Dear Friends ... Queridos Amigos,
It probably doesn't
seem long since you received Letter # 14 but a month has gone
by ... incredibly fast! I'm down for a couple of days from
Frias to Chulucanas and will not be back again for another
month so am sending a little resume of the past few weeks.
The weeks have been very full as we're now well and truly into
the full swing of our pastoral programme which will see us
through to Christmas. Three of the past four weeks I've spent
out in the campo moving from village to village, celebrating
Mass, Baptisms and all the activity that accompanies
their one annual visit from the priest. I love the highest part
of the parish - the Meseta Andina (Little Table of the Andes) -
and the simplicity of life, warmth of the people ... and
escaping from Rodrigo and his PA system to the absolute silence
of a landscape still untouched by electricity and all mod cons!
heading
off from Frias for 6 nights with Sr Saane & seminarian Gerardo
leaving
Frias below we climb up to 3500 mts ... me on foot
...
arriving 6 hours later as the sun begins to set
We spent the first
couple of days in Arrenales
leading some workshops for the catechists and the teams
that keep Church life going throughout the year - in our parish
that = 10 in each team X 120 "zones" ( = 1200 catechists
and "pastoral agents")!!!!
group
work and scripture sharing take up a large part of the day
After 5 months of the
rains and no visits it's quite an adjustment getting back into
the rythm of life. The visits are physically hard and tiring due to ........ the
walking, the altitude, the intense cold at night, the living
for days on end on a diet of potatoes / tortillas and cheese
(no veg / no fruit), the lack of privacy & amenities, "creative" sleeping
arrangements etc. However these minor hardships are made
up for by the people and their gratitude & generosity (with
the potatoes / tortillas and best - or only - bed in the
house). Unlike in Frias and lower altitudes, sheep are found
in abundance in the Meseta.
wool
for the next poncho and .......
dinner!
Local justice hits hard at times - one poor dog
made one early morning trip too many, pinching food from the
neighbours ...
RIP!
Then off to San Diego
where again potatoes, tortillas, Mass and plenty of blessings of houses, land and
anything that moved
Nice
Bull ... it's only water, it won't hurt!
Even though potatoes of different shapes and
sizes - Peru has 3000 varieties - can become ... well ... BORING
at least they're fresh!
straight
from the ground ...
...
into the pot
It's always a great joy to be with the families
and the children, who watch intensely our every move (especially
El Gringo) and often burst into spontaneous laughter and giggles
.... something to do with my accent maybe, my hat ?!
what
are you laughing at????????
On to Pechuquiz where
we found the parents beginning the buidling of a new school
complex (primary & secondary)
which they say will be completed in just 3 months - and substantially
all by hand. Work you wouldn't normally associate with a Sussex
or Surrey PTA !!
little
ones left in "the creche" (hole in the ground) while
mums get on with the work ... all for 8 soles a day (= £1-30
per day)
Leaving the beauty
of the Meseta after a week of visits with a mix of feelings
- grateful to the Lord for all the blessings of the week and
being able to share the Mass etc with the people, and fun and
good company of Sr Saane & Gerardo
............. but RELIEF to get back to my own bed and the relative
warmth of Frias 2000 mts below. Only for 3 days before heading
out again for more visits.
On a light finishing note we're just about to
celebrate the 182 Anniversay of Frias and always the week begins
with Reinado : the election and coronation of Miss Frias
and her 2 assistant "Queens". Yes - I sat there in
the square for 3 hours (meant to start at 3pm, started at 5pm,
ended at 7.30pm) as one of the panel of judges. One one
side were 2 police officers, me in the middle, and on the other
side Sr Saane and a lady visiting from the coast. A thouroughly
neutral and independent panel of judges!
Mirror,
mirror on the wall ... (winner = Mercedes on the far
left)
To my great relief
I managed to avoid being conscripted into accompanying the
3 "Queens" to Piura (big city
on the coast) to purchase their regalia (dresses / shoes / crowns
etc). Each has a budget of about 1000 soles (£150). I overheard
somebody say that normally they're so indecisive that the shopping "day
trip" turns into an "overnight". As much as I
enjoy an occasional trip to Piura (cinema, pizza) ...
not to purchase dresses, shoes and crowns please!!
Take care one and all and hope you have a good
summer and a break. Always good to hear from you too and will
be in touch again towards the end of July. Until then... Dios
les bendiga.
con afecto,
Kevin
