More from San Clemente

Here's just a few more shots of the beautiful kids in the shantytown of Nazario. Some are with the short-term team members.

Paracas and Huacachina

We just had a wonderful 4-day visit from our dear college friend Kevin Sheahan. He had been working with a team from his church in Iquitos (deep in the rainforest), and had some time at the end to spend in Lima, so we enjoyed catching up and sharing the holiday weekend together.

Continuing the story of the visiting teams - the last day of the first team I joined them for their tour of Paracas and Huacachina. Paracas is the launching point to visit the Islas Ballestas. Often called the "poor man's Galapagos", these islands are filled with all manner of marine creatures, including penguins, sea lions, pelicans, dolphins, condors and other birds.

These pictures are from our freezing boat ride to the islands - all borrowed, since unfortunately our camera was stolen at the second destination of the day.

The whole island was covered with birds

Famous candelabra carved into the sand

I had never seen penguins in the wild before!

Fewer sea lions than usual, but at least we saw these guys.

After the Islas and lunch, we continued on to Huacachina, an oasis in the midst of vast sand dunes, some of them enormous. Very touristy, but lots of fun.

Several of us rented boards and went sandboarding. No lifts, so we hiked up.

This and the following two were from the top of one of the higher dunes. To give you perspective, those specks way down below are people standing at the top of the ridge from the previous picture.

We could even see the Andes in the distance.

For an additional fee, they gave dune buggy tours through the hills of sand, but we opted out - maybe next time.

The whole day really was a blast, except for the camera loss. Both sites recommended for anyone visiting Peru.

Felices Fiestas Patrias!

Happy Peruvian Independence Day! Yes today, July 28, we celebrate 187 years of independence for the nation of Peru (as well as 250 blog posts for the Salvatierras). It is really a big deal here, especially in Lima, and they take the whole month of July to celebrate. Flags and other banners with the red and white have been flying over nearly every building, schools have planned parades and cultural celebrations, and patriotism is high. Noah even had a special show last Friday with his pre-school, where after practicing for weeks, he dressed up and was supposed to perform a traditional dance with his class, but ended up staring blankly at the crowd (adorable video in future post).
Peruvians are very proud of their country (the disgraced soccer team notwithstanding), quick to recognize and boast of its beauty, rich heritage, fine cuisine and other virtues, while also honest about the problems it faces as a nation. It is interesting to read in any description, no matter how flattering or patriotic the publication may intend to be, any list of Peru's virtues is quickly followed by an acknowledgement of its struggles - indeed, it would be dishonest not to do so, for they are impossible to miss. Worlds of cultural riches and natural resources, alongside utter poverty. Warm, generous people and breakthtaking scenery, yet crippled by corruption. It is a difficult incongruity to live with, but this is Peru, a country that we have come to truly love. So we celebrate this day and rejoice with our brothers and sisters here, singing with them,

Somos libres, seámoslo siempre!
We are free, let us be so always!

San Clemente

And we're back. Finally got some pictures to put up from last month's trips to San Clemente.

Last month we had two short term teams visiting, both of them groups of high school and college students from churches in Georgia and Florida. They both did some work in Lima, but spent most of their time in San Clemente, about two hours south of here. San Clemente is a small town outside of Pisco, which is the city traditionally known for its famous namesake liquor and surrounding vineyards, but which is now better known for the devastating earthquake that struck in August of last year. I finally got to see the aftermath. The destruction is vast, including the city's cathedral, which collapsed leaving only the bell towers standing, and crushing over 200 people inside. Most of the city's rubble has been cleared away, leaving hundreds of holes where houses once stood. Many of the survivors of those homes, having nowhere to go, have formed settlements outside the city, usually built of straw or government-issued tarps. One of these, called Nazario, is in San Clemente, and it is here that our church has been developing a partnership. And this is where the visiting teams went to serve. Their activities were varied, from painting and cleaning to visiting families and hearing their stories. They held vacation bible school for all the kids there who have nothing to do, and visited the local school to teach and provide activities. I spent a couple of days there with each team, and it really made an impact on me. I think it was such a meaningful time because everything we heard or saw or did there was both so heartbreaking and so hopeful. Here was utter poverty, people who had nothing, but yet had hope, and we saw just how much it meant to have someone in the name of Christ listen to them, spend time with their kids, offer a word of encouragement from the scriptures. There is so much more to say, but I'll leave it at that for now, and post some snapshots.

The teams stayed here, a home which was also a cotton company. I've never seen so much cotton!

Here are some of the kids' activities.

Home from the hospital!

We were happily surprised when Elita called us this morning to tell us that Tito would be coming home from the hospital later on in the day! They were expecting at least 4 or 5 days more, but he has made great progress, and doesn't even have any more bandages. So this evening I went over to their house to say hi, and I couldn't believe the difference from just a few days earlier. He is still very tired, in some pain, and did not seem himself when I first arrived. But we could communicate more, and as the afternoon went on, his mood lightened. When we brought out the guitars and started playing together, his smile returned, and the old Tito was back.

He is very glad to be home, under the care of his parents and many relatives who are visiting. I know I will be back over there as much as possible this week, praising God for how he has healed Tito, and praying that the recovery would continue to go as well as it has.

Risk

I just read a fascinating article in a back issue (March 1) of the Economist, about the concept of risk, contrasted Americans' and Europeans' acceptance of risk and danger vs. protection and regulation. The accepted wisdom is that Americans are more adventurous, entreprenurial, accept risk more easily, but it showed how the EU and its citizens have their issues too. In all the debate though, the article goes on to say, both places are incredibly risk-averse in daily life compared to the rest of the world. Russia is used as the example, but everything it said could have been referring to Peru. The developed West has removed most major risks from everyday life, yet we insist on trying to eliminate it completely. To people in other countries it is absurd, because everyone knows that bad things happen. In fact, as we try to create risk-free environments, it sometimes backfires. The article cites a British experiment in which a psychologist monitored the behavior of cars driving past him as he rode his bike. When he wore a helmet, they were much more likely to zoom past at close range. Without the helmet (and more, with a woman's wig) the cars gave more space. In other studies, wearing seatbelts or having anti-lock brakes did not decrease hazards, because they gave a false sense of security and encouraged aggressive driving. And in a Dutch experiment, nearly all road signs were taken away, forcing people to be more attentive. That last one is a lot like Peru. The few signs that exist are mostly for decoration, and driving is chaotic. We still cannot get used to feeling 6 inches from an accident throughout most trips. But it's true, people are more alert, and I see far less actual crashes than on an average D.C. commute. There's just not the same need here to safety-proof everything. Few kids use car seats, few seat belts even work, sick dogs in the street, poorly built structures, babies with hard candy, corrupt police, etc. Security in any form is hard to come by. It often drives us gringos crazy, we just want to shout, "that's not safe!", but maybe I need to take a step back. Here's a quote: "On both sides of the Atlantic, the net result is the same: a huge risk-avoidance endeavor which reflects the illusion that everyday life can be made almost perfectly safe. Whenever something bad happens - a child has an accident on a school trip, a window-cleaner falls off a ladder - the immediate call is for something to be done, and if the state doesn't oblige, lawyers will. " (I suppose that includes things like suing McDonald's for being overweight). The idea that life should be free of safety concerns, and more, that the government should ensure that, would be seen by Peruvians as simply naive. It is a psychological adjustment, and in some areas frustration feels justified - in the medical world, for example, where you put your life or the life of a loved one literally in someone else's hands. But that's a post for another day.
In any event, the article certainly made me think.

Voyage

Here's a little update from my side of the family. My Dad, Aunt Terri, Uncle John, and cousins Michael and Stephen, are sailing a boat like this one from a big lake in Guntersville, Alabama to North Carolina. I don't have an actual picture of the boat yet, but it's similar to the one above, a 1976 Gulfstar 43' Ketch. They are currently working on getting it ready for its voyage down 13 locks on the Tennessee River, across the Gulf of Mexico, around the tip of Florida, and up the East Coast to arrive in North Carolina where it will go to my parents' farm so my Dad can completely refurbish it over the next couple years. They plan to be gone for about a month and arrive back on August 11th, as my Aunt needs to return to her job as a professor at East Carolina University, my cousins return to school, and my Dad to attend Matthew and Kerry's wedding in New York with us!
Just so you know, this is something my Aunt and Uncle have always wanted to do - retire with a big sailboat. They used to live on one for a time. My Dad, as many know, also loves to sail and will be a big asset to have on the boat. Currently, my cousin Michael and his girlfriend are with them to help on the river piece of it. Then my other cousin, Stephen, and some of his friends are driving down to meet them at Mobile Bay before entering the Gulf. Michael will drive home and Stephen will stay the duration of the trip.
Obviously, Mom and I are a little nervous about this. But this is an adventure of a lifetime and we pray that God's hand would be protecting them the whole way. Please pray with us, that their trip would be swift, without any major castrophes, that the weather would be good, and that they would enjoy making memories together.

More on Tito

Elita and I just got off the phone again. She's spent the last 2 entire days with Tito at the hospital, only going home for a shower. He only wants her with him, not even the nurses. He's just so uncomfortable. She told me they give him pain medication through his IV every 2 hours. The thing that's bothering him the most is his throat - they likely intubated him for the surgery, so I can only imagine that it's very sore. They're encouraging him to only use signs to communicate. He expressed to Elita today that he wants to hear his guitar again - hopefully we can bring it into the hospital for people to play for him. Before his surgery, Michael was able to get him a cd player and headphones so he can at least listen to some music. Elita said that he's doing a lot of crying. Please pray for our dear friend and his Mom, that the Lord would encourage them and sustain them through this difficult time of recovery! We hope to visit tomorrow or Wednesday during the afternoon visiting hours.
Also, please pray for 3 appropriate blood donors. Tito needed 6 units of blood during surgery, so he received what was needed, but the blood bank at the hospital is asking for more donors to replace what was given. Before the surgery he only had 2 units ready to use, then, finding the tumor larger than expected, the surgery was more complicated, requiring more blood.
Thank you for your faithfulness in praying!!

Update

I just recently talked to Elita who informed me that she got to visit Tito briefly in the recovery unit. He still couldn't talk, but he opened his eyes and she said she could tell that he was happy to see her. We praise the Lord that He brought Tito safely through the surgery, but we also know he has a long recovery before him. Please keep praying. He will be transferred back to his hospital room tomorrow and will likely be in the hospital for the next couple weeks.
Again, we give praise that our sweet friend is on the road to recovery!

So far...

...so good. They have finished the surgery, and are waiting for Tito to come out of the anesthesia. They expect to be able to tell us more around 4:00. Thank you to all those who have prayed.

Tito's Surgery

For those who didn't get the email, Tito is definitely having his surgery today. In fact, he is probably in the midst of it as I write this (9:26). He went in about 8 for all the preparations and anesthesia, and was supposed to start around 9, the entire procedure lasting about 4 hours. He has a tumor in his sinus, which is impeding his breathing and has moved toward his brain. We don't know if it is cancerous, but nevertheless it must be removed. It has been a long wait for his family, through various complications, misinformation, inefficiencies and passing off of responsibilities, but they have really seen the Lord's hand providing through it all. Because of the location of the tumor, it is a major, risky operation, and everyone here at our church is very concerned. Tito and his family have become very dear to us over the last several months, and we can see how hard it has been on them. Still, we know he is in the Lord's hands. Please join us in prayer for Tito today.

Happy 7th of July!

Late as usual....
We had a beautiful 4th, the first truly sunny day for a while! It was a perfect day to get together with a bunch of American families (maybe 60-70 people in all?), and have a traditional pot-luck cookout. It was hosted at a local private school, with big grass fields and a playground, so a real treat for all the kids. We played softball and ate burgers, all to the sound of military bands playing patriotic tunes (on a CD). Noah had the time of his life, except when the fireworks went off at the end, which he really did not like. I'm always amazed at events like these to find out just how many Americans from all over the country are in Lima (and we didn't even go to the big party at the embassy--perhaps next year). We'd love to post pictures, but are camera-less at the moment. It has all made us miss home even more, and we hope you all enjoyed the day.

P.S. for fellow tennis lovers -did you catch that Federer/Nadal match? Just incredible. If you are in any way a fan and did not see it, you must find a way. The two best (and classiest) in the world, at the top of their game, for the highest stakes, going down to the wire. Sport at its finest.

Patience

Found this quote today in a great book I'm reading, The Heart of a Servant Leader, a collection of letters by Jack Miller (founder of World Harvest Mission and author of Sonship curriculum). He is writing to a missionary in Uganda, but it is so true here in Peru. I encounter this all the time, and need to learn this lesson.

"You are learning an unwritten law of Uganda [Peru] - which is that anything that should take only a week in our eyes ends up taking six months to a year to get accomplished. But there is an advantage in this slowdown which we hasty westerners can use for our own profit. It is the value of taking time to love people. So you may have delays....but you never need delay loving people in a selfless way. Actually delays are great because they often reveal the power of indwelling sin. We are flying high, then comes a postponement of our hopes, and we end up with an irritable spirit which shows an alarming degree of self-independence and reliance on human capacities.....which reveals we have unconsciously forgotten that trusting Christ is more important than doing things for Christ."

Teaching and Learning

I am officially designating July as the month of the blog. I have about a dozen entries that have been waiting to be posted, and we just haven't gotten to them, but I want to get them up before August (where did June go?), when we come home. Also, does anyone know anything about programs to backup a blog? We just heard of someone whose entries all vanished one day, unrecoverable, and it makes us a little nervous.

Last week included another trip to San Clemente, and it is an amazing place that for many reasons has struck a chord in me. Once we get pictures from our friends (our camera was stolen on the first trip), I will be posting more.

I have piano students! Four teenagers, Tito, Elsa, Romina and Gianella have all started taking piano lessons once a week, and we are having a great time. There is almost no music education in the schools here, so they are really starting from scratch, with rhythms and note-reading. They are wonderful students, though, extremely eager and patient. If anyone has any resources for beginners in Spanish, it would be very helpful.

On the flip side, I have been going to a weekly lesson to learn the cajón, a native Peruvian percussion instrument. It is just a wooden box which you sit on to play, but from which come a whole world of sounds in the hands of an expert. It serves as the base for all criolla music, native to Lima and the coastal cities, and the Afro-Peru rhythms as well. Besides the obvious musical benefits, I am learning the differences in teaching styles here, which helps considerably as I plan for my students. Noah even has his own mini-cajón, so we enjoy jamming together.