiday (and thanks to a generous donor), we were able to rent a bus and go with all of the boys and staff to the beach. Since the city of Ica is about 1.5 hours from the Pacific Ocean, going to the beach isn’t a frequent occurrence for the boys at the home.

Before we had even left the Ica city limits, I could hear some of the younger boys sitting behind me on the bus talking about how excited they were to go to the ocean, what they were planning on building in the sand, and wondering how cold the water was going to be. The closer we got to the coast, the more excited and anxious they got.

Upon arrival to the small beach, we piled out of the bus and walked to the water. Some of the boys immediately dropped their towels, took of their shirts and ran into the water while others sat in the sand and started to build their castles, trenches and one even dug out a mini pool.

After spending a lovely afternoon in the sun and salty water, we headed back to the house to anxiously wait the start of 2012. About 10pm, we gathered in the dining room to talk about the successes and challenges from the previous year, inspire and motivate for 2012 and enjoy a late dinner.

As the clock got closer to midnight, anticipation grew and so did the “what time is it?!” questions. To make sure we could wish each other feliz año right at midnight, an countdown clock was set and we spent the last 30 seconds of 2011 counting down (we couldn’t watch the annual special “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest”).

As soon as the clock struck twelve, the sky over Ica was lit up with colorful fireworks (I’m starting to think that with every celebration in Peru, there will be fireworks at midnight). Hearing this, the boys jumped out of their seats and ran outside to watch the colorful bursts in the dark sky. We set off our own fireworks on the soccer field, lit boxes of sparklers and distributed glow bracelets to all of the boys. They consequently spent the next few hours running around with sparklers and waving their glow bracelets in the air.

First photograph from 2012 at Girasoles Ica.

The next day, both Billy and I were greeted with a cheerful feliz año! from the boys. We spent a relaxing first day of 2012 in the sun, hanging out with the boys and even Skyping with friends in Dearborn.

Happy 2012.

New Year in Ica is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

Living in Lima means that it has been a particularly different Christmas season this year. Unlike the traditional, snowy (or at least cold) Christmas that I am used to in Michigan, this has been quite the opposite. I can truly sympathize the song, “White Christmas” (I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know…).

In Peru, people have gotten into the Christmas spirit. Houses are still decorated in white lights, which a majority of the time are flashing at ridiculous speeds and accompanied by music. Department stores are decorated in reds and greens and host weekly (if not daily) sales, trying to entice customers in their doors. A few nights ago, Billy and I went to the newly restored Teatro Municipal in downtown Lima to watch a performance of the Nutcracker. Even Starbucks has decorated their stores with red berries, evergreens and snowmen and have started preparing their line of wintery flavored drinks.

For as long as I can remember, my family has had the tradition of spending Christmas Eve at Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. We would get more or less dressed up and walk around the museum, looking at the classic Christmas decorations from the mid-1800s onward. It was also when my brother and I would sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what we wanted for Christmas (to this day, I still don’t understand how we thought that by telling Santa the day before, he would have time to fulfill our requests – ah, I guess it was part of the magic of being a child). This wasn’t just a tradition we had while Randy and I were children, to this day, we would visit the museum on Christmas Eve – just only visiting Santa once in a while!

Living about 3,700 miles away, I didn’t participate in this long standing family tradition this year. In fact, Christmas Eve was quite different in Lima. Instead of a wintery (or at least cold) day, Billy and I went to the beach in Chorrillos. Instead of sweaters, winter coats and mittens, we were wearing sandals, sunglasses and t-shirts.

Since the past month hadn’t felt very Christmas-like, in an effort to recreate at least one tradition from home, we spent a part of the evening at a candlelight service at a church in San Isidro. Very similar to the 11pm candlelight service at First Presbyterian, the night was pure lessons and carols. If I had closed my eyes, it would have felt like I was sitting in a pew in Dearborn.

During the carols, I was thinking about what my favorite Christmas carols would be. I could literally listen to Ave Maria and O Holy Night forever. The words and melodies are just beautiful – especially when sung by a classic like Frank Sinatra, or more modern-day, Josh Groban.

But if I could name just one more favorite, it would be “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” While I love the whole song, the third verse is what gives me those warm, loving chills down my spine every time I hear it.

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

There is just something wonderful about the lines, “born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth” that gets me every time. Of course we sang this as one of the carols, and like every time, I could truly feel the magic and reason for this season.

Today, after opening presents in the morning (if we were Peruvian, it would have been last night and we would have set off fireworks at midnight, but that’s a story for another time), we will continue celebrating. We’re heading out to the “suburbs” of Lima, to the town of Chaclacayo, to spend the day with the General Director of Scripture Union and his wife.

So this year, I’m incorporating new traditions into the season (I think going to the beach will be a favorite…) while remembering why we celebrate.

May you have a wonderful Christmas with friends and family, wherever you may be.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas! is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

In addition to traveling with work teams, lots of translating, scheduling teams for next year and working on the new SU website, here are a few things that I did during the past few months in the city:

- I officially became a Peruvian resident! With my carnet extranjeria I can open a bank account, travel within the country and not have to carry my US passport, and pay the “Peruvian prices” for things such as transportation and events.

- I started attending services at Camino de Vida, a church nearby where a handful of other SU staff go. Starting in January, I will be participating in their Escuela Creativa. (Photo from CDV Facebook)

- Scripture Union Peru moved into new offices in Lima, not too far from where I live. This means I have a desk and space to go work instead of covering my dining room table.

- Billy and I went on a tour of the Palacio del Gobierno (the Presidential Palace, or the Peruvian White House).

And, after the tour, we were invited to come back to watch the changing of the guards from inside the gated patio.

- Much to Billy’s delight, and thanks to Living in Peru, we discovered a simple Mexican restaurant in the hip neighborhood of Barranco. There aren’t many menu choices at the Burrito Bar, but it is amazing. (And considering it is one of 3 Mexican restaurants in a city of 9 million people, I can’t complain!)

- We celebrated the tenure of our General Director, Paul Clark, and welcomed the new General Director, Weider Hidalgo, who begins January 1. We aren’t saying goodbye to Paul; he will still continue to help train and mentor other SU staff.

- And, last but not least, I have moved into my own apartment! Sadly, Rachel, another person on the International Relations team returned home to England earlier this month, but I was able to take over her apartment. Clearly, I haven’t gotten around to putting photos in the frames or things on the walls…

I’m looking forward to another few months in Lima before the busy travel & work team season starts up again!

Lima: The City of Kings is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

A couple nights ago, I returned from spending almost the past two weeks on the road. Starting in Kawai, our property located 88km south of Lima on the Pacific Ocean, I helped a water filtration team from Tennessee install a system on the property. Kawai and I have a long history since it is the location that I visited on my first trip in 2001, and then kept returning to for the 7 years with a group from First Presbyterian. It is a beautiful piece of beach front property with lots of green grass, palm trees and wonderful people. After a few days in Kawai and another couple days in Lima, we boarded a plane to head north to Iquitos and our boys home at Puerto Alegria. The water team had an installation planned for a church in the district of Punchana (just outside Iquitos) and wanted to perform some maintenance on their system at Puerto Alegria. Since the team spoke little Spanish, and part of their program includes teaching about the importance of using clean, purified water and how to properly and effectively wash your hands, I went with them to help teach.

Working with the children a church in Punchana.

The Living Waters team with their install at Kawai.

After spending a couple weeks with the group, it was time to return home. As packed up my suitcase and boarded the plane to Lima, I couldn’t help thinking, “Why would I be so silly and want to trade places with my business traveling friends?!” They get to go to neat places and travel with work, but hey – so do I! They go to cities where they only know work colleagues, stay in impersonal hotels and just work all day. But when I travel with work, I go to work with friends, stay in their homes and not just “work” all day, but get to have fun. Lots of fun.

I get to see people like Jherry, our house father and director of the home in Puerto Alegria.

I get to spend time with people like Wixler, who I have known for many years.

And, I get to take silly photos with silly boys. (Thank you Luis for that photobomb…)

So, even though I’m not going off to the same wonderful places I dreamed of as a child, I’m going to familiar places – to where people know me and I know them; to people who greet me with open arms and to a job that is never completed.

And all of that is just fine with me.

The Business Trip is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

Focusing their efforts on the people of Peru, HBI exists to build bridges between people and services in an effort to provide the most critical needs to those living in impoverished and underserved areas.

For the past 15 years, HBI has been working in partnership with SU Peru to host free medical campaigns in underserved areas of the country – typically where one of our Girasoles homes for abandoned boys exist. They send a team of volunteers from both the United States and Peru, made up of doctors, dentists, nurses, medical students and assistants to spend 1 week putting on an intense medical and dental campaign. And, if needed, each doctor/dentist is paired with a Spanish-English translator.

This year, they came to Kusi. A part of the goal for the trip was to host a free medical and dental clinic not only on the SU property in Kusi, but to also a location in the community. We spent 2 days at an already established medical post in the small town of Musho and the final 3 days at Kusi.

I don’t think I can even begin to put the experiences from the week into words. During the 5 days of clinics, the team of 6 doctors and 2 dentists saw approximately 675 patients, and the pharmacy filled approximately 1750 prescriptions.

In an effort to minimize confusion for the patients and HBI team, the clinic process is extremely streamlined. Every patient that comes to see a doctor or dentist has a registration form filled out with vitals and a brief medical history, and then is ushered into a waiting room.

During the week, I was paired with Dr. Martin, a DO student from Portland. The majority of the people we saw had severe shoulder, back and waist pain that was caused from years of working in the fields or improperly lifting heavy items, or carrying heavy packages on their backs.

And, we were given the occasional child for a well-child exam, which were particularly fun.

Coming from high up in the mountains, we frequently encountered patients that barely spoke Spanish, but communicated in Quechua. When we had a Quechua-only patient, Dr. Martin and I relied on the help from a Quechua-Spanish speaker. Thankfully, there were a few helpers (including a few of the Girasoles boys!) that were able to help. It was quite the sight to see Dr. Martin explaining to me in English, I turn and explain in Spanish to Edwin (one of the Girasoles Quechua speakers in the green sweatshirt) and then Edwin explain in Quechua to the patient.

At the end of our second (and last) day in Musho, we were given a patient named Alejo. Alejo is 62 years old and lives in Parillentana. Not knowing all of the small towns around the area, I asked Alejo where Parillentana is located. He said, “not that far, just over that way” while pointing out the window. After more probing, he eventually said that he walked 30 minutes along dusty, unpaved roads to reach the clinic.

Thirty minutes doesn’t sound like that far of a walk, but it clearly was quite the accomplishment for Alejo. The first thing we noticed about him was that he had severe cataracts in one of his eyes, and he said that he was completely blind in the other. He moved very slowly and required the assistance of a walking stick. He also had lost 3 fingers on his right hand and walked slightly hunched over.

Not being able to fix his every need, Dr. Martin started on what he could do, and helped Alejo relax and stretch out his very tight muscles. The whole time Dr. Martin was working, Alejo was telling me about his life. He has never been married, has no children, and lives alone but a nephew lives close by. Since he has poor vision and mobility, he cannot work in the fields like everybody else and relies on the help of his nephew and family to survive.

Despite his circumstances and the evident fear and worry that he experienced from not being able to work and earn money, Alejo was very thankful. Like many of the patients, he thanked Dr. Martin and me numerous times for the help. But greater than that, Alejo was thankful for his life and the simple joys, despite his situation. I saw this thanksgiving in many of our patients, both in Musho and Kusi.

A couple days later, after Dr. Martin finished examining an older woman, she burst into tears. When she was finally able to speak, she thanked us profusely for helping her. She didn’t have money to go to the nearby, very-basic health post, and even though she wasn’t going to be cured today, she was extremely thankful that somebody talked with her, listened to her concerns, and gave her some form of help.

In some situations like this woman, through the partnerships HBI has developed over the years, we were able to provide referrals to local Peruvian doctors or medical programs. The point of the week wasn’t to drop into Musho or Kusi and provide as much free medical and dental care as possible and never return. In this particular trip, the team did see and help many patients, but the goal was to build a bridge between the patient and the medical care that already exists in the Musho and Kusi area, and even as far as Lima.

Through compassion, empowerment and collaboration (with organizations like SU Peru), Health Bridges International is making a difference in communities here in Peru.

Want to see more? More photographs from the clinics in Musho and Kusi can be found on Flickr.

For more information about the work of Health Bridges International, visit their website I am the Bridge.

Building Bridges is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

The city of Ica is located approximately 5 hours south of Lima, in the Atacama Desert. The Atacama is considered to be the driest desert in the world. There are no flies because there is nothing for them to eat. There are locations where not a single drop of rain has been recorded by humans, and dry river beds that have had no water running through them for 120,000 years. But yet, many cities and shanty-towns have been established here.

Our groups that visit Ica have the opportunity to share water in a shanty town not far outside the city of Ica, just 15 minutes from our home, in the district of La Tinguiña.

The area is characterized by low cost, unstable houses built with plywood, sheets of plastic, cardboard or any available material, but little by little, more homes made of bricks are starting to appear. They tend to be irregular structures good enough to protect from the summer sun. The homes lack clean water, sanitation, and usually electricity. Many are built on land without a permit. There are very few official roads and “house numbers” tend to be more descriptive, rather than an actual number.

I’ve made this trip dozens of times with work teams and groups from my own church. Each time, you meet different people or go a slightly different route, but the need is the same. The people in this area need clean drinking water to live.

Since there were many hands helping carry the full water buckets back to their owners, I took advantage of the opportunity to talk to some of the people that were out in the street, asking about their water needs. Many people in the area use a majority of their income just on water. In Peru, the legal minimum wage is S/. 600 monthly (or $219.62 USD a month), but I suspect that most people in this particular area are earning their income “off the books” and not necessarily earning a full S/. 600.

So how much does water cost? Once a month, the government provides free water to the people in La Tinguiña. If a family of 4 is lucky to have an above ground well or tank, this water will last about a week. The other three weeks out of the month, they have to buy their own water. Water that is being used to bathe, wash, cook and clean.

The large black tank costs about S/. 15, and lasts about a week. ($5.49 USD)

The 55-gallon drum outside of this house costs about S/. 3 to fill ($1.09 USD).

Each of these buckets or tubs cost about .50 centimos to fill (0.18 USD)

To freely provide this basic need to our neighbors in La Tinguiña, we rent a truck and fill it with water. The better part of an afternoon is spent walking through the dusty streets of La Tinguiña calling out “Agua! Agua! Necesitas agua?”

The truck rental, the driver’s time and 7000 liters of water costs S/. 100 ($36.60 USD)

But our work does not end here. While we satisfied the need of physical water, there is still the need for spiritual water. We know that God pours his spirit into us, filling us with the living, eternal water (John 4:13-14). Or, that while the physical water can run out and our tongues are parched, God does not abandon us (Isaiah 41:17). I was encouraged to hear some of the people that received our free water thanking God for the gift, and one even saying that God had answered her prayer. I pray that the others in this area will discover the living water and have the same reaction the next time.

We simply cannot survive on one or the other.

Water is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

All this week, Lima is hosting the 4th annual food fair downtown at the Parque de la Exposición. Simply calling this a food fair is not enough – it is truly an international gastronomic party. Founded 4 years ago by a famous Peruvian chef, Gastón Acurio, in Mistura has become the largest food fair in Latin America. It’s not just a festival of food – but more of a party where Peruvians and foreigners from various regions gather together to celebrate the traditional Peruvian cuisine to reaffirm the Peruvian identity and celebrate it’s cultural diversity.

Over the centuries, food has been associated with fiesta. For local holidays and festivals, such as Inti Raymi in Cusco, and San Juan in Iquitos, Christmas, Easter and family celebrations (weddings, birthdays, christenings) dishes are prepared using the traditional techniques and recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. This is the spirit that dominates Mistura.

The fair brings together farmers, producers, cooks, bakers, restaurants, cooking schools, food processing companies and everything in between. Divided into types of food and regions, three, four and five star restaurants and distributed throughout the park alongside food carts and street vendors. All of the participants have to be invited to participate, and are considered the best of the best. In addition, an area of the park is devoted to a grand market, where visitors have the opportunity to buy products directly from the farmer and sometimes, products that they would not be able to get locally.

Having a free day, Billy and I decided to take advantage of everything Mistura has to offer. We spent the better part of a day wandering around the park, sampling dishes from around the country of Peru, learning about the types of pisco and the 2,000+ types of potatoes grown here, and basically just trying as much as we possibly could. And, we even managed to run into a few famous types – Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, a presidential candidate from the recent election, the Doña Grimanesa Vargas, the queen of anticuchos (she sells them on the street corner to hundreds and hundreds of people waiting each night), and Astrid Gutsche, the famous dessert chef.

Just a few of the 2,000+ varieties of potatoes that are native to Peru.

Billy and the famous Doña Grimanesa. She sells her anticuchos on the street corner to hundreds and hundreds of people each night. They line up for hours waiting to buy her anticuchos.

Trying Doña Grimanesa’s famous anticuchos – which are made from cow heart.

Picarones, the Peruvian version of the doughnut and absolutely delicious.

One of the best dishes, donburi, which was from the Rincon Japón.

Billy and me at the end of the day.

Want to see more photos from Mistura? They are on Flickr.

Mistura 2011 is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

Last week in Puerto Alegria, while I was sitting in the maloca (gazebo) down by the river, Jacobo wandered down to join me. He was carrying a book with him that a volunteer had left a few weeks earlier, Curious George. Seeing me sitting there in a hammock, he asked me if I wanted to read the book with him. Before I had a chance to say yes, he climbed into the hammock with me and opened the book to read about the mischievous little monkey and his friend with the yellow hat.

Jacobo came to our home in Puerto Alegria in February of this year through the medical ministry SU operates here in Iquitos. His path to Puerto Alegria is by no means the typical way our boys arrive to the house, but the situation he came from is representative of many.

At the end of January, a team of medical volunteers from the United Kingdom, the Peruvian medical staff and SU staff (including Billy) were working on the medical boat, Amazon Hope 1, providing medical and dental care to villages along the rivers in the Amazon jungle.

Near the end of their 10-day tour, they arrived in the village of Cochiquinas, close to the border of Peru and Brazil. A few minutes after they had docked the boat for the evening, a man approached and asked if the doctors could take an emergency appointment.

The man boarded the large medical boat with a frail boy in his arms. He explained that the boy had been out in the fields with his grandparents while they worked harvesting crops. While they were working, he had wandered away from the little hut he stayed at to go pick a ripe papaya he could see in a nearby tree. While standing at the tree, plotting how he would reach the papaya, a snake bit him between his toes on his left foot. Over the next 24 hours, with the help from his aunts and uncles, and various neighbors, Jacobo made the long journey back from the fields to his home in Cochiquinas, and into the care of a neighbor- the same man who brought Jacobo to the boat.

Immediately, the doctors on board began to treat him. The boat carries a large supply of medicines, including anti-venom medications. They were able to give him the medication, but could not guarantee that it would work since they need to be administered within 24 hours of being bit. By this time, 36 hours had already passed.

Over the next few hours, the medical team did the only thing they could do – keep Jacobo as comfortable as possible and pray for God to take care of him. Throughout the rest of the night, they did just that.

In the morning, things were looking much better for Jacobo as he received his second round of antibiotics. He had managed to sleep throughout the night, but was nowhere in the clear. He still needed more medical treatment. Upon finding out that his grandparents were unable to leave their work in the fields to come take care of their grandson, and with no legal guardian to take care of him, Jacobo remained on the Amazon Hope 1 medical boat. When the boat returned to Iquitos, Jacobo was brought to Puerto Alegria – our home for abandoned boys outside of the city.

After Curious George had saved the day yet again, I gave Jacobo a hug and we swung in the hammock discussing the book. He had never heard of Curious George and thought it was funny that a monkey lived in a house and rode a bicycle.

Jacobo, who didn’t know his birthday, age or last name, now has the opportunity to attend school, play with the other 46 boys at the home and learn about God and His awesome powers while at Puerto Alegria. He is a walking miracle and quite a testament to what God is able to do.

Jacobo is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.

It has been quite a busy 2 weeks since I landed in Lima in the beginning of June. After a few busy days in Lima, 4 trips to the airport within 5 days, and a very fast 48-hour Lima-Kimo-Lima trip, I hit the ground running with the busy volunteer season.

Last Thursday night I met a familiar team from North Carolina and headed north to the jungle – to the city of Iquitos and our Casa Girasoles home for abandoned boys named Puerto Alegria. You might remember this is the home I spent a considerable amount of time at during the 2009 and 2010 volunteer seasons. (It is the place about 30 minutes down the river from the city, with no electricity and lots of mosquitos… sound familiar?)

It is absolutely wonderful to be back with familiar faces. I was greeted with big smiles, told stories from the past 9 months, and welcomed back into the home with open arms – both literally and figuratively. The team and I spent the week playing games, doing art projects, swinging in hammocks, swimming in the river, sanding wood and mixing cement.

As I left the North Carolina group at the Iquitos airport this morning, I look forward to adventures and memories in store with the other teams that will be joining us over the next couple months.

Puerto Alegria: Season 3 is a post from: Twelve Degrees South.