San Jose Journal : Peevees' Big Adventure - Lima, and on to Cuzco to volunteer

In Lima we had a nice dinner out at a Colombian restaurant. We also found some curious carved gourds, depicting stories of early life in the Andes using extremely intricate carvings in the gourd's surface. They burn it and scrape it. Very cool. We'll show you one when we get home!The people in Lima are so sincere, so warm, and for the most part, happy. We'd happily return to Lima, especiaily since we spent so little time exploring it.

We arrived in Cusco and immediately began visiting hospitals and clinics for volunteer work. After visiting 3, it became clear to us where where our time would be best spent. Every morning almost one hundred indigenous Peruvian farmers and trades people line up outside of , for a lack of better words, a door, waiting to be seen. From the outside, it looks like any other door. In fact, it does not even have a sign. However, many, many people know about it, and show up on a daily basis for free health care for the poor. We gave a knock, and were greeted by a gentleman who politely waved us in to enter. Inside,there were even more folks sitting and patiently waiting. The majority were dressed in their traditional handcrafted clothing. Others in what looked to be donations from the US or other countries. All were either ripped, soiled, or both. Children sat for a while with their parents crying, others found entertainment in a cardboard box, and sat inside while their sister tried to pull them around in it. Parents were barefooted and appeared very tired. They knew they would plan to spend the majority of their day there. Some of them having to return tomorrow if they could not be seen, or if the volunteer doctor cannot or does not show up.

This "hospital" was operated by a group of very resourceful nuns, who have over the past 25 years, turned this VERY small and unyielding stone building into a fully functioning hospital. There is a lab, a kitchen, and even an autoclave! Upstairs, the nuns use the 3rd floor to sleep and pray. The majority of work they do is on an outpatient basis, however, inside are 3 inpatient rooms. One which cared for about 14 men, and had the capacity for 20. The second had the capacity for 15 women, and at the time there were about 6. The third was co-ed for children. The adult patients all convalesce in the same room with only curtains to provide privacy. The children had to sleep in cribs or little cots. Other than the staff, there was very little stimulation there for them. Their stories are even more sad. One little boy had been discharged a week ago, and his parents never came to take him home. They were all basically orphaned, or orphans-to-be, as they could wait there while their parents received treatment for cancer or TB. I fell in love with a little girl, Flor, and...... well, it was very difficult to leave her in Peru. Nothing more to report on that. (Alan writes: Not yet!!! Lisa's wheels are turning...)

The majority of nurses (plentiful) were students. 1 or 2 RN's were "employees" with experience, so students would look to us for guidance and direction as part of the educational process. Supplies were few, and in turn, a lot of creative measures had to be taken (that was my learning process). For example the adults slept on a bed frame with a large piece of foam for a mattress. The bed sheets were not fitted, but tied in the corners in knots.

The food they were fed was hardly nutritious, and for that, there were many patients with bedsores. Wound care was a whole separate story. Apparently they can get their hands on triple antibiotic ointment easier than they can on oral antibiotics, and IV's were even more rare, so infected wounds are washed with soap and treated with triple antibiotic cream, stuffed with some gauze, and a prayer. Rather than throwing things out, they were re-sterilized and used again...quite a concept!!! And the nurses spent lots of their day cleaning and sterilizing the rooms. It was as if we had turned back the hands of time.
One of the brothers would visit daily, and chant rosaries with all of the ward. It was really something to be seen!

Overall, it was a very positive experience. It was the closest thing I have encountered to fulfilling my dream to help. It was a joy to show up there every day. Patients were thankful for anything you could provide to them, even if it was just to talk. Honestly, many times it nearly brought tears to my eyes.

The nuns were caring, very fun, and happy, especially sister Cecilia. She was such a beautifully crazy person, and It was nice that I could her that, and she would just laugh out loud with me. This building, and everything that happened inside was such a display of commitment, desire, and the human spirit. I wonder what it will be like when I am back in California and someone complains about their potatoes being cold!

Alan writes: Lisa had to work every morning so I spent my time planning the trip to Patagonia. I also met a really nice local guy, Orlando, who showed me some of the sights and practiced his English on me while I practiced my Spanish in return. We bought delicious fresh vegetable/fruit smoothies for $.50 for three glasses. Each. Gotta love Cuzco!

Travel Journal:

Peevees' Big Adventure - Lima, and on to Cuzco to volunteer

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