Another amazing Sunday Mass.

Mick invited us to Mass in one of the 'emerging' communities up one of the numerous valleys which branch out from the main valley. Most of the people in this area come on weekends and are building a second house, during the week they live back down the valley, closer to Lima. You will notice in one of the photos that the temporary buildings are wooden shacks.



We could not believe what we drove up to with Mick, the entire area was rock with small shacks dotted all around. The 'chapel' was simply some uprights covered in estera, straw stalks woven together to form a matting cover. Nevertheless, this was their area, this is where they are building their homes and in time this is where they will build their chapel - and be extremely proud of their achievement.

We waited patiently for the congregation to arrive, one man in a white shirt went up the hill with a whistle to signal for them to come. The main problem was that the local gerente, the area manager, called a working bee on the roads and if you do not attend you will be fined. There were some very embarrassed faces as we drove past the workers on the way up the valley. The gerente himself even hid behind a pile of bricks - he also should have been at Mass. The working bees are supposed to be on the Sundays when Masses are scheduled for other centers.
These two little girls arrived and just mingled with all the other people.

Mass finally began a good hour after the stated starting time and would you believe - in the long run nobody seemed to be too upset!

ANZAC in Lima.

Last night we gathered with twenty others at Fr. Peter Woodruff's house in Huandoy as part of the ANZAC remembrance. The gathering was made up of Columban priests, Columban, Josephite and Mercy sisters as well as family and friends. One of the Josephite sisters flew the flag for New Zealand, the rest of us were Aussies, and of the Aussies the vast majority were Victorian.
The fact that the Columbans organised such a get together says so much about the fact that, although thousands of kilometers from home, our memories and traditions are still strong. We are forever grateful where ever we are.
The menu was just like home - Bar-B-Q sausages and onions, bread rolls and salad, followed by pavlova, trifle, lamingtons and a wonderful fruit and pumpkin damper. Needless to say we had all the correct beverages to complement the above.
It was great fun to be in 'a back yard around the barbie' sharing all our various experiences.
The final touch was organised by Marion, individual bags of ANZAC biscuits tied with green and gold ribbons!

A reality check.

Last night as Luke and I made our way to our class, we found on the steps of the church a homeless woman. She had been standing outside the church the night before, but this time she was asleep huddled over with her old blanket around her. The night before I noticed how dirty her clothes were and how dirty she herself was. Luke and I just looked at her and walked past. One of our students said that the woman was crazy. The memory of seeing a woman dead in the middle of the road in Lima the week before, came to my mind and reminded me of the lack of dignity these people have endured and are still enduring. So, for the second night in a row, we were confronted by this image. The reality of homelessness, abandonment and exclusion. This woman was a 'nobody'. Everyone walked around her, ignoring her as if she simply wasn't there. We did too. But as I walked up the steps to class I was deeply troubled by my lack of action, so after setting up, I was compelled to decide on what course of action I would take.
When Gladys, one of our students arrived, I asked her to accompany me to the roadside kitchen and told her I intended to provide some food for this woman. Gladys ordered the food which was Caldo - soup broth with pasta and whole eggs. We then got some bread and headed back to the steps of the church. We roused this poor woman,whose age I would hazard to guess - perhaps mid to late 30 or early 40. She sat up and we gave her the food. She gathered it in hungrily as I touched her on the shoulder and told her to eat it because it would warm her and make her feel better.
She is but a drop in the ocean in this reality of ugly poverty that confronts so many in our world. These members of the human race suffer hunger, loneliness, derision, violence and rejection. Perhaps my one little act of kindness brought a moment of warmth and care into the life of this poor woman, but I guess I will never know what her reaction was. She has nobody to talk to. She is probably illiterate and anyway no one wants to communicate with her.
What was compelling me to act and draw me back? Was it the compassion of Christ? Was it just the way I am as a person? Was it the fact that I am simply another human being on this planet? Was it to placate my own conscience? Whatever it was, I thank God I responded positively and didn't just step over another human being as if she was not there. I have watched people do this and it disgusts and horrifies me. I know we can't feed and clothe every homeless person we meet, but I know that at least one homeless person ate last night and hopefully found somewhere warm to sleep. Somewhere warm and safe until the dawn of another day on the streets - begging to exist.

The sling is slung!

The sling is slung and the blogger is back! We visited Dr. Martinez yesterday at Clinica International and received a very positive report - only use the sling when travelling on local transport for the next few weeks, begin a light exercise program with Margot and report back to the good Doctor in one month. Using the sling on buses is a great idea because it seems to draw great sympathy from the locals - and an immediate offer of a seat. However, it does not seem to have much effect on the driver, you still only get the absolute minimum of time to 'adelante' and 'bajar' - get on and get off - before rapid acceleration takes place!

Tomorrow all the Aussie and Kiwi Columban priests and sisters are gathering for an ANZAC Bar-B-Q at Fr. Peter Woodruff's place at Huandoy, Marion and I made the guest list. Hopefully all the proceedings will figure in my next edition.

The blogger is winged!

After nearly a month of visits to numerous medical institutions in an around Lima we have finally reached the Holy Grail.
The journey had many highs and lows and it amazing how many Spanish medical terms I came to understand. It began with Teresa, the really helpful nurse at the Motupe Parish centre, then Margot, the wonderful physiotherapist at both the Clinica International and Motupe and on to Dr. Aldo, the Chilean doctor who visits the Motupe Parish. He advised that I see Dr. Louis Quito, the X-ray man just down the road for shoulder photos; I have already told you that story earlier in the blog. After that Dr. Aldo strongly suggested an appointment with Dr. Odilon Martinez, the ‘traumatica’ Specialist at the Clinica International, a very impressive and understanding man – and one who instilled immediate confidence in both Marion and I. He suggested a visit to the DPI Clinic, the Clinic that both takes ‘resonancia magnetica 3D’ images of your shoulder and destroys VISA and American Express cards at the same time! Back to Dr. Martinez who offers two solutions to the fact that the top of my right arm bone is touching the inside of my shoulder socket causing all sorts of problems down the arm and hand – an operation now or a series of injections and then the operation back in Australia. Obviously we opted for the former; this meant more visits to Specialists because Dr. Martinez would not operate until I got the all clear from both a nerve Specialist and a Cardiologist. I passed both; however, the first was interesting to say the least. After getting me horizontal on his couch and wiring me up to his laptop he suggested that I would feel a little ‘uncomfort’ when he counted to three. When I came down from the ceiling and Marion and Margot stopped laughing he announced that although my nerves were fine he still needed to do further ‘uncomfort’ tests. That little bit of news immediately shot my fine nerves to pieces! On departing I suggested to the good man that I would remember him for a very long time. He very quickly retorted that he bet it would not be his face that I would remember!
With green lights showing in all directions I had to report to the Clinica International at 8.00 a.m. last Tuesday for a 2.00 p.m. operation appointment with Dr. Martinez. Once again Peruvian time kicked in, we arrived on time, however, the trolley to take me to theatre was an hour and a quarter late – not good for the nerves, especially when the actual trolley seemed to be the model circa 1940 and not built for tall gringos! Off I went with feet sticking out the front. A quick glance around the theatre, all seemed fine and everybody happy and helpful. That slightly calmed the nerves, nevertheless, just before I was sent to the land of nod a very friendly Dr. Martinez did ask me with a smile on his face which shoulder was the worry! I frantically nodded to the right and immediately lost all interest in the world.
I awoke to good news, Dr. Martinez was extremely happy, all went very well, no cutting or inserting required, just the clearing away of calcification inside the shoulder joint which allowed immediate freedom of movement of the arm bone. Prognosis, I could go home the next day, have my arm in a sling for two weeks and then some physio.
But wait for it; I could not escape without the final ignominy having to occur to yours truly. Apparently it is Clinica International policy that all departing patients are escorted from their bedside to the kerbside in a wheelchair. Subsequently the miniature wheelchair arrived and the procession took off. Half way along the journey the chair decides to shed the left hand tyre so with Marion and Margot in tears, the poor, humbled patient in the chair with his knees tucked up under his chin, one security man pushing the chair and the second following up carrying the tyre we rattled along one tyre less passing many interested onlookers and finally reaching the awaiting taxi! All I can add is thank heavens nobody within the immediate vicinity had a camera to record the event!
So here I am winged for two weeks, coming completely to the understanding of how right handed I am, or was; and totally reliant on the buena enfermera Marion, the good nurse Marion.

Pedregal Alto - our special project.

Well we are on the verge of tackling a really exciting project in the area of Pedregal Alto – a high stony tract or area. When we first arrived Mick suggested we settle into the English classes before looking for a specific project. Well after quite a few visits to various outer areas of Canto Grande Marion and I decided that this was the place, it felt good, the people have nothing – yet they are a fantastic little community numbering about forty to fifty extremely poor families. They are permanent residents, not like some of the areas which consist of people trying to develop their second place of residence and hence only reside in the area on weekends.
The dream of the project is to build a solid brick building, a community centre which would be used on Saturdays or Sundays for Mass, a comedor – a dining room or lunch room - to supply meals for children during the week, a library, a secure storage area and a toilet facility. Mick pointed out to us that we should not try to envisage something fancy, all buildings up this way are either square or rectangle in shape; the locals believe it is the only way to stop them from falling down!
You may ask what about the cost? The majority of the finances for such a task are already in hand due to the extreme generosity of the two Mildura Catholic Primary Schools - Sacred Heart and St Paul’s’ - as well as a most successful Mildura fundraiser which was conducted by Maria Carrazza just prior to Christmas last year and finally other individual donations from local families and friends. Many thanks to all.
I have attached some photos of similar structures so that you get an idea of what will happen. The comedor will be managed by the local women and run on a volunteer basis. The parents would pay a nominal sum for a meal for their child or children; they may even pay for a meal for themselves, or as happens in some cases if you work in the comedor then you are supplied with a meal on that day. Most comedors in this area are open three, four or five days a week, but not on Saturdays or Sundays.
When will this all begin? Mick will speak to the people over the next few weeks and slowly sell the idea, then they need to organise themselves with regard to clearing the land in readiness for the foundations. Clearing the land is no simple task when you see how many rocks are lying around; remember the name, Pedregal Alto!
Over the next few months I will keep you informed of the progress of the project.

Pedregal Alto - in pictures.

I hasten to add that I did say that Pedregal Alto translates into a 'high stony tract'!
The actual community land can be seen in the background of the photo of Marion and Mick, overlooking the soccer field.

The pictures tell the story of this area. The people erected the small capilla just for Easter Sunday. The land is the actual sit of the future community centre.

Once again if you are able to access Google Earth then enter 'Canto Grande Lima' and follow the highway up the valley until your pointer coordinates read - 11 degrees 56' 44.44" S and 76 degrees 56' 50.80 W - you will see a large limestone quarry nearby. This is the spot for the centre, we hope!

Community centres in the valley.

The centres all take on the same basic shape and construction style - reinforced pillars on a concrete slab with brick walls. The reinforced pillars allow a second storey - in time! They are all about eigth to ten meters wide and twenty to twenty five meters deep, this allows for the gathering space, kitchen area and store room.
Some have toilet facilities if they are connected to the sewage - or have dug a sewage pit! All have water delivered by the water trucks, and this comes at a cost. Most have electricity connected.








The centres are the gathering place for Sunday Masses and community meetings. The local people have taken enormous pride in their centres and some have even developed a small library so that their children may use them as homework centres of an evening.






The comedor, or kitchen, is a vital part of the daily operation of the centres. The local women are rostered during the week to prepare and serve the midday meal, this could also mean going down into the markets very early each morning to purchase and carry back all the supplies! Families pay a nominal sum of money to either eat there or take pots of food back to their houses. The comedors are only open on week days and not all open five days a week.

No April Fool joke!

How to 'cook', not one, but two VISA cards at the same time. Simple. Make sure that you have both cards in your handbag for safe keeping just before you comfort your husband as he begins to undergo his electro-magnetic resonance treatment in one of those wretched claustrophobic tunnels. After prising Marion and her handbag off the side of the machine we discovered the next day that both cards are now null and void. We are almost too scared to try the American Express cards! Too late the AmX cards are also cooked - we found out today in Lima. Subsequent calls to a Mildura financial institution seems to have brought things under control. The moral of the story is stay well away from those electro-magnetic monsters, or leave your cards at home!