Buenas Tardes, mi llamo Sarah Meneo, and I am one of the attendees on the BOYANCI / Coprodeli Peru trip. Yesterday our day began with an outreach mission in Panchecutec, a small town outside of Callao, Peru. This town, 5 square miles is only 9 years old. The Peru government promised it's poor, free land on this plot resulting in a population of 120,000 chasing a dream. A glorified "arparthied." Once these people arrived, the government departed. Only 2 miles from the ocean, and only yards from a resovoir there is no running water or plumbing and nothering but dirt streets. This shanty town consists of dessert-like sand, cardboard structures, hundreds of stray dogs, foul scents and very hopeful people.
We walked for miles with Coprodeli volunteers to survey the needs of the poorest of poor and here are a couple of my most moving experiences...
Visit #1 - Maria-Sanchez.....This woman inflicted such emotion for me that it took every ounce of strength to not break down crying in her presence. She is a 42 y.o. mother of 7 whose husband left her for another woman 2 years ago. She appeared to be at least 65. Her oldest son, 20, has a heart condition and eventhough there was a chance that he could receive free medical care, they can not afford transportation to journey the 3 miles to get it, and in his condition he cannot walk there. The younger boys ages 5 - 12 were home and kicking around a torn filthy soccer ball on the dirt floor of the "house". There were no shoes to be found, only a small pile of old broken toys they had found around town. They went to school last year but when the school changed the uniforms, Maria could not afford them so the boys formal education has ended. Their "home" was only canvas walls tied to large branches draped across a wooden frame. The only furniture was a 3 person bench which the family sat on when it rained so that the mud from below would not surround them. Maria broke down in tears while telling us that she doesn't have money to eat every day. Maria is my new project, for $250 US her children will have uniforms and supplies for 1 year and she will have food enough for at least minimal meals. $250 - I've spent that on 1 pair of jeans!! For the same money a family of 8 can get one step closer to the dream that was so fresh in their hearts only 9 short years ago. With Maria's children in school she can take her laundry business outside the home and create a future for her family. Coprodeli has listed her as a high-priority and will begin assisting her with food and medical care. The appreciation in her eyes resembled a child on Christmas morning. PRICELESS!
Visit #2 - Carlos...At our first house, we were greeted by an 11 year boy who was home alone. His mother is single, as were most of th women we came in contact with and his 2 younger brothers were at school. Each morning he got his siblings ready for school, fed the family's 3 chickens which lived inside the house and then he waited for his mother to return. The "house" ( I use that term losely) was made of cardboard walls 6 X 5 feet with a straw fence wall, no roof and an open fire in the center which served as their kitchen. The family lived on 1 meal of rice and potatoes per day and all slept in 1 bed which was foam and covered with canvas. Uncomparable poverty yet Carlos could not be happier to have visitors. He was sharing his breakfast of dehydrated vegetables with the chickens. These meals are provided by US Aide in partnership with Copredeli and are so appreciated by the locals who rely on them for their survival. The toilet is a hole in the the ground in back of the shack covered on 1 side with an old towel. The stench was almost unbearable!
The work that Copredeli is doing in this area is surreal, this is the hope that these people so desperately need. I pray that none of us will ever have to experience the hardship that is "Panchecutec." I urge you all to contribute to Copredeli or at the very least make yourself aware of this amazing group and put their values to work in your own life, I know my very charmed life has a whole new meaning after experiencing these amazing people. http://www.copredeliusa.org/
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