News

Greetings,

Happy Holidays and welcome to our December update page. December is the last month of the year but only our third month volunteering in Peru. Similar to the United States, Peru is a busy country in the month of December with Christmas and New Years. We both had birthdays as well as an anniversary to add to the commotion of the season. The Holidays brought an array of fun activities for everyone here in Huancayo. We departed from Huancayo on December 13th and headed for the North Coast of Peru to learn about their culture, their history and to relax.

Christmas in Peru:

Peru is almost 85% Catholic with select cities reaching 98% of its population practicing Catholicism. Christmas is a very important Holiday, but in different ways than we know in the United States. Poverty levels are high everywhere and resources are scarce. The holidays are for families and friends. The Peruvian custom is to stay up late on Christmas Eve, with your entire family—parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and then their families – the numbers reach from 15 – 150 people. At midnight on Christmas Eve, everyone in the family embraces with a hug, raises a glass of wine in toast, shoots off fireworks, and eats Panetone (like fruitcake) and hot chocolate. All of this is followed by the traditional dinner of turkey, apple sauce, salsa de membrio (similar to apple sauce but made with a fruit called membrillo), and a whole roast pig served cold. There is a Santa Claus with the same appearance as the American version but he is called “Papa Noel” and he does not bring gifts to children but joy and good luck. The presents under the tree are much fewer and only for the children, gifts are small and there is not that much time devoted to opening presents. Christmas is somewhat commercialized here with advertising and crowded stores, but nothing like we experience in the United States. It is much less a holiday about gifts and buying for others, and more about preparing a large meal for the family. The Christmastime climate was a bit strange for us, no snow and 80 degree weather—we could get used to this!

The New Andean School for English:

December was a month for much celebration and planning for the Andean School. We held classes until the 12th and then closed the school for the Holidays, end of the year exams and to prepare for January when we will get an increase of students on their winter break from school, which lasts until March. In preparation for an improved English school in January, we are trying to secure a new location in a better building to have our classes and broaden the program. We will also work on creating a unified curriculum, and promoting the school in the community to increase enrollment. On the last day of classes, we held a Christmas party for the students and their parents and we had food and gifts for the children. We shared information with the parents, answered questions, and encourage students to sign up for the next session in January. The event was a large success and we hope to see all of our students back in school on January 9th, 2006!

The Aldea del Rosario Infintil Orphanage:

The most important time of the year for the Aldea del Rosario Orphanage is Christmas. This year we created a Christmas program using our fundraised money from the United States, gifts donated directly from friends and family (thanks to all who donated), as well as a great deal of time and resources from our other volunteers. We were able to purchase a number of different gifts for all 75 of the children that live in the orphanage. Each child received a “Christmas goodie bag” filled with toys, notebooks, coloring books, games and suffed animals. The gifts were different depending on age group and for girls and boys. In our absence we had Tino and family as well as four Tinkuy Peru volunteers who were here over the holidays, hand out the gifts. These volunteers, along with Tino, also organized an excursion for the children on Christmas Eve to a lake called Nuimpukio. After the trip, the gifts were distributed and that evening everyone sat for a large turkey dinner. The Christmas spirit was alive and well at the Aldea del Rosario Orphanage this year thanks to the volunteers at Tinkuy Peru and the mothers of the Aldea Orphanage.

We would like to recognize two special volunteers for their tremendous humanitarian effort this month at the Aldea del Rosario. Anders and Inger Burgland from Sweden were able to raise $1,400 in one week to make improvements to the plumbing and hot water systems and improve sanitation at the Aldea. The project included the purchase of new pipes, cisterns, construction of structures for the cisterns, and electric shower heads for hot showers in all of the houses. The project was started while they were here in December, and they have asked us to oversee the completion of this project in January. This will make a tremendous difference in the hygene of the children at the Aldea, allowing them a constant water supply and hot showers.

Tinkuy Peru:

December was also a good month for the Tinkuy Peru volunteer program. We had six other volunteers, two from the United States, two from Sweden and two from France. The volunteers worked on four projects including the New Andean School for English, Aldea del Rosario Orphanage, Adlea Transitorio para Ninas Orphanage, and Hogar para Mayoras Senior Living Facility (which is an elderly home). All of the volunteers helped us this month develop and clarify the goals for the new Andean Outreach Program that we hope to launch at the end of January.

In addition to foreign volunteers, we made some local partnerships here in Huancayo. A good friend and student of Terry’s, Miguel Alberto Arauzo Flores has joined us in volunteering in the Orphanage as well as being a contributer to the Andean Outreach Program. Another student and a friend of Tino’s, Miguel Angel Chavez, has been instrumental in the development of the Andean Outreach program. Francisco Romero Cano and Jesus Leon Marcelo, have also joined the Tinkuy Peru support staff, helping with volunteer support, registering students in the English school, and helping with general up keep at the Andean School.