Goshen College
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Spring 2011
And they’re off! The wake-up call was well before dawn to get to the airport on time. Eleven SSTers departed for O’Hare via Miami (three others stayed…
- farewells to those staying in Lima
- on the way to the airport
- on the way to the gate
After saying goodbye to their host families, friends, and service sites in Arequipa, Ayacucho, and Chimbote, the Peru SSTers reunited in Lima and boarded another bus to…
- presenting on the 2011 presidential election
- mandatory voting
- with campaign posters
- breakfast at Kawai
- international tourism
- recycling practices
- reading a book written about working with mentally disabled students
- the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- single moms in Chimbote
- enjoying the presentations (and the sun)
- early childhood education
- evangelical churches in Ayacucho
- sharing a Peruvian folk tale
- health education and the elderly
- saints
- reading an illustrated book on saints
- machismo culture
- on the beach
- showing off a crab
- dinner
- the importance of dance in La Victoria, Chimbote
- closing worship
- trying to make a pyramid
- almost…
- pyramid building, take 2
- on the beach
- ready…set…
- jump!
In 1540 Spanish conquistadors in southern Peru settled in a mostly sunny spot—shaded at times by the nearby volcano, El Misti—that, for centuries before their arrival, was…
- In the Plaza de Armas
- with English students
- head, shoulders, knees and toes (knees and toes)…
- at MMI
- with host family
- at home
- the volcano Misti
Tucked away in the Andes of south-central Peru, the city of Ayacucho has the distinction of being one of the country’s most historically significant places. The first…
- outside Chelsea’s school
- the classrooms
- with host sister (and roommate)
- pachamanca!
- outside Marita’s school
- with host mom
- with host family
- at the Ayacucho clinic
- down the street from the clinic in Ayacucho
- with some host family members
- Jessie at the clinic in Quinua
- with her supervisor
- Lauren at work
- helping cook Peruvian dishes
- with host siblings
- outside Becca’s church
- lots of rain flooded the street near the church
- the way to the church building
- at a Sunday service
- Sunday school
- the classroom building at the church
- at home
- with host family
- first time seeing each other in weeks!
- the view of Ayacucho from the Mirador
- local cuisine: puka picante (spicy potatoes, rice, and meat)
- the Battle of Ayacucho memorial
- the battlefield
- uniforms from the two sides
- the plaza in Quinua
- Museo de la Memoria in Ayacucho
- clothes from some of the disappeared
- the exhibit in the museo
Most travel guidebooks give minimal attention to Chimbote, highlighting the north-coastal town´s ever present fish smell. ¨This roguish port town is not a tourist destination, and there´s…
- Kayla and Julia’s front door
- Julia and Kayla’s host mom and brother
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
- Beginning our hike up Cerro de la Pax (Mountain of Peace)
- View of Chimbote from Cerro de la Paz
- The Church on the way to the top of Cerro de la Paz
- Tim and Jackson’s host mom and sister
- Jackson with the 4 year old class in the mornings
- Julia with the toddlers in the mornings
- Tim preparing for art classes in the afternoons
- Kayla preparing materials for afternoon programs with youth
- Kayla and Tim at the after school program center
- Planning service for the weeks ahead
- Gathering the ingredients for a cake
- Making a cake for a despedida
- After a game of soccer
- Celebrating at a despedida fiesta
On Wednesday of our last week in Lima, we had our own version of Match Day, when each SSTer learned where they would be going for service,…
- opening service placement envelopes
- finding out what they’ll be doing the next six weeks
- And where they’ll be living
- sharing assignments with each other
- Four-fifths of the Ayacucho group
- The Arequipa and Ayacucho groups
- Boarding the bus to Arequipa
- at the bus station the next morning
- the Chimbote group
- Chimbote-bound!
To mark the special occasion of our despedida—our host family thank you and service sendoff party—Lima was graced with a few unusual raindrops and, more significantly, a…
- the rainbow leading to our despedida
- last minute planning
- almost ready for the party
- tables are set
- food is ready!
- Three of our five birthday cakes for February and March
- the dancers
- one last rehersal
- the opening act
- the cajon performance
- a host family tribute
- “Un Millon de Amigos”
- Way #1 to spot a gringo: “sí, sí, sí…”
- Way #2: crossing the street
- commuting on the combi
- waiting for the music
- Words of graditude from the group
- the directors say a few words
- waiting for Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo
- Inti, the sun god, and Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo
- one more song
- The birthday girls and boys (for February and March)
Our travels around Lima took us to three interesting places in the last week: La Inmaculada is a primary and secondary school run by the Jesuits, a…
- on our way to play with kids
- a juggling demonstration
- On the road to somewhere interesting!
- Overlooking the water treatment facility on the grounds of Inmaculada
- The school’s olive grove
- Touring the zoo on campus
- On our tour of Inmaculada
- the view of Lima from the top of the mountain
- the view of the school
- Outside Delfín’s studio
- Admiring the art, and the view
- the artist
- Delfín at work
Our week began with two lectures focusing on the indigenous peoples of Peru. First we heard from Mennonite Pastor Jose Manuel Prada Bernal on how the oppression…
- Pastor Jose Manuel Prada Bernal
- Father Jaime Regan
- Pachacamac
- The view of the Pacific from Pachacamac
- We love group photos!
- the ingredients for pachamanca
- the earthen oven
- Alicia and Oswaldo prepare
- level 1: potatoes
- level 2: herbs
- next up: beans and tamales
- more herbs
- covering everything with a tarp
- the final step: covering with dirt
- Time to wait
- and wait…
- digging up dinner
- chicken and potatoes
- the oven
- the feast!
One of Lima’s more impressive features is the city’s extensive park system. After a morning of delivering water to households that lack plumbing in Villa El Salvador,…
