| When I was a student, all the way through high | | | | roasting them and maiz (corn) over a wood fire. I |
| school, I hated English class. I didn't do well in | | | | had briefly shared with them how Isedoro had |
| spelling, grammar, speech or writing. I gave a | | | | once been an alcoholic and used to beat his wife. |
| speech once on why I shouldn't have to give a | | | | After accepting Christ he has changed totally. He |
| speech (I think I got a "D" on it). I did like | | | | is now leading the church in Suni, studying the |
| literature because I loved to read, but hated | | | | Bible and leadership training, and helping with the |
| writing the book reports. If someone would have | | | | ministry in Chulca, Cushpa and other villages |
| told me then that someday I would be teaching, | | | | above Suni. He and his family are a beautiful |
| preaching, writing reports and stories, as well as | | | | testimony to the power of God to change lives. |
| thinking about writing a book, I would never have | | | | Many of the villages have just recently received, |
| believed them. Now I am not only doing these | | | | and more will soon receive, electricity. This would |
| things but also actually enjoying them. Even more | | | | seem to make it much easier to spread the |
| surprising is that some people say they enjoy | | | | gospel, as now they have lights and it is much |
| reading what I write! And thank God for | | | | easier to have Bible studies and church services |
| computers and spell checkers, which have been a | | | | at night. But most of the larger villages also |
| big factor in this. | | | | provide a rebroadcast of satellite TV so now the |
| First of all I want to say thanks to God for | | | | people spend their spare time watching TV. If not |
| allowing me to be here in Peru. The first four | | | | in their homes, then standing in front of the open |
| months or so here in Peru were very difficult | | | | doors of stores, watching the TV inside. On |
| emotionally. Now I am beginning to realize how | | | | Thursday we drove to the end of the "under |
| hard it is going to be to leave here in two months! | | | | construction" road to Charcana. We had been told |
| Lord willing, I plan on returning, which makes it a | | | | that is was only a half hour's walk from there to |
| lot easier. | | | | Charcana. After parking the car at the |
| So what DID I do for Thanksgiving anyway you | | | | construction camp, climbing across a rock slide |
| may be asking by now. My friend Morayma, and | | | | from the blasting and realizing that we had much |
| three of her friends, who are all studying tourism, | | | | more than a 30 minute walk, we were met by a |
| wanted to see the tourist sights, meet the people | | | | young man with burros. He said that he had been |
| and learn about the culture here in Cotahuasi and | | | | sent to meet a group and wondered if it was us. |
| surrounding villages. We visited many of the sights | | | | We said we didn't know but Evelyn, Roseangela |
| that Cotahuasi Canyon is famous for, including the | | | | and some of the backpacks got to ride, which |
| Rock Forest "Huito", ancient ruins of Callac and | | | | went well except for Roseangela getting dumped |
| Maucallacta, the waterfalls of Sipia and Uskuni, | | | | once when her burro decided to sit down. |
| thermal baths at Luicho, as well as the villages of | | | | About 20 minutes from Charcana I got really cold |
| Puica, Pampamarca, Alca, and Charcana. We also | | | | so put on my jacket, which helped as long as we |
| talked with the mayors in each of these villages | | | | were walking. When we arrived in Charcana (after |
| and the girls asked them many questions about | | | | a two hour walk!), we checked into our rooms at |
| the people, customs, tourist attractions and | | | | the hostel and I started to shiver from the cold. |
| problems. Each mayor said the big problems are | | | | The rest said they weren't cold so I realized that |
| alcoholism, domestic violence and government | | | | it was just me. I put on two more jackets, got in |
| subsidies. | | | | bed in my sleeping bag, covered up with blankets, |
| The first two problems I see or hear about | | | | and drank two cups of hot tea before I finally |
| almost every day and were nothing new, but I | | | | stopped shivering. I felt OK then but stayed in |
| was surprised to hear them mention the subsidies. | | | | bed while the women prepared Thanksgiving |
| Why are they a problem? The children get free | | | | dinner, chicken noodle soup with tuna, which we |
| breakfast and lunch in the schools, as well as free | | | | ate along with a couple of pieces of dry bread. |
| health care. The mothers get free health care and | | | | Probably a good thing that there wasn't any |
| food for their babies. There are also various | | | | pecan pie as I spent the night back and forth to |
| non-government organizations that provide | | | | the bathroom with diarrhea. Needless to say, I |
| various services and meet some needs. We as | | | | had to skip the four hour hike up to see the cave |
| missionaries are besieged with requests to help | | | | paintings and stone arch above Charcana on |
| meet financial and material needs wherever we | | | | Friday. |
| go, which we sometimes provide. As a result of | | | | Morayma graciously insisted on staying with me |
| all these good intentions and acts, many of the | | | | to make sure I was OK so she didn't get to go |
| people have began to expect these "helps" as | | | | either. The others hired a guide and horses to |
| their "rights" and have become lazy. They don't | | | | take them up the steep mountain trail. |
| need to work to care for their family so they | | | | Unfortunately, when they left at 5:00 am, they |
| work just enough to get by or to buy as much | | | | forgot to get the camera from Morayma so they |
| alcohol as they want. If the husband isn't home | | | | didn't get any pictures. Poor Roseangela, riding a |
| drunk and abusing his family, the wife is just as | | | | horse this time, she took a header when the |
| likely to be doing it. Almost no one produces more | | | | horse made a quick stop. I had also hoped to visit |
| than 'just enough' for their own needs. | | | | with Maritza, whom I had transported back to |
| Transportation of products to market is difficult | | | | Cotahuasi with Dr. Ana, almost two years before, |
| but is becoming easier every day with new roads | | | | to get treatment for a broken leg. She was a |
| being built. There needs to be a change in the | | | | victim of abuse by her husband, when they were |
| hearts and minds of the people to bring about a | | | | both drunk, he pushed her and she fell into a hole, |
| change in their lives. We were able to visit with | | | | receiving compound fractures. She was working |
| Isedoro and his family in Suni, where we received | | | | out in the field this time so unfortunately I didn't |
| a warm welcome as usual. The girls were playing | | | | get to visit with her. It wasn't a traditional |
| with the kids and working in the kitchen with his | | | | Thanksgiving for me but I'm thankful for the good |
| wife Monica, shelling dry habas (like a lima bean) | | | | time we had and that by Saturday I was feeling |
| by walking on them on the dirt floor, and then | | | | fine and able to hike back to the car. |