Week 4

Life at Santisimo Sacramento has settled into a routine for us. By now, I think we have experienced how poor the Peruvians in this area live. I thought food delivery had shown us the poorest of the poor, but that was followed by clothing delivery and then kitchen supplies. To deliver household supplies, picture this...We are crowded into the back of an old pickup truck with 5 huge rubbermaid type storage bins filled over capacity with used household goods. As we ride through the village, the driver taps his horn. The villagers come out and reach for whatever we give them...a handful of silverware, a kettle, some dishes, glasses, utensils, etc. In some cases, we even had to throw items as we were pulling away. Can you imagine running to catch an empty ice cream bucket? No one gets too much and no one is allowed to reach into or look into the bed of the truck to see what they would like. As the bins are emptied, they, too, are given away. They are all very appreciative because they have nothing.

As for the routine, we eat breakfast at 8. We gather at 9 in the large entrance for a circular prayer and then set off for our various activities. We have tried a large variety of service sights and found all of them to be enlightening. We have purchased, delivered and helped to prepare food for the girls' home. We have sorted, bagged and delivered food in the Family to Family program. We built a room onto a home, delivered furniture, and toured homes that are poorer than you can imagine. We return for lunch and siesta at 1 and go on another service activity at 3. The afternoon is a little shorter as we are back by 6 in time to shower, Facetime my dad and go to mass at 7.00. Dinner is at 8 and by 8:30 we are finished for the day. Sometimes there is a fiesta at night or mass at a far out chapel with a campfire after. Usually we are content to Facetime Ken and turn in by 10:00.

Yesterday, though was a little different. Eight of us were paired up and given 300 soles each (@$100.) to spend on a particular family in the Family to Family. We were brought to a kitchen supply store and had lots of fun buying a kitchen rack, pots and pans, dishes, cups, a tea kettle, tupperware type containers, pitchers,and utensils. All of this new! then we got to deliver it to the designated homes. this was so much nicer than handing out or throwing things off the back of a truck

The Family to Family program is set up to assist families in need. Each family is paired with an American family who sends $25.00 a month for basic food supplies. Many families send more money for other needs...bedding, mattresses, kitchen supplies, clothing, etc. Each time anything is delivered, the items as staged with a "Thank You, 'Smith' Family" sign and the family stands around the items while a picture is taken. 100% of the money sent goes to the family and this is their way of making connections between the families.

Water and internet seem to be the biggest challenges for us at the parish. But, compared to life around us, we are living exceptionally well. We have a safe, comfortable room with electricity and most often water:), three prepared meals a day and a washer to wash our clothes. All luxuries we take for granted at home. We have met some very kind and interesting people and it is hard to say good by at the end of their time here.

Hope you all have a great 4th of July!
Cathy (and Kathleen)