One Year in Peru/ A Medical Campaign, Lares Trek, and El Arca orphanage

August 2 marks one year that I have been living in Peru!  Volunteering at the JH orphanage has been a blessing in getting to hold, cuddle, and entertain little ones, giving them some semblance of what it should be to be in a safe and loving family, even if their "family" life isn't exactly normal.

Walter and I have been married nearly two months, and although we haven't had a proper honey-moon, we have taken on a couple of small adventures, that have been good experiences for us to do together.  At the end of June, we joined a large U.S. medical campaign in Quillabamba.  It brought back my interest in the medical field, working alongside eager medical students learning from seasoned doctors.  Walter and I helped with translating; Walter was quite popular with his knowledge of Quechua!  Though I'm not sure of the number of patients seen, the lines were long each of the three days, of locals and country-folk with all sorts of ailments and concerns.

Medical Campaign, working out of the Evangelical Church of Peru in Quillabamba

Walter has been asking for a long time, when we can do one of the inka trail hikes.  We finally went on a weekend, two-day Lares Trek.  I was surprised by how the terrain changed a lot along the way, offering really beautiful views.  We camped at 4600 meters above sea level the first night.  It was cold, and there was frost on the ground in the morning.  There were lots of children along the way eager to greet us, as they have become accustomed to hikers giving little candies or treats as they walk through their remote area. Many of the children in these areas don't attend school.  They work from a young age pasturing their family sheep or llamas in the Andean hills. 
The sisters in the photo below were collecting cow dung for their family, to provide fuel for cooking later.

This little girl eagerly ran after us to our campsite, knowing she might get a treat

I just loved that the one little girl carried her pet pig with her like a doll.  I always wanted a little pet pig when I was younger!

This little boy and his dog (named Gringita), sat with us for a few minutes sharing our mid-morning snack.

A typical home seen along the Lares Trek

 Back to work related things... we have had four children leave the Casa this year, which is so exciting, but has left the Casa quiet the past couple of months with only 11 children and well staffed.  For this, I have decided to spread out my work-time in a couple of other areas as well, including an orphange called The Ark and a project with the regional Hospital of Cusco.
The Ark is a home with over 20 children and most of whom are school-age and attend a local elementary school.  They have a lot less as a Home, and it functions a lot differently than the Casa.  They make due with older, tattered clothing, don't have money for fruit and meat, toothpaste, etc. on a regular basis and all the washing is done by hand daily by a couple of staff.  (That is A LOT of physical work!) 
One day I spent about 4 hours just chopping vegetables for their lunch meal.
The children are precious, and I've a special place in my heart for one little boy named Marco who, although about 10 years old, doesn't attend school.  He doesn't see or walk normally, and suffers from other developmental delays.  He has his days when he is very talkative and eager to have your attention, and other days hardly talks, perhaps sad and withdrawn into his own world.  I don't know his story, but if you could meet him, I think he'd also warm your heart!

The Hospital project has been very eye-opening and at times a challenge in confronting the very real lack both within the hospital and in regards to most of the patients' lives.  It is definitely a topic worthy of a blog of it's own...
To come soon!