Back Home and a call to Dentists

We have returned to Billings safe and sound. Our trip was one of learning, sharing and praying with the people of Peru. We hope this blog gave you some insight into another people who exist in our world and struggle everyday to support their families and communities....just like you and me. We would like to thank the Sisters of Charity and St. Pius parish in Billings for their spiritual support, hospitality and generosity in making this trip possible.

We will plan to continue our connection with the Sisters of Charity and their mission to minister to the poor.
Finally a call to any Dentists who are people of faith and would like to share their talents for one week in an Andean village. Please contact the Peru group or post a response on this blog.

May the peace of Christ be yours.

Leo, Janice, Tom, Mary and Patrick

Our work

We came to Peru not only to visit and share but to share our talents. In Chuchi, Janice taught a popular class of "manuelidades" Northern Plains Indian Beadwork. Leo  provided computer expertise to the library in Chusci.
Tom, Mary and Patrick worked in ministry to the sick, music and repairs in the city of   Piura and the mountain village of Chalaco and surrounding villages.

The land and Pueblo

Andes. Corn fields where it don´t seem possible to climb

rainbow after the rain

La Plaza in Chuschi

Chuchci from above

Different kind of tree in Andes

Chuschi

We arrived in Chuschi after a crazy ride from Ayucucho. This place is in a beautiful valley in the Andes. Very bucolic setting with adobe pueblos every so often in the mountains. Very few cars in the towns and somehow it is more beautiful. The sisters here are very gracious and funny. Janice started her bead classes today and women walked miles through the countryside to attend. I am setting up a computer system to track the church's library.
Internet is very slow here.

The ministry of the Sisters of Charity

Janice(r) joins Sr. Elena(l) and Sr. Susana on the return from a small village three hour walk in the Andes.



Convent is yellow building on left. Look how rough the street is.



Sr. Deide cooks but also teaches religion to high school students

Sr. Clorinda manages the library as well as tends the pastoral needs on the people.

We were hosted by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth in Chuschi. The Jesuits asked this community to establish a catholic presence in this pueblo after a terrible decade of terrorism during the Shining path period in the 80s and 90s. Little by little the sisters with their faith and perserverance are gaining the trust and respeçt of the people who were abandoned during the time of terroism.

Las Eleciones- The elections

Viva la revolucion .Getting the vote out.

Polling place

Soldier w machine gun guarding the polls

coming to vote from the hinterlands

We happened to be here for the elections held nation wide every four years. People walk and sometimes ride from throughout the region to cast their ballots at one place. No absentee or mail ballots.

It´s what for lunch

apple cobbler with fresh apples

salad with beans and salchicha

veg casserole



sweet potatoes and baked yucca



fried bananas and beets

fish

onions in oil and vinegar to put on top of fish

apple juice

Lunch in Peru is the main dinner and eaten around 1 pm. We found the cuisine to be excellent and below is one lunch that we had at the convent in Chuschi. Many fresh vegetables and fruits grown locally are sold in the markets for very low prices.