JMU students Kelly, Mhairi, Geoff, Dana, Adrienne, Ashley, Lisa, Julia, and Melodie, joined Sara Parrish and Kristina Snader, the student co-leaders for Perú 2010, in this adventure. The student leaders were responsible for the trip logistics, team development, communicating with the partner service agency "Perú 109", and facilitating group reflection sessions. I, Rosie McArthur, accompanied as the Learning Partner. The Learning Partner lends support to the trip as one who can communicate easily with the native population, and as a "mature influence" to encourage students to make wise decisions. I participated in all team activities, took lots of pictures, and recorded each day of our eventful adventures, helping and documenting our service in Perú.
Although the majority of our time was spent in service, we also got to enjoy many of the cultural and environmental wonders of Perú. We spent the first morning sightseeing in the Miraflores sector of Lima Peru, where we landed the night before. We took a nine hour bus trip to Trujillo where we worked and stayed with host families through the week. We ended our week with visiting the Pacific Ocean.
Our mission was to serve the people of Trujillo - PERU during spring break. We helped improve the school El Señor de los Milagros. We took supplies to the children, worked with them doing art, playing soccer, and other games, in addition to painting, repairs, and cleaning. Trujillo, known as the “City of Eternal Spring”, is the third largest city in Perú, and is famous for its neighboring beach of Huanchaco.
We had the most rewarding time with the "Inca Kola" team, as we came to call ourselves. Our students woke up early every morning to work for a school where students go for free. They helped build book shelves, carried blocks, cleaned up the yard, and painted some walls. They brought clothing, school supplies, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and much more to leave with the children, and medical supplies to leave with the school. The trip was really incredible. 'Privileged' college students were able to view their circumstances in new light by seeing the needs of underprivileged kids and working toward meeting them.
The group split into three parts at the end of each day to go to our respective host family houses assigned to us from the beginning of our trip. The students got some Spanish lessons, Salsa dancing lessons, and 'papa rellena' (stuffed potatoe) making lessons. We all learned a lot while in Perú!
Reflecting at the end of our trip, all of us came together and pondered our experiences and impressions of this trip to the impoverished south American nation. The incredibly eye opening experience helped to put our lives in perspective. It's not every day we go into a poverty-ridden nation and experience a community like that. It makes us realize we should appreciate our abundancies. The people there were surprisingly happy despite their relative poverty, and were exceedingly grateful for the little help we provided.
The students would say this was a life-changing experience that taught them more than they would ever learn in a college classroom.
I have been simply astounded by the energy, commitment, enthusiasm, motivation, and bonding that has taken place over the week. This trip was an once-in-a-lifetime experience that was shared with some of the best and brightest students at James Madison University. I came to love the wonderful group of students that I got to spent a whole week in Perú with, sharing precious moments that I wouldn't trade for anything in this world. We had a great trip and it was really interesting to learn about Perú. The people of Trujillo were very welcoming, warm, helpful, and easy to talk to. Yet even after a wonderful trip like this one, it was really good to come back to our family and friends.
With thankfulness and appreciation for the this opportunity to witness the love of God and His mercy through His people, I am,
~Rosie McArthur, ASB Learning Partner
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