Quillabamba Coffee & food markets

Coffee

I had the opportunity to see Quillabamba and to visit my best friend's family farm for a week.  It is so different from Cusco.  Cusco is primarily distinguished by it's denominant culture and history, and by old architecture and ruins.  Quillabamba is a lot more modern, and I was a bit surprised by the huge difference in conservatism there.  However, the climate is also a lot hotter, so it's not necessary for layers and alpaca-made gear!

The farm is beautiful, in a very jungle, tropical-like climate, but without big spiders, snakes, or monkeys.  Mango, mandarin and papaya trees are everywhere, although it's a bit early for them to be ready yet.  Bananas and avocados were prime for picking, though.  I didn't know there were so many different kinds of bananas.  Today I actually experimented with frying bananas for the first time.  Delicious.

I also learned the process of farming coffee and cocoa beans.  I sure understand now why imported coffee and chocolate are so expensive in Canada.  A LOT of time goes into preparing coffee for drinking!  The beans are hand picked, dried, washed, dried again, then eventually toasted, and ground.  I learned how to toast the coffee and also ground some to take home.  Also delicious.

PHOTOS OF QUILLABAMBA AREA:

Photo 1: In Quillabamba   Photo 2: Coffee and lime trees  Photo 3: A pineapple plant

Photo 4: Banana tree  Photo 5: Maiz   Photo 6:  One of two waterfalls we trekked to

 Photo 7: Beautiful tropical-like plants

Photo 8: More tropical-like plants!








Food Markets
Being away for a week made me realize how much I missed the kids at the Casa and how much I love my work and love those kids!  Their vibrant welcome when I came in the door on Monday was also heart-warming.
When I had left, Luis was still only walking about 6 steps at the most, but he is now walking all over the place!  It's exciting getting to get to see and be a part of their new stages of growth.
The little babies are also becoming more expressive and connected to their environments, so that is also fun.
One of my new tasks in helping out where needed at the orphanage is assisting one of the staff with the weekly grocery shopping on Friday mornings at the food market.  It is so interesting and different from Superstore, and it is a big job.  Sometimes it can take an hour and a half or 2 to find everything down all the isles of different fruits, vegetables, flours, meats and fish sections.
I am hoping to have photos of the meat section in the future.

Team Departure

I saw the team off on Wednesday.  I think they were ready to go home after a very full two weeks. 

They were busy from sun-up to late evening every day with various projects and outings.  There can be ups and downs emotionally and physically being in a poorer culture with both beautiful things and also very sad and difficult to see things.  Various minor stomach and health ailments also made the last few days difficult for some of the group.  However, all-in-all it was a productive and enjoyable time for them here.  Despite some crazy rain in Sept/Oct, the weather has been really beautiful for the past month, getting hotter in the past couple of weeks.  (Love it!)

On the weekend Pastor Bill, Walter and I joined the rest of the team for the two hour bus ride to their train station departure to Machu Picchu.  We stopped in Chinchero to enjoy a short Artesenian presentation that I have seen before, on how they make and dye the wool in Peru.  There was a bit of time to scope out the markets afterwards, too.  The handicrafts are so beautiful.  The colors and artestry of Peru are so varied and are one of the many things I love about this country.

 On Tuesday, after the team returned from Machu Picchu, some of the them came with me to the orphanage to see where I spend my time, meet the kids and staff, and to help with a painting project.  I had told them that there was one small wall to paint, and that it wouldn't take more than a couple of hours.  However, a Young Adult team from Sweden beat us to it just the day before.  There was one really tall wall that they started after finishing the smaller one, but much of it was hard to reach.  A tin roof made it hard to access from the neighboring property, so there were only a couple of good vantage points to work from.  With much appreciation, our guys got innovative and finished the job!

Getting innovative

 It was great having my church team here and to be able to join the group a fair amount, and to share some of my Peru experiences with Ryan. 

Using Four Extensions

Getting 'er done- Alberta-style!

Thinking back to last year, when I returned home to Canada after my first trip here, I remember the -35 C getting off the plane.
I can't say I'll miss having a cold, white winter this year!

Of coures, I do miss my family, friends, and church family back home. 

Come visit any time!



Church Fall Team

My Church's Fall Adult Team flew in after over 24 hours of travel on Thursday last week.  I was SO excited to see them, especially with my brother Ryan coming as part of the team!  It's so cool to be able to share my experiences here in Peru with one of my family members, and to be able to connect with my church here in Peru.

At the arrivals area in the Cusco airport, you cannot go inside the terminal, but have to wait outside the building.  I was waiting anxiously, with butterflies (how nerdy, I know) at the airport early that Thursday morning, looking through the glass for the team.  But, after the 8:10 arrival, I couldn' t see any of them.  A couple of more flights arrived, and again, no recognizable, tall gringos.  Mila, the coordinator from the organization our church works with, was there waiting with me and commented that she imagined that God must be waiting, looking down from heaven, for his lost children with a similar anticipation and excitement, just waiting for those to find Him and acknowledge their need for the God who created them.
"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."  Matthew 7:7  God is always waiting with open hands.

"In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  Luke 15:10  There is a party in heaven every time a person turns their life to follow God's way.

"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:20  What an amazing verse... He rejoices over his saved followers!

When the team finally arrived, late due to overbooked, backed-up flights, it was really great to see them, and to see them get settled into the compound. 
It was a blessing to be able to join the group on the weekend to go to the Huanca Huanca village.  Almost a year ago, I visited this village for the first time.  I recognized alot of the children from last year, and was amazed at how much they've grown!  Before I'd left, a friend had sent an encouraging note, reminding me that the Andes mountains are pretty much the "ends of the earth".  What a great privilege to be able to share God's love, and to be an encouragement to our brothers and sisters in this remote area of the world! 

The area of Huanca Huanca

"Then Jesus said to them- "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..."  Matthew 28:19 & 20a

"Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Ps.19.4.

"...that you may bring my Salvation to the ends of the earth."  Isaiah49:6

Sunday School with the kids

The team encouraged the Huanca Huanca Church by: Dana putting on the Sunday school program for the kids, Pastor Bill teaching in a couple of services, and our group praying for their church and members.  We also helped collect rocks for the foundation of a replacement church that is to be built in the coming months.  We were able to connect with the children, playing lots of games, and our guys attempted to play soccar against the Huanca Huanca men (it was pretty funny, the Peruvians far outshone the Canadians in this area- sorry no photos!).

A handful of hail

 Our team was encouraged by the people there as well.  They told us how thankful they are for our support in different ways, and showed us some test plots that the agriculturalist our church sponsors has been working on, as well as a demonstration of how they work the land in preparation for planting.  A couple of guys from our team tried their hand at it, and soon realized that it's harder work than it looks!  The work the agriculturist has done with their community, such as planting new crops, benefits the village with nutrition and income.  Last year the onion crop was quite successful, although they do need help in learning when and how to market it in order to gain the best exchange.  This year they were trying various other vegetables including beets and cabbage, to see how they do in the high altitude.

As with the first trip, I am reminded that though they have little, they are content and happy people.  It continues to guide me in being content with what I have, and learning to live with less stuff and rather focusing my time on the connections I make with people, and showing the love that Jesus has shown me.