The Peruvian Jungle
I need to start out by saying this: this past October I turned 30. In those years, I have learned that if you want your life to be marked by something, you have to just start doing it. Maybe it was a Nike commercial that engrained that in me, I’m not sure. Whatever was the motivation, I really want my life to be characterized by service and helping in ways that use my personal gifts. When the opportunity came to visit our friends who moved to Peru and partner with them in how they serve, we jumped on it. We were able to travel with their team into the Amazon jungle, where they have built relationships with the Yanesha people and are helping to set up their communities with sustainable clean water, medical assistance and the gospel in their native language.
All good, right? Let me tell you the logistics of this travel plan:
Fly to Lima, arrive at midnight. Sleep at the airport to leave on a hopper flight the next morning at 7 am. Oh by the way, because this flight is going to a somewhat rural Peruvian town (Jauja) that you can’t really pronounce correctly, all of the announcements and signs are in Spanish and you drastically stick out among the locals. Once you arrive at Jauja, it’s a 3 hour taxi ride through the winding mountains at an elevation of around 12,000 feet. Hi, Dramamine. If you are me, you will puke several times. If you are Luke, you will sleep soundly or look at the natural wildlife that the mountainous terrain has to offer.
We arrived in San Ramón, Peru later that afternoon where Sophie found me collapsed on the side of the road. I was never happier to see a friendly face. We took it easy the rest of the day, eating at a real-life rainforest cafe (as compared to the Mall of America version), and the next day we traveled what I lovingly called “a full day’s journey” further into the Amazon, where our trip would really come to life.
Iscozacin, peru
10°11'06.0"S 75°08'53.0"W
We started out our days by hopping in the back of a pick-up truck to drive an hour further into the jungle to the Yanesha reservation. I felt like Eliza Thornberry, standing up trying to take photos with one hand while clinging to the metal grate for my life with the other. This is how they travel from their homes to their farms, by hitch-hiking. One time we picked up this sweet older woman, with deep wrinkles in her face, but light in her eyes. She tossed me her machete before she jumped in.
Our jobs consisted of helping teach public health at the community schools and visiting/bringing proper medication into the homes of those who were bed-ridden or very sick. I’d like to take this time to point out that because I don’t speak Spanish, and my grade in college First Aid was a C+, I wasn’t much help and essentially along for the ride and to capture things in these photos.
We have arrived at the school! Teaching this week on “Water” and how it affects our health.
Alen understood how germs spread and created his own visual lesson.
Saludame!
The classic life lesson on the importance of proper and thorough hand-washing.
The next part in the water-themed lesson was on safe drinking water. These communities don’t have access to clean water (although a well is in the process of being built by Engineers Without Borders.) Teaching kids that you have to clean the water before you can drink it, even if it looks clean, is very important. We wrapped up the lesson by painting with water colors and meditating on how Jesus is the “living water.” Earthly, material things will never be enough to satisfy us. Having a relationship with Jesus and living for Him, and using our gifts for His purposes is how we are truly satisfied.
While we taught at the schools, the men helped the Yanesha pour concrete to build a new recreation center that will be able to serve the community in multiple ways. For a more in-depth look at the rec center, click here.
