Outside Looking In

Youth Group Closing Session

As I noted before, the goodbyes have already begun. Last week, the practicantes* finished their work and headed back to Lima to defend their theses. Since Karla, the practicante who has helped with the youth group all year, was leaving we held the official end of the year session for the youth group.

Belleza por Todos Lados - Huaca Pucllana

Huaca Pucllana is a pre-Inca archaeological site in the middle of Miraflores, Lima that's only steps from my friend's house. If you're ever in Lima, go check it out.

Goodbye: Host Parents

I went to Lima last weekend to say goodbye to my study abroad host parents, Marilú and Pepe. These are the people that first made me feel at home in Peru, and I doubt that I would be here now if it weren't for the love and welcome.

I'll be back in Lima for Christmas, but they'll be away so I made sure to have some time to see them.

Hasta la próxima!

Belleza por Todos Lados - Waiting for the Good News

Here's our Advent Wreath!

Quarterly Review 8 - Video

It helps, now and then, to step back

and take the long view.

-Prayer Honoring Pd. Oscar Romero

This Quarterly Review Video turned out to be the most difficult. Part of the difficulty is that there simply weren't as many big events as there were during the 7^th quarter, so I didn't have the variety of photos to share. But choosing the song was the most difficult part of putting this video together.

Being so near the end, I'm in a very reflective mood. I'm looking back over the last 2 years and making sense of them. I'm appreciating big and small moments. So I tried a few reflective songs with lyrics that expressed some of the feelings of finishing and change that I have right now. But that tone doesn't match the other 3 quarterly review videos.

After a few days of trying out different songs, I decided on Pharrel William's “Happy.” I'll save the reflective mood for an end of JVC video. For now, it's enough that I am here and I am happy.

Praying for Rain

In Boston, weather affects the quality of your day. But a spell of bad weather one month is unlikely to affect your entire year. That's the difference between city-dwellers and farmers. For us city dwellers weather affects our outfits. For farmers, weather affects everything.

In September, everyone planted their fields with corn. The corn stalks have since sprouted and grown. In some places they are taller than I am. They're still green, for now. I say for now because it hasn't rained in a long time. People are starting to worry. Herman Rosario says that all the corn in Juliaca (a few hours away) is dry and yellow and useless. People will lose a lot of money if it doesn't rain soon.

Belleza por Todos Lados - Temple at Night

Thanksgiving

The feast isn't until Thursday, but we celebrated with our Peruvian and Spanish friends on Sunday. Here's some pictures, and a beautiful blessing that captures the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Noted With Translation - What the Cool Kids Eat

Cool Rice

You're Invited

Sunday, November 20th

2PM, in the Mountain House

Thanksgiving Dinner

Noted With Translation – Solidarios en Acción

Dear Father or Mother of the Education Institution Fe y Alegría 44 – Andahuaylillas, PREVIO a cordial greeting, the following is in order to invoke the spirit of solidarity and benefit a student from the Preschool Level who urgently needs an operation and whose mother does not have the necessary economic resources, please send a colaboration of 2.00 nuevos soles* tomorrow we thank you in advance for your support.
Attentively,
The Administration

Usually, Noted With Translation posts are short and sweet. I keep my commentary brief. My intention is to let the message itself shine. Today, I'm going to be a bit wordier than usual.

A comunicado is a message sent out to all parents. The administration sends out comunicados about school cancelations, important school events, and reminders to pay fees. Think of it as the Peruvian equivalent of a robo-call.

This comunicado is an example of solidarity at its finest. Most people here don't have enough money for major operations, and the national health insurance doesn't cover very much besides basic doctor's visits. There is no rich part of town in Andahuaylillas where this mother could ask for money to help her child. To be clear, it's not that everyone's poor, it's just that no one is rich.

So the school (which, as I learned recently LINK, also doesn't have extra money lying around) decided to step up and call upon the wider school community. Part of Fe y Alegría's identity is that parents are considered a vital part of the school community, and are expected to play an active roll. I'm sure that most, if not all, parents stepped up and sent 2 soles with their child the next day. I don't know if they raised enough money for the operation, but I do know that this is what it large scale community looks like.

The title of this post is, ironically, difficult to translate. Translating the phrase “Solidarios en Acción” requires an explanation of the word solidario. It's the adjective form of solidaridad, which directly translates to “solidarity.” Here I bump up against the bilingual problem in that there is no English word to fully connotes solidario. It's the reality of being “in solidarity with someone.” You can complement a person by saying they are “very solidario” meaning that they are dependable and empathetic and come aware of other people's pains and willing to share that pain and help end it. So I don't have a translation for my title. But I think you get the idea. If you can think of a translation for solidario, leave it in the comments.

*Peru's money is offically Nuevos Soles, though it is generally just referred to as soles. Nuevo Sol translates to “New Sun.” Interestingly, the last 3 iterations of government issued money in Peru are named for the sun. The Sol de Oro (Spanish for  GoldenSun) was the currency from 1922-1985. It was followed by the Inti (Quechua for sun) 1985-1991. Since 1991, Peru has been using the Nuevo Sol (New Sun). The principal deity of the Incas was the sun. Hmm...I wonder if there is a connection.

My Candle

I divided my candle into 3 home related images.

Boston

Andahuaylillas

My people (I'm not a master painter)

I also put three Bible verses that meet a lot to me.

Psalm 42
"Why are you downcast, my soul? Why do you groan with in me?"
This whole psalm is a wonderful way to face sorrow in the face.
The best line: "Deep calls to deep."

Jeremiah 1:1-10
This is the text of the song "El Profeta" 

John 1:1-15
"A light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Youth Group Candles

Remember the pictures from the other week where the youth group was covered in paint? If you don't, here's a link.

Our actual activity was painting candles to use during our prayers.* The paint fight meant we didn't finish the actual painting in one session, so we finished up the next week. Here are the finished products:

Everyone wanted a photo with their candle. Sorry that they're fuzzy; I really should start bringing my camera to youth group sessions just in case a photo opportunity happens.

This is Karla, the practicante who runs the Youth Group with me.

The pastoral group the prayers together, stays together:

*I stole this activity from the Tacna JVs. 

Noted With Translation - Everyone loves Oreos

In Peru, Oreo's slogan is changed from "America's favorite cookie" to "Milk's favorite cookie."

Noted With Translation - International Trade Agreement Edition

Sorry to get all political on you all, but I saw this in Urcos the other day and thought it was worth sharing. You can probably guess this, but these are anti-TPP slogans.

"No to the TPP"

"TPP doesn't go!!"
(as in, "must not happen")

Youth Group Painted Painters

We were painting candles last week at youth group. The Spirit got to moving and a paint fight broke out. The way paint fights do. I love this job. 

Community Photo

It takes a couple tries to get that perfect shot.

Belleza por Todos lados - Stonehenge

Here there be Giants

Some of us has some fun with forced perspective while on a break at ReO/DisO