Day-19b, July 21 2009 - Special Edition

As we go our separate ways at the end of our mission, I wanted to leave the final word to my 16-year-old friend Mariah Pettapiece-Phillips. This is Mariah's second "special edition entry." Mariah writes of transferring her learnings from this mission back home. And as the head of a training department, I woud like to underscore that the value of learning is all in how it's applied:

Where do I start? That's usually the question I ask when facing the daunting, sometimes slightly intimidating sight of a blank page. Today I sat down armed with pen and paper, my never-far-away iPod, and my always-far-away mind for a full five minutes of being stumped before I realized something important. It's useless and unprogressive to ask myself where to start when I really want to know where I can go from here. The question that should be asked is, 'Where do I want this to lead me?' In fact, the initial question of asking oneself where to start seems incredibly stupid when you think about it logically. Although I'm not always a fan of the common logic my mother taught me to use when I was little (in my mind, logic never inspires colourful dreams and it lowers sky-high limits to thinking inside the box), it only makes sense that asking where you are present-tense will never bring you as far or as high as contemplating where you could be in the future.

When I was younger and I heard the familiar deep-thinking, answer-seeking questions people would ask in terms of life (Where am I? Why am I here?), I couldn't help thinking to myself, 'Why do you care where you are or where you've been? Obviously you aren't satisfied with yourself currently or you wouldn't be asking in the first place. Therefore, you already know the answer to your own question, so why ask in the first place?' I find that you'll never find the answer you're looking for if you first don't ask the right question. So for that reason, I'm not going to bother myself, or anyone else for that matter, with why I came on this trip or what I did while I was here. Instead, I want to think about what I'll do next. There's no use worrying about lessons here if they don't bring further lessons back home. In my experience (as limited as it may be), there's a fine line between learning a lesson, and taking that lesson, bringing it internally, and carrying it around in you so that you can't help but be changed and influenced by it. The fine line, I believe, are those questions that bring you a step forward. What am I going to do with what I learned? Where will this take me next? All of it means nothing if I can't take it to the next level. Sure, you can light a candle to lighten up a room, but that light won't go very far if you don't spread the light and share the flame to other candles. Just like the candle's flame, a lesson forgotten will fade and die.

To bring this in terms of my own life and lessons, after this trip's work is done in Peru, I can't help but think about the future. Not the far off into the distance future, because there are far too many unknowns there, but the near future that's somewhat controllable. As much as I know a difference has been made for the people in Peru, I know this trip has made a bigger difference in me. If that makes this trip selfish in other people's minds, then so be it. I've never understood why anyone should feel guilty for benefiting from helping others. No matter how drastic the charity work, or how selfless its intentions are, helping others can be therapeutic. I can't, and won't, apologize for something inevitable and uncontrollable. You feel good when others do, it really is as simple as that. I also can't describe to you the changes or influence that a trip like this has on the people helped without it being tainted by my personal perspective. However, what I can do is provide a sparksnotes version of my thoughts.

I want all the small things back in life that I started to forget and take for granted in the confusing bustle of everyday life. In the midst of tight schedules and ever-present deadlines, many people forget the small details that make the biggest differences. After this trip, I've had the urge and need to start excercising more, for those endorphens. I want to get a pet for the unconditional love, and for that same reason I want to spend more time with kids. Being able to see the cloudless sky filled with brilliant stars every night has reminded me that sometimes the city's overbearing noises and countless sights drown out the more beautiful silence and the freedom of open space. Now that I'm noticing the small things, it's been easier to smile more and laugh louder. Although all of these things might seem small to you, they're what I've noticed has changed me the most. The schedules and busy things people fill their days with are useless if you don't stop to notice the small things. Without them, days jumble together until soon enough, you can't remember why you bother with anything. The small things in life bring purpose to the big things.

All of these things are only one reason why I'd recommend anyone and everyone to go on a mission trip. I'd especially recommend teenagers because maybe, like me, years after they'll look back on their life and realize that the mission trip played a big part in shaping them to becoming who they are.

Day-19a, July 21 2009

Ola!

For those of you anxious we'd been devoured by an anaconda, apologies. Internet access was severely restricted in the Amazon Basin.

Our group was split into three once we flew from Cusco to the inland port city of Puerto Maldonado. It ressembles a dusty, wild west town of 46,000 people that is bustling with tuk-tuks (a three-wheeled motorized version of a horse and buggy) and Honda motorbikes. Puerto Maldonado sits at the crossroads of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers. Just to give you an idea of the abundance of wildlife, on the Tambopata Reserve alone, there are 620 species of birds and 1200 species of butterflies. To compare, in all of North America there around 700 species of each. It was all aboard for three different adventures.

It appears that everyone enjoyed their wildlife tours. Some of us were able to go on canopy walks and climbed 100 metre towers to begin a nerve-wracking crossing over seemingly rickety, suspended bridges from platform-to-platform amongst the tree tops. One set of towers took 15 years to design. Most of that time was spent studying root systems (which are shallow) to understand how to build a sturdy foundation and weather patterns to determine which materials would prove hardy. The actual construction took only a month.

Our primary guide, Jesus (pronounced hey-zeus) was knowledgeable and hilarious. For example, when we were beginning our canopy walk two thirds up the tower, he went to the very top and poured a yellowish liquid down beside us. Was it humming bird food or...well I'll leave it up to your imagination. We also took a bridge detour to a treetop cabin. For $500 (USD) a night you can play Swiss Family Robinson.

Some groups had nighttime forays up the river to see caymen or into the rainforest to discover tarantulas, snakes and locusts. Some groups saw monkeys. Two groups were delighted with their food and accommodation - cabanas or huts and gourmet dishes. One group was less pleased with the lack of privacy, electricity and mediocre food. On Tuesday these adventures all came to end as we were reunited at the Puerto Maldonado airport. From there the group flew to Lima.

It's Wednesday morning as I write this. We have now scattered. Some have continued onto vacations in the Galapagos Islands or Easter Island. Some have departed back to Canada via Miami. Some will depart back home today or tomorrow. Most are a bit weary. But we will all rally. Joe and Jennifer head to another mission in Guyana - their country of origin - in early 2010. And there's already a buzz about a mission to Tanzania and Kenya in 2011.

I'm going to leave the final word to my 16-year-old friend Mariah. This young writer is more focussed on transferring her learnings from this mission back home. And as the head of a training department, I believe the value of learning is all in how it's applied.

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-15, July 17, 2009

Ola!

Remember the movie Indiana Jones? Well the movie figure was modelled after "Indiana" or Hiram Bingham - an American explorer. Bingham discovered the lost city of Machu Picchu (well re-discovered as the locals certainly knew where it was) in 1911 and the Inca Trail in 1915. Bingham was led to the ruins by an 8-year-old boy named Pablo - now proclaimed as the first Peruvian guide. Remarkably 70% of what remains is original. Bingham was a historian and pottery lover - which was unfortunate on both counts. He carted away pottery from its original sites and to this day we are unsure as to the purpose of every room in the Machu Picchu community because these artifacts were removed from their context. Bingham also took some pottery for display at Yale University. However Bingham must be credited for bringing Machu Picchu to the world. We were able to wander fairly freely. In five or six years this awe-inspiring site may no longer be accessible to the public. Japanese seismologists have discovered that the ruins lie on two fault lines and fear that earthquakes and tourist traffic make its foundation fragile.

The Inca Trail is a 50 kilometre trail from Cusco to Machu Picchu. There are limits on the number of trail users - 200 hikers and 300 porters maximum are allowed to travel the trail each day. Some do the trail over 4 days. An additional trail was discovered only last week!

Our group had a daunting uphill climb for four hours followed by lunch, followed by a level path of stones followed by a steep 30 metre incline.

I was fascinated to find out why one of our group tackled the trail. 78-year old Norah Heater was one of the first to sign up for the hike. She said "I thought it would be a 6 hour walk. And I did the preparation. I walked three times a week and continued with my aquafit. I didn't know it would be as challenging as it was. My best moment was reaching the top of the Sun Gate (which is a mountain top view of Machu Picchu). My worst moment came when I arrived at the steps they call the Entrance to God. It was 52 steps straight up. I'm glad I did it. I don't feel like it was any big deal. No matter how rough I had to finish it! There was no choice."

We were inspired by Norah's achievement and raised a glass in her honour that night at a pizzeria. Not a single hiker from our group gave up! Congratulations all!!

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-14, July 16, 2009

Ola!

The pace has picked up since last I blogged in so forgive my tardiness.

On Wednesday our Bolivia teams boarded the Andean Express to Cusco. It proved to be a first-class - albeit 10 hour - train ride. There was breakfast, entertainment, a free pisco sour (the national drink of brandy, sugar cane, egg white and bitters) at 1100, a lunch, bar-tending demonstration and tea time - all served with the greatest of professionalism.

Meantime in Cusco, the Peruvian teams were enjoying their introduction to this wonderful little community. As Kent Sikstrom recounted, "it's an intimate city. People are affectionate, warm and kind and it's reminiscent of Italian towns I have visited. There are narrow streets and cobblestones. And in the centre is the town square which is where everybody congregates. There are festivities every night and it feels good to be here." Speaking of festivities, that night the entire team enjoyed good food and folk music and dancing.

On Thursday our group split - just under half of the group decided to take the train to Machu Picchu to hike the Inca Trail for ~ 6 hours. The rest ventured by bus into the Sacred Valley beyond Cusco.

In this entry, I will tell the tale of the latter. For more on the Inca Trail hikers please see my next entry.

The day began in a panic. The primary camera of David Hillock - the trip photographer - had a breakdown -- all the pictures were coming out blue! Without missing a heart beat, the backup camera went into action. I have to confess that as David's sherpa for some of the equipment on this trip I have not always thought charitably about lugging his extra gear. However in this moment, my sherpa days paid off. Later that night, David would rip apart his non-functioning camera and with surgeon-like precision dissect it for malfunction. The surgery would prove successful and the offending problem benign. The camera was restored to full health and once again, click, click, click, was the order of the day.

So our bus departed through beautiful Cusco. A full 70% of its citizens are employed by tourism although farming is big. Guinea pig is the favourite dish. A Peruvian hastened to add "that's because we don't name them." You can always down your pig with a glass of room-temperature chicha. It's distilled alcohol made from corn and the villagers fly a red flag on their doorstep when their personal batch is ready for consumption. There is often frost in the morning because we're at such a high altitude but then the temperature can climb to 22 degrees celsius. In the highlands -sadly - the cold weather can lead to infant mortality. The children do not have sufficiently warm clothing. There is no snow because Cusco stands at 15,800 feet and snow happens only at 16,000. Severe earthquakes (7 on the Richter scale) happen every 3 to 4 years. It was interesting to see "tuna" cactus along the roadside. These cactus have a parasite which is removed, dried and ground up for red dye in textiles.

From Cusco we travelled by bus to an Alpaca and llama farm. These animals hail from the camel family - with the llama certainly looking most like the camel because it's bigger. Our first misadventure was losing Kent - quoted above. However, fortunately -particularly for me as I happen to be his mother - we found him.

From there we journeyed to the old village of Pisac. It was hosting a colourful parade. Other than that - Pisac is known for its market. I would call it a mayhem of bargaining. Our group does like to shop.

From there we went to the Inca ruins in the mountainside of Ollantaytambo. Seven of us ventured up to the very, very top. The Incans were marvellous engineers. They were also marvellous at conscripting the citizenry. Yesteryear - every year - a Peruvian had to devote 3 months of labour to the government in lieu of taxes.

Our second misadventure was losing Janet Duff. However, fortunately, we found her.

From there we boarded a train to Machu Picchu to rendez-vous with our team-mates.

Our third misadventure was nearly losing the entire Pettapiece-Phillipps family. They unfortunately had some alleged over-sized luggage and became embroiled in a heated debate about what it would cost to load it. They apparently won the debate and came screaming down the platform as the train was pulling away from the station.

Anyway. We have all made our way to the wonderful site of Machu Picchu. We have all supped and headed for bed. And the starttime tomorrow is 0400.

Goodnight!

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-13a, July 15, 2009 - Special Edition

Ola!

This is another special edition blog entry. Our guest writer this time is one of the younger members of our mission team, Amit Parasar. Amit was assigned to the Construction Team in Cochabamba, Bolivia. His team was putting the finishing touches on La Trinidad Anglican Church.

Amit was the Bible Study leader for his team and discovered his colleagues had varying levels of faith. Such variance can cause tremendous rift - even unChristian-like behaviour - as I personally witnessed on my first mission. While no such rift occured on Amit's team - in fact team leader Brian Van Order told me the team was strengthened through Bible Study - how does one reconcile these varying levels? I hope you will appreciate Amit's thoughtfulness on this topic:

What does it mean to participate in a Short-term Christian Mission Trip? I must confess that while Bolivia 2009 is my 7th mission trip, I've never actually pondered this question until now. This trip was the first time I officially undertook the responsibility of being the spiritual leader of my mission team. I can honestly say that I never thought I would be hosting discussions questioning the existence of God like I found myself doing this year because a firm spiritual grounding has always been a prerequisite in every other mission that I've been on. I must admit that seeing such lack of faith was frustrating and even depressing for me because I know how my faith has pulled me through the most difficult times of my life. I wish that I could give that strength to my mission teammates, but if there's one thing that I've learned thus far is that belief is a choice. In some cases, people struggle with faith because Christianity is far from easy. It requires an honest effort at a lifestyle change and, for the most part, people are comfortable in their own ways. In other cases, people want to know God exists, but unfortunately knowledge and faith are two different things entirely. Indeed, if I were to define faith, I would say that it is believing despite the fact that you have questions, believing despite the fact that you don't know. Jesus summarized how much God values our faith when after his resurrection he said to Thomas, "Blessed are those who do not see and believe."

I realize that I've gone on for some time and have yet to address the question presented in the beginning of my blog. What does it mean to participate in a Christian Mission Trip? Does it mean that only those with the strongest faith should be allowed to embark on a Christian Mission? To those who believe this I say that Jesus came to heal the sick, for what does a healthy man require even of the best surgeon? In Romans chapters 14-15, Paul writes about different levels of faith and how those with strong faith should not judge those with weaker faith. Everyone is on their own journey. Where some stumble, others will run. Should the runner look down on the one that stumbles? Of course not, because it is when we stumble and fall that we can get back up again. It is in these moments that we learn the most. If anything, the runner should be humble enough to ask the one who fell what he learned so that they can grow together. I've witnessed weak faith develop into strong faith over years and I've seen far more dramatic spiritual development happen over a few days of mission work. I've learned much from my teammates in both instances and I've learned so much from my mission teammates this year. While they've questioned God's existence, I've watched Him work through those that don't even believe He exists. While they struggle with their belief, I've watched them display Christ-like qualities and deeds to a far greater extent than some people I know who claim to be Christians, but happily continue on in their sinful ways. If I were asked to choose which of these cases I believe God would be more pleased with, I would certainly choose the first. So, who belongs on a Short-term Christian Mission Trip? If you feel that you can decide that, I'll leave that up to you. I prefer to let God decide.

Day-12, July 14, 2009

Back again!

Its been a whirlwind few days since the last blog entry.

On Monday July 13, our teams across Peru and Bolivia bid adieu to their project sponsors. Our mission work is now done. For some it was a tearful good-bye. For others more circumspect - that with life's adventures comes "blessin's and lessons." And at times, the lessons outweigh the "blessin's." But I hope I'm speaking for all as I write this - there is a humble hope that each of us made a difference in some small way.

On Monday night, the Lima team was joined by new team members who were unable to participate in our mission work and have now joined us for a "cultural tour" of Peru. I am particularly excited because two of the new members are my sons Matt and Kent. Now begins the reunion of all teams.

On Tuesday morning the Lima teams - eye glass, children's ministry and dental - departed Lima for Cusco, Peru. They will be sightseeing during their visit and will await the arrival of the rest of us.

On Tuesday at 0430 the Santa Cruz teams - medical and dental - left for the airport. Similarly the Cochabamba teams - construction and the girls' home and children's orphanage - departed. These teams met in La Paz, Bolivia. From there we boarded a bus and then catamaran to cruise Lake Titicaca. This lake is stunning and particularly mesmerizing was our stop at the the Island of the Sun or Isla del Sol - the birthplace of the Incan Empire. We climbed 280 steps to take in the breathtaking view and visit a museum brimming with opulent costumes. These costumes are used today in parades and festivals and they are brightly coloured and laden with gold and jewels. We ended our cruise in the delightful seaside town of Copacabana and then took a bus to to Puno. A late night toast with a pisco sour - a popular concoction of brandy, cane syrup, lime, and egg white - and it was off to bed.

Our contingent will now head to Cusco by train. Tonight will mark the final phase of our reunion to be celebrated with a special dinner and folklore show.

Ciao!

Day-10, July 12, 2009

As I reflected upon the mid-adventures and mis-steps of the trek to Concepcion...I wondered about the other side of the story....the perspective of our sponsor...on that ill-fated day so the media team decided to interview Ron and Violet Firestone.

As our mission members were frustrated, so were the Firestones. Dr. Ron has spent most of his life in Bolivia and is a chiropractor by profession. He says that 45 percent of adult men and women suffer pains and strains of heavy work. He has conducted and led perhaps hundreds of mission clinics for years. His approach differs from that of our team. He believes in triage only for the extreme cases - parachuting in to treat the worst cases - and dispensing medication for the short-term - only until the patient can see his or her doctor. He does not believe in lengthy consultation during these clinics - nor in dispensing medication for the longer-term because he fears Bolivians may misunderstand the directions and consume it all at once or share it with their neighbours. He does however believe in preventative medicine such as teaching those who come to a clinic to brush their teeth. The Firestones call their way the "Bolivian way."

Then there is the "Canadian way." In some respects the two ways are similar. For example, our dental team instructs patients on how to brush as well. Then there are differences. Our medical and dental teams interview patients about their ailments, create a record for each patient and dispense medication for the longer-term as they deem appropriate. Dr. Trudy Poggemiller says the differences swirl around a disagreement over minimum versus maximum standards. Judith Mitchell adds that the Canadian team is always concerned about risk management.

The tensions between the "Bolivian way" and the "Canadian way" have been palatable. The media team is interested less in judgement and blame. More about what can we as a mission team learn. So we asked our team over dinner on the final night of our mission work. We discovered there are five lessons: the five C's.

#1 - COMMUNICATION
Team leader Dr. Evelyn Elsey believes the first lesson is about upfront communication. What does the sponsor expect? What do we as a mission team want to accomplish? How will we work in tandem?

#2 - CONTRACTING
The second lesson is a drilling down of the first and it comes from Dr.Trudy Poggemiller and Judith Mitchell: look beyond the personalities and create a contract or manifesto and checklist of questions for each clinic site:

a) What does the site access (travel) look like?
b) What are the logistical arrangements?
i. Toilets
ii. Food and water
iii. Sterilization and other medical facilities
iv. Interpreters
c) What support is required and what support are we offering?
d) Who are the contact people?

#3 - CONTEXT
The third lesson is about context. As Dr.Hardy Limeback asked for example, what are the political pressures under which the sponsor is working? What might be the personal pressures?

#4 - COLLABORATION
The fourth lesson says Dr Evelyn is having an openness to collaborate and she points to a positive working partnership she established with a sponsor on a mission to South Africa. Where is the honest exchange about the best of our approaches? What do we bring to the table? And what does the sponsor bring to the table? For example, Dr. Trudy was interested in learning about the benefit of sulfuric soap as a treatment for fungal infections.

#5 - COORDINATOR TO TROUBLE-SHOOT
The final lesson says Dr. Evelyn is about trouble-shooting. Who will represent our mission team's interests when things go wrong? Who will ensure that the logistics are in place? Who will be the single point of accountability? In this instance, we had no one assigned to that role locally.

As a wise person once told me, in every endeavor in life there is a blessin' and there is a lesson.

Some members of the team such as Dr. Trudy are not at peace with this mission. Others like Judith, are frustrated and are choosing not to follow-up on their concerns. Another team member, Janet Duff is circumspect: "there are incongruities between all societies. I think the important thing is not to reconcile them but to understand each other. Every time I see a new culture I learn new or different ways of doing things. I believe that understanding and respecting each other is the key to living in a global village."

As a final note, the media team has learned that perhaps part of our responsibility is to ask the questions that might lead to self-discovered leanings.

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-9, July 11, 2009

Not all days are rewarding. Not all partnerships with sponsors are smooth.

On Saturday the Santa Cruz teams departed at 0500 for a length journey into the hills to offer two clinics in remote villages outside of San Julian. Unfortunately our bus had missed a pick-up of our sponsors - Ron and Violet Firestone - and other volunteers and we had to return to fetch them. It was the begining of mis-steps and misadventures.

The next surprise came with a loud bang. We had a flat tire. While we waited at a nearby rest stop playing cards the bus suddenly departed with our valuables on board. We had no idea what was happening.As it turned out the driver was missing a wrench and had gone in search of the tool - flat tire and all. Eventually another bus retrieved us and we were told our valuables were safe.

We arrived late at the first clinic site - a church under construction - to find chaos. As team leader Dr. Trudy Poggemiller described the scene "terrible infection control; no coordination; no place to see people - one patient for example needs a pelvic exam." Tensions were building and one team member lashed out. The dental team leader Dr. Evelyn Elsey and Dr.Hardy Limeback were dismayed at the lack of sterilization facilities so the dental team decided to pack up and move to the next site with Violet Firestone. Shortly after Ron announced "(medical) consultations are closed." And after a mere half hour visit, the medical team also packed up.

Rain from the previous night was to blame for the next mis-adventure. The dental team's bus became stuck in mud. Twice. It proved to be the dirtiest extraction of their mission.

The voyage to our second clinic was a rollercoaster ride through deep muddy grooves. We survived that - some would say barely - but we nearly didn't survive the tarantula. It popped out of the dental equipment. A villager captured it in a container and I was given the container to dispose of our threat. (My Spanglish is lacking so when I delegated the disposal to a Bolivian he promptly put the container in our bus thinking this "loco gringo" intended to keep the tarantula as a pet. I still wonder what happened to that tarantula because it had disappeared by the time I later took my seat on the bus).

The tarantula threat eradicated, our dental team was at the ready. Unfortunately the patients were not. As we would later learn, a mandatory community meeting had drawn some of them elsewhere. As well, word had somehow travelled that we had experienced vehicle trouble and might not arrive. We rang the village bell several times to attract attention and finally some villagers came. All in we treated a little more than a dozen dental patients and two dozen or so medical patients. It was the lowest turnout so far.

Again we boarded the bus - with nary a sign of the tarantula. However the last of the nasty surprises came with another big bang. A second tire was flat.The bus limped along the last half hour of the trek into Concepcion - a beautiful community established by the Jesuits.

Finally our mis-adventures came to an end. Gran Hotel Concepcion is an oasis. An open concept with beautiful ceramic tile floors, white walls, ceiling fans, brimming with tropical plants and spiral wooden columns typical of the area. A good dinner to end the day. And a good night's sleep...

...for those of us with rooms away from the disco....

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day 8c, late July 10, 2009

A quick note to all to explain that I may be off line tomorrow.

The medical, dental and media teams are heading for two clinics in the hills of Bolivia. Internet may be non existent.

We go unsure of how many patients might attend our clinics. Santa Cruz has been been semi quarantined for swine flu. There are now 500 declared cases in Bolivia - with 300 in Santa Cruz alone. The government has declared there shall be no public gatherings of any sort - including church services - so we venture forth ready but wondering.

Day-8b, July 10, 2009

There is a story circulating amongst the Santa Cruz medical and dental teams about the great wheelchair caper. It's a tale worth telling. However I will protect the names of the guilty lest major airlines cruise our blog!

Once upon a time there was a well respected man of the cloth working for an undisclosed faith. We know only that he loved to do mission work and the only infractions that would cause him to lose his jaunty demeanour were mission workers who would wander from the flock or show up late for the bus. This man of the cloth came upon the most touching of situations in a country faraway that involved a young girl with an affliction that rendered her unable to walk. Her parents had endured a sad and tumultuous journey from two different cultures to be together. The family was in dire need of a wheelchair for this child.

As good fortune would have it, the man of the cloth came upon a wheelchair beneath a mound of clothes. Why it came to be there and whose clothes they were and whether they were clean or dirty would only distract. The fact of the matter was that he had a wheelchair but unfortunately no money to ship it. Nary a boliviano! What to do?

The man of the cloth decided to approach his cunning mother - a warm, funny and wiley octegenarian. She is a spry woman who travels the world without need of support - be it walker or baggage handler. Always on the look-out for mischief, the mother promptly agreed to participate in his scheme. She would fly to this faraway place diguised as a warm, funny and wiley octengenarian in a wheelchair. She properly thought though she might tone down the warm and exploit her cranky.

Not to be alone in this ruse, the mother called upon her friends to be her nurses. Would they push the wheelchair to add to the authenticity? Equally wiley and similarly on the look-out for mischief, her friends agreed.

So the now wheelchair bound mother and her ever-caring nurses began their journey - arriving at the airport and rolling up through security. Whereupon an attendant asked the mother to remove her shoes. "Oh my dear I don't think that's possible at all given my condition," sighed the mother. She defiantly stuck out her feet and asked "perhaps you might do it for me?" Now who wants to tussle with an octegenarian in a wheelchair - especially this one - so the attendant obliged. With some trepidation there might be trouble, the attendant asked the mother to rise and walk through the metal detector. The mother had always been an aspiring thespian and with great drama she feebly grasped her cane, rose and hobbled ever so slowly. She had by now completely lost all empathy for those in the security line-up behind her. Along came a motorized cart to transport the mother to the airplane. All went perfectly according to plan and the mother grinned as she witnessed firsthand her wheelchair being safely tucked on board. She clutched tightly to the wheelchair seat cushion and snickered.

Now that might have been the end of the story. However the ride was not to prove smooth.

As luck would have it, the wheelchair did not make the connection enroute. So when the mother arrived in the farway country - there was no trace of the much wanted wheelchair. "Well I never!" she huffed. The time had come to eradicate the warm and move to full blown cranky. With nurses in tow she approached the counter - the wheelchair seat cushion flailing in her hand. "We made all sorts of fuss" she would later recount proudly. Indeed. For the wheelchair miraculously surfaced the next day.

Now that might have been the end of the story. However the ride was not to prove smooth.

As luck would have it, the wheelchair did not make it to the presentation ceremony. The mother and her entourage of nurses plus wheelchair took a taxi to a restaurant where many notables and the deserving family were waiting. But in the excitement about the achievement everyone disembarked leaving the wheelchair safely but sadly in the trunk. The driver who was overwhelmed by the excited gringos also forgot. He went off shift. And he headed home for supper with his young family.

The host of the presentation ceremony noticed early in the meal that he had nothing to present. So he scampered off before his dinner arrived to trace the trail of the taxi. As more luck would have it, he was able to track down the driver who also scampered off before his own dinner arrived and ferried the missing wheelchair to the ceremony just in time for the presentation.

A photographer of note was on hand to capture the happy moment on camera with the deserving family and the warm, funny and wiley octengenarian posed in the wheelchair - actually feeling warmer and now wondering about relinquishing her wiley ways.

The man of the cloth is ever more jaunty. Our octegenarian has a tale - and coincidentally a birthday - to celebrate! And her devoted nurses have redirected their mischievious ways for the good. And most importantly, a deserving child and her family - finally - will have the mobility they have long desired.

The End. Really.

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-8a, July 10, 2009

Updated: July 14, 2009

Reflections from Bolivia....

In a blog last week I wrote about the importance of the nightly bible study to the Construction Team in Cochabamba. Amit Parasar, who is the Bible Study Leader, has chosen the bible study time to put faith and provocative questions on the table.

Amit isn't the only one to put provocative questions on the table. Tyson Malo of the Ninos con Valor projects - the children's home for girls and the daycare and residence for babies affected by HIV - challenged the media team.

First of all, he says he's "a big supporter of short-term work." He says that Ninos con Valor has "always been appreciative of short and long-term volunteers and service teams." And he adds "we have always sought to build bridges between the chidlren we serve and those abroad who are making this service possible." Afterall, "all of what we do is heavily dependent upon the support that we receive from outside of Bolivia, as Bolivia is a country full of beauty yet crippled by poverty."

However he shared what we considerd to be cautionary words of wisdom for all short-term volunteers as they approach their mission work. Tyson pointed us to an article on what some call "al-tourism" or altruistic tourists who come on missions.Check out www.briarpatchmagazine.com/20006/11/02/ive-come-to-help-can-tourism-and-altruism-mix.We would later hear the same message from our Santa Cruz sponsor who used the phrase "spiritual tourism." Tyson asked that teams remember they are "coming into the homes of the children and need to respect this."

The overall message from our visit was that mission work should have one focus - building relationships - investing in projects over time by creating and maintaining connections with local sponsors in the year leading up to a mission and then following up. We feel encouraged to explore this approach to short term mission work as espoused by Christianity Today International - in particular view a documentary they've produced called Round Trip. I took a cursory look at roundtripmission.org and will see if I can obtain the DVD.

Tyson is a direct and committed young man and his words have caused me to rethink how I approach my own mission work. He was reflecting generally about short-term missions and I invite team leader Cassie Williams to share her thoughts below...

I took Tyson's reflections back to Amit later that day. At the age of 25 years old, Amit has already been on seven missions. Amit agrees with Tyson that mission work is mostly about developing relationships. He says the Construction Team is anxious to put in long days to get the work done but their hosts want them to begin mid-morning, break for a leisurely lunch and finish early for dinner. However Amit believes the slower pace will allow for relationship-building.

Amit also believes misson work is about self. On his very first mission (at the age of 16), he says "we joked that missions were about doing good work to atone for being crappy the rest of the year."

On a mission last year, Amit says he helped a fellow worker who'd been traumatized to get back in touch with her faith. The woman says she "found herself" on that mission. Amit concluded "I think missions are therapeutic. The Construction Team is building a temple but perhaps - through God and this work - our true mission may be to rebuild ourselves."

Cassie Williams writes....

The team felt that it was an honour and privilege to serve with the Ninos Con Valor volunteers and staff both at the girl's home and the daycare. Through their organization, they are protecting and caring for 21 high risk girls and 9 babies and toddlers. They maintain the 2 facilities with wonderful Bolivian "Tias" (Aunts) and loving long and short term volunteers. They have created more than a home for these children; they have created a family. We were very impressed with all their hard work and the loving atmosphere that they have created.

We started our work with the organization through email contact and plan to continue the contact. We have built a relationship with Tyson, Kimber, Barb and all the other staff and long term volunteers and we just want to say that we think you do a super job. You are to be commended for all your hard work and efforts.

Day-7, July 9, 2009

Ola from Santa Cruz!

Our Santa Cruz teams work in tandem - today in a district considered to be what our sponsor Violet Firestone calls "the poorest of the poor." Santa Cruz was designed in concentric rings and we were situated between the 8th and 9th rings. This is the Highlands community of 100,000 people who were moved here when they were displaced by a flood.

Our dental and medical clinics were housed in a new church with a story. A few years ago a drug dealer was shot to death and his family and community asked our sponsor, Ron - Violet's husband - to conduct his funeral. Then they asked him to lead 9 days of prayer and bible study. Then they asked him to lead mass on the 9th day. The community couldn't bear to be without spiritual guidance subsequently so the Firestones established this church now led by the local Reverend Guido Jelarde.

Dr. Hardy Limeback has been overwhelmed by the tooth decay and extractions he's performing. His specialty is problem prevention. So as his wife and dental assistant Lynne muses, "to Hardy extraction is a sin." Hardy's daily mantra to the kids is "no carmello" or "no candy."

Fellow dentist and team leader Dr. Evelyn Elsey - assisted by daughter Kristine - is seeing a quarter to a third of the patients who came for treatment during her last mission in Kenya. She guesses that people are fearful or skeptical or complacement because they have free dental coverage from the Bolivian government. Violet adds that it may be due to a lack of education about dental hygiene or because the access process for free care is daunting.

At the dental recovery station - or wherever they're needed - are Dolores Komar and Beryl Beard. Beryl comforts patients with her stash of gifts for "distracting and rewarding for being brave" - including distracting wailing babies in the waiting area. For the record, balls and cars are the hot comfort items for kids - and sometimes frisbees - which are leftover from the Kenya mission where they were "no good because they get stuck in a straw roof."

As I saw one little boy depart with 3 toothbrushes stuffed in his pocket I wondered if - and hoped - they'd be put to good use.

The medical team begins with Jill Grose on intake; Cheryl Tai and Spanish-speaking Betty Dupont on assessment; Dorothy Thompson taking blood pressure and pulse; Norah Heater who calls herself "vitamin nurse and stream-liner;" Tony Crasto who does the initial screening.

The medical team leader Trudy Poggemiller says she's seeing a lot of arthritis in younger men and women. Their lives are hard. She's diagnosing cataracts in younger people too - even 19 year-olds - due to lack of UV protection. Common are gastro intestinal ailments, hypertension, diabetes and obesity due to sugar-laden diets - all carbohydrates and little protein. Next door the pharmacy with Judith Mitchell and Janet Duff primarily dispense mebendazole for parasites and ibuprofen and motrin for pain.

As a postscript, we celebrated Beryl's 82nd birthday today. She seemed to have an exceptionally long list of wishes before she blew out the candles.
Check out the photo by Judith Mitchell of Beryl by candlelight!

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-6, July 8, 2009

Ola from Cochabamba!

On the first stop on the tour of Cochabamba mission projects this morning, we visited Corazon Del Pastor which is a girls' home. It and another of our mission teams are sponsored by a foundation - Ninos con Valor. At present 21 girls from ages 3 to 13 are housed here including 4 siblings. At least one third of these came rushing to the front gate to shower us with hugs and kisses. These children were abused, neglected, orphaned or abandoned. There are tias or aunties like tia Maritza who takes care of the girls and sister figures like volunteers American Courtney Paine. Executive Director Tyson Malo hopes this environment will encourage the girls to develop a positive view of themselves and their futures. It appears the environment's having impact. For example one 8 year old now wants to be a policewoman "and put all of the bad people in jail." Another - a former street kid - wants to be a writer telling the stories of the children of alcoholics.

Our mission team here has come prepared with materials on developing self esteem and dealing with behavioral problems - and - 6 pounds of paint! Team leader Cassie Williams has been touched by the girls' outpouring of affection.

The other members of the children's team in Cochabamba are at a daycare and residence for babies and toddlers who are affected by HIV/Aids. It's the only centre of its kind here in Cochabamba as there is such huge stigma around HIV/Aids; tremendous lack of awareness. These babies are referred by Social Services and many are developmentally delayed. But the centre tries to meet their physical, nutritional, emotional, and psychological needs. Our team encourages the toddlers to slide and walk but they need no encouragement to smile.

As the media team was leaving the babies' residence there was good news and sad. We learned one of the babies had just successfully emerged from heart surgery. And as we were celebrating, word came that a street kid volunteer who had helped paint at the centre, had been stabbed to death the previous night.

Not far away, our construction team is scraping, painting, sealing and digging. In its 15 year history, la Trinidad Church has been homeless - moving from apartment to school to office. They are finally able to build a temporary sanctuary to house a congregation of 140. Team leader Brian Van Order (FYI this author's first cousin) is most moved by how this team has come together. He attributes this to the nightly bible study. I can personally attest that Brian is not a religious rather a spiritual man. However he says Amit Parasar, a 25 year old member of the team who is about to start his Masters in Theology has chosen the bible study time to put faith and provocative questions on the table. The team has discussed everything from relationships to group dynamics. As for Amit he says that he has amended his bible study program to suit his audience - "I'm happy they're willing to sit, listen and discuss the philosophy of Jesus. I tried to convey the importance of faith in the Bolivian culture. However I appreciate faith is a choice." By the way, Happy Birthday Amit!

Well the media team has gone M.I.A. or missing in action. We were supposed to fly out of Cochabamba at 8:15 p.m. Organized planners that we are, we went to airport at 5:30 p.m. We were so early we checked in and went for a nice dinner. When we showed up at the gate at what we thought was the appointed time, we learned our flight had departed an hour and a quarter earlier. We were stuck in Cochabamba an extra night. We accepted boarding passes for tomorrow morning. Good news (Air Canada might learn a lesson on customer service) at the local airline's expense we are housed in a hotel with the unlikely name of Cesar's Plaza. Again reciting the mantra of Susan (check earlier blog) "blessed are the flexible for they shall not get bent out of shape!"

Here is a link that you can click to a see the mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Please note that the photos taken today of the children will be uploaded after we receive permission from Ninos con Valor to post their pictures.

Day-5, July 7, 2009

Ola!

As the media team paces during a 5 hour layover in La Paz Bolivia I say blessed are those with high speed! I have been waiting patiently for 45 minutes to access my blog from an Internet cafe in the airport terminal. As frustrating as that has been the view is beautiful. La Paz reminds me of Yellowknife because it´s somewhat desolate and Calgary because of the snow capped mountains on the horizon. We are at such a high altitude that passengers deplaning have been known to faint when they disembark. Either I'm made of sturdy stuff or the drugs are kicking in (just altitude tablets mom).

Today´s focus will be an interview I did with Canon Kim just before our flight. His story reminds me of an image concocted by the Celts long ago. They used to illustrate life as a dragon guarding a cavern. The cavern represents opportunity. The dragon represents challenge - how will you fight it, with whom will you partner to fight? They intended the image to be a positive depiction of struggle as good.

So begins Canon Kim´s story...he was with the medical team yesterday. They were at the end of an exhausting day - 165 patients treated by the eye clinic; 35 by the dental team. As they were leaving the bus was forced to stop because someone had blockaded the road with long bamboo poles. It appeared to be an angry drunk or group of drunks. When someone disembarked to remove the poles, he or they pelted a rock at our window. Some team members were afraid. Alcoholism and domestic abuse are problems in Peru. Fortunately the team was able to leave safely. Canon Kim felt he needed to reflect with the team on what had happened. He talked about the consequences of despair. And he encouraged the team to ¨pray for our enemies¨ and understand what produces the violence and the anger: what prompts people to attack strangers; ironically strangers trying to help? Like all countries, Peru has its dragons. We need to understand why and we cannot let them prevent us from supporting those who try to slay them.

As the media team heads on to Cochabamba we will think good thoughts that our Lima teammates will not be impacted by an impending transit strike. Apparently bus and taxi drivers are planning to protest what they consider to be punitive traffic regulations. There are concerns about the safety of our teams if they leave the Convent in marked vehicles. Our team coordinator seems confident we can use unmarked secure taxis. Alternatively the eye and dental team may set up a clinic at the Convent for the nuns, guards and staff.

As Kyle Charbonneau - a mission first-timer on the Children´s Ministry team - replied when I asked him what he has learned so far - be flexible!

Day-4a, July 6, 2009

Ola!

Today marked the official launch of the work of the children's ministry team in Lima. Almost. We were surprised to learn that this is Teachers' Day - a national holiday - and we arrived to find the school closed. So we hummed a few bars of our mantra "blessed are the flexible" and disappointment transformed into opportunity. The team could scout the school and had the principal at its full disposal as well as a translator so the team turned it into the best of all options: a planning day.

Reverend Julio Montoya and his family opened up both their Church, Santisima Trinidad and their home next door to start a nursery and primary school. Between Sundays, Santisima Trinidad transforms from temple to school with portable walls. The Reverend's daughter Norma Isabel is the principal and she is striving to provide a quality education embracing Christian values at a nominal fee that includes the cost of extras like textbooks. There's no sign on the door because there's no room at the inn. The school is at its maximum of 110 pupils.

Enter the children's ministry team which is here to create fun and learning in strategic ways. Together with the principal, they began to create their curriculum. Team member Caroline Honsberger for example is an elementary teacher turned literacy and numeracy coach. She hopes to use her expertise to raise reading levels.

The team toured the facilities such as the classrooms and the mini gym. The wall mural in the mini gym was painted by American volunteers.Much to its delight, the team found a trampoline wrapped up against the church wall. Coincidentally 3 of the team members are certified tramp teachers. They also found a nearby "park" to set it up.

This is a middle class neighbourhood in Lima. But most of the students come from a hillside shanty town.There is no running water. But we did catch a water truck making its rounds. Electrical wires hang down over the road like an octopus. Two and three families live together and on average the parents make $3 to $6 a day.

What's inspiring is no matter the wage and no matter the environment there is pride. If you view no other photo go to the picture of the man in the suit proudly making his way down the dusty road from his shack en route to work.

On each mission trip I've had the privilege of joining, there is always tension over resources; balancing the need and the money and members we have to meet it. At times members of non-medical teams are redeployed to our dental, eye and medical teams for extra support. Despite this the children's ministry team leader Patti Charbonneau feel strongly her team's mission is of equal value. As she says "we are here for so short a time. We won't solve Peru's problems but we can light the spark of self worth."

There is a special edition blog that accompanies Day 4. I have invited 16 year old Mariah Pettapiece-Phillipps to share her reflections on today's adventures with the children's ministry team. Mariah is an aspiring creative writer of short fiction. I hope you will enjoy hearing her voice as much as I do.

Click this link to see referenced photos: http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-4b, July 6, 2009 - Special Edition

Please welcome guest blogger 16 year old Mariah Pettapiece-Phillipps! Below, Mariah shares her reflections on her adventures with the mission so far. Mariah is an aspiring creative writer of short fiction. I hope you will enjoy hearing her voice as much as I have. Mariah will join us again next week to share her reflections:

As Judy said, I'm an aspiring writer- emphasis on the aspiring. You also obviously know this blog is one following the lives of those on a mission trip across the globe to Peru. I use the term mission trip loosely, because of personal experience with the premature judgments that come with it. I find that sometimes when we think mission trip, we envision an unrealistic, untrue, and invalid image of self-righteous, strict Christians who only want the company of others just like them. Further than that, sometimes the judgment can be that those on mission trips believe to be above those they're serving, as if they are all-knowing and have the answers to all questions. Unfortunately, if that were true, I wouldn't find myself asking all the questions. In fact, I find that I myself have more questions than answers. So, what I'm getting at, or what I hope is the message coming across, is that if this mission trip was the picture-perfect self-righteous image people envision when they hear "mission trip," I'm pleased to say I would not be here, a part of any of it. I came on this trip not to judge, not to teach even, but to learn, experience, and to hopefully resurrect that feeling in my heart that overflowed in my previous mission trip to Africa. Perhaps if I show you just a sliver of my time here, I could help you understand.

Every individual on this team is a member of a smaller, more specific team according to their personal interests, talents, and so forth. I found myself put on multiple teams including the school team, a semi-permanent, semi-useful member of the media team, and last but not least, I plan to write an official piece at the end of my trip. Hopefully it will come out half-decent, otherwise my future aspiring career in the writing world might be slightly misplaced.

So, as a part of the school team, my duty, if you can even call it that, is when we visit schools and teach children, I get to enjoy their company, which I find is a priviledge more than a duty. Yesterday, for example, the whole team visited a church so the townspeople could visit the dentists and eye doctors. On the bus there I kept thinking that these people are traveling and venturing from their homes to our clinic in hopes of finding answers to all their problems, and they're turning to us of all people. But I soon realized as I got there and the people began milling in that I had been wrong. They weren't looking to us for answers. I don't believe that. I believe that most of them were simply looking. For us, for a smile, for a conversation, it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that they weren't expecting miracles. In fact, they didn't expect much of anything. I could have flashed a smile and made their day. And that is when I realized my own problem. High expectations can only lead to falling short. These people I met only expected what they received, and they were happier because of it. It just goes to show I could learn a thing or two from them.

At the church we visited, I basically played with the kids all day. They loved it of course, what with the books and toys they have never had the opportunity to use, but I probably enjoyed it more than them! There is something so incredibly right about children and their complete innocence. It doesn't matter if they're from Canada, Africa, or Peru, they still touch your heart. Language barriers don't seem to matter when it comes to loving somebody. You don't have to have a conversation with them, you don't even have to know them, you simply have to be with them. I promise you that even if you are the most rigid, uptight person in the world, that little girl Stella, or Sareya, or the little boy Luis or Giovani will dig their way into your heart so that just the thought of them will make you smile on your worst day.

Today, on the other hand, my team and I visited a school that we'll be at for the rest of the week. We went there with the assumption that we'd be working with the kids- that is until we found out it was National Teachers' Holiday and they weren't allowed to be at school. It's a strange, upside-down world when the kids want to be at school, isn't it? They put me to shame! Once we were enlightened of the situation, it gave the team a chance to become familiar with the building, the owners, and organize our plans for the following week. With that opportunity though, came our judgments of the place we were in. "Hey, this isn't so bad. They don't seem all that poor. Is our help even needed?" Which is when we were led up the hill from the school and into the kids' neighbourhood. We had a rude awakening. With closet-sized houses made from scraps, usually occupied with up to four or five families at a time, and the families living on an average of three dollars a day, we were in no position to be judging the need of these people, or the depth of their poverty. We had no idea. I was then reminded of the saying, 'Don't judge a book by it's cover.' It turns out to be actually true, and a much more valuable lesson than I knew. Like they say, looks can be deceiving. My guess is I'll never put down a book again without reading at least the back!

Day-3, July 5, 2009

One of the many benefits of mission work is a good night's sleep and tonight's will indeed be good.

Today for example was a fruitful 12 hour day here in Lima. It began with an hour and half ride into the rolling hills of the desert north to Cerro Chachito which means small mountain or horn. Cerro Chachito is a shanty town perched on the sandy hillside overlooking the coast. The homes are constructed from woven cane and crate slats. The site of our dental and medical clinics was a one room church of the same material. It was a settlement originally designated for the physically challenged. Imagine maneuvering a wheelchair in the sand.

That's the eye team in one of the photographs - minus Sarah Beard who appears in the photo of the intake desk. In another picture, Joe Sue-Ho is using the refractor to check a boy's eyes while his mother looks on. The eye team managed to treat 125 people today. Team leader Dr. Lorna D'Silva had anticipated processing more but she concluded the nominal check-up fee of 60 cents attracted more serious cases that required a diagnosis beyond the easy-to-dispense reading glasses we have on hand.

For Dr. Robert Clinton, head of the Lima dental team and his wife Sue, a nurse and nutritionist it was a heart-breaking day. The children here have terrible decay due to sugar consumption and lack of dental hygiene. Some of today's patients required 3 teeth extractions. As Bob lamented, we're like the barber dentists from days gone by. As the dentists and nurses worked inside, other members of the team sterilized instruments in boiling pots of water outside. The team processed 30 patients today. Back home Bob sees 8 a day at most.

While there was the odd cry from the chair, there were squeals of delight from the children who were being taught how to brush. The children's ministry team had tips, toothbrushes and fake teeth to practice. And for those waiting their turn, other members of the team like Kyle Charbonneau were ready to pass the football. A Canadian football. You can see the entire Lima children's ministry team and new friends in another picture.

That team wasn't the only one making new friends. Linda Robbins was doing intake for the dental team and found great support from local volunteer Fanny and a patient who stayed to help. As you can see the dental team is photogenic. :)

What struck me today was the calm camaraderie amongst all of the teams. Even though we had a line-up of 100 when we arrived. Even though we didn't have enough change for the check-up fee. Even though some of the problems were greater than anticipated. Even though we ran out of sandwiches and some of us missed lunch. Even though most of us lack Spanish. Each team pulled together. There was no high drama in Cerro Chachito.

Enroute I had asked Dr. Bob about the key to success. He replied "success is the team working well together; the flow from intake to recovery is well-managed and managed with compassion." Today was what success looks like.

Click this link to see referenced photos: http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-2, July 4, 2009

As Day 2 draws to a close, the eye team is having fun in the hallway assembling their equipment for our departure tomorrow morning at 0800. The children's ministry team is elsewhere producing name tags for the Lima team. All 30 of us plus translators plus two bilingual Peruvian dentists will work together tomorrow.

We began the day celebrating a birthday. If you view our photographs you will see a group shot with a young man on bended knee. Alex turned 22 years old yesterday and this is his first mission. He is the boyfriend of Kendal Charbonneau and part of an extended clan on the mission that includes her parents Patricia and Jim, her siblings Kyle, Katelyn, Kristopher and his girlfriend Zara and former next door neighbour, Julia. It's wonderful to see an entire family contingent here!

In another photograph you will see the spectacular view from our convent. We meet daily in a gazebo with this view. In another shot you can see some of the team leaders.

In my previous blog I mentioned the weather has been wet. While that is true, it's important to clarify that Lima is actually in a desert. And the few drops we've experienced are part of the total annual rainfall of a scant 3 millimetres. It seems the sky is perpetually overcast and today's tour guide Miguel joked Lima won't see the sun until November. Maybe it was no joke?

We took an afternoon tour of Lima and visited a museum, square, several Churches and the burial ground beneath one of the Churches - an eerie catacomb of skulls and bones. In one photograph you can see dentist Dr. Bob Clinton and his wife and dental assistant Susan in front of the royal palace. Bob is the dentist of our volunteers from Kingston. In another is Jennifer and Joe Sue-Ho who are mission veterans. By the way, this author is standing by the door and the team's official photographer is the guy with the beard, David Hillock.

Lima has 9 million mostly Spanish-speaking people. Interestingly 30% or 2 million are Chinese and speak Cantonese. There's a good natured rivalry between Lima and the former capital Cusco - especially over football or soccer. However Cusco always wins its home games because the Lima competitors are no match for the higher altitude. All this according to our tour guide...who hails from Lima. Lima has few tall buildings and certainly no sky scrapers. Again we're cautioned about the earthquakes with 3 simple instructions: 1. pray 2. cry 3. cry and pray.

As the eye team packs up its refractor, I will sign off. A rock band is blaring at the disco down the street from the convent but we're all tired and tomorrow is a big day.

Click this link to see referenced photos: http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

Day-1, July 3, 2009

We're off! Our contingent of 8 had a virtually flawless journey to Lima. We hoped the same applied to our team-mates. Another 27 were bound for Lima via Miami on American Airlines; 25 were also flying by American Airlines to Santa Cruz and beyond to Cochabamba in Bolivia.

Those of you who know David will not be surprised to hear that his camera gear was overweight and we had to re-distribute his equipment amongst other bags. In life as in packing, I was luckily underweight so was able to accommodate. Our airplane was one of the oldest in the system. And Audrey chuckled at the equivalent of duct tape over ancient now un-used ashtrays. Ruth's spate of bad luck continued. Last week her dog ate her passport - a new take on the homework version. She was madly able to replace it the morning of our flight. Then she was the only one of our team to be hauled off to customs when we landed. The friendly, welcome face of Canon Kim towered above the greeting crowd of the clean and modern airport. And after a dash for the Starbucks or ice cream, we boarded a bus for the trek to our accommodation.

Our team-mates flying American Airlines to Lima were not so lucky. Storms in Miama delayed their flight by 4 hours and our colleagues arrived bleary-eyed just before 2 a.m.

We are staying in an historic convent that sits high atop a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The richness of our surroundings is found more in the hospitality, the view and the sound of the crashing surf. The hibiscus are out in beautiful bloom. Our group was met by Uli and Kai who arrived here two days ago. We had to tiptoe in as the elderly nuns were fast asleep. We sleep in small and simple single beds with washrooms down the hall. Pashmir blankets keep us warm. The temperature is like a cool, wet spring day in Ontario - or maybe more like Vancouver. Sister Garciela is our host. Susan Delgado-Park, a missionary with the Good Shepherd Angilican Cathedral in Lima, is representing the diocese as our team's coordinator.

On Saturday we will spend the morning planning for our first intervention on Sunday. There will be no day of rest for us as it is the primary day off for Peruvians and we hope to attract hundreds to a combined dental and eye clinic. This clinic will be an hour and half away in the northern and less prosperous area of Lima. Our children's ministry team will entertain those in the waiting line with songs and games. We will charge the equivalent of 60 cents for each visit. As Susan explains we don't want to create a missionary dependency; rather Peruvians must share in the responsibility for their health and well being.

We begin our adventure with three warnings. Firstly, tap markings in Spanish are the reverse. So turning the fawcett marked "H" to the maximum will produce an invigorating shower guaranteed to kickstart the faintest heart. Secondly, keep your shoes by the bed as we're in an earthquake zone. Thirdly, as Susan cautions, "blessed are the flexible for they shall not get bent out of shape."

Note to my mom: the convent is said to be seizmically sound.

Here is a link that you can click to a see a mission photo gallery. http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock

If able, we will upload a few photos each day. For the first set, here is the in Toronto airport, then another photo, meeting with Canon Kim in the Lima airport. If you like hibiscus'...we have included two photos from the convent.

Building a better tomorrow!

Our Construction team will be based in Cochabamba, Bolivia at the La Trinidad Cathedral. The team is comprised of Brian Van Order, Amit Parasar, Jim Charbonneau and Janne Chung. The group has its fingers crossed that the construction of the Cathedral in Cochabamba will be completed by the time they arrive. Then it’s their turn to assist in painting and finishing a hall and three offices at the new Cathedral. The team members will be bringing supplies such as rollers, trays, paint brushes, drop sheets and so on – enough not just for themselves but also for any local volunteers. More details of the project should be confirmed as July approaches. Team leader Brian Van Order says the team will be accommodated at the home of Reverend Agustin Zubieta and his family in the city. Reverend Agustin or Pepe is the new Administrator of the Diocese of Bolivia helping Bishop Lyons. Pepe's family will provide their daily lodging and meals. As in the past, this Mission Team is full of enthusiasm and is looking forward to its adventure.

Stay Safe!

Stay Safe! The top 10 tips!

1. Go in groups or pairs because this deters pickpockets
2. Walk one behind the other and keep a look-out
3. Don’t be fooled by scruffy appearances. Pickpockets are usually well-dressed and travel in pairs of female/male
4. Don’t leave the premises at night
5. Don’t become distracted
6. Don’t accept drinks and candies from strangers. They could be drugged and you could be robbed.
7. Beware of airports. That’s where you’re most vulnerable
8. Stay with your travel buddy – especially when you retrieve your bags at airports
9. Be smart around warning signs that pickpockets are lurking. When you stop to read such signs, you often pat your wallet to check it’s there. In reality, you’ve just signaled to thieves the whereabouts of your valuables
10. Don’t hail cabs on the street. And don’t get into a cab with strangers. You could become the victim of an “express kidnapping” wherein thieves take you by cab to an ATM machine where you’re forced to empty your bank account

Reverend Canon Kim’s Top 25 tips for “packing with perfection”

1. Water bottle (empty through security then fill for your carry-on luggage. Refill on the aircraft with the bottled water provided not from the tap)
2. Wet wipes
3. Medical kit with:
 Cipro for intestinal problems (Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic known most commonly used to treat infections of the skin, sinuses, bone, lung, ear, abdomen, and bladder)
 Knife (although never in your carry-on)
 Thermometer
 Aspirin
 Bandages
 Imodium
 Gravol
4. Plastic bags (for dirty shoes)
5. Lightweight laundry bag
6. Water shoes
7. Pens in plastic bags (they explore at high altitude)
8. Ear plugs
9. A personal journal
10. A change purse (with toonies for luggage carts in Toronto)
11. Travel alarm (never use hotel wake-up service. The Timex Indiglo Digital Alarm Clock at Wal-Mart is a recommended)
12. Head band light (for black-outs and reading at night)
13. Nivea Lip care (SPF 30)
14. ID card holder
15. Bible (lightweight, New Testament)
16. SPF 30 lotion
17. Luggage tags (with your business address and not home address as thieves will know you’re away. As well put a luggage tag inside your luggage too!)
18. Luggage locks (lock your bags during the day so hotel staff aren’t tempted)
19. Toiletry kit with:
 Toilet paper (1/3 roll pressed flat)
 Imodium
 Hand sanitizer
 Wipes
20. Money belt underneath clothing at the back (include a photocopy of passport). Access this only in a private place such as a bathroom but don’t forget it)
21. Keep your passport and tickets at the hotel safe
22. Extra shoe-laces
23. Duct tape
24. No jewelry
25. Collapsible bags (if you donate a bag full of mission supplies, you may need another for your souvenirs)


2 suitcases at 23 kilos maximum each (split your personal belongings and mission supplies in each) + 1 carry-on (8 kilos) + a purse


Clothing

 Bring as little as you can. There will be many inexpensive opportunities to wash
 Bring lightweight gloves, a hat, rain jacket, and windbreaker for the boat trip and Amazon
 Think Miami in July for Amazon
 Think dry and cool summer for Lima
 Think cool and cold for Cochabamba (late September/early October weather)
 Hiking boots for the Amazon, Inca Trail
 In anticipation of losing your luggage, make sure in your carry-on you bring:
o Camera
o Laptop
o A change of clothes
o Your personal medical supplies
o A swim suit (0ptional)

Niños con Valor Children – Children and women’s home, Cochabamba

Mission worker Cheryl Van Order feels her work in Cochabamba will be challenging on multiple fronts. First of all, Cheryl won’t be residing with the man in her life while she’s there. Husband Brian Van Order is with the Construction Team that will reside with Reverend Agustin Zubieta and his family in the city. Reverend Agustin or Pepe is the new Administrator of the Diocese of Bolivia.

Cheryl and her team will stay at the New Tribes Guesthouse which Reverend Canon Kim Beard describes as a “self catered” establishment - simply translated that means the team must learn enough Spanish to visit the grocery store. :)

At the mission meeting April 4, this team received some good tips on preparing food carefully. Ideally bottled water should be used in cooking. Team mate Cassie Williams has even suggested “Javex” tables for washing fruit and vegetables to attack bacteria.

Cassie, Cheryl and teammate Janice Day are researching basic first aid. As well, Cheryl says they have the “responsibility of finding techniques for staff to better help the girls with special needs particularly in the areas of homework, discipline, compliance and social skills.” To this end, they are seeking out games to teach cooperation. Cheryl admits she’s not a “games person” and she is tenaciously trying to absorb all of the instructions in a book of marble games that one of her co-workers kindly donated. Full marks to our “non-gamer” Cheryl for discovering a great co-operative Bingo game and a quiz on preventing HIV.

A team with a clear focus!

Eye team leader Lorna D’Silva reports that the team is mostly comprised of returning members from the 2007 Kenya mission with the exception of two - Liz Pettapiece Phillips and Sarah Beard. She says the Eye Glass team is busy arranging meetings to get eye equipment and cleaning and calibrating eyeglasses. The team will also be buying readers. They are delighted to report that they have not had to raise funds thanks to a generous donation from Lorna’s husband's company that has allowed the team the luxury of buying or renting what is needed.

Lorna reflects, “I think we all enjoy a sense of community and team work, fellowship and pulling together for a great goal. We try to have some eats/ drinks at each of our meetings so that it is not all work but some fun. We plan to have a calibration party at which we will clean and calibrate some of the hundreds of donated eyeglasses.”

January 31 Team Meeting

Hello All!

The theme of the meeting on January 31 was budget, itineraries and tips! Teams received individual itineraries so please check with your team leader for specific updates. As well, teams met in their groups for a little team-building with a survival exercise and then began to discuss work assignments.

The full group meeting was chockablock with information. While most of what follows pertains to the fun stuff, I hope to begin to share the richer experience of mission work by profiling teams about their preparations.

1. Please plan on bringing 1 piece of luggage with your belongings and one bag of mission supplies. We would so appreciate any fund-raising efforts as we hope to buy purchase medical supplies in Bolivia and Peru.

2. The cultural tour sounds increasingly exciting. Our groups will converge at Copacabana near the border of Peru and Bolivia - a touristy little place with loads of inexpensive stuff to buy from the market - and then board a boat to tour the beautiful Lake Titicaca stopping to visit Inca sites on the islands. We then return to Puna which is a neotropical eco-region and one of the eight Natural Regions of Peru. The Puna region comprises high plateaus and cliffs. The region has a cold climate, and its name literally means "mountain top". From there we take a train to Cuscos. By the way, Cuscos is at a high altitude so we're advised to "take it slow."

3. In Peru we will take in a folklore music show. By the way, you might want to memorize the lyrics to El Cóndor Pasa. If you don't prior to the trip, we can guarantee you will have memorized this tune by the time you leave Peru because you'll likely hear it 400 times. For trivia buffs, El Condor Pasa is a song from the Peruvian composer Daniel Alomía Robles written in 1913 and based on traditional Andean folk tunes. It is possibly the best-known Peruvian song worldwide due to a cover version by Simon & Garfunkel in 1970 on their Bridge Over Troubled Water album, which is called El Condor Pasa (If I Could).

4. Another part of the Peruvian experience is chi cha or purple beer. While it may look odd, it's reportedly fine to drink. In fact one travel blog reports that the locals love to come to the market on Sunday to eat roasted dove and drink chi cha. And as you drive through the countryside, you might see long sticks with little white flags attached to houses and businesses. The white flag means that the latest batch of chi cha is ready and travelers can stop and buy it.

5. A highlight will be our visit to Machu Picchu or "Old Peak"; a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (8,000 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge in Peru - 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Cusco. Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", Machu Picchu is one of the most familiar symbols of the Inca Empire. Here we will stay in two hotels and early risers can board a bus to view the sunrise.

6. For those travelling to the Amazon, Rev. Canon Kim Beard has booked us there for 3 nights to "rest, relax and take in the experience." We'll be staying in 3 lodges - as far apart as 2 hours. Ready yourself for encounters with snakes and spiders and meeting a tarantula is almost guaranteed. Contact Canon Kim to find out in which lodge you are booked.

7. For some, the final leg of the journey will end in the Galapagos or Easter Island. At this point, 18 of us have chosen an adventure in the Galapagos while a small but hardy trio will visit Easter Island.

Hope to see all of you on February 28, 2009!