4/23/09 Peru Update from Jenny Marshall

Hello,

 

 

4/23/09

We have now finished our time here with Father Alex and all the wonderful staff at Alto Cayma.  We are leaving for the airport soon to continue our travels to Cusco and to Macchu Picchu.  We have had a wonderful and rewarding time here in Arequipa.  Our days have been filled....  On Sunday we arrived and Dr. McCormick went to the hospital and then was even highlighted on the radio.  The "gringo" traumatologist (as the peruvians refer to orthopedists) was a big hit.  We settled in at the volunteer house and met many people from around the US who have the same desire to educate and care for the poor.  On Monday  Jennie, Janine and Dr. McCormick saw patients in the clinic.  We had an interpreter at our side and found many patients with neglected orthopaedic problems. The patients were so thankful for our insight into their problems.  We were able to sign up many patients for our injection talk during the conference.  John ( Jennie's husband) and Jim (Janine's husband) were able to go into the community with Maria, a local social worker, to do home visits and assess the needs  of the local community.  It was humbling to see how people lived here with their families in little more than cinder blocks, tin roof and dirt floors.  The young girls washing clothes in buckets, and children caring for their ailing parents.  John and Jim were able to return to some the these places and deliver soup from Father Alex's soup kitchen.  For many, this was the only meal of the day.

 

Our conference began on Tuesday morning and there was a decent turnout of local physicians, nurses and students.  They were all so appreciative of the information given.  They do not have conferences here in Peru for continuing education.  They also do not get hands on training or therapy education here.  Dr. McCormick demonstrated around 17 injections  to some very thankful Peruvians.  We then demonstrated splinting and had them practice splinting as well.  Tuesday evening we went as a group into the city to watch the sunset over Arequipa.  We shared some wine and went to eat at a great Peruvian restaurant. 

Wednesday concluded the conference and we had a small reception with the conference participants.  They all said goodbye with the traditional kiss on the right cheek and thanked all of us for our efforts.  We then went back to the volunteer house and Janine evaluated all our sore muscles from all of the hill walking we did and we all used her "massage stick" to rub on our sore leg muscles.  ( We will all be purchasing one at the Fox Valley running company upon our return)

 

I would very much advocate international volunteering with Impact Peru.  It is such an enriching experience. It is a perfect opportunity to experience a country from within, in an environment that was very safe. The people of Peru have made a wonderful impact in our lives and I can only hope that our  time with them, along with previous and future volunteers' time, will go a long way in impacting the lives of the Peruvian people.

Everyone will take away something different from their trip, but  I think the common theme about it is that it will change your life.  Now that we have seen first hand the poverty of this country,  we can no longer ignore it.

I would like to end this with an excerpt from Bono on his speech to the United Nations.  It speaks more on the AIDs epidemic in Africa but the message is the same...

 

....this is not about charity. This is about justice. It’s about justice and equality.

...This is true religion, true religion will not let us fall asleep in the comfort of our freedom. “Love thy neighbor” is not a piece of advice, it’s a command. And that means a lot. That means that in the global village, we’re going to have to start loving a whole lot more people. That’s what that means...

...Because where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die.

...Let me climb into the pulpit for just one moment. Because whatever thoughts we have about God who he is, or even if God exists, most will agree that God has a special place for the poor.

 

The poor are where God lives. God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is where the opportunity is lost and lives are shattered. God is with the mother who has infected a child with a virus that will take both their lives. God is under the rubble in the cries we hear during wartime. God, my friends, is with the poor, and God is with us if we are with them.

 

This is not a burden–this is an adventure! And don’t let anyone tell you it cannot be done. We can be the generation that ends extreme poverty!

 

Jennie Marshall PA-C