Farewell to Peru

Wrapping up our trip with mixed emotions. I think I can speak for everyone that we are anxious to return home to our families and daily routines but will always remember our time here in Peru. There is a lot for us to digest, reflect and share in time. Thank you all for your support throughout this venture. We will be going dark now until our return as we fly out early tomorrow for Lima with a stopover there before leaving for the airport to wait for our flight at 2 am.
Debbie

Even more hard work!

Peru is a beautiful country. I am so grateful for the opportunity to visit it. One of the best parts for me has been the Peruvian people, who are friendly and polite, and very proud of their Incan heritage. The more I learn about the Inca, the more impressed I am. Their culture was based on three rules, don't lie, don't steal and don't be lazy, and the value they set on knowledge, hard work and love. As one of our guides said, nothing was impossible for the Inca and this is clear when you see sights such as the ruins at Ollantaytambo or Machu Pichu! Jeri-Li

Just a Rock?

Some people may look at this as 'just a rock'. With some thought (and a knowledgeable guide) you can see that it is so much more than that!

To the Incas, it was a compass, and was what they looked to to confirm changes of season, direction for their travels to read the stars, specifically pointing to the southern cross. The Incas revolved their whole civilization around rocks, building a firm foundation for their families. At the NPH home in Peru, I pray that our work here helps solidify the foundation for these amazing children. Traci

Our next journey...

Our family now extends a half a world away from Georgian Shores. Children, staff and volunteers from Casa Santa Rosa have adopted us into their family. Monday was a difficult day, saying good-bye to all the beautiful people with whom we had worked and played. We will remain connected by a web of love.

After the NPH experience our team set out to learn more about our family's country - it's history, it's challenges, it's joys... From Lima to Cusco and the Sacred Valley, we travelled to Ollantaytambo, midway down the valley. We climbed (and climbed and climbed) into history as we explored Ollantaytambo's Ican ruins. To taste the country, alpaca stir fry and guinea pig burgers are offered side by side with pizza and pappa
fritos (fries). Its a fascinating country where Internet cafés and ABM exist at many historic sites, colorful markets and traditional lives.

Surrounded by awesome mountains and the ingenuity of the people, past and present, God's love of wondrous diversity is abundantly clear!

Gwen

Farewell gifts

The past two days have been hectic and tiring - our apologies for missed blogs!

Handing out the Izzy dolls the morning of our departure from NPH was heart breaking. The picture shows them after frenzied trading until they each exactly the right one! One girl's Izzy doll was an exact match to the purple pants she was wearing.

We left the orphanage with quite the fanfare and lots of tears from both volunteers and children - no doubt they will be seeing more of us in years to come! Off to Lima by dinner and early flight to Cuzco. The bus drive to Ollantaytambo was tiring as many of us tried to acclimatize to the high altitude - happy to say today we are feeling better and rejuvenated after a free day of exploring this last 'living' Incan town. More later... Debbie

Everyone works!

So we aren't the only ones working hard... Today we had our farewell party and lots more photos and videos to bring home . I'm currently being asked by Antony to look at my photos so need to sign off before I lose this message - adios Debbie

Saturday fun

Another action-packed day at NPH Peru. An early start with Everyone working at 7 am at their various tasks. However, today we took several older students with us for whitewater rafting on the Rio Canete. Great fun as well as another opportunity for bonding with them. We shared the mutual experience of being soaked and screaming down the river. Also a chance to see a more verdant part of the country with lots of fruit trees along the way. Peru reveals new surprises daily! Jackie

Hard work!

When in Peru do as the Peruvians do and work hard. We all work our hands to the bone. The days are long and hard then the nights are sore and painful, but every second is worth it for the children.-Chris

Beach trip

There are only a few days left of this part of the trip. From what the people have said who've been before, anybody returning next year will be met with a far more developed orphanage. The current director of this orphanage as well as the national director of NPH Peru both grew up as NPH hermanos. At the "spa day" that we did with the older girls I met a girl who, on January 27th, will begin her apprenticeship as an aesthetician.
-Magali

A new friend!

This little boy was very cute and funny. Always eager to work on his favorite pastime futbol (soccer). He was one of those boys that always had a smile on his face and tugs on your arm to play around. (Running joke of stealing hats and hiding them). Even though he was speaking a different language, you always knew what he wanted. If it was a drink of our water or a push on the swing. He was just so darn cute (great help to) - Josh Blair (José)

First Day at work

Awake at 6:00 (actually earlier) to the sound of barking dogs ... Continental breakfast (coffee, buns and peanut butter, granola bars) then off to work. Five different work teams ... Pictured below is the brick chain moving bricks into the baby house while singing 'ol Hiram's goat'! Another team sanding down the soccer standards to prepare to paint tomorrow ... Weeding the sandbox ... Painting one of the girl's houses ... And a carpenter crew building shelves. Great meals - a full breakfast at 9:30 ... Lunch (soup and sandwiches) at 1:00. If all that wasn't enough we played with the children at 3:00 - blob tag and grab the glove. Showers and personal time before dinner. Then movies with the older kids at 9:00 ... Life of Pi (Spanish) version. Me thinks I may be sound asleep by then!

Ready - Set ...

Josh re-packing (more like stuffing) to get the last of the goodies for Peru ready to go!

Commissioning

Giving and demanding Christ,

you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within reach of your saving embrace.

So clothe us now in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those of us heading off to Peru closer to your people there.

May your countenance of grace be upon us all as we support this mission band that ventures afar to build with mortar and faith in your name. 

Amen

Thank-you for your ongoing support - with your words of encouragement, prayers and gifts!

"The Peru Crew"

Presents for Peru

All the "Pouches for Peru", donated over Christmas by the congregation of Georgian Shores United Church and others, have been sorted, extraneous packaging removed, then vacuum-packed and weighed. There is an amazing array of goodies we think the children of NPH will really enjoy. THANK-YOU EVERYONE!

As you can see it all fits in ONE hockey bag with ease… guess we have room for more eh?

Map to NPH Peru

In case anyone is interested in seeing where the orphanage is located go to the link below (or go to google maps and search for NPH San Vicente de Canete). It looks great from the satellite imagery and you can see the last section that is still under construction. When you zoom out you can see how close we are to the Pacific and the Andes. I think those are sand dunes to the North and South that show the arid nature of the region.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&q=NPH+san+vicente+de+canete&ie=UTF-8&ei=ldfJUuyzJOmc2QXw5YC4Bg&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg

Peru Crew 2014
Front Row: Jeri-Li, Gwen, Jackie
Back Row: Magali, Debbie, Christian, Josh, Traci

Welcome to the Blog of the Peru Crew 2014 - Grey-Bruce team - from Georgian Shores United Church, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. We hope you will join us over the next few weeks as we prepare and travel to Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) in San Vicente de Cañete, Peru (http://www.nph.org/ws/homes/home.php?peru)  where our adventure begins!