No Pare!

Sunday

June 19, 2016

I added this photo to the blog
without Erin's permission.  It
was taken in Piura, Peru.

Let me preface this post with a disclaimer that the title is from "In the Heights," a musical that has been stuck in my head this entire trip thus far. "No pare- sigue! Sigue!" which roughly translates to "don't stop! Keep going!" I've been feeling this way since I've arrived so I'm finally taking some time to stop and reflect.

I haven't written anything for a while but I'm trying to make up for it now, so stay with me if this gets a little long today.

 

The most important news is that Kathleen is here!! Kate got to the parish on Saturday night and joined us during the mass. It was so incredily great to see her! Maybe now people will not think I'm her as much. =-) Saturday night we all crashed pretty hard-- Kate because she had either been traveling to Peru or through Lima since late Friday night and Mom and myself because we helped build the bedrooms on the house. (Sidenote- if I could stop ripping my clothes, that would be great! RIP Erin's yellow shirt). 

 

Sundays at the parish are a bit different. We woke up and had a fairly lazy morning until we left for a tour of the sites the parish runs around 10. This included the hospice, technical college, Catholic school, rehab center, and soon-to-be therapy center. We also had mass at San Jacinto, a beautiful, welcoming parish like none I've ever seen. Every building here is so open it's hard to tell if you're indoors or outside! After San Jacinto, we toured a field and spoke to it's farmer about the growing season and the church's microloan program. We also discussed the social revolution a bit that severely limited the farmers' authority and kept the vast majority of farmers in poverty. I also tried guava for the first time.

 

We had lunch back at Santisimo Sacramento and left for Catacao (where I learned it was NOT appropriate to call it "the cow" place). It was a quick trip to look for souvenirs and all three of us bought a piece of art. Then it was a quick trip back to Santisimo Sacramento and then off to Madre del Redentor, the girls orphanage.
 

First, let me say that up until this point, I very much liked Piura. Everyone had been very nice and welcoming and I felt like I made a difference on Saturday, but I hadn't gotten that "feeling" you're supposed to get on a mission trip. That changed at Madre. Madre del Redentor is an orphanage for girls aged 11-18 (I believe). For whatever reason, their families are not able to raise them. Madre is a safe home for them to get an education and be protected. And boy, are they protected. The walls around the compound are easily 15 feet high and have barbed wire on them.
 

Let me also say that it would be SO incredibly easy to get a big head down here. You pull into Madre in your big van and as soon as you get out, the girls, dressed in white blouses and pink skirts,  all say hi and give you a kiss on the cheek. One girl grabs your hand and does not let you go for the entire 2 hours you are there. They bring your to their chapel, where they pray 3 times a day, and sing "Hallelujah" in Spanish. Let me tell you, if there is anyone who can get through that song without tears in your eyes you are either a stronger person than I am or you have no heart. My friend was 11 and extremely sweet. We were shown their classrooms and dormitories. Right now, Madre houses 88 girls.  After a game that I still don't understand, they danced 4 traditional dances and 2 "fun" dances that we joined in on. Sidenote: Kathleen and I may have unintentionally gave these girls the impression it's cool to dance like us. We apologize.

 

We did not go to mass at Santisimo Sacramento because we went at San Jacinto so we picked up our room and FaceTimed Dad and Grandpa. Then it was dinner and all three of us were in bed by 9:30. 

 

Other highlights of yesterday:

1) Seeing the power that Alcoholics Anonymous has had worldwide. SS has meetings 7 days a week.

2) Padre blessing children after mass at San Jacinto- you would have thought he was a Beatle by the way everyone was rushing him.

3) Standing in front of the congregation at San Jacinto getting a blessing.

4) Learning that my friend at Madre's favorite story was Winnie the Pooh.

5) Kathleen playing the drum at the school. Don't worry. I have pictures.

That was Saturday and Sunday. Stay tuned for Monday later on! 

             -Erin-