Hello there! Long time no see/ chat!
I figured it was time to retake the reins of this blog after mom started greatly exaggerating the virtue of my character (which I still think was largely due to the fact that I had just fixed an issue with her iPad).
Seriously, though, if anyone deserves to be hailed for bravery, sheer determination and thoughtfulness, it's Mom. This week had dragged us kicking and screaming out of our comfort zone and every morning we roll out if bed (me from the top bunk, mom from the bottom), say a prayer and encourage each other to start over.
Week 3 has thus far carried the distinction of being the most challenging both mentally and physically. I think for the first two weeks, we were witnessing institutional poverty-- classrooms with too many desks and not enough supplies, under stocked hospitals with bad lighting and 4 beds/ room, a hospice with a mason jar rigged suction tube and concrete floors. This week we have been working 1:1 with the social workers and subsequently are being invited into people's homes in a much more intimate way. Mom covered most of the descriptives of our home visits-- the dirt floors, plywood walls, little/ no plumbing, 3-4 kids to a mosquito net covered bed, flies, fleas, spoiled food and in at least one instance, an unplucked and decapitated chicken swarming with bugs on a countertop--but it is important to reiterate the level of poverty in this community. It is a gut wrenching and at the end of the day (and some mornings, and afternoons) tearjerking way of life, about which we know so little.
I think we've been socialized to cringe when somebody refers to a class of people as "those people" or "these people." How do "these people" live like this? "These people" will never know life any differently. "These people" are poor, degraded and will never know the luxuries the world has to offer. But I don't know that this is a wrong distinction to make. I will never be "these people." I can bear witness to the lives of "these people." I can be present and catch glimpses of myself in the lives and personalities of "these people," but I will never truly know what it means to be part of this community. To believe otherwise would be an insult to both parties. Because I will also never fully understand the resilience of "these people." I will never truly appreciate the overwhelming sense of community, devotion and yes, love, that rises out of such desperate circumstances. I will never not know that after 7 weeks, I can return to the safety and comfort of my home.
I believe forcefully in the power of community and solidarity but also understand the importance of recognizing that the work we do doesn't stop once we go home. The church is set up with a grassroots infrastructure in a way that promotes sustainability by its Peruvian employees. Maybe the manpower increases during the summer months, but we are mere cogs in the machine that is the outreach of this parish. Each month, 2000! families receive food packages. Bread and bananas are available each day in the capillas. Clothes are distributed in each village (some as far away as 45 minutes) every month. The work is continuous and important. Earlier this week when we were reevaluating our remaining time, I had to stop and remind myself that the poverty isn't going to go away simply because I leave it. It is a humbling and quite frankly depressing concept,.
At a later time we will update you on our weekend adventure, struggled home building, horrific sunburns and other goings-on at the parish, but for now I'm just grateful for the outlet to share my ramblings.
With love,
Kate
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
My Superhero: Kathleen!
If you read Monday's blog, you may have some insight into how I (Cathy) have been dealing with life in Puira. Monday was the most difficult day for me, but Tuesday morning I picked myself up by the figurative bootstraps (so thankful to have boots) and got back to work. I am struggling with the injustice of how poorly these people live compared to how many material things I want. I was excited to do a landscaping makeover of our yard and the people I've seen are struggling to feed their children.
Yesterday morning we delivered to the villages again. We first went to the mercado and purchased 3 (new!) beds, mattresses, bedding and mosquito netting. We also bought a tall plastic dresser, 2 smaller plastic dressers (1 pink, 1 blue) and a plastic table and chairs. (I was very excited thinking that we were going to the new house a group from Texas built last week. To me, it was like the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition TV show where they built and decorated a house in one week.) I was quite disappointed when we were only able to find one person home. He got one twin bed with bedding and the tall dresser and he was very appreciative, as all the people here are. I very much dislike passing all these other just as poor homes knowing how much they would appreciate any small gift. The other items were delivered this morning to the people they were purchased for.
In the afternoon, we delivered clothing. Again, because this is all so new to me, I thought we would be delivering new, nicely folded, well organized clothes to specific families. (I will explain the Family to Family program later.) We hauled out 8 nearly 100 pound bags of used, donated clothing to be distributed. By this time I knew the clothing would not be new, but I still expected it to be somewhat folded and organized by size and gender. Was I wrong! We sat with 4 other young volunteers in the back of the truck. As we entered the village, the driver honked his horn repeatedly while the 'Social Workers' yelled out continuously "la ropa esta in la capilla! la ropa esta in la capilla!" (Clothing is in the chapel!) As we wound around the village letting everyone know, we could see the women run to the chapel. By the time we arrived at the chapel, there was a long line waiting for us. Imagine my surprise when we laid out a large blue tarp on the dirt floor and literally dumped the clothes on the tarp!! Only 10 women were left in at a time. They could choose 6 items each and they had to be counted and have their arm marked with an X so they could not get back in line again. I thought this was very degrading for them, but they, again, were so thankful. I tried to spend my time holding the babies when the mothers grabbed for clothes. To me, that was more enjoyable than counting to make sure they were not trying to sneak an extra item. FYI most of the clothes were for adults. I am not sure where they get clothes for their children.
The best thing that happened during our clothing delivery (we did 2 villages yesterday) was that when I was getting out of the truck a little boy came rushing over to me yelling "Cothy! Cothy!" and gave me a big hug!! He recognized that I had been in his classroom at the school. He made my day!!
One more thing...last night at mass we celebrated the anticipation of the feast of St. John the Baptist (which, I think, means we will celebrate his actual feast tonight):)
Padre always tries to give a little synopsis in English. Yesterday he told us we should not be worshipping superheroes like Spiderman and Superman, but real people like St. John the Baptist. I just want to say that my superhero is my daughter, Kathleen! She is inspiring me everyday with her dedication to this church, its cause, the social workers, others we have met, her insistence that we do everything that is offered, her use of Spanish, the way she engages all around her in conversation and her continual good mood and positive attitude. I would not be here today if not for her. My superhero...Kathleen!
Yesterday morning we delivered to the villages again. We first went to the mercado and purchased 3 (new!) beds, mattresses, bedding and mosquito netting. We also bought a tall plastic dresser, 2 smaller plastic dressers (1 pink, 1 blue) and a plastic table and chairs. (I was very excited thinking that we were going to the new house a group from Texas built last week. To me, it was like the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition TV show where they built and decorated a house in one week.) I was quite disappointed when we were only able to find one person home. He got one twin bed with bedding and the tall dresser and he was very appreciative, as all the people here are. I very much dislike passing all these other just as poor homes knowing how much they would appreciate any small gift. The other items were delivered this morning to the people they were purchased for.
In the afternoon, we delivered clothing. Again, because this is all so new to me, I thought we would be delivering new, nicely folded, well organized clothes to specific families. (I will explain the Family to Family program later.) We hauled out 8 nearly 100 pound bags of used, donated clothing to be distributed. By this time I knew the clothing would not be new, but I still expected it to be somewhat folded and organized by size and gender. Was I wrong! We sat with 4 other young volunteers in the back of the truck. As we entered the village, the driver honked his horn repeatedly while the 'Social Workers' yelled out continuously "la ropa esta in la capilla! la ropa esta in la capilla!" (Clothing is in the chapel!) As we wound around the village letting everyone know, we could see the women run to the chapel. By the time we arrived at the chapel, there was a long line waiting for us. Imagine my surprise when we laid out a large blue tarp on the dirt floor and literally dumped the clothes on the tarp!! Only 10 women were left in at a time. They could choose 6 items each and they had to be counted and have their arm marked with an X so they could not get back in line again. I thought this was very degrading for them, but they, again, were so thankful. I tried to spend my time holding the babies when the mothers grabbed for clothes. To me, that was more enjoyable than counting to make sure they were not trying to sneak an extra item. FYI most of the clothes were for adults. I am not sure where they get clothes for their children.
The best thing that happened during our clothing delivery (we did 2 villages yesterday) was that when I was getting out of the truck a little boy came rushing over to me yelling "Cothy! Cothy!" and gave me a big hug!! He recognized that I had been in his classroom at the school. He made my day!!
One more thing...last night at mass we celebrated the anticipation of the feast of St. John the Baptist (which, I think, means we will celebrate his actual feast tonight):)
Padre always tries to give a little synopsis in English. Yesterday he told us we should not be worshipping superheroes like Spiderman and Superman, but real people like St. John the Baptist. I just want to say that my superhero is my daughter, Kathleen! She is inspiring me everyday with her dedication to this church, its cause, the social workers, others we have met, her insistence that we do everything that is offered, her use of Spanish, the way she engages all around her in conversation and her continual good mood and positive attitude. I would not be here today if not for her. My superhero...Kathleen!
Monday, June 22, 2015
Week 3: "It was the worst of times..."
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Let me start with the worst of times...
Today was the most difficult day of our trip. It started with a great morning delivering 8 mattresses and 99 (yes, 99!) heavy wool blankets to the girls home, Madre del Redentor. It is a home for young girls 11-18. It is in a very poor area of Piura but has a 10-12 foot brick wall with barbed wire on top for protection. The girls are clean, well fed, schooled and genuinely seem happy. Why they need a blanket of any kind is hard to understand as this is their winter and we sleep with fans blowing on us to keep cool. But, they were happy to get them!
Kathleen and I then spent 2 hours in the kitchen helping the three girls on lunch duty prepare lunch. It was fun as we (Kathleen, who by the way is quite fluent in Spanish) got to talk to just a few at one time. Normally when we go there, they all rush out and want to be with us (it is usually a large number of volunteers, too), but today they had to go back to class after they helped unload the truck. So, all in all, a good morning.
After lunch and siesta, Kate and I helped to deliver food in the Family to Family program. Families from the US donate $25.00 a month and their 'family' is given staples to help them feed their Peruvian families. We delivered to 15 homes and I have never seen such poverty. Nearly all had small children, one home had only 3 children, no adult home, the oldest looking around 8. They were all appreciative. The social worker with us asked them to show us (Kate and me) their homes. I am still bothered to tears when I think about how they live. There are no windows and most of the walls are made of woven bamboo. Bamboo tends to cave in and crack as it ages. Most of the floors were dirt and you had to be careful not to trip in holes or on mounds. There was no running water or toilet. Most had a burner to cook on, but one had a small fire going on the floor with a kettle on it. Many had chickens in the back end which was outside with lots of clothes hanging on lines. The chickens seemed to have free range inside the homes, too. There were flies everywhere! Few had electricity. The sun sets here around 6 so their nights are long. The children in the homes were all very solemn. One young girl carried a baby around until I took her from her. When it was time to go, I put the sleeping child in a stroller. I could not give her back to the little girl as my arms were sore and tired from holding her. There are dogs everywhere and today was the first time I was bothered by them. They must not get any traffic on their dirt roads because many dogs barked and ran along with the truck. Our little room at the parish seems like a palace and I will never again be upset by our cold water shower.
I can be strong physically, but today really challenged me emotionally and spiritually. Why do some of us have so much and these people have nothing? Please pray for God to give me the strength I need to continue.
Since I am typing through blurry eyes, I will ask Kathleen to write about our weekend. It was 'the best of times' I referred to earlier.
Today was the most difficult day of our trip. It started with a great morning delivering 8 mattresses and 99 (yes, 99!) heavy wool blankets to the girls home, Madre del Redentor. It is a home for young girls 11-18. It is in a very poor area of Piura but has a 10-12 foot brick wall with barbed wire on top for protection. The girls are clean, well fed, schooled and genuinely seem happy. Why they need a blanket of any kind is hard to understand as this is their winter and we sleep with fans blowing on us to keep cool. But, they were happy to get them!
Kathleen and I then spent 2 hours in the kitchen helping the three girls on lunch duty prepare lunch. It was fun as we (Kathleen, who by the way is quite fluent in Spanish) got to talk to just a few at one time. Normally when we go there, they all rush out and want to be with us (it is usually a large number of volunteers, too), but today they had to go back to class after they helped unload the truck. So, all in all, a good morning.
After lunch and siesta, Kate and I helped to deliver food in the Family to Family program. Families from the US donate $25.00 a month and their 'family' is given staples to help them feed their Peruvian families. We delivered to 15 homes and I have never seen such poverty. Nearly all had small children, one home had only 3 children, no adult home, the oldest looking around 8. They were all appreciative. The social worker with us asked them to show us (Kate and me) their homes. I am still bothered to tears when I think about how they live. There are no windows and most of the walls are made of woven bamboo. Bamboo tends to cave in and crack as it ages. Most of the floors were dirt and you had to be careful not to trip in holes or on mounds. There was no running water or toilet. Most had a burner to cook on, but one had a small fire going on the floor with a kettle on it. Many had chickens in the back end which was outside with lots of clothes hanging on lines. The chickens seemed to have free range inside the homes, too. There were flies everywhere! Few had electricity. The sun sets here around 6 so their nights are long. The children in the homes were all very solemn. One young girl carried a baby around until I took her from her. When it was time to go, I put the sleeping child in a stroller. I could not give her back to the little girl as my arms were sore and tired from holding her. There are dogs everywhere and today was the first time I was bothered by them. They must not get any traffic on their dirt roads because many dogs barked and ran along with the truck. Our little room at the parish seems like a palace and I will never again be upset by our cold water shower.
I can be strong physically, but today really challenged me emotionally and spiritually. Why do some of us have so much and these people have nothing? Please pray for God to give me the strength I need to continue.
Since I am typing through blurry eyes, I will ask Kathleen to write about our weekend. It was 'the best of times' I referred to earlier.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Fiestas
Much like the Peruvian culture of "siesta," Mom and I have been well oriented to the concept of "fiesta."
Approximately once a week, a fiesta is held in one of the neighboring villages. The volunteers pile into 4-6 truck beds and are escorted via police (for safety) to the outskirts. The volunteers are greeted with monstrous applause, "Bienvenidos missionarios!" signs and hugs at a parish yard that is lit by extension cords and lined with colorful balloons. Inevitably the first few rows of seats facing a makeshift stage have been saved and a show emceed by a former "America's Got Talent" star commences. Padre Joe typically shares hosting responsibilities and introduces the local children to perform traditional Peruvian dances (in costume). The dances themselves are heartfelt and wonderful. Ultimately, the dance ends when the performers drawing various audience members up to dance with them. Fast forward and all volunteers dancing. When it is time to wrap up, the emcee prompts the firing of silly string and confetti cannons (it feels like the entire parish staff joins for these late night gatherings and participates in the finale).
Some nights, I feel the magic. Sometimes I let myself get swept up in the overwhelming Peruvian hospitality, the music, the glitter falling from the sky. Literally. I see the joy in the faces of my new friends and kids who are collecting confetti pieces and noisemakers in their pockets and/or running around chasing their friends.
But most of the time I feel uncomfortable. I feel uncomfortable that a village with little to no electricity is being asked to expend their resources on a party for strangers. I feel uncomfortable that we are paraded around for fulfilling the criteria of being American and able to afford the trip. I feel uncomfortable receiving hugs and gratitude that is not deserved. I feel uncomfortable seeing the lights go out as we leave and uncomfortable knowing that the exact same events will unfold the next week with a new group of volunteers.
I realize that being truly present and witnessing one's life is one of the most powerful things that we as humans can do for one another. But this is one aspect of our experience I'm still struggling with.
Thanks for your ears/ eyes. Sweet dreams!
K
Days 6-8: Playing catch-up
Buenos dias todos nos amigos y familia.
I have been letting my mom do most of the heavy lifting on the blog as of late, and I am particularly grateful to her as I sit here scratching my brain as to what it was that we did as far back as Tuesday. It has been that kind of week!
In some ways it feels as though we have lived about a hundred lives since arriving. In others, we are still relative newbies. There is a group here from Oklahoma that runs an eye clinic every summer and have been doing so for 16 years. Other volunteers include a 40 person group from Dallas, Texas and both Marquette nursing groups, amongst others. It is not uncommon for this to be the second, third or even fourth or fifth visit for many of the volunteers. Piura, and perhaps more importantly Santisimo Sacramento, is the kind of place to which people feel a connection. We feel so truly fortunate to have met some awesome people and are already mourning the loss of a few of our favorites who left/ are leaving this week! It seems silly in that a little over one week ago we knew no one, but extreme circumstances have a way of bring people together, I think.
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| click to enlarge Madre del Buen Consejo |
On Wednesday, we walked to the local market (an experience in and of itself) and bought one week's worth of food for the orphanage Madre del Redentor. it was a fascinating experience to see Rebecca, the social worker, weave her way through hundreds of booths to find the best price for fruits, vegetables, bags of grain and yes, raw chicken (feet and all)! As Mom wrote earlier this week, Madre is a home for girls who have either lost their parents or who have been surrendered to the sisters because their parents either cannot afford to take care of them or because of a history of sexual abuse within the family. We were able to spend time with the girls (including having our hair braided- at some point, I'll post a picture of Mom's corn rows). 
Finally, yesterday, we returned to the collegio and mom and I both worked with the English teacher as she did TWO HOUR lessons with the second and third graders. Last night, we drove 40 minutes on non-existent roads to the most remote chapel under the Parroquia Santisimo Sacramento umbrella, Los Cumbieres. Electricity was scarce and chapel small, yet there was standing room only. Padre said Mass using a smartphone flashlight to read the Gospel. I am not one to wax poetic about receiving communion, but it was one of the most profound experiences and one that I hope to remember the remainder of my life. The sun had just about set and I was weaving out of mothers, children, stray dogs and new friends who spilled out of the chapel, as people sang what has become one of my favorite songs. After Mass, we walked down an unlit dirt road to a bonfire, where the church cantors sang and we roasted marshmallows. It would have been a beautiful evening if we hadn't seen the lights go our of the village as we drove away. And if it hadn't been for the lines of kids who ran out of their homes on our return trip to see who had cars. And if we hadn't returned to a pizza and ice-cream party.
This morning, as I write, I am sipping a freshly brewed coffee and enjoying the stream of sunlight through the computer room window and listening to the music of the Mass outside of our living quarters. Life is stirring all around me (still clad in my pajamas) and I think it is time to return to the land of the living. But I will leave you with a final reflection:
"And what is wrong with charity? What is wrong with charity is its personal, fickle nature: its air of the
dependence of the weak and the poor on the will and disposition of the rich and powerful. What is wrong with charity is that it is subject to the vagaries of short term funding. What is wrong with charity is that it should be a complement to, not a substitute for concerted social, economic and political committment and action for common welfare. What is wrong with charity is that personal moral agendas can be smuggled into action and remain unexposed to pubilc examination and debate." (AIDS in the 21st Century: Disease & Globalisation/ Burns & Whiteside).
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| (Picture taken off the internet) |
La paz,
Kathleen
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Just some personal observations...
I need to share what I have learned about life in Peru.
First, Piura is a desert, hence no grass whatsoever. It is brown, dry and dusty. Imagine the poorest homes that can be built on desert land and you may have a visual of what Piura looks like. Padre Joe wants to build the children a pool so they can learn to swim, but there is no water to be seen. The ocean is nearly an hour away and the families I have seen would not be able to get there. However, swimming in a pool would be such a treat for these kids.
Second, land is not for sale here. It seems to be a squatters concept. There is a lot of land out beyond the school and hospice, both owned and built by Santisimo. The new technical school is going up there now with more plans to enlarge the school, too. The parish can claim the land but must pay to have it registered in its name. There are volunteer attorneys working with local attorneys on that at this time.
Third, I have never seen such poverty. The homes in the 'villages' do not have electricity or plumbing. The homes are made of bamboo. They cost $550 and take one day to build. One US church paid to have street lights and a public bathroom put in one village. They showed a movie as a celebration and the children were more excited about turning on the lights and flushing the toilets than the movie.
Fourth, the people here are very kind, appreciative and welcoming. Although we are not encouraged to leave the parish grounds, I feel very safe.
Last, they have no sense of rules for driving. Most often they will stop at red traffic lights, rarely at stop signs and seem to play chicken when meeting other vehicles on the street. Many of the streets are not paved. The parish owns a few trucks and vans and even a suburban that are used to transport the volunteers to service sights. I thought I was a nervous passenger in the US, here I am just amazed that I have not yet seen an accident. AND, much like the Peruvians drive, they walk to communion! As soon as the distributors come down, it is like a free for all. It is just as difficult to find your way back to your pew as it was to find a distributor.
Also, the children at the school move from their classroom to a special in a massive group. I don't think they have a word for line in spanish.
Just wanted to share my observations...
Cathy
First, Piura is a desert, hence no grass whatsoever. It is brown, dry and dusty. Imagine the poorest homes that can be built on desert land and you may have a visual of what Piura looks like. Padre Joe wants to build the children a pool so they can learn to swim, but there is no water to be seen. The ocean is nearly an hour away and the families I have seen would not be able to get there. However, swimming in a pool would be such a treat for these kids.
Second, land is not for sale here. It seems to be a squatters concept. There is a lot of land out beyond the school and hospice, both owned and built by Santisimo. The new technical school is going up there now with more plans to enlarge the school, too. The parish can claim the land but must pay to have it registered in its name. There are volunteer attorneys working with local attorneys on that at this time.
Third, I have never seen such poverty. The homes in the 'villages' do not have electricity or plumbing. The homes are made of bamboo. They cost $550 and take one day to build. One US church paid to have street lights and a public bathroom put in one village. They showed a movie as a celebration and the children were more excited about turning on the lights and flushing the toilets than the movie.
Fourth, the people here are very kind, appreciative and welcoming. Although we are not encouraged to leave the parish grounds, I feel very safe.
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| Cathy in the classroom (click to enlarge) |
Also, the children at the school move from their classroom to a special in a massive group. I don't think they have a word for line in spanish.
Just wanted to share my observations...
Cathy
Day 5 Tour de Piura
Buenos Dias!
Hoy es Jueves (Thursday) and we are still writing to catch up. Since we are only a twosome, we have some flexibility in kind of doing what we want. Most people here are with a larger group that determines their daily activities. Being just a pair is both an advantage and disadvantage. The advantage is we have some freedom to choose what and where we like to go. We do not have a group leader determining our daily schedule. The disadvantage is that we are not attached to a large group who is offered tours of the church's facilities and the Peruvian health care system. But, because Kathleen is so outgoing and has a connection to Marquette, we have made friends with the Marquette nursing groups; both are extremely generous in inviting us to join them in tours, presentations, meals, mass, etc.
On Monday, we joined the new group in a tour of the hospital and nursing home.
The hospital could be used as a scene in a 1920s movie. The OB wing had a room where 4 women could be in labor at a time and the delivery room has 2 delivery beds. The mothers stay 24 hours after birth in a four bed room. They dress their newborns so warm I wanted to take off a few layers. A few of us decided that maybe they are able to tolerate this heat because they are conditioned literally from birth. Because this is such a conservative Catholic society, there are many, many births. Abortion is not legal and adoption is very uncommon. Many of the women are not married and birth control is up to the male.
Often times the men do not want to be fathers and leave after a pregnancy is known. The church, via Ceceila, a midwife, offers counseling and pre-natal care to any expectant mother. She runs a first come, first serve clinic and often has 3-4 mothers waiting at any given time.
The nursing home, on the other hand, was absolutely beautiful. It is owned and run by an order of nuns. The entryway, dining rooms, visiting rooms and gardens were shiny and spectacular. Their sleeping rooms made my dad's room at Grancare look like the TajMahal. They had 2-3 beds per room with a nightstand by each bed. I don't know where they kept their clothes. There were no personal items or pictures to be seen. Dad has pictures and personal all around him. I know I have said it before, but the people here are very non-materialistic.
In the afternoon, we went to Vida Nueva (new life) a men's home for Alcohol and Other Drug rehabilitation. The church owns and runs this. The men all introduced themselves (like at a real meeting) and a few gave testimonials. They follow a similar 12 step program to AA. They live in a primitive facility with only well water. The facility is free and they are free to leave at any time, however, once they leave they may not come back for 6 months. There are programs to help them physically, mentally and spiritually and they must perform some tasks while there. It sure sounds like there is a lot of drug and alcohol use here, starting at a young age. The success rate of the program is only 25%.
As we do most evenings, we shower before mass at 7, eat dinner at 8, then visit and share experiences with others before turning in. The large groups often have reflections and/or prayer meetings. I use the time during mass to reflect on my day as there is very little I understand, except we enjoy the music and clapping for celebrations of many kinds:)
I hope those of you who are able to find our blog are enjoying it.
Take care,
Cathy (and her amazing daughter, Kathleen)
Hoy es Jueves (Thursday) and we are still writing to catch up. Since we are only a twosome, we have some flexibility in kind of doing what we want. Most people here are with a larger group that determines their daily activities. Being just a pair is both an advantage and disadvantage. The advantage is we have some freedom to choose what and where we like to go. We do not have a group leader determining our daily schedule. The disadvantage is that we are not attached to a large group who is offered tours of the church's facilities and the Peruvian health care system. But, because Kathleen is so outgoing and has a connection to Marquette, we have made friends with the Marquette nursing groups; both are extremely generous in inviting us to join them in tours, presentations, meals, mass, etc.
The hospital could be used as a scene in a 1920s movie. The OB wing had a room where 4 women could be in labor at a time and the delivery room has 2 delivery beds. The mothers stay 24 hours after birth in a four bed room. They dress their newborns so warm I wanted to take off a few layers. A few of us decided that maybe they are able to tolerate this heat because they are conditioned literally from birth. Because this is such a conservative Catholic society, there are many, many births. Abortion is not legal and adoption is very uncommon. Many of the women are not married and birth control is up to the male.
The nursing home, on the other hand, was absolutely beautiful. It is owned and run by an order of nuns. The entryway, dining rooms, visiting rooms and gardens were shiny and spectacular. Their sleeping rooms made my dad's room at Grancare look like the TajMahal. They had 2-3 beds per room with a nightstand by each bed. I don't know where they kept their clothes. There were no personal items or pictures to be seen. Dad has pictures and personal all around him. I know I have said it before, but the people here are very non-materialistic.
As we do most evenings, we shower before mass at 7, eat dinner at 8, then visit and share experiences with others before turning in. The large groups often have reflections and/or prayer meetings. I use the time during mass to reflect on my day as there is very little I understand, except we enjoy the music and clapping for celebrations of many kinds:)
I hope those of you who are able to find our blog are enjoying it.
Take care,
Cathy (and her amazing daughter, Kathleen)
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Day 4: Lay of the land
Buenos Tardes!
It has been a few days since we have blogged so there is much to catch up on! They are keeping us quite busy, but with no meals to prepare and clean up after, no laundry, housecleaning, etc. we do have free time. I have been using mine to read, which is another luxury. Kathleen has been doing the same and we are both making new friends. First, I would like to tell you what we have done and then share some observations of what I have seen.
Sunday morning we, along with many others from the church, toured a few of the sites owned and run by Santisimo Sacramento, the parish run by Fr. Joe (or Padre Joe as he is so fondly referred to by the Peruvians). We boarded 3 very large vans and toured the school which Kathleen and I had already been to, but this time we heard Padre's visions for the future. They have already started what is similar to our technical colleges. He is excited to be providing skills that will earn the people here decent wages to support their families. They already have cosmetology, masonry and computer programs with plans to start auto mechanics, etc. It is somewhat attached to the Catholic school, The Mother of Good Counsel, which teaches 3 year old through high school, with a student population of 880. The school is in the process of adding on, including a soccer field and possibly a pool. Padre would love to be able to teach the children to swim.
We stopped at a village church which was completed just a year ago. Santisimo has 30
churches/chapels under its care. Not all have mass everyday, but they try to staff them as often as possible.
We went to 12:00 mass at San Jacinto. We were welcomed by children holding a banner and given many greetings, hugs and 'Thank yous'. We haven't done anything for them, but they are so gracious and appreciative. Father does an unbelievable job of switching from spanish to english and vice versa. He does all the readings, homily, etc in spanish but gives us a brief summary of both in english.
We headed back to our church for lunch at 1:00 (meals are at 8 AM, 1 PM and 8 PM). Later in the afternoon we went to the girls home, Madre del Redentor. This is a home for girls in middle school through high school. Many do not have parents, but many have been surrendered to the sisters because either it is unsafe for them to live with their families or they cannot afford to take care of them. Again, as we got out of the vans, they descended upon us with welcome hugs and kisses. We were individually escorted on tours where we saw their kitchen, dining area, dormitories, gathering room, chapel, etc. There are 2 dorm rooms with about 30 bunk beds each. Each bed was neatly made with a mosquito net above and one stuffed animal on the pillow. The girls seem very happy and treat each other very kindly. They sang "Halleluiah" in spanish and you would have thought they were a well trained heavenly choir! It was so beautiful, my eyes filled with tears. Later, we were entertained with Peruvian dances and pulled on stage to dance with them. Before I left, Ken told me to dance on this trip. I don't think he meant literally, but I did dance! And it was fun! After dinner, we played cards with newfound friends.
Since this is long enough and I don't want to bore you, I will save my observations for another blog.
Take care,
Cathy (and Kathleen)
It has been a few days since we have blogged so there is much to catch up on! They are keeping us quite busy, but with no meals to prepare and clean up after, no laundry, housecleaning, etc. we do have free time. I have been using mine to read, which is another luxury. Kathleen has been doing the same and we are both making new friends. First, I would like to tell you what we have done and then share some observations of what I have seen.
 |
| Santisimo Sacremento |
We stopped at a village church which was completed just a year ago. Santisimo has 30
We went to 12:00 mass at San Jacinto. We were welcomed by children holding a banner and given many greetings, hugs and 'Thank yous'. We haven't done anything for them, but they are so gracious and appreciative. Father does an unbelievable job of switching from spanish to english and vice versa. He does all the readings, homily, etc in spanish but gives us a brief summary of both in english.
We headed back to our church for lunch at 1:00 (meals are at 8 AM, 1 PM and 8 PM). Later in the afternoon we went to the girls home, Madre del Redentor. This is a home for girls in middle school through high school. Many do not have parents, but many have been surrendered to the sisters because either it is unsafe for them to live with their families or they cannot afford to take care of them. Again, as we got out of the vans, they descended upon us with welcome hugs and kisses. We were individually escorted on tours where we saw their kitchen, dining area, dormitories, gathering room, chapel, etc. There are 2 dorm rooms with about 30 bunk beds each. Each bed was neatly made with a mosquito net above and one stuffed animal on the pillow. The girls seem very happy and treat each other very kindly. They sang "Halleluiah" in spanish and you would have thought they were a well trained heavenly choir! It was so beautiful, my eyes filled with tears. Later, we were entertained with Peruvian dances and pulled on stage to dance with them. Before I left, Ken told me to dance on this trip. I don't think he meant literally, but I did dance! And it was fun! After dinner, we played cards with newfound friends.
Since this is long enough and I don't want to bore you, I will save my observations for another blog.
Take care,
Cathy (and Kathleen)
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Day 3: Our Daily Bread/Schedule
Good Morning! It seems this is the best time to write. Breakfast is usually at 8, but because today is Sunday, we will eat at 9.
This seems like a good time to tell about our schedule. We are able to sleep until 7:30 (which we never do). Breakfast is served at 8. Each meal starts with a group prayer (remember we are in a country that is 98% Catholic) and is served buffet style. The food is surprisingly, to me, very good. There is fresh fruit available at every meal along with a hot entree. The kitchen is so tiny that I thought there must be a restaurant type kitchen elsewhere. They serve nearly 70 people each meal on a four burner gas stove (it is hot here). The refrigerator is the size of a US home frig, which to them is restaurant size. A new addition is a standard size dishwasher and a small freezer. Most food is purchased daily. There is no cupboard space.
After breakfast, we gather at 9:00 to find our service for the day. So far, Kathleen and I have been to the hospice, the school and a village clinic. We return @ 12:30 and lunch is served at 1:00. At 3:00, a new place of service is assigned. We shower before mass at 7:00 and eat dinner at 8:00. Mass attendance is expected and we have an 'assigned' place to sit in church. I like that we sit together because it builds camaraderie. After dinner, we visit and/or play cards.
Rereading this, it sounds like we are at a camp:)
Yesterday, Kathleen and I joined 3 Marquette nurses at a clinic in a village. I thought the area around the church was poor until I saw the village. Before yesterday, the nurses went from home to home. Yesterday, we worked out of a small chapel. Our supplies were: the blood pressure equipment each nurse owned and small packages of tylenol and vitamins. We saw 30 patients, which is much more than if we had gone to individual homes. Each one had their blood pressure, pulse and respirations checked, was asked about their health and given 12 tylenol and 15 vitamins. They each received back, neck, leg, etc massages, too. One person was referred to the church clinic and another hopes to have some dental work done when the volunteer dentists are here in a few weeks. They are so unbelievably appreciative. They give all of us hugs as they leave with many 'Muchas gracias'. I was the recorder in case you wondering what I did without any nursing experience. I was humbled to be a part of this group.
After lunch we again joined the Marquette nurses (we are so lucky to be able to join them because most everyone here is with a large group). I have made friends with their two teacher/leaders so I am not the only old person in the group. We walked to the central market with two escorts from the church. What an experience of sights, sounds and smells that was! My senses were on overload!! Unfortunately, we lost two students and were frantically trying to find them. One of our escorts stationed us outside with the other and he went back in to look for "2 Americanas"
When we were reunited, half walked back with one 'guard' and the other went shopping with the second 'guard'. We are warned to never leave the church premises without a church employee.
We are on our way to Sunday mass at a church in one of the outer villages.
Hope you are all enjoying your summer. Heard the weather has been cool and rainy. How we wish for what we don't have!:)
Cathy
This seems like a good time to tell about our schedule. We are able to sleep until 7:30 (which we never do). Breakfast is served at 8. Each meal starts with a group prayer (remember we are in a country that is 98% Catholic) and is served buffet style. The food is surprisingly, to me, very good. There is fresh fruit available at every meal along with a hot entree. The kitchen is so tiny that I thought there must be a restaurant type kitchen elsewhere. They serve nearly 70 people each meal on a four burner gas stove (it is hot here). The refrigerator is the size of a US home frig, which to them is restaurant size. A new addition is a standard size dishwasher and a small freezer. Most food is purchased daily. There is no cupboard space.
After breakfast, we gather at 9:00 to find our service for the day. So far, Kathleen and I have been to the hospice, the school and a village clinic. We return @ 12:30 and lunch is served at 1:00. At 3:00, a new place of service is assigned. We shower before mass at 7:00 and eat dinner at 8:00. Mass attendance is expected and we have an 'assigned' place to sit in church. I like that we sit together because it builds camaraderie. After dinner, we visit and/or play cards.
Rereading this, it sounds like we are at a camp:)
Yesterday, Kathleen and I joined 3 Marquette nurses at a clinic in a village. I thought the area around the church was poor until I saw the village. Before yesterday, the nurses went from home to home. Yesterday, we worked out of a small chapel. Our supplies were: the blood pressure equipment each nurse owned and small packages of tylenol and vitamins. We saw 30 patients, which is much more than if we had gone to individual homes. Each one had their blood pressure, pulse and respirations checked, was asked about their health and given 12 tylenol and 15 vitamins. They each received back, neck, leg, etc massages, too. One person was referred to the church clinic and another hopes to have some dental work done when the volunteer dentists are here in a few weeks. They are so unbelievably appreciative. They give all of us hugs as they leave with many 'Muchas gracias'. I was the recorder in case you wondering what I did without any nursing experience. I was humbled to be a part of this group.
After lunch we again joined the Marquette nurses (we are so lucky to be able to join them because most everyone here is with a large group). I have made friends with their two teacher/leaders so I am not the only old person in the group. We walked to the central market with two escorts from the church. What an experience of sights, sounds and smells that was! My senses were on overload!! Unfortunately, we lost two students and were frantically trying to find them. One of our escorts stationed us outside with the other and he went back in to look for "2 Americanas"
When we were reunited, half walked back with one 'guard' and the other went shopping with the second 'guard'. We are warned to never leave the church premises without a church employee.
We are on our way to Sunday mass at a church in one of the outer villages.
Hope you are all enjoying your summer. Heard the weather has been cool and rainy. How we wish for what we don't have!:)
Cathy
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Day 2...la Escuela
Good Morning! I guess it is my turn to write. I am not nearly as prolific as Kathleen, but here it is...
First, let me describe our first two days here. Wednesday night, Ginet told us we were to have Thursday off to settle in, and she offered to take us on a tour of the hospice. We actually wanted to get started, so at the hospice, Kathleen gave hand and leg massages and I helped to make and serve 'jugos'. Their hospice is a very interesting place. They have 7 residents and 1 nurse who does everything, including washing their sheets and changing their beds, making and serving their meals dispensing their medication, etc.
After a long lunch, we walked into town.
Mass on Thursday evening was quite interesting. I had hoped to totally enjoy the masses and maybe in time, I will. Everything, of course, is in Spanish...all songs, readings and homily. (Last night, Fr. Joe did explain the reading and summarize his homily in English for us.) On Thursday, there must have been 25 baptisms, 2 first communions and another 25-35 confirmations. All of these were adults, which I found very interesting because the population of Peru is nearly 98% Catholic. So, how did all of these adults become adults without being baptized and/or confirmed? The congregation took this mass very seriously, the church was standing room only and the people were all dressed in their finest clothes. We participate by clapping and there is a lot of clapping! We clap to songs and to many celebrations during mass that I don't why we are celebrating.
Yesterday, Friday, Kathleen and I joined a group of 3 young women and went to the school owned by the parish. It is attached to the hospice and when we were at the hospice, we continually heard lots of noise. I couldn't imagine a place of learning being that loud. There are 800-900 (depending who you ask) students ages 3-18 attending. All classrooms open to the outside. They are made of cement...walls, ceilings, and floors. I imagine this helps to cool the rooms, along with 4 huge oscillating fans. There are 35-45 children in each classroom (no kidding). I looked at each roster posted outside the rooms and looked in many open doors. As a group of 5, we went to musica with the special ed group. This is a group of 10-12 severely needy children up to the age of 20 (they can stay in school until age 26). The music room was extremely well equipped...9 full sets of drums, numerous keyboards, guitars, etc. It is a room most music teachers would envy. That being said, however, I did not see any books in any of the 3 classrooms I was in. The walls are bare and there are no shelves to hold any materials. The teachers have a small desk to work on, and the children line the walls with their backpacks. They have wooden desks which are empty and make a lot of noise, especially when they get knocked over. I followed the English teacher to a 6 year old classroom (grade 1) and a 4th grade room. She made her own materials and carried them with her. Each classroom gets 2 hours of English each week. The 4th graders were much more fluent than the 6 year olds so it was nice seeing the progress.
Getting back to the noise issue...I am sure it is a combination of the size of the room with their 4 very loud fans and the number of children in each room, but there was no noise control. The teacher attempted, but the children did not respond. I wanted to jump in with the 'Give me 5' we used at Jackson School! I just do not know how they learn....so much noise, very hot, and no materials. It sure makes me appreciate the Green Bay Public Schools and I realize how good I, and the children of Green Bay had/have it.
Last night's mass was not quite as well attended, but considering it was a Friday night at 7:00, I was very impressed!! As I said previously, Fr. Joe talked to the volunteers in English, which was appreciated. Still lots of singing and clapping.
We have met some very nice and interesting people who are making this trip even more memorable.
I wanted to give you some of my impressions, but seeing as this is so long already, I will save those for another day! Thanks for following us!
Sent from my iPad
First, let me describe our first two days here. Wednesday night, Ginet told us we were to have Thursday off to settle in, and she offered to take us on a tour of the hospice. We actually wanted to get started, so at the hospice, Kathleen gave hand and leg massages and I helped to make and serve 'jugos'. Their hospice is a very interesting place. They have 7 residents and 1 nurse who does everything, including washing their sheets and changing their beds, making and serving their meals dispensing their medication, etc.
After a long lunch, we walked into town.
Mass on Thursday evening was quite interesting. I had hoped to totally enjoy the masses and maybe in time, I will. Everything, of course, is in Spanish...all songs, readings and homily. (Last night, Fr. Joe did explain the reading and summarize his homily in English for us.) On Thursday, there must have been 25 baptisms, 2 first communions and another 25-35 confirmations. All of these were adults, which I found very interesting because the population of Peru is nearly 98% Catholic. So, how did all of these adults become adults without being baptized and/or confirmed? The congregation took this mass very seriously, the church was standing room only and the people were all dressed in their finest clothes. We participate by clapping and there is a lot of clapping! We clap to songs and to many celebrations during mass that I don't why we are celebrating.
Yesterday, Friday, Kathleen and I joined a group of 3 young women and went to the school owned by the parish. It is attached to the hospice and when we were at the hospice, we continually heard lots of noise. I couldn't imagine a place of learning being that loud. There are 800-900 (depending who you ask) students ages 3-18 attending. All classrooms open to the outside. They are made of cement...walls, ceilings, and floors. I imagine this helps to cool the rooms, along with 4 huge oscillating fans. There are 35-45 children in each classroom (no kidding). I looked at each roster posted outside the rooms and looked in many open doors. As a group of 5, we went to musica with the special ed group. This is a group of 10-12 severely needy children up to the age of 20 (they can stay in school until age 26). The music room was extremely well equipped...9 full sets of drums, numerous keyboards, guitars, etc. It is a room most music teachers would envy. That being said, however, I did not see any books in any of the 3 classrooms I was in. The walls are bare and there are no shelves to hold any materials. The teachers have a small desk to work on, and the children line the walls with their backpacks. They have wooden desks which are empty and make a lot of noise, especially when they get knocked over. I followed the English teacher to a 6 year old classroom (grade 1) and a 4th grade room. She made her own materials and carried them with her. Each classroom gets 2 hours of English each week. The 4th graders were much more fluent than the 6 year olds so it was nice seeing the progress.
Getting back to the noise issue...I am sure it is a combination of the size of the room with their 4 very loud fans and the number of children in each room, but there was no noise control. The teacher attempted, but the children did not respond. I wanted to jump in with the 'Give me 5' we used at Jackson School! I just do not know how they learn....so much noise, very hot, and no materials. It sure makes me appreciate the Green Bay Public Schools and I realize how good I, and the children of Green Bay had/have it.
Last night's mass was not quite as well attended, but considering it was a Friday night at 7:00, I was very impressed!! As I said previously, Fr. Joe talked to the volunteers in English, which was appreciated. Still lots of singing and clapping.
We have met some very nice and interesting people who are making this trip even more memorable.
I wanted to give you some of my impressions, but seeing as this is so long already, I will save those for another day! Thanks for following us!
Sent from my iPad
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Day 1: Still no sunburn!
Greetings from la Parroquia Santisimo Sacramento!
I'm going to have to be blunt here: it's only been one day, but I'm really struggling. I have a tendency to both oversimplify grand plans and overestimate my ability (a lethal and humbling combination). My last memories of Piura and of the parish are fond--filled with friends, sunshine and good food (also, weirdly, the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett). I remember the sense of community and purpose on a grander scale and with a glossier filter than the day-to-day challenges of the work we do. I'm having a hard time trudging through the abject poverty, smells and lack of hot water that I thought would be old hat (or at least as old hat as can be expected). It's also really freaking hot, I'm withdrawing from caffeine and oh yeah, we don't know anyone here or have a strong grasp on the language. What the heck were we thinking?!
That escalated more quickly than I had planned. Sorry.
Several things at the parish have changed over the last 6 years, and since I have your rapt attention, I will share. The most profound development is perhaps the advent of wifi at the parish. The internet, as we all know, has its pros and cons.
PROS: We have been able to facetime Grandpa and Dad. We can text Erin. We are able to easily check our e-mail for family updates. We can blog!
CONS: It is harder to be present. Since I started composing this e-mail, I have checked my e-mail, watched a Huffington post video on how to cut a large round cake and scrolled through instagram photos of Johnny Weir's dogs. Twice. I'm contemplating setting some rules for myself regarding internet use. We will see how that goes. Right now it's a crutch and really how else is everyone I know going to see how much better a time I am having in life than them?
Other things that have changed include an expansion of the parish property (more gathering space and sleeping quarters) and taller trees. The former is more of an adjustment than the latter, as there are currently 70 volunteers at the parish. Mom and I are lucky enough to just have each other as roommates (bunk bed/ camp style). It's much different being here as a duo than as a group, but we are working on assimilating.
The one thing that has not changed is the incredible hospitality of the staff. From the moment we were picked-up from the airport, we have been treated with nothing but wholehearted graciousness and hugs. We've already been able to connect with 7 workers with whom I interacted last trip, and they are patient, kind and all that is right with the world. They also deal with our broken spanish, so they are saints!
Today we spent the morning working at the parish hospice- the Hospicio de Los Angelos, donated in memory of a man from Wisconsin. Having just spent so much time at St. V's, the juxtaposition of the resources of the respective medical facilities is stark. The one nurse who works there full time is responsible for the cleaning, cooking, feeding and daily cares of the patients-- two of whom remain from my time in 2009.
We had this afternoon off, and were able to do some exploring in downtown Piura. The two of us stood out like a sore thumb, but made it to supermarket and cathedral without getting too lost :) Tonight we attended Mass and had Papa Johns pizza. Really. One of the high school groups is leaving so a party was thrown for all volunteers and the girls at a local boarding school, garlic dipping sauce and all!
We feel like we've lived a hundred lives today. And right now, I really just want my mom. Luckily, she's here!
Buenas noches,
Kate
I'm going to have to be blunt here: it's only been one day, but I'm really struggling. I have a tendency to both oversimplify grand plans and overestimate my ability (a lethal and humbling combination). My last memories of Piura and of the parish are fond--filled with friends, sunshine and good food (also, weirdly, the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett). I remember the sense of community and purpose on a grander scale and with a glossier filter than the day-to-day challenges of the work we do. I'm having a hard time trudging through the abject poverty, smells and lack of hot water that I thought would be old hat (or at least as old hat as can be expected). It's also really freaking hot, I'm withdrawing from caffeine and oh yeah, we don't know anyone here or have a strong grasp on the language. What the heck were we thinking?!
That escalated more quickly than I had planned. Sorry.
Several things at the parish have changed over the last 6 years, and since I have your rapt attention, I will share. The most profound development is perhaps the advent of wifi at the parish. The internet, as we all know, has its pros and cons.
PROS: We have been able to facetime Grandpa and Dad. We can text Erin. We are able to easily check our e-mail for family updates. We can blog!
CONS: It is harder to be present. Since I started composing this e-mail, I have checked my e-mail, watched a Huffington post video on how to cut a large round cake and scrolled through instagram photos of Johnny Weir's dogs. Twice. I'm contemplating setting some rules for myself regarding internet use. We will see how that goes. Right now it's a crutch and really how else is everyone I know going to see how much better a time I am having in life than them?
Other things that have changed include an expansion of the parish property (more gathering space and sleeping quarters) and taller trees. The former is more of an adjustment than the latter, as there are currently 70 volunteers at the parish. Mom and I are lucky enough to just have each other as roommates (bunk bed/ camp style). It's much different being here as a duo than as a group, but we are working on assimilating.
The one thing that has not changed is the incredible hospitality of the staff. From the moment we were picked-up from the airport, we have been treated with nothing but wholehearted graciousness and hugs. We've already been able to connect with 7 workers with whom I interacted last trip, and they are patient, kind and all that is right with the world. They also deal with our broken spanish, so they are saints!
Today we spent the morning working at the parish hospice- the Hospicio de Los Angelos, donated in memory of a man from Wisconsin. Having just spent so much time at St. V's, the juxtaposition of the resources of the respective medical facilities is stark. The one nurse who works there full time is responsible for the cleaning, cooking, feeding and daily cares of the patients-- two of whom remain from my time in 2009.
We had this afternoon off, and were able to do some exploring in downtown Piura. The two of us stood out like a sore thumb, but made it to supermarket and cathedral without getting too lost :) Tonight we attended Mass and had Papa Johns pizza. Really. One of the high school groups is leaving so a party was thrown for all volunteers and the girls at a local boarding school, garlic dipping sauce and all!
We feel like we've lived a hundred lives today. And right now, I really just want my mom. Luckily, she's here!
Buenas noches,
Kate
Aqui! Safe and sound
Buenas noches!
Mom and I had a (mostly) uneventful trip to Piura. We were so lucky to spend last night with Erin in Chicago and hit the ground running at 4 o' clock this morning. The only potentially big/ hopefully fixable hiccup we encountered (aside from aggressive seat recliners and an incident with a bloody nose) was a mishap at immigration in Lima- you know, where mistakes are casually shrugged off! The agent stamping my passport accidentally processed my paperwork for a 30 day stay instead of 60 days. We are still unsure as to how this will be rectified, but are keeping our fingers crossed that this will not dramatically affect our travel plans.
These last 2 1/2 weeks have been a whirlwind for both of us. I left my job, accepted a new one across the country, moved out of my apartment and Grandpa was admitted to St. V's. I think both of us have been waiting for the reality of our leaving the country for a couple months to sink in. Today was truly the first time I allowed myself to feel apprehension and with that, soul crushing self-doubt and a near paralyzing sense of "What did we i get myself into?" It is late, so I hope you will forgive the hyperbole. This is, perhaps, an inadequate way of articulating just how incredibly GRATEFUL I am to be sharing this experience with my mom.
When my mom called me one night to tell me she had been thinking a lot about this opportunity and wanted to join (you should ask her someday about her childhood plans of becoming a missionary nun), it would be dishonest of me not to admit I had mixed feelings. I loved the idea of her companionship from the get-go, but at 28 years old, was hesitant about the idea of carrying my mom along like a security blanket. The ridiculousness of that notion was eschewed from my consciousness almost as swiftly as it entered. Aside from being an excellent travel companion, an adventurous spirit and a familiar face in a foreign country, my mom is one of my best friends and one of my favorite people to spend time with-- domestically or abroad :). I have nothing but extreme gratitude for her for embarking on this adventure with me so wholeheartedly and trustingly. Though we are less than 24 hours into this journey, I can't imagine taking this leap of faith without her.
I would be remiss not to also mention at this time the tremendous gratitude and love I have for my dad, sister and extended family for supporting this endeavor. An emphatic THANK YOU is in order for our entire family, but especially to my dad, for giving us roots, wings and peace of mind that our home and Grandpa will be well cared for in our absence. Though rooted in the best intentions, I feel there is something inherently selfish about this trip. I craved change, adventure, an opportunity to reconnect with a part of my soul I had lost and a people I remember as being among the most hospitable and generous I have ever encountered. In the contemplation of this trip and chaos of the last month, I was reminded that I really have the best family and friends a gal could ask for and am so thankful for all of your support and encouragement.
I apologize for the novel of a blog post (word vomit is better than actual nervous vomit, right?) and promise to be more concise and articulate in the future. We were able to touch base with Dad and Facetime Grandpa from Lima, which was a pleasant surprise and are now nestled in our room at the parish in Piura. We are hoping to rest peacefully and thank you for your prayers for safe travels
Suenas dulces,
Kathleen (not to be confused with Cathy, which has already proven to be problematic with the locals)
Mom and I had a (mostly) uneventful trip to Piura. We were so lucky to spend last night with Erin in Chicago and hit the ground running at 4 o' clock this morning. The only potentially big/ hopefully fixable hiccup we encountered (aside from aggressive seat recliners and an incident with a bloody nose) was a mishap at immigration in Lima- you know, where mistakes are casually shrugged off! The agent stamping my passport accidentally processed my paperwork for a 30 day stay instead of 60 days. We are still unsure as to how this will be rectified, but are keeping our fingers crossed that this will not dramatically affect our travel plans.
These last 2 1/2 weeks have been a whirlwind for both of us. I left my job, accepted a new one across the country, moved out of my apartment and Grandpa was admitted to St. V's. I think both of us have been waiting for the reality of our leaving the country for a couple months to sink in. Today was truly the first time I allowed myself to feel apprehension and with that, soul crushing self-doubt and a near paralyzing sense of "What did we i get myself into?" It is late, so I hope you will forgive the hyperbole. This is, perhaps, an inadequate way of articulating just how incredibly GRATEFUL I am to be sharing this experience with my mom.
When my mom called me one night to tell me she had been thinking a lot about this opportunity and wanted to join (you should ask her someday about her childhood plans of becoming a missionary nun), it would be dishonest of me not to admit I had mixed feelings. I loved the idea of her companionship from the get-go, but at 28 years old, was hesitant about the idea of carrying my mom along like a security blanket. The ridiculousness of that notion was eschewed from my consciousness almost as swiftly as it entered. Aside from being an excellent travel companion, an adventurous spirit and a familiar face in a foreign country, my mom is one of my best friends and one of my favorite people to spend time with-- domestically or abroad :). I have nothing but extreme gratitude for her for embarking on this adventure with me so wholeheartedly and trustingly. Though we are less than 24 hours into this journey, I can't imagine taking this leap of faith without her.
I would be remiss not to also mention at this time the tremendous gratitude and love I have for my dad, sister and extended family for supporting this endeavor. An emphatic THANK YOU is in order for our entire family, but especially to my dad, for giving us roots, wings and peace of mind that our home and Grandpa will be well cared for in our absence. Though rooted in the best intentions, I feel there is something inherently selfish about this trip. I craved change, adventure, an opportunity to reconnect with a part of my soul I had lost and a people I remember as being among the most hospitable and generous I have ever encountered. In the contemplation of this trip and chaos of the last month, I was reminded that I really have the best family and friends a gal could ask for and am so thankful for all of your support and encouragement.
I apologize for the novel of a blog post (word vomit is better than actual nervous vomit, right?) and promise to be more concise and articulate in the future. We were able to touch base with Dad and Facetime Grandpa from Lima, which was a pleasant surprise and are now nestled in our room at the parish in Piura. We are hoping to rest peacefully and thank you for your prayers for safe travels
Suenas dulces,
Kathleen (not to be confused with Cathy, which has already proven to be problematic with the locals)
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Best Laid Plans...
The Best Laid Plans...
So here I am watching a rerun of Blue Bloods on TV when Kathleen and I should be arriving in Piura.
It has been a long week. Last Sunday, Ken and I brought my father into the ER at St. Vincent Hospital for what we thought would be a breathing treatment for his asthma. He was admitted and we have spent the last 6 days at his side as he battles pneumonia and an exorbitant amount of fluid in his chest.
We delayed our departure one week with the hopes that this fluid would be extracted. We are expecting him to go to Grancare for rehab as he has declined physically. He seems to be looking forward to the socialization it will provide.
We are scheduled to leave on Wednesday, and as excited as I was to go initially, I will be leaving with a heavy heart. My siblings have been very supportive and I know Ken will take my place. Please pray for my dad, Kathleen and me as we take this journey.
So here I am watching a rerun of Blue Bloods on TV when Kathleen and I should be arriving in Piura.
It has been a long week. Last Sunday, Ken and I brought my father into the ER at St. Vincent Hospital for what we thought would be a breathing treatment for his asthma. He was admitted and we have spent the last 6 days at his side as he battles pneumonia and an exorbitant amount of fluid in his chest.
We delayed our departure one week with the hopes that this fluid would be extracted. We are expecting him to go to Grancare for rehab as he has declined physically. He seems to be looking forward to the socialization it will provide.
We are scheduled to leave on Wednesday, and as excited as I was to go initially, I will be leaving with a heavy heart. My siblings have been very supportive and I know Ken will take my place. Please pray for my dad, Kathleen and me as we take this journey.
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