It's funny that the previous post is basically an abridged version of the orientation that I give to new volunteers every month. I've been on staff with ProWorld Service Corps for over two years now, as Site Coordinator of the Urubamba base. What's even more strange, is that I am getting ready to leave in a couple of short months, and step out into unknown adventures once again. Oh how life surprises you sometimes :)
I can't say that it's all been easy. In fact most of my closest family and friends have supported me through a whole roller coaster of feelings and experiences, and have definitely heard me threaten to quit a time or two...but at the end of the day, it is still extremely hard to wrap my head around finishing with PW, and I am grateful for the opportunity to grow, learn, and be challenged by all that encompasses this job, and my life here in Peru. I will miss so many things, and I don't want to lose sight of what those are...hence this post after a long hiatus! So we'll see. I am going to try and document some of what this process of leaving is like, even if no one ever reads this but me.
Today I went to visit Kelly. Kelly lived with Dulia for a couple of years (she is her goddaughter) and is currently back in her little rural town of Hyuchu trying her best to raise her 5 month old baby girl. It was a great afternoon. First of all, the bridge to her community got washed out by the floods a couple of years ago, so I had to cross over the river in this little metal basket/pulley contraption...luckily it's the dry season, so the river didn't look too scary should we suddenly topple over!
Gave the little princesa a bath in a plastic bucket outside, wrapped her up in a cloth diaper, dressed her in some new baby clothes from the Sates, and then just loved on her for hours!! Kelly's house always has a million animals around. Today I think there were 6 puppies, 9 chickens and roosters, 3 cows, 1 parrot, and maybe 25 guinea pigs. they didn't bother us too much! (I've been trying for 2 years to get over my fear of chickens with little luck) we only had to shoo them off the bed when they would jump up close to the baby! It was wonderful to hold her, and to see what a good mom Kelly is, but I also know what an uphill battle Kelly now has, to finish high school, and try and create a better life for her daughter.
