Sunday 15 June 2008

Ventanilla update

We arrived back in the UK last Wednesday after an eventful trip home. It feels very strange to be back in Sheffield after being in Peru for 9 months, and having been in Ventanilla only last Friday.

As always it was a blessing to be there, as well as a challenge. Added to this, it was more of a challenge than normal to get there. Normally it takes at least two hours to get there, due to its location. However a traffic jam, due to an accident on the only route to Ventanilla, I (Mark) ended up arriving after leaving three hours twenty minutes travelling. I usually get a combination of bus and taxi to get there, however due to the traffic jam, I decided to get out to walk at 12.18 (I needed to be at the school before one o clock), hoping to get a bus at the other end of the seemingly endless traffic jam. I however had to get a taxi, then a motor taxi (taxi and motorbike combined) and then walk the further 45 minutes to the school, up through what coculd be described as a dirty large sand dune, which is the area that Alfredo is working in. I arrived at 13:25, and thought the kids would have left, but they were still there, and waiting for me to arrive.

Some of the students at 'Discovery High School' primary school!


They then wanted me to introduce myself, and ask me some questions. (Most of the questions were regarding the price of my camera, or what their name, or another word was in English).
They then showed me their favourite game, skipping, but using the school’s giant hose. (See photos and video below)

Tug of war with a giant hose! (guess which team won)

I was then introduced to a few songs they knew, as well as taking photos inside and outside the school. It was a real privilege to be there yet again, and to see the joy that these children who have virtually nothing financially, but are full of joy, and receiving an education with great happiness and thankfullness, that I haven’t seen in the UK.
The children stayed over an hour and a half after school should have had finished, (again I can’t imagine seeing that in the UK) and were given biscuits and pop, before going home, hopefully, to a good lunch.

Many of these children have no breakfast and a very small lunch. One example of this is the family below, with no dad, and a mum who works now and again, when she can get work sewing or cooking, they have little or no money. Their normal lunch is a bowl of the soup, you can see below, which has beans or pasta in it, and no more. Alfredo was talking to me about this, and saying he would love to be able to provide a basic breakfast of a glass of milk and a roll for each student. We reckon this will only cost about 40 pounds a month, and will really help these children. Things like this have really spoken to me since we got home as this is just taken for granted over here in the UK.

Wednesday 4 June 2008

Latest scan

Little baby Burgess at around 20 weeks, giving us a wave.

We went for another (yes number 4!) scan today, which was really amazing and the guy was really nice and even showed us the baby in 4d which was quite amazing after we got over how much like an alien the baby looked! Found out the sex too and we might even tell you if you ask us nicely!! Unfortunately, the lady who put the DVD in forgot to tell the guy scanning, so we didn't get the amazing scan recorded, but the guy was nice enough to do a mini-scan for us for a few minutes so we could have something. Above is a print taken from the mini-scan DVD.

Tuesday 3 June 2008

Anniversary craziness

Saturday night we had a night out - and left Daniel behind for only the second time since we've been in Peru. We went to Vision Vida's church 4th Anniversary. This is the church we're currently attending on a Sunday and we were invited as special guests (yes, a bit of a joke, we know!)
So in true Peruvian style, the anniversary consisted of speeches and introductions of the special guests (we got to stand and wave and Mark was humilated again as Edwardo the pastor shared Mark's culinary skills with everyone. In fairness, I did tell Mark he needed to redo the apple crumble after he accidently poured rice instead of sugar into the mix which didn't cook and added a very crunchy feel to the whole pudding. Mark would like you to know that it was dark - but I want to know why he was cooking in the dark in the first place?!)

Edwardo, the pastor of Vision Vida Church


Anyway, back to the anniversary. Then one of the special guests (appropriately for a pastor named Domingo (Sunday)) gave a short (!) 40 minute sermon on integrity and setting an example for Christ in society. Next, during our BBQ dinner and garlic bread we got to watch a random video of people in the church throughout the year which also lasted about 40 minutes. The highlight had to be the videoman getting a group of girls in a tent to look up from their coffees to wave to the camera for the church anniversary video. Seeing members of the church in stupid 2008 glasses and doing the limbo came a close second.

Next the lights went down, the coloured lights went on and the band got up and we had disco style worship! The most surreal moment (after the rap?!) was definitely emerging from the bathroom to find everyone with sausage balloons wearing stupid hats! There is definitely not any sign of religious spirit in this church! The worship band in full swing with anniversary hats. Edwardo and his wife Cecelia, the pastors of the church are the ones in top hats!