For my last day in Lima I chose to go to the Mother Teresa Home for the Dying and Destitute. Although my initial reaction was one of sadness for these disabled people who had nobody else, my reaction soon changed to one of hope, inspiration, and joy. Truly, how can you look into the eyes of a disabled child who smiles back with such joy at the simple task of you helping them to eat and not feel love? And, as I looked around, disheartened at the beginning that these individuals will spend their entire lives in this home, I saw friends greeting one another, nuns kissing the children, therapists high fiving their patients, and school child after school child volunteering to make the residents' lives the best they can in the situations in which many of them were born. I felt truly blessed to have been there today to meet all these wonderful people.
My day began by feeding two children, Maximo and Frank. I am not exactly sure what their disability was, but they had very limited mobility. I then traveled down with another volunteer to the lower floor to work with the adult males. Most of the residents here have been left for homeless or abandoned by their families. The Vatican helps to fund the center, but volunteers are desperately needed. The nuns (from Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity order) run the show, but there are physical and occupational therapists that come everyday to help the residents function better in their lives. The nuns have willingly taken these people in, even sought some of them out. The male children will continue to live in the center but will be moved downstairs sometimes in their 20s (usually). For the female children, they will get moved to a center in Cusco, which is the nearest center for adult women. Their disabilities range from spina bifida to paralysis to Apert Syndrome. They have limited mobility and some mental limitations.
Downstairs, I helped transport residents to the physical therapy room. I met an English-speaking man named Ray who had gone to school in Canada in the 60's. He played several sports including tennis and golf. He claims that once in Miami Tiger Woods told him he had a nice swing. He also said Tiger needed to practice a bit more. He was hilarious, talking to us about everything from Twilight to Toronto to his car accident and loss of family. I loved him instantly! I also met a man who sat and spoke Quechuan to me for about 5 minutes. I didn't understand a single word, and yet I wished he was my grandpa. They were so sweet.
My day began by feeding two children, Maximo and Frank. I am not exactly sure what their disability was, but they had very limited mobility. I then traveled down with another volunteer to the lower floor to work with the adult males. Most of the residents here have been left for homeless or abandoned by their families. The Vatican helps to fund the center, but volunteers are desperately needed. The nuns (from Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity order) run the show, but there are physical and occupational therapists that come everyday to help the residents function better in their lives. The nuns have willingly taken these people in, even sought some of them out. The male children will continue to live in the center but will be moved downstairs sometimes in their 20s (usually). For the female children, they will get moved to a center in Cusco, which is the nearest center for adult women. Their disabilities range from spina bifida to paralysis to Apert Syndrome. They have limited mobility and some mental limitations.
Downstairs, I helped transport residents to the physical therapy room. I met an English-speaking man named Ray who had gone to school in Canada in the 60's. He played several sports including tennis and golf. He claims that once in Miami Tiger Woods told him he had a nice swing. He also said Tiger needed to practice a bit more. He was hilarious, talking to us about everything from Twilight to Toronto to his car accident and loss of family. I loved him instantly! I also met a man who sat and spoke Quechuan to me for about 5 minutes. I didn't understand a single word, and yet I wished he was my grandpa. They were so sweet.
After that, I moved back upstairs to observe an occupational therapy session with three of the girls. I spent the bulk of the rest of my time with an occupational therapist working with the boys. For over an hour, I rolled play-doh with them and worked on their motor skills such as drawing circles, pointing, and counting on their fingers. I fell in love with a boy named Gabriel. He has limited speech, but he could be quite demanding as he kept commanding me to sit by him, pointing at the seat next to him quite adamantly. It was such an incredible experience. I feel like everyday here I learn something new. Surprisingly, though, it's not just new things about a novel culture; I have learned so much about people and the infinite compassion and love individuals have for others. I am so grateful for all that I have been able to see and do here.
After lunch and our final feedback session, a group of us really wanted to visit the historical cemetery here in Lima. It is where the former presidents are buried and is full of mausoleums. Unfortunately, Kique (although he could not forbid us from going) warned us so direly that things tend to happen to tourists there, particularly fair people who do not have black hair. He said if we insisted on going, he would insist we wear hats and not take cameras. So, we decided not to go. Instead, Amy and I went back to Barranco to walk around in the daylight. It is an amazingly beautiful district. We traveled the same route as the night before, from the Bridge of Sighs to the pier onto the beach. They had a market set up with crafts, and Amy and I of course did some more shopping. Who could have passed up a $1 bracelet? Obviously, not me! I also got a red embroidered belt with a blingin' buckle. We then walked along the main street to a park that opened up onto an overlook of the ocean again. It was just so peaceful walking along, talking as two strangers in a strange land will. It was a good final afternoon in the city.
After rousing games of cards and one last trip to Plaza Vea, we had the most incredible dinner. The cook, Lucinda (?), made us these beautifully delicious stuffed potatoes. She boils them, skins them, mashes the inside, and then lightly fries them after filling them with egg, black olives, chicken, cilantro, and other lovely ingredients. They were so flavorful. We are now making her a hand-made thank you card. She is a lovely woman who is always so happy, polite, and glad to see us. She told us this evening when she left that we all need to come back to visit our new Peruvian family, and she will cook us whatever we like. Mmm...heavenly.
So, now I'm off to teach the Canadians the card game of Golf. After I own them, of course, we have all decided to make an early night of it because most of us are departing tomorrow. Some of them are leaving at 3 in the morning. The good-byes just continue. After saying our farewells to Corey and Carol today (tear in the eye), we had to part from Kique and Aida. Then, Jorge made an appearance to say good-bye, and Juan Carlos just stopped by to wish us well. It truly is like a family, and it would be hard to never see them again. Well, I'm off to Cusco tomorrow!!
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