Yesterday we left Lima about 10 am for a long bus ride to Peru. It took about an hour to exit a city of 10 million! Then another 6 hours up the coast of the Pacific to the city of Chimbote, a town of about 300,000. We were pleasantly surprised with the conditions of the bus! I was expecting like rickety scary Indiana Jones bus with stray chickens clucking around:) It was a beautiful comfortable chartered bus. The volunteer coordinator for Friends of Chimbote, a 24 year old new college grad from Manchester, England, met us in Lima and has been assuring and translating for us. My college Spanish is coming in quite handy. I am so happy with all I remember and all I can understand!!!!!! I don't conjugate many of the verbs correctly but people can understand what I'm getting at:):):);)
Here are so photos from the bus trip and first arriving in Chimbote
When we arrived the Chimbotanos were so welcoming and sweet, giving lots of hugs and kisses as we got off the bus and carrying our luggage. We are staying on the actual mission grounds in dorm style rooms. (None of the Chimbotanos live at the mission, they live in the barrios, except Maruja, the head cook, and Jaime, an older mentally retarded person). We have a bed, nightstand, lamp, and locker. Here is Karna sorting through her 95+ pounds of donations!
Today we had opening prayer and breakfast. We eat all of our meals in the "Gringo room." So far we've eaten spaghetti and garlic bread, rolls, eggs bacon, fresh fruit, BBQ chicken, rice, frenchfries, a broccoli chicken stir fry and green beans. They know what gringos like to eat!!! Then we had an orientation, which was 5+ hour tour of the barrios of Chimbote with Katie, Fr Jack, and Jorge the Director of ACAF (social programs).
I am even more excited and energized after learning more today. What drew me to Father Jacks mission is looking for more than just straight charity. I passionately believe that nothing is ever free, and simply giving money away is further handicapping. Friends of Chimbote has a strict policy that donations not be given directly to Chimbotanos. The mission is to transform the lives of the poor through education. Not just classroom education... There is daycare, early childhood, school tutoring, parenting classes, marriage support, drug rehab, vocational training, job training, and the newest program is micro lending... In short, for graduates of the "programs", a loan to start a business so they can use skills to make their own income. WOW. There was cosmetology class, seeing/clothes making class, cooking/baking class, computer classes and more. Lucrative business possibility in Chimbote is the idea. Again, the testimonies of the adults in the classes so moving. And of course we visited the youth centers, and the barrios. The level of poverty was astounding. I was absolutely moved to tears. Here are the last photos of the day and hopefully I will blog more detail tomorrow. We start building homes tomorrow!!!! Oh and I can't forget we spent some time in the school this evening(they go until 6 since siesta is 1-3) and they loved our photos of Jordy and Justin and singing songs with us. Hasta mañana, buenas noches!
The classes:
Amazing pictures friend! I love hearing about charities that empower people. Keep up the great posting. I'm also impressed that you could recall college Spanish. I think I could only come up with mas cervezas? :)
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