Monday 11 October 2010

FINAL DAY!

Well the end of the trip has come with the last week going very quickly as always!  We have all been out in Cusco today spending our last few Soles and comparing purchases!  This evening we all went out for a fantastic meal at the Inca-Fe Restaurant together with Roland and Jenny, Sammy and Ben.  Chris gave out three special prizes - 1st to Jenny Owen for rescuing Socks the cat, 2nd to Dionne for being such a fantastic nurse to us all, and 3rd to Encarni for doing so much translating for the team.

Tonight everyone is busy packing.  We will all be very sorry to leave as we have had a fantastic time and made some great friendships with the people here, but at the same time many are looking forward to going home to loved ones and a good night's sleep!!!  Most of the team have to leave San Blas at 7am tomorrow morning but Jenny James, Emma and Roger and Jean are catching later planes and have a reprieve until noon!

Well done Chris for being such a great leader - it has been an unforgetable experience and although I know Roland and Jenny are tired, they have really enjoyed having us here.  They themselves will be back in UK in a few weeks!

Bon voyage (buen viaje) to everyone!

Love Jean Stoakley who with Roger is next off to New Zealand on the way to Australia!

A great preach and a great rescue!!

 So this morning was the much anticipated sermon from 'pastor Chris'! The meeting was due to start at 10.30am so Roland said we would leave our place  at 10.30 am to get there on time....it's a 20 minute walk!....So we arrived at 10.50am and still got there early...the pastor arrived about 10 minutes after us!! After a great worship time, Chris and Encarni ( who was interpreting for Chris) took to the floor and gave a great sermon! Which he then went on to do again at the evening service!

On a lighter note, you will all be very pleased to hear that socks, our feline housemate has returned home safely.....well when i say 'returned', it was more like being reluctantly dragged back by the scruff of her neck!!....I spotted her on the roof and took position on the step ladder ready to grab her when she went for her food which we had strategically placed on the roof!.....It was a truly dramatic moment but as you can see from the photo, within half an hour she was settled and happy to be surrounded by her home comforts!!

I have just noticed i think i devoted more time on writing about the great rescue rather than Chris's sermon!!..oops!!

Sunday 10 October 2010

An emotional day!

 Well, what a day!......the pastor and his wife had us over for dinner this afternoon (not guinea pig thankfully)....and then there was a 'goodbye'party at the mountain project for us! There were lots of children and mums and even some dads which was lovely.....everyone was busy making things, icing cakes, face painting and playing volleyball...it was a great atmosphere and then came the highlight......the children put on a show for us consisting of singing and dancing....We were all so moved by the time and effort they had put into it.....I looked like a bumble bee who had been hit by a car by the end of it as all my face paint had smudged from all the tears shed!...They then presented us with a huge banner which each child had put their hand print on.....as a memento of our trip! We were also given individual gifts from the mums! It is amazing how such strong relationships can be formed in  such a short space of time....especially when there is the huge language barrier aswell! This evening the girls went out for hot chocolate and the boys went out for a  'coffee' (or so they claim!!!!). Everyone is begining to prepare for our departure from here with real mixed feelings....pleased to return to home comforts and loved ones but so sad to have come to the end of such an amazing experience.........still on a happier note we have the whole of monday to shop, shop, shop!!!!!

Friday 8 October 2010

and now the end is near!

Well, our 'work'  is officially done here at Cusco! We have shown the local community up at the mountain project some traditional english cooking, painted walls, made a collage for the stage screen, built steps, cupboard doors and stage screens, taught sewing and english to some of the ladies in the local community, did carpentry with some boys and dads. visited local communities affected by the floods earlier on in the year, visited local hospitals and children's homes, seen the work that Roland does with his micro-finance company,  and helped out with the after school club at the mountain project!.....We have had such a great experience and I am sure I speak for everyone when I say that we have got far more out of this trip than we put in!...yes we have been busy but i doubt it is gonna change anyone's lives here, we have just been given a taster of life here! To see the amazing work that Jenny and Roland are involved in is so inspiring....and I truly believe they are unaware of what a positive impact they have on so many people's lives!

Anyway this has got way too reflective.....let's get to the more pressing issues....the highlight of this evening was Jenny J washing her smalls in the sink, whilst some other members of the team have taken it in turns to climb onto the roof after a sighting of our feline friend 'socks' who went AWOL on Monday! Today was the first sighting of her on the roof since she went missing! (sadly she was in the mouth of a larger less friendly cat when she was spotted!).....cat biscuits and milk has been strategically placed on the roof by the door in an attempt to entice her back here..but as yet, this plan has proved fruitless!

Tomorrow the pastor and his wife are having us all over for dinner followed by a farewell party at the mountain project for us all......so will write about that tomorrow....altho let's be honest, it will probably not be tomorrow, as i am slacking a bit at this blogging business...so you may have to wait until Sunday!!

hasta luego Amigos!!

Thursday 7 October 2010

into our final week!

Well the last couple of days have consisted of more work up at the mountain project, visits to the hospital, children's home and local communities! We all seem to have got into a routine and everyone is enjoying the parts they are playing, although we are all so tired!

This morning, myself, Jean S, Jean S and Jenny B went to the market to buy the food for lunch...always nice to see bulls heads staring at you at 9 in the morning!! We then went up to the project and made beef cassserole ( ish!?!) and I made my very first banoffee pie! I along with Lynn and Dione then went to the local hospital to visit some children....a  young girl tried to teach me Quechuan, with very little success but great amusement!!





The mural that Jenny B designed for the wall on the mountain project is coming along well! Ben and Sammy were keen helpers!! Encarni, Emma and Becky's collage is looking amazing and has really brightened up the building.....photos of the finished product will be put on the blog later in the week!

Jackie gave an english lesson to some of the ladies, who are so keen to learn, which makes it all the more rewarding...apparently the word of the day was 'giggle' as that is what they kept doing when they could not get the words!!

The men (well, Geoff and Roger!) are continuing to do lots of sawing, drilling and hammering....when I went to take a picture of them hard at work, they were on a tea break....typical English builders!!! Finally, Chris has spent the day writing a sermon for the church meeting on Sunday morning.....I wonder if it is worth suggesting we all get up and sing after the sermon....I know how much they all enjoyed our last performance!!
                                                                                    

Wednesday 6 October 2010

machu picchu

hey blog fans! Sorry for the quiet last few days....been too busy experiencing Peruvian life! Will just give a brief synopsis of our trip to Machu Picchu....in the words of Roger.....'wow, wow, awesome,wow' and in the words of Geoff, 'estupenduos'.... It really was amazing, so amazing that it was worth making up a word for!!...I guess it is easier to tell people in person when we get back as there is so much can tell and so many photos to share, but to here are a couple of tasters on the left!!

The afternoon following our trek (well bus actually!) up to Machu Picchu was comprised of a Encarni, Becky and Emma having a massage and playing with a tiny kitten, whilst the rest of us went to the hot springs to relax ( oh and to get eaten alive by freaky bugs).

Saturday 2 October 2010

Today we mostly climbed a mountain!

Well the chief blogger is back from her sick bed......although i am off again tomorro, in fact we all are, to Machu Pichu. Leaving here tomorro morning staying in a hotel and returning late Monday night! So there is no blogging until Tuesday!

However, today, we all went up to the mountain project to have some time of prayer and worship followed by a walk up the prayer mountain, with the option of either coming back down (mainly by sliding!) or continue to go over the top of the mountain and round, to capture some stunning views ( i cannot confirm the stunningness of said views as i was one of the ones who opted to slide down the quick route!) as well as going to see the pastor who was out on the mountain for the day looking for a water source (like you do!!). So well done to Chris, Encarni, Lynn and Dione for taking on the mountain challenge with Roland and Mary (pastor's wife).

This afternoon we all went our separate ways for lunch and then shopping ( although Dione claims she did not shop for things, they just kept falling into her hand, whilst money fell out of it!).

Then this evening, Jenny B took a few of the girls to a lovely little cafe/restaurant that was like a toy shop/playroom....where we all donned some 'fun' hats for a photo...which sadly i cannot download for some reason....shame!!

So, more on Tuesday, with photos as well!

Jen