On Friday afternoon, we made a
huge discovery - el moto! In Paita, people do not drive around in cars.
Instead, there are hundreds of motos. What is a moto, you ask? A moto
is essentially a Vespa with a rickshaw on that back for 2-3 passengers.
You can easily jump in one of these on any street corner and for
3 soles (= $1.2) they will take you anywhere you want to go in Paita. While
they don't have a lot of horse power, they are not afraid to tailgate and
cut in front of anyone who is going to slow. It is certainly an adventurous
take on a boring commute!
If you've been following our blog
carefully, you should realize that when we arrived in Paita yesterday, we
were going on roughly 2 hours of sleep. But, those who know us, know
that exhaustion didn't keep us from exploring the city and the
school. When we first walked outside the school, which is
next door to the convent, the children ran to us, so excited to shout
''Good Morning!!'' in perfect English and to get a look at the
American ladies. As part of our tour of the convent, Sister Monica
explained to us that we needed to take great caution in our water use.
They do not have hot water for showers or dishes and they must use
their water sparingly. Of course, this came at no surprise to me. How many
times have I heard that third world countries don't have the water
they need? Yet, adapting to this has proved challenging for all of us. As
I wash up with baby wipes and hand sanitizers, I'm constantly reminded of
the long, hot showers I like to take and the gallons of water I
waste while washing dishes each day.
After we settled in and
unpacked, we visited the off-campus preschool a few
miles away. Riding there (in our motos), you could see a shift
in the housing. There is no paved road to get to the neighborhood, only a
dirt path leading to a complex of hand-built homes - many without
electricity. At the pre-school (2 one-room buildings), we
met with 56 children. Because Lisa is a nurse, the sisters and
the parents wanted her to examine the children for medical issues. The
first girl we saw was almost two and lacked the muscles to stand on her own,
most likely from vitamin deficiency. Unfortunately, we were very limited
on the help we could provide as we could not hand out medicine
or treat her. However, I believe that merely consulting with Lisa
was beneficial for the families and each child left with a yummy
sucker. For example, one woman brought in her one year old son
who had a fever and a cough. Because she didn't want him to get
sick, the mom had him dressed head-to-toe in fleece pajamas in 75 degree
weather. Lisa was able to explain, through a translator, that he was
overdressed and needed to cool down. It was incredible to witness Lisa offering
advice and sympathy to the mothers and giving each child a big hug.
We ended our evening with a packed 7pm Mass downtown and a chat
with the sisters about life in Paita. A perfect ending to a great (but tiring)
day!
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Read how Our Community is involved with St. Clare School in Paita, Peru
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Saturday, June 15, 2013
Discubriendo el moto!!
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Ladies! ~ all your pictures are amazing! The colors of all the costumes & lovely faces tell me how proud they all were to share this experience with you all. I bet the music was super! It truly appears & shows in your pictures that their arms & hearts are so open to your visit. Drink it all in ladies!! :) Thanks, for all your doing. ~~ Hugs from Jackson, TN ~ Janine
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. We always welcome them.
ReplyDeleteWe are having a wonderful time. The sisters are very welcoming. I know we're putting a burden on them, especially coming during their big fundraiser/fathers day event.
Today we're going to Mass, a boat ride on the ocean and visiting a town just south of Piura to buy a few things to bring home.
We'll be posting later.
this is so very interesting and eye opening. the children dressed in their native costumes are so beautiful. amazing and wonderful - that they have these traditions.
ReplyDeleteLisa- terrific that you are able to make a difference to these families. It means so much to those that have so little.
all the best for the rest of your trip. continued prayers for you along the way.
I am enjoying your blog and pictures.
Thanks Tam! We are being so generously hosted by the sisters. They are making our visit so eventful!
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