Lima Office Week

After what seems like a lot of time spent away from Lima traveling, it was a relief to be here in Lima all week and able to work on some tasks at the office related to future and ongoing projects. The work requires lots of time in the office prepping for future events--

INR (National Rehabilitation Institute)

Lots of shopping. We are assembling 20 tool kits for those who will be trained in advanced wheelchair repair techniques. We are purchasing lots of tools for these kits and we feel that we have an obligation to those who have donated funds to make this and other humanitarian projects possible, so we work to compare prices at several places and get the best possible price for what we are purchasing; that takes time and yes, lots of shopping and not necessarily lots of buying. Mission life (shopping) is stretching Rob outside of his comfort zone.

This week it was mostly buying tools at the large hardware store (kind of like Lowe’s) so Rob pretends to be going to Grant Road Hardware in East Wenatchee to maintain his sanity. The only difference is we go to one store and buy all the tools they have of what we need, but they can’t with certainty order more in so we get to go to another one of their stores in the area and buy all the tools they have of what we need. Not enough yet? Go to yet another store from a competing company and buy all the tools that they have of what we need. We are getting closer to complete now for the tool kits, but still lack some tools.

The video linked below explains a little more about the wheelchair projects of the Church. The ability to move about, that most of us take for granted, is a gift that allows people who would be otherwise confined to their homes, to be able to attend school, get a job, and better provide for their own and their family's needs.        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwpDz4rZC8I

Other things that have been taking up a lot or our time this past week include details for food production projects, a vision project, development of a medical project and dealing with requests for assistance from various government and non-governmental organizations (NGO's).

As we have travelled to several different areas of Peru now in our short time here, we have seen humanitarian needs among so many of God's children here. There is so much need, and we will do all we can to help those whom we can help. We are blessed to work with many great partners here (local and regional governments, national Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, NGOs, other charities, and other churches) who are working together to help lift others who are less fortunate. We work with groups that share our goals of helping people and communities become more self-sufficient in a way that is sustainable. This is consistent with what President Eyring taught in General Conference in April of this year (2015):

                         

"There are more hungry, homeless, and lonely children 

of Heavenly Father than we can possibly reach. 

And the numbers grow ever farther from our reach."

Pres. Eyring then went on to teach what each of us individually and collectively can do to fulfill our part in helping to relieve suffering among the poorest of our brothers and sisters.

Huaca Pucllana

Photos:  
*Rob standing on the top of the temple of Huaca Pucllana on P-day.  

*Notice the individual bricks stacked in vertical positions for seismic protection.  

*Amazing that this ruin is all made with individual adobe bricks.  

*This dish is "Cuy," a very popular food in Peru.  

*A pen of guinea pigs (Cuy). 
*Peruvian dog.

We went yesterday (our Preparation Day or P-day) with another recently arrived senior missionary couple to see the ruins of Huaca Pucllana in downtown Lima (Miraflores). They were from two civilizations that predated the Inca’s. The temple complex was built during the period from 500-700 A.D. and was built from adobe bricks made by hand.  

It was pretty cool because they built with the bricks placed vertically with space between them like books on a library bookshelf. The space between the bricks allowed them to move a little bit in an earthquake and yet leave the temple complex intact. We had lunch at a restaurant that is in the ruins and then walked to the Inca handicraft market.

In the ruins/museum complex they had set up various re-creations of what took place there. They also had some garden plots demonstrating the plants that these civilizations used for food. (Remains of food items from offerings found buried in the ruins dating to the period of occupation gave information as to what the people grew and used.) Guinea pigs (known as "cuy,"  pronounced "coo-eee") were an important part of the local diet then and now. Some of the food production projects we have been helping with have involved raising guinea pigs as part of the project as a source of protein.

The Peruvian Dog

We had no idea there was a National dog of Peru, but on Saturday while on a tour of Huaca Pucllana here in Lima, we were introduced to two of the indigenous Peruvian dogs. (for more information about these dogs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_Hairless_Dog)