Study Abroad in Peru
One of the students who came on our March 2003 trip to Peru wrote this letter about our visit to a dormitory for homeless children:
In March of 2003,
I ventured to South America for the second time in my life. Again, my
eyes were opened to a different culture with different ideals and norms
than that of the United States. However, I was exposed to a different
scene of culture that I had not experienced as greatly. Near the end
of my trip, I traveled with a few friends and a very courteous, caring
police officer to a piece of property he and few of his friends had
acquired. This land supports clean water, fertile land, and even a large
colonial home. More importantly, the land now supports approximately
fourteen children from the ages of six to fourteen that prior to their
residents on this land were living in the streets of Cuzco, Peru. These
children tried all means to live from day to day. Most would offer a
quick shoeshine to passing tourists or local businessmen and women.
However, their service was not always wanted or needed leaving them
without money or food. In dire times, the children resorted to sniffing
the fumes of the glue they used to repair shoes to produce just enough
of a high to quell the pain in their empty stomachs.
Fortunately, these children no longer
need to sniff glue as they have a place to live and eat. At their new
home, they farm their own food, raise their own livestock of predominately
pigs, rabbits, and chickens, and receive an education. But they still
have problems. Their colonial home is falling apart as heavy rains and
wind are defeating the quick, economic repairs to the structure. Their
chicken coup collapsed and killed all of the habitants except one unhealthy
chick that now follows the boys around like a pet dog. The money raised
by the police officers is only enough to secure enough grains and fruits
for today let alone the future. They no longer have propane to cook
with so they scour the area looking for the precious would fuel their
stove, which resembles a quickly made camp stove.
Their supporting police officer friends,
who truly are friends and act minimally like authoritarians, believe
the future of the children's home is bleak, but my friends and I believe
and hope differently. We believe, along with the police officers, that
this land holds the potential to house and support many more children
and with a small amount of economical support the possibility of being
structurally sound. At the time of our visit, two Spanish volunteers
were spending time painting the large bedrooms and making small structural
advancements making the property even more valuable. The police officers
with the help of their department were finishing a greenhouse to facilitate
and expedite the production of food. We were able to take some food
to the home, but our efforts need to be continued. With a trivial amount
of help, many young children will have a much higher quality of life.
Robert Amrine
Updated 2/2/03 Contact: Rita Wirkala
