Service Visits: Ayacucho

Ian, Clara, Makena, Dillon and Greta are living and serving in Ayacucho, a region in the south central Andes. The city of Ayacucho, also known as Huamanga, is the capital of the region and is famous for its 33 churches, as well as its elaborate Holy Week celebrations which will soon be attracting thousands of visitors from across Perú. It is also one of the poorest regions of Perú and was one of the hardest hit by the Shining Path insurgency in the 1980s. Ian, Clara, and Makena live within the city limits of Huamanga, and Greta and Dillon live about 45 minutes away, in the smaller town of Quinua.

Ian teaches English to primary students at Colegio Apostol Pablo, a private, Christian school. Clara is working in a classroom for 9-12 year-olds at Centro de Educación Básica Especial ‘San Juan de Dios,’ a public school serving children with disabilities. Makena is working at Comedor Getsemani, a food program that serves meals to children living in poverty.

Dillon and Greta are living with artisan families in the town of Quinua, assisting in their families’ ceramic workshops and storefronts. Quinua is well-known for its distinctive art and most residents earn their livelihood through the sale of their work.