Peru This Summer

I never did talk about Teresa's Peru trip coming up. Actually we are planning for both of us: I am going, too!

Teresa's favorite social studies teacher, Mr. Fernandez-Davila, is from Peru, and he is also an archaeologist. Every summer for the past 13 years, he takes a group of students and parents to one of five remote villages in Peru. They raise money for school supplies for the children in the village, and this year they are also helping re-build the school building itself, which is dilapidated and falling apart.

The villages are far off the beaten path, as a huge understatement for you. The group flies into Lima, then drives in big trucks north and into the mountains, as far as the roads are paved. Then they get on horses and hike, on narrow trails and through the mud for a few days.

They finally reach the village, and it's a celebration to be had! The supplies are opened and it's like Christmas for the kids, and like I said this time, during the days spent in the village, we will also help build the school building and a playground for the children. Teresa was just ecstatic to be invited on this trip. The draw for me was: the service opportunity.

If I planned my own trip to Peru, it would not be anything like this. Daniel (Mr. Fernandez) has his endless network of family and friends down there, and has the whole trip down to a science.

He also has us hike to some archaeological sites in between, to learn about the ruins and mummies of ancient civilizations. Since last October, the students have been working hard all year to raise money for the Peruvian children, and for their own expenses down there.

Teresa is raising money in a few different ways. She has been baking zucchini bread like crazy, taking orders from people at church and school. She has also been babysitting, recycling ink cartridges from printers, and selling Silpada jewelry. We had 2 Silpada parties with neighbors and teachers, since Teresa's aunt sells Silpada jewelry.

It has been a learning experience, to be sure, for all of us. But I think it has been good for her to learn how things like this work, and how fundraising does actually help you but it takes time and energy! We will be gone the last week of June & first week of July. Yes, a two-week adventure that takes lots of preparation.

We'll bring back our own photos, of course! And hopefully a new appreciation for a different culture and for our own lives and circumstances. I think it will be a good experience.