Peru, Summer 2009 SST unit

Departure

28 Jul 2009 11:02 EST

The students departed Lima early this morning. We shared donuts, a few more stories and lots of goodbyes. Our family is sad to see them go. We are also happy to have spent so much time with these wonderful people and wonder how our paths might cross again in the future. Safe travels, everyone!

Retreat

27 Jul 2009 22:10 EST

Our students finished their service assignments last week and traveled back to Lima to reunite for a final retreat. After spending a night in the city, we boarded a bus for Cieneguilla, a small town nestled in a valley 1 1/2 hours from the capital. We spent two days and two nights at Mahanaim Retreat Center -- Mahanaim is a Hebrew word meaning "two...

Service in Ica and Lima

24 Jul 2009 21:28 EST

The city of Chincha is located along the Pacific coast in the departamento of Ica . Houses and buildings in this city were destroyed by an earthquake in 2007. Eric and Jacob volunteered to do construction at a school operated by the Alliance Missionary Church. They have worked outdoors over the past five weeks, digging holes in preparation for a...

Service in Pasco and Junin

23 Jul 2009 18:12 EST

Five of our students are serving in the upper Rain Forest east of the Andes range. The departamento of Pasco is home to a variety of indigenous people and, curiously, a small population of German immigrants that settled here over a hundred years ago. Jordan volunteers at a comedor in the city of Oxapampa where children come after school to eat lunch...

Service in Piura and Cusco

21 Jul 2009 10:44 EST

Peru consists of 25 Departamentos , political jurisdictions much like the states or provinces we know in North America. Piura , near the northern border of Peru, enjoys a warm, sunny climate. One of our students, Amanda, volunteers at the RBC Rehabilitation Center in the town of Chulucanas. On some days she tutors children at the center. On others...

Service Begins

30 Jun 2009 13:28 EST

The study half of our term ended with our excursion to Machu Picchu . Now begins our time to give something back to the people of Peru. Seven students are currently serving in the Ancash Highlands, home to breath-taking views of the Cordillera Blanca , or White Range, and the highest mountain in Peru, Huascaran (6,768 meters = 22,205 feet). We had...

Land of the Incas

20 Jun 2009 17:57 EST

The six week study portion of our term was brought to a close with a fascinating journey to the departamento of Cusco. Traveling to Machu Picchu requires a plane, a bus, a train and another bus. Along the way we visited archaeological sites containing stonework that revealed brilliant designs and remarkable engineering. The Inca Empire dominated...

Week 5

14 Jun 2009 22:40 EST

Nature was our focus during week five. Dr. Frank Cervantes showed us the plants that Peruvians from the highlands and rain forests use to prepare herbal medicines. He also explained how the Peruvian health system operates. Alicia, who since 2007 has assisted SST directors by cleaning Goshen Tambo in preparation for our weekly gatherings, demonstrated...

Week 4

31 May 2009 19:52 EST

This week we studied economics and, for the first time, ventured to a town outside metropolitan Lima. Peru's economy is "looking good" according to an article we read in the Inca Times . The International Monetary Fund forecasts a 5% increase in output this year. This places Peru among the five fastest-growing nations -- China, Egypt, Qatar and...

Week 3

23 May 2009 12:31 EST

Art brings beauty to our lives. Religion brings meaning. These two topics were our focus this week. Victor Delfin is an extraordinary artist, an 81-year-old creator of sculpture, paintings, carvings and other graphic images. Delfin opened his home to us, offering us a peak at his work and insight into his world view. He describes himself as ...

Week 2

16 May 2009 10:20 EST

Our theme this week was culture . We began with a lecture by author Eduardo Arroyo, a scholar who studies the ethnic diversity of Peru. We learned that the Criollos are descendants of the Spanish and populate Lima and other cities along the coastal plain. The Andinos are the indigenous peoples who originated in the Andes mountains, while the Amazonicos...

Week 1

10 May 2009 00:19 EST

We began Week 1 with Spanish language instruction, or Castellano as the Peruvians call it. After spending their first weekend with host families, students were excited to see each other and share stories about food, family, church and the combis (small buses) they rode to get to class that morning. Our instructors, Leonor Marin and Oswaldo Aguirre...

Host Families

3 May 2009 15:37 EST

We met the host families on Friday evening and the students had a chance to get to know them over the weekend.

Orientation

1 May 2009 22:18 EST

We spent Thursday and Friday getting to know each other and exploring our neighborhood. Orientation began with a walk to the new Goshen Tambo in San Isidro. We introduced ourselves and later tested our memories with a name game. The group worshiped together, sharing a time of quiet, singing and scripture. Later we walked to the promenade overlooking...

Arrival

30 Apr 2009 09:59 EST

Twenty-three exhausted students arrived safely in Lima before dawn this morning. By 6:30 we were at the hostel, Home Peru. Breakfast was served and they soon hit the sack. We plan to begin our orientation at noon with a walk to Goshen Tambo , the faculty leaders' residence and a resting place for the students. We will spend the day getting to know...

Leaders

28 Apr 2009 23:54 EST

The leaders for the Summer 2009 SST in Peru are Jerrell and Jane Ross Richer. We are joined by Sierra (10), Naomi (8), Teresa (6) and Jordan (4). These photos were taken on a recent trip to Parque de la Reserva in Lima.