micah

My Brother's in the House

My brother Les arrived yesterday and had dinner with my group last night before everyone left. I was glad that he was able to meet the people I've been working with for the past 2 weeks.

Today we woke up and went for a walk alone the waterfront here in Lima. There are several parks along the path, one of which is called "Love Park." There is a big statue of 2 people kissing and the benches are colorfully decorated with love sayings and quotes in Spanish. The park overlooks the ocean and is quite beautiful.
We then walked to a huge, modern outdoor mall that also overlooks the water. The mall (and a lot of Lima) is very Americanized. They have some upscale shops, a Starbucks (of course I had to have a latte) and a Hooters! .For lunch, we had ceviche (a really good Peruvian dish of raw fish cooked by the citrus of lime juice) in a restaurant overlooking the water.

Early Monday morning we are flying to Cuzco to start the next part of our adventure. We will be spending 8 days traveling around the central and southern parts of Peru.

Last Day Volunteering

Today was our last day at the PPA, and tonight we will have our final dinner together as a volunteer team. I am sad to see the time end, yet I have to admit, I am pretty much exhausted.
It has been a tremendous experience getting to know the children here, yet like all children, they require a lot of work and energy. I have become to realize that although the children here are extremely well taken care of by the the kind people of the PPA, all of the children are in desperate need of individual care and attention. Like all children, they long for someone to pick them up when they are crying, give them a hug, and sing to them. They all need someone to notice them when they play, laugh, cry, and exclaim with pride when they take their first steps. Although the incredible people at the PPA do a better job than anyone could ever expect at fulfilling all of these needs, there are just too many children for them to be able to do it perfectly. I feel honored to have been able to gain a glimpse at how they attempt to do it at all.


I am especially thankful for our spirited and energetic team leader, Mili, who we were fortunate to have with us during our entire stay here in Peru. Mili was beyond great- she made sure that we gained a real sense of what Peru is all about. She took us to a different restaurant every night for dinner- working long hours just to do so. She made the time here very special.

My Wonderful Group

Well, I have no posts for the past 2 days because I've been sick. I think I must have eaten something that didn't agree with me, but who knows. Could have been a random stomach flu. Anyway, the wonderful people in my group took great care of me. Any Jewish Grandma would be proud. My volunteer group is full of amazing people, each bringing their own remarkable view of the world and interesting personality into the mix. I feel privleged and honored to have met them all and am grateful that I had the opportunity to share the past few weeks with them.

Aquaducts and Pottery

We spent most of the day in Nasca. We toured the ancient aquaducts, which were pretty amazing.
The ancient people of Nasca were able to construct huge underground tunnels to successfully clean their water. They are still in use today.

We then went to a pottery studio, where we watched an artist make a piece by hand.
We saw the kiln that has been used for generations, as well as the handmade paint that is created by crushing different minerals and adding water.
The local artists don't use a potter's wheel, but rather a mold and then they form the smooth sides by hand using only a smooth cloth. It was very interesting to see him work step by step through the process.


On the drive back to Lima, we passed thousands of "shacks" that are people's homes in the desert. The homes are literally made out of nothing but mats sewn together. It was very sad and disturbing to again see the huge amount of poverty that exists throughout Peru. It was hard to imagine that people actually live this way, and makes me appreciate all the more what I have.

Nasca Lines

We arrived in Nasca in the late afternoon. We checked into our hotel and then went to a small airport to take a plane over the Nasca Lines. The Nasca Lines are huge lines in the sand that are believed to have been created by ancient people. The lines were not discovered until someone flew over them with a plane and saw them for the first time. It is impossible to see the figures, except from the air, so no one is sure how the ancient people created these huge figures in the sand.
The lines are in the shapes of such things as a monkey, dog, man, fertility symbol,and many others (there are about 20 I think). My pictures don't show the lines very well, as it was difficult to photograph them from our plane. If you click on the picture, it will enlarge and you may be able to see the man in the side of the mountain.

Yes, I was terrified to fly in such a small plane and the pilot kept turning the plane on it's side so we could get a better view of the Lines. I was really ready to get out of the plane after the 45 minute flight!!

Off to Nasca

We had a free weekend, so my new friend Diane and I decided to take a guided trip to Nasca. We left early Saturday morning (4am) and stopped in a city called Paracas on the way. From there, we went on a boat to the Balletas islands.

The boat trip was wonderful, and along the way we were joined by a group of dolphins who swam alongside our boat.
The islands are not inhabited by people, but are a wildlife sanctuary to many types of animals.
We saw thousands of sea lions, birds and, tiny penguins. The rock formations of the islands are amazing.
If you look closely in this picture, you can see the outline of an old woman's profile.

Playing, Feeding, and Diapers

This morning I was assigned to work with the youngest children at the PPA. They are kept in what are called "Boxes" but they aren't really boxes, just large play areas for each group. The smallest kids are in Box 1, and as they get older, they move to Box 2, then 3 and so on...


I was assigned to Boxes 1 and 2. At one point, I was left alone with 9 children, ages 10 months to 18 months for about 2 hours. They were so adorable, and I just kind of managed them by keeping them from crying and hitting and biting each other. After playtime, I was joined by several caregivers and we fed the children. It is amazing how much these kids eat! The philosophy appears to be that the children all have to eat what is provided. The 18 month olds do not feed themselves, they are spoon fed- first a mixture of rice, chicken, and some sort of sauce, then soup, then juice. It takes a while, but the children are required to eat everything. Luckily, I was assigned to the 2 best eaters for lunch. None of the children are overweight, and I think it is because the food is homemade and all healthy.

In the evening, a group of us decided that we wanted to try to attend synogogue. Out of the 9 of us in our group, 5 of us are Jewish. Our team leader was nice enough to find a synogogue for us to attend. This was easier said than done, because security is extremely tight for Jews here in Lima. The synogogue did not want to give out any information about their location, so our team leader had to fax over copies of our passports. When we arrived, the guard at the gate wouldn't let anyone in who wasn't Jewish. We were very upset about this, but our team leader explained that it was only for security reasons. The guard looked at the last names on our passports to determine who was Jewish. One woman who didn't have a Jewish last name said the "shema" for entry.

The service was nice and there were about 150 people there. Afterwards, we spoke with the rabbi and his wife. They were very kind and went outside to apologize to our friends who were not able to come inside. The rabbi told us that there are 2800 hundred Jews in Lima. They have 3 synogogues- 2 orthodox (sephardic and ashkenazic), and 1 conservative. The rabbi told us that there isn't a lot of anti-semitism in Peru, but that they are very fearful of Arab attacks.

Valentine's Day

This morning we went to the PPA and discovered that there was a special event planned for the morning. The couple from Belgium adopting a child was going to be leaving with the child, and a party was planned to celebrate. The couple has been visiting with the 10 month old child for the past week, bonding and getting to know him. The Sisters (nuns) rounded up all of the little kids, ages 10 months to 2 yrs, and there was music, cake, and sweets provided by the adoptive family. It was nice to see that the caregivers, who had taken care of this little boy for his entire life, had a chance to say goodbye and celebrate his future. It was a happy event and I feel fortunate to have observed this part of adoption process transpire in another country. Although the adoptive couple does not speak English, I could definitely see that the little boy has become bonded to them. Adoptions only happen at the PPA a few times a year, so it was very lucky (or meant to be) that I witnessed this event.

In the afternoon, there was a Valentine's Day Party for the children. All of the children were brought to a big "rec" room that was decorated with balloons and streamers.

There was music playing, snacks, candy, and juice for the kids. The Sisters asked us to please dance with the kids, and we honored that request! We danced and danced, even though it became really hot in the room with all of the kids. Everyone in my group got into it, and we all had a great time. At one point, a little girl came over and put her arms out for me to carry her around.
I held her for a while, and I just may be taking this one home in my suitcase, she is so cute!!


Here is a picture of some of the older girls and the "abuelitas" (grandmothers) in my group. The older girls were really excited to see the "abuelitas", as they have become very attached to them during our trip.



In the evening, we had the opportunity to go to a restaurant where there was a wonderful Peruvian buffet and a live dance performance.


The food was amazing (Peruvian food is absolutely delicious!) and the traditional dances performed were wonderful.

All in all this was a great day, but very exhausting. I think I am partied out for now!!

A Difficult Day

Today we went with the PPA social worker to visit one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Peru. Most of the children at the PPA come from neighborhoods like these. There are over 1 million Peruvians living in extreme poverty in areas just outside the main city.
The conditions are horrible and most people have no running water, plumbing, or electricity.


Our group was able to go with the social worker to do some home visits. A 11 year old boy named Alex (the boy on the right) also went with us because he needed to show the social worker where he lived, as there are no addresses in these areas. Alex was a very nice, polite boy and he sat next to me in the van. He has a brother who continues to live with his grandmother at home. This is typical because in most cases all children from a family cannot go to the PPA to live. There simply isn´t room. Sometimes the parents must chose which child goes to the PPA to have a better life. Kind of like "Sophie's Choice."

I cannot accurately explain how many of these homes there were in the hills. Literally thousands.


What struck me most about visiting the neighborhood was how gracious and happy the people were to have us in their homes. They are very kind to the social worker because they are thankful that their children can go live at the PPA and have better conditions in which to live. It felt very strange to be going around taking pictures of these homes, but the social worker explained that us taking pictures made the people feel honored.


Alex´s grandmother was very kind and was happy when I offered to take her picture. She showed us Alex´s home, which is basically a shack on a hill. This is a picture of the social worker viewing the home (the blue building). The social worker explained that she will then write this information in her report to justify why Alex is at the PPA.

We went to 2 different homes and walked around the neighborhood. It was difficult for me to understand how the social worker decides who goes to the PPA and who doesn´t, because there are thousands and thousands of shacks and hovels where people live and children who need help.
It was so upsetting to see the extreme poverty and these many neighborhoods are why Peru is still considered a third world country.

We visited the equivalent of a "soup kitchen" where volunteers from the neighborhood serve 70 meals a day. The volunteers also have very little money, but want to help. The meals are not free and cost 1 sole (about 30 cents I think) per person, which is a lot for these people. The meal is basically a soup and each family must bring their own container or it is put in a plastic bag for them to take home. It was definitely one of the saddest things I have ever seen in my life. A group of us gave the volunteer 100 soles, which is not a lot but will feed 100 families. They were very grateful for the donation.

In the afternoon we went back to the PPA and I again worked with the 3 year olds. My favorite part of the day was when a little boy asked me to push him on the swings "a la luna" which means "to the moon."

Getting to Know the Children

This morning we had breakfast and headed over to the PPA. I was assigned to 7 two year olds, who were incredibly cute. I then helped with art and music, led by a group of psychology interns. At lunch I tried Coca Tea for the 1st time.
It is made from the coca leaf here in Peru, which is supposed to be very good for you and tastes somewhat like green tea.


In the afternoon, a special celebration was held for the head of the Ministry of Women, who was visiting the PPA. The children had a parade and there were a lot of press people taking photos.
The children played games of soccer and put on a kind of a "show" for the Minister (who is a woman).




All of the children dressed up in costumes. Apparently, little girls all over the world enjoy dressing up as princesses, fairies, and even Snow White.



I continue to be humbled by the kindness of the people who care for the children here. They appear to treat each child with kindness, caring, and respect, and have a type of genuine compassion that I have never seen in our foster care system in the U.S.

1st Day Volunteering

The PPA Campus

Today was our first day at the PPA. We first met with the Director and main staff, who welcomed us and explained their program. There are currently about 180 children at the PPA, ages 0 to 17. There are currently fewer children at the PPA because it is the summer here, and many kids go home to live with their parents during the summer break. Children are placed at the PPA by their biological parents or social workers, who have to apply and have the children accepted by the PPA. The application process includes a psychological evaluation and medical exam, so the children at the PPA do not have many identified disabilities. Those children go to other facilities in Lima.

We had a tour of the campus, and I was surprised at how nice the facility is. It is huge and the buildings for the children are very spacious and clean. The children were very excited to see us, especially the 4 and 5 year old girls, who all ran up to us and wanted to introduce themselves (and wear my sunglasses).
The Main Building


We had lunch together as a team and then I worked with the 3 year olds in the afternoon (35 of them!) I was amazed by how well behaved the children are, and how well they listen and respect their caregivers. I was assigned to work with Albertina, a woman who has been working with the 3 yr olds at the PPA for the past 12 years. The children are all adorable and the main Spanish phrase I needed to know was "empujeme" which means "push me" on the swings. I am looking forward to going back tomorrow to be with the children again, but I am exhausted from my afternoon with the kids.

Meeting the Group & City Tour

This morning, the 9 of us met as a group for the first time. Our group consists of people of all different backgrounds. 6 are retirees. The other 3 of us are in our 30's/40's. We have a dentist, 2 pharmacists, a retired teacher, retired health care workers, and a couple who are retired retail shop owners. Everyone seems to bring their own style and personality to the group.

In my group, no one speaks Spanish, making me the best Spanish speaker with my kindergarten comprehension level (which is kinda scary). I am going to try to absorb as much of the language as I can while I'm here.


I will be starting work at the PPA tomorrow. I have been assigned to work with the infants (children under 2) in the morning and the 3 year olds in the afternoon. I am really looking forward to working with these age groups. Other work projects include supervising sibling visitations and helping with kids' physical therapy. I will tell you more about these assignments later this week.


Today we also went on a city tour of Lima and visited St. Francis' Church, which was beautiful. There are many colorful, extremely beautiful buildings in downtown Lima. .