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www.TheManSam.com
Peru
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www.TheManSam.com
Peru
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 Lima Airport, Peru - Arrived
late evening, 1/9/05. Warm (summer in
Southern Hemisphere). Busy airport. Immigration line long. Wait seemed interminable. Main group from WA arrived over an hour later. Left airport by bus for lodging after 3 am.  View from window of room in girls' dormitory at UPU (Universidad Peruana Union), morning of 1/10. Location: Nana (pronouned "Nya-Nya"), San Juan de Lurigancho, over half hour from downtown Lima. Administration buildings. Sidewalks very smooth, almost slick. Luckily, it rarely rains. Gray skies monotonously unchanged throughout two weeks in Lima.  Another view of UPU campus from dorm room. Plants nicely trimmed. Note rocky, mountainous surrounding terrain.  EmausChurchSite - Site of new church to be built. A Maranatha project (http://www.maranatha.org). Note how populous the hills are. Half of Peru's 26 million population live in poverty (under $2/day); half of those live in extreme poverty (under $1/day).  Original Emaus Church - This dilapidated structure served as a meeting venue before the new church was built.  Steel beams sunk in concrete comprise the skeleton of the new church. Concete blocks reinforced with steel rods contribute to a sturdy structure.  Block layer Ray applies his expertise.  Built on a hill, carving the church pad from rock required tedious, time-consuming labor by both locals and non-locals.  The church, like all Maranatha churches, is built to strict specifications.  2 brothers, Gustavo and Claudio, transported group members to various sites by bus.  The first of several churches painted by the group.  Church locale.  More environs, San Juan de Lurigancho. Painted houses offer refreshing contrast to drab landscape.  One way to read newspapers. 3 wheeled motorcycle taxis abound, are obviously less safe than cars. Nevertheless in wide use.  Locals in church environs  The group was divided into various crews: construction, painting, kitchen, laundry, etc. The largest crew, non gender-specific, painted.  Brother John, a capable handyman, preparing a paint roller.  A marvelous invention, the extension pole. All unpainted surfaces were painted at least twice: with a primer and final coat. Paint mostly latex-based, water soluble.  Mike, standing, is a professional painting contractor.  Relatively lightweight and maneuverable, tricycle taxis seem easy to service - and wash.  Breakfasts and dinners/suppers were served in this fashion in an area separate from the main school cafeteria. Food prepared by kitchen crew. Lunches, consisting of sandwiches, juice, and fruit, were transported to and consumed at work sites. NEXT |