A Mellow Day with a Sobering Story

Photo: A quick nap in the mid-day sun for a hard working team

Today was a mellow day for our team. We had volunteers working in the clinic, a few team members helping to paint the main community kitchen, we sent a team on home visits with Maria the Social Worker and helped in the community kitchen to prepare meals for delivery to the poorest members of the Alto Cayma Community.

People were busy, but no where near the frenetic pace of week one. In fact, some of our team members even stole some time for a late afternoon nap.

Tonight at dinner, the team members who went out with Maria on home visits told a sobering story for all of us to hear. While walking back to the volunteer house from a home visit, the team was suddenly scurried off the road by a racing truck. Maria told them that the truck was the Peruvian National Police who were going to a home to remove a 4-year old girl from the care of her parents because it had been reported that she was being severely beaten. They went on to tell us that Maria described a harrowing rate of spousal violence in the area. A violence rate that was only slightly ahead of the violence faced by children in their homes.

Maria told them that many people are reticent to report the violence they experience in their homes because of the fear they have for corrupt police. Maria told the team that the greatest advocates the community have is the Church. Stating that Father Alex is often called to the homes of people experiencing severe violence because he is the only person they fully trust. She told them that many people have no one else in their lives they can turn to for support.

Tonight, as I sit in the lobby of our hotel - I am haunted by the thought of young lives under such pain and trauma. I am thankful for the strength that Father Alex brings to his work everyday. And most of all, I am hopeful that we can continue to work together to end the suffering of people living in such abject circumstances.