Peruvian Perspective

From 10/19-11/10 I had the pleasure of exploring the colorful country of Peru!  What an experience!  I joined a tour group of young adults from around the world for the first half of my journey and we visited Lima, Arequipa, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Cuzco, Machu Picchu and all points in between.  The sanitation differences between the USA and South America were a bit challenging to get used to (the first thing I did after arriving at LAX was flush a piece of toilet paper down the toilet), but the scenery and culture were breathtaking.  I have never seen more beautiful valleys and clouds, and the mix of Catholic and Andean traditions in some areas was both puzzling and sensible considering the nation's colonial history.  I spent the second half of my journey in Piura, a city in the northern dessert, as a volunteer at Santisimo Sacramento parish.  Since the church's pastor, Fr. Joe, is from Oklahoma, the parish has strong ties to US supporters and has countless outreach programs for the area's poor.  I had the privilege of delivering food packages, building houses, visiting the orphanage, helping at the parish school and hospice, and more.  Although the trip had its challenges, I don't think I'll ever see the world in the same light.  I took approximately 1600 pictures, but here are two for starters :-).