People who gave AKA Affirmation Circle

9 days in the same sleeping quarters, buses, planes and small huts with the same people could get annoying...but luckily we were traveling with some stellar people. And, now we miss them. Yes, like a bad summer camp movie, I miss my friends. Here is a tribute to those who gave of themselves.

From Clockwise Top Left to Right (besides us):

Elaine: Mom of two. Diocesan Youth Director. Fierce advocate for the poor complete with a cute giggle. Non-complainer.

Rox: Mom of Gene and two others. Retired and now professional advocate for those who need advocating. Fast talker and fast learner. Mama of the group and owner of the hairdryer that somewhat saved my life in Chimbote.

Lindsay: Walking encyclopedia and compliment-giver. Fellow Barista and considering her options for the future. Great conversationalist and iPod listener. Caring, generous, loving and one of two (she's a twin).

Jessica: Fellow music-lover. Teaches piano and violin. Optimist and adventurous eater. Devoted daughter of God and a beautiful tall drink of water. Also, one of our resident translators and volleyball players.

Kim: As you will notice from her picture, distracted probably trying to translate something for us. Mental therapist for at-risk youth and legislative assistant for the Puerto Rican congressman. Awesome laugh and contagious optimism.

Kris: Gorgeous smile. Advocate for missing and exploited children. Hard worker and not afraid to get a little dirt on her. Bearer of bobby pins. Master of sand tic-tac-toe and skin-peeling. :)

Kristy: Manages a law office...but Sweet. I'm pretty sure possesses most the attributes of Mary. Unassuming presence with a great smile and a tan to match. A true heart for kids and a ready tear for mourning with those who mourn.

Laura: Tattoo artist. My space-mate for 9 days. Calm, peaceful and loving. Open-minded to things that aren't familiar. A true artist who wears the same proudly. Originator of the term "thongist," and contagious giggler.

Gene: One of my bosses. Last but certainly not least. Close friend couldn't describe it. Resident veteran. Information processor. Mountain-climbing-bus-terrifying savior. Wonderful organizer and personal trainer in poverty-witnessing. Love.

Jack: Rockstar extraordinaire. Tryer of all foods. Survivor of developing country animal attacks. Friend of those who need friends.

More later....

Home but Unfinished

Yesterday we saw a bit of the wonderful city of Lima, capital of Peru.  We then flew through the night back to the States, ran through Houston airport to make our connection, barely made it, two and a fourth more hours in the air, followed by a four hour car drive (round-trip) straight from the airport to pick up Caed and Ava from Grandma Cheryle.  (We were so blessed to have Grandpa Randy & Grandma Cheryle take excellent care of them so we could be a part of this experience.)  Needless to say we are exhausted.  The story is far from being told as it should, so even though we are back in Colorado, stay tuned for the rest of the experience (including more pictures, more perspective on the slums of Chimbote, Our Lady of Guadalupe Espresso, skulls underneath Lima, and a place where you can make contributions to the church that will directly benefit the people of Chimbote).  Thank you for your prayers and continue to keep Fr. Jack, those he serves, and all those who go without basic human necessities today in your prayers!

Last Work Day in Chimbote

OK, so even from Peru we have heard of your complaints about pictures being loaded. The problem is with our software to resize the pictures, and we can't load large size ones due to slowness of the internet connection. We can do it with Gene's help on his laptop, but by the time our day ends and I begin writing, everyone is exhausted and in bed already. We haven't had the luxury of spare time in the morning to do this and siesta time has been consumed with needed rest. Don't worry, they are coming.

Today was our last day in Chimbote and it was a full day of work. More room and roof building and repair in the hot Peruvian sun. Even just standing around can be tiring at times. We directly did significant construction in three homes and bought materials for repairs in a fourth. In each situation the families were there and we had plenty of interaction with them and the construction workers hired by the church. These people are wonderful... they are an inspiration!

At times we experienced a frustration of having to just stand around and wait... sometimes because it was a portion of the job that had to be completed before moving on that didn't require group effort, sometimes because there was only one person who how the job needed to be done and forthcoming steps weren't communicated well (or at all). There were times toady and previously when it felt like a lot of waiting and watching the locals work. This was frustrating to everyone in our group because we saw how much needed done and didn't want to waste time, we didn't come here to just stand around... we wanted to be useful. In those moments I learned a lot. Being "useful" is not our mission here. We have to get over ourselves and realize we're not the first group to come here (they've been coming regularly for decades), and we certainly won't be the last (a group of 24 from all over the US arrives tomorrow). Our time here is helpful... this sort of mission is invaluable and many more people need to get out here, but there is more involved than just "work". We are here being educated in this reality of the world in a way no multi-media presentation can get across, not to fix everything in a few short days... Yes, it is absolutely important to address with passion and full energy the effects of poverty while working to eradicate the causes of it!! But it is also important to have an encounter with a person, with a people... to tell their stories, to PRAY for them, and to know the world is better for having them in it, and to come away with more conviction and passion to change what should never be allowed to happen to another human being.

I also learned to re-evaluate my sense of "usefulness" in the moment. While "just standing and waiting" you can still pray! They also proved to be great opportunities for conversation with the other people in our group. (And if I spoke Spanish it would have been an incredibly rich opportunity to hear the stories of the families we met.) It is also more important to let the homeowner step in front of you and take over without being offended by them. It is their home, let them own it. Give them the dignity and ownership they deserve in the project. (Not to mention letting the workers make sure the job is done right. It's one thing for me to tire myself out, get all sweaty, pat myself on the back for feeling "useful", but quite another to make sure these families have a properly constructed home, built as they desire to meet their needs that they will spend their days and nights in long after I'm half a world away.) Eventually I came to enjoy standing in their homes, putting my muscle into it when I could, but also silently praying while in that physical location. NEVER underestimate the power of your prayer!

Tomorrow we have another l-o-n-g bus ride to Lima. We'll have a day to see that city, and then back to our homes... at least physically.

Dirty and in love. Site of our house re-building. This is someone's bedroom.

View of Chimbote from Our Lady of Perpetual Help

This is Quiara (pronounced like "Kee-ar-ah"). She was the almost 3 year old who charmed us while we worked on her home. Behind her is her mother's stove and kitchen. Please take a moment to pray for her mother who struggles to raise 3 children while taking care of her ailing mother.

A Wider View of Chimbote

Today (Sunday), a day of rest (as well it should be! Many people are shocked that anyone would not make it a day of Sabbath... something US culture unfortunately doesn't get), began with another Apex juggling presentation after morning Mass. Very shortly after our show, while everyone was in the courtyard, Jack went back to our dormitory to get something, and was bitten by one of the dogs the kitchen staff keeps here! Completely out of the blue. That wasn't a great way to start the day and needless to say Fr. Jack and his staff were very upset by the situation. In the end, Jack the Adventurer was OK... a small wound, some torn pants, and a bruise.

Then it was off to the nearby mountain, where a gigantic cross overlooks the entire city. (Pictures soon to be uploaded... Keep checking!) The ride up in a packed mini-bus was even more intense than drive to the top of Mt. Evans outside Denver. Sheer drop-offs from a single lane gravel road with no guardrails. It proved to be a bit much for Joia, so we tried walking the rest of the way to a chapel beneath the cross and a beautiful panoramic view of Chimbote. (Again, pictures to follow shortly!) Even the walk was intense (no trees, no vegetation, no shade, gravel roads in a stone mountain), and Gene escorted Joia down the hill. Jack and I continued the climb to the top on foot (evidently his dog bite wasn't a problem). The view was worth it...

The cross had been the project of over 27,000 youth over several weeks. Fr. Jack told us of how Saturday after Saturday... even before the road was widened to what it is now (still only one lane today... it must have been just a foot path)... 1,000 people lined the way to the top creating an assembly line. In buckets the size of tin paint buckets, they would pass a bucket of sand, a bucket of gravel, a bucket of water, and a bucket of cement until they had made this huge cross that can be seen from anywhere in town. They used to have massive processions (20,000 people as recently as 3 years ago) to pray the Stations of the Cross every Good Friday where the people would walk all the way to the top, stopping along the way remembering the events of Christ's Passion and praying!

After the sketchy descent, Fr. Jack again joined us, taking us past the dump the the cemetery for the poor. The place is sand and the tombs are on right on top of one another. Each grave is marked by a simple wooden cross, except for the very few families that may have gotten some more money along the way and could dress it up a bit. It mostly looks like a huge sandy desert of makeshift wooden crosses.

We drove through the neighborhood bordering this part of town, and Fr Jack pointed out that anywhere else in the world that location would be prime real-estate. There was a breath-taking view of the bay and the ocean... islands in the distance... but even more breath-taking, and the reason it's the hill by the dump and poor cemetery, was the toxic orange cloud floating over from the iron factory. We then passed what appeared to be an ancient temple or adobe building of some sort in the side of the hill. Again... "Any other part of the world, this would be a MAJOR tourist attraction... That structure is pre-Inca! Hopefully some day it will be restored and its story will be told as it should, but for now many of the adobe bricks have been taken to build the houses here."

We saw a bit more of the city today, and I don't mean just from the mountain top. Not everyone in Chimbote is poor (we are just here to serve the poorest of the poor, and that's been our perspective so far). Fr. Jack pointed out where there is a house as big as any you would find in Denver... it just happens to be owned by the local drug-lord. They have a big, beautiful cathedral (built by the Italians), clubs, shops, markets... Some people seem to be fairly well off... but there is a HUGE seperation between the haves and have-nots. Very few feel any sense of solidarity. There happens to be a circus in town, a stretch down the road from the Church with tigers, jugglers, tight-rope walkers... the flyers said it was Barney and Friends (yes, the purple dinosaur)! I sure every upper and middle class home has a television. Even many of the poor have gotten their hands on a really old black and white TV (sometimes requiring a spoon to change channels). In one home we visited earlier in the trip I heard familiar cartoon sounds. When I looked at the TV, it was SpongeBob Squarepants in Spanish. Do you think the writers and creators of that show have any idea of the reach of their influence?

We went to a fantastic park for lunch. This place was called "The Lungs of Chimbote." It had a nice restaurant, more vegetation than we've seen since arriving in Peru (big trees, grass, shrubs... the works), an ampitheater, rides and games for kids, penguins, monkeys, and I'm sure much more. We stopped at a market on the bay on our way back to peruse the local crafts and support the local economy. The day ended back at Our Lady of Perpetual Help with rest, great conversation, and Mass.

Jack's Slide Experience

Jack & Roy (never understood a word to each other, but loved each other anyway)

Top of the Cruz de La Paz

Cemetery of the Poor

Father Jack, Gene and Jack feeding the fish

Dirt & Plungers

January 19, 2008

(From Brad's perspective:) Today was another day of work and getting dirty (some more than others).  We spent much of the day at the two homes with rooms and roofs we demolished on Thursday rebuilding them with fresh materials (thatched reeds, bamboo, and wooden posts... the old ones were rotted pretty well, a brief but extravagant bonfire waiting to happen, especially since they do run electricity into these places). 

 

I am a big fan of the mid-day siesta (from about noon to 3pm).  Of course, the sun and heat get so intense it would be senseless to continue working through it.  But once rested you can return to work with more efficiency and a brighter disposition.

The language barrier is still frustrating (Go Diego Go didn't teach me all I needed to know here), but I have noticed how much we communicate non-verbally.  We really can communicate and understand a lot with only a little common language.  So much of our shared humanity translates without having to use words.  I guess here we can truly take to heart St. Francis of Assisi's message, "Preach the Gospel at all times.  If necessary, use words."

After Mass tonight (and we will again after Mass tomorrow) Gene and I put on a small show for the church goers.  (For those reading this who don't know, we are full time jugglers/comedians/Christian evangelists throughout the US and Canada.)  I brought some balls and beanbags to juggle, but the clubs took up too much room in our luggage and had to stay behind.  As when we were in China, we found the next best substitute... six plungers.  (See joiafarmer.com/ava for the China story.)  Once again we found plungers to be an adequate substitute for juggling clubs.  Interestingly enough we found the Peruvian plungers to be a bit more managable than the Chinese plungers.  One of our favorite parts, as well as a crowd favorite, was passing six plungers around Fr. Jack.

And, after our show... the real show... the rock-star... Jack Farmer was once again mauled by Peruvian kids who wanted to touch, poke, or just say "hola" to him.  Little did they know he had a bit of a sunburn from the beach... Ouch!  

For another perspective and maybe some more info, check out Gene's blog at brblue.org.

More pictures will be loaded in the morning...

Brad's Thoughts

I think ever since living in Washington DC, and probably even before that, I’ve had a pretty firm understanding of poverty. And beyond what I’ve seen in the states, I’ve seen the videos and heard the stories for years about third world countries. But I don’t think you really grasp it… I don’t mean just understand it, something that happens in your head… I mean you don’t REALLY get it until you have stood in their homes and shaken their hands and smelled their air… A video or documentary can never convey what it’s really like to be there. And having been there you can never see our world quite the same. It can be overwhelming at times, but I am reminded of Bl. Theresa of Calcutta (Mother Theresa)’s perspective. She used to say that if she looked at the masses of those in desperate need she would become paralyzed. What difference could one person possibly make? But if she looked into the face of the one person in front of her, she could not help but do something.

The Church here, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and a priest from Fargo, ND, Fr. Jack, and Sister Peggy have made incredible strides over the past 30 years to implement real change in these people’s reality. They work to change the systems that keep the people in poverty and despair, and at the same time deal with the symptoms of those systems that need changing until they are changed. (That’s what Catholic Social Teaching is all about.) As we walked through the streets of the poorest parts of Chimbote, getting a glimpse of the reality of people’s lives here, and the bright spots of Fr. Jack’s and the Church’s work in the midst of it I kept thinking, “What can I do? What gifts do I have to bring to this?” That was frustrating to me when I considered one of my strongest gifts to be interaction… communicating, joking, teaching… I couldn’t share this at all as I don’t speak more Spanish than what Dora the Explorer has taught me.

Our fellow pilgrims are wonderful people, as are those who live and work here more permanently in Peru. The local Peruvians are an awe-inspiring people with a difficult history, and most of them live incredibly inspiring lives. We have been richly blessed in this voyage already.

Work at the Beach

Today was a full day…of play. Yes, I know…we are supposed to be here helping the poor but Father Jack rarely gets out to rest, so we took him to the beach. So I guess you could say we were helping the poor in spirit. Every priest needs a day off and he rarely gets one, so it was nice to watch him rest.

The beach we went to is about a 45-minute ride from the church and truly beautiful. The sand is soft and the shells that wash up are relatively untouched…I guess unlike U.S. beaches, people don’t find value in collecting shells. Father Jack had fun showing us around his favorite place and after a lunch of ceviche and fresh fish, we all headed into our food comas. Father Jack took a nap and we just sat around and watched the people on the beach. Jack was a fish!! He loved jumping the waves, getting knocked over by waves AND we even saw a porpoise in the water! The beach on this particular day was very breezy and the temperature seemed cool…which sorta led to our skin’s doom. After leaving the beach, and even though we all applied sunscreen, we all realized we were burned in some way. My ears are toast. Jack has a little cute sun kissed face. But so worth it.

Jack’s favorite thing today: I liked getting splashed by the waves and landing on the beach. I liked the cave we climbed in and the crab that Miss Rox found. I also found some shells to give to my kindergarten class when I get home. I also liked the chicken that Miss Kim gave me at lunch.

Mom and Jack being silly

A sea cave and everyone...but Brad

The hostage crab

Jack eating Ceviche

Ceviche. Raw seafood soaked in lime. Sounds gross...but actually VERY good

Suburban Royalty

Today was our first full day in Chimbote. Full isn’t even the word to describe it. It seemed like four days crammed into one. This morning Father Jack took us on a walking tour of his parish. We were greeted with dirt streets, garbage and stray dogs (covered in disease) everywhere. Jack did a great job of really entering into the community and when a volunteer who only spoke Spanish asked him “Cuanto Anos” which is ‘How old are you?,” he said, “cinco.” Ah a proud moment for a mother…my son knows the word ‘five’ in espanol.

We were followed by a couple of volunteers of the parish (who Brad thought were bodyguards) and one of the church residents, Jaime, who is mentally challenged and has a couple of other handicaps. They joke that he is a ‘ladies man” as he likes to pat all the girls and tease them. Very sweet.

We entered several projects of the church we are here to work for. 3 soup kitchens of which only 3 days are subsidized by the church – the other days people have to come up with the money themselves. 3 boys clubs in which there are members of different gangs – and effort to keep them out of trouble, in school (only a very few even get out of grade school), and to keep violence to a minimum. One shelter for battered women…a severe problem in Chimbote. A hospice for dying people which was the nicest building I’ve been in since we’ve been here. Another youth center in the works. A compound where young men come to get out of drugs and alcohol and into another trade. This compound is where animals are raised (cows, goats, guinea pigs, fish, ducks, turkeys, one sheep and a bunch of roosters and chickens), and men work in carpentry building tables, chairs and other furniture.

By this time, it was very hot and humid here in Chimbote and we were all sweaty and tired, but no more than Jack. The walking tour took its toll on Jack and he begged to “go back to the hotel”…So Uncle Gene took him to get a 7-up and a good rest.

The next portion of the tour is where I struggle to explain. It is very hard to express the severity of the poverty here if you are not here. This I know, because it has been explained to me, but I couldn’t grasp it until today.

We entered several people’s homes in which the floors are dirt. They have maybe 1-2 very small rooms. The walls and ceiling are made out of woven reeds. Their toilet is a hole in the ground. There is no sewer so they usually throw their raw sewage into the streets. Their kitchen is a cinder block with a burner in the hole that they put their one pot over to cook with.

Yet, these people are proud of what they have and greeted us all with a warm smile. The kids would follow us and ask us our names and just want to touch us. They would all run to Father Jack and say “Buenos Dias Padre!!” and greet him with a kiss and he to them.

After lunch and a short ‘siesta,’ we gathered our work gloves and proceeded to the home of people in the parish. There are two families that we will be helping. Their woven-reed walls and ceilings are caving in and so we will be helping to construct new ones. Today we spent our time ripping down the celings and walls. Seemingly easy, until you figure in the fact that Chimbote is VERY dusty. We were all COVERED in dust (see pics below). Jack got bored pretty quick and some of the neighbor kids started swarming Jack and asking him, in spanish, to play soccer with them. To my surprise, he jogged right out there and played a game he has never really played with kids who don´t speak his language. I was a proud mom. The kids begged us to take their picture and fought over who would sit next to Jack.

I have never been so proud to have a floor in my home. And a stove to cook on. And a toilet to flush toilet paper in (not allowed here in Peru). I take for granted so many things in my life and have missed the thankfulness for basic needs met. I have never ever felt like a suburban princess until today. I have too much and give too little.

Jack’s favorite things in his own words: The soccer game and practicing to play soccer.. The meeting (don’t know what this is). I liked church. Liked playing with the kids but got kinda embarrassed when the girls picked me up.

Jack and Father Jack

The house we have demolished and are rebuilding.

Jack cleaning up the house.

Jack with the boys he played soccer with.

This is what dirty looks like.

A couple days here...a couple days late

The lateness of our post will be made clear once I explain the past couple days. After a somewhat normal flight from Houston to Lima (I say ‘somewhat’ because we encountered some pretty severe turbulence somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico – the kind that makes me white knuckle Brad’s arm), we arrived somewhere around 11:30pm. Our luggage came out right away, but, as we were informed later, we were on “Latino Time” which basically means that we waited for another 45 minutes for everyone else’s luggage to come out as well.

We then were escorted through Customs and were greeted by HUNDREDS of people behind a rope waiting for their loved ones. Luckily, Gene was waiting there too – a good head taller than everyone – white – and with a big cowboy hat. We were lead to the bus where we waited for our one last person to arrive…that took until about 1am. THEN it took another 45 minutes to get to the Gemina Hostal where we were staying for the night. Walked in, surrendered our passports, marveled at the smell of pot lingering in the hallways J and then off to bed at around 2:30am. These were rooms with two twin beds in each, so I shared a room with Christie from Florida and Brad and Jack shared another. After waking at 5am and then for good at 8am, we left to get breakfast, walk around a bit and then on to another bus to be taken to ANOTHER bus to Chimbote. Halfway there, it became apparent that the transmission in our bus was going…and going fast. We made the last 5-10 minutes of the trip in 1st gear…but made it and cheered for our driver.

We grabbed some lunch at the bus station, checked our luggage, and boarded our bus to Chimbote. Not just ANY bus mind you…we walked into our ‘cabin’ and were greeted by plush first class type seats, pillows, blankets and a television in the front of the cabin. How glad we were since we discovered that our 4 ½ hour bus ride was really going to be 6 ½ hours.

We arrived in Chimbote at 6:30pm and were greeted by the most horrible fish smell. Chimbote is a city of about 400,000 people and Father Jack informed us that this is the “smell of money.” Mostly what is being ‘smelled’ is anchovies. Stop and imagine that. After a short ride to the church compound, we were met with a warm familiar meal of spaghetti and bread.

Jack’s Favorite things: I liked the food on the airplane. I liked the long bus ride and playing my Nintendo for so long. I liked relaxing with Dad and seeing the ocean and I liked the spaghetti when we got to Chimbote.

The whole group in Lima at 3am

Lima Oh Lima

Just to let everyone know...we made it!

Nothing exciting to report...well, there is...but we will have to do that later.

We arrived at the hotel at 3am last night and I woke up bright and early at 8am (sleep anyone?) Lima is on Eastern time...but still.

Very interesting city, Lima. But very cool vibe-wise...but warm climate. (sorry friends who are getting snowed on today....it is warm and humid)

We are about to board a bus for a 4 1/2 hour ride to Chimbote. Hopefully, we will be able to put some pictures up tonight...

Love to all...

Goodbye Caed & Ava!!

Tomorrow we leave on a flight to Lima, Peru.  Another country.  

We are taking Jack, but left Caedmon and Ava with Grandpa and Grandma in Wyoming today.

  

The house is TOO quiet right now...its disturbing.  

Enjoy the pictures of these little mischief-makers.