Looking back and realizing my experience
at Los Martincito’s was by chance is difficult to comprehend even now. The mere
notion that I could have missed this opportunity if it weren’t for the incident
at Anjo Gabriel is equally difficult to grasp. As I mentioned in “Looking Back:
Anjo Gabriel” I was bitten by a student during a behavior incident. This
unfortunate situation set in motion a series of events that would inevitably
define my journey in Peru. The single moment that forever changed me occurred
on July 04 atop a hillside in Villa el Salvador.
Before I get to that let’s go back to my
first day at Los Martincito’s, Feliz Dia Papitos. It was a Friday and I ended
up riding along with the other volunteers because I was still not permitted to
return to Anjo Gabriel. The reason I wasn’t permitted to return was due to the
open wound on my arm. Upon arrival I was immediately greeted with warm smiles,
hugs and sweet kisses from the seniors at the center. Even though I was there
for the day I was welcomed into the center with overwhelming love and everyone
was generally pleased to see me there. As if that weren’t enough I was able to
help in the kitchen by preparing meals and spending time with kitchen staff and
fellow volunteers. Overall it was just a great feeling to be there and to have
a place and know I was contributing in my own small way to the overall success
of the facility. Today was a special day indeed as it was Father’s Day so there
was music, dancing and everyone having a tremendous amount of fun. One of the
seniors approached me and pinned a Father’s Day pin on my jacket and gave me a
hug, which was incredibly sweet even if I am not a father. This pin may seem
insignificant but it has a tremendous amount of sentimental value to me. Since
arriving in Peru I don’t think I had so much fun and this day convinced me I
needed to experience Los Martincito’s in its entirety following completion of
placement at Anjo Gabriel.
During my two weeks at Los Martincito’s
I was able to do many incredible things both inside the center and outside in
the surrounding community. The consistent aspects throughout my entire
experience were the loving residents and incredible staff that ensured the
center was run efficiently each day. Each and every day the residents were so
pleased and genuinely happy to see us, which made this entire journey so
heartwarming. During the day to day operations I was able to help with
preparing meals, by cutting vegetables and anything the staff asked of me. I
helped serve breakfast each day and then cleared tables by taking dishes to be
washed. In truth, it didn’t matter what was asked of me as I was happy to
contribute in any way possible. While it is important to know that I never
expected to change the world I just wanted to contribute to an ongoing
initiative for continued success. I truly believe that Los Martincito’s allowed
me to do this each and every day that I was there.
I also had the opportunity to visit an
open-air market on multiple occasions where I helped carry fresh foods needed
to prepare meals for the day. This was my first open-air market experience and
was unlike anything I’ve previously experienced. It is certainly not like going
to Wal-Mart back home I will say that. As you traverse the aisles you are
greeted with a variety of smells emanating from the fresh seafood, freshly cut
chickens and other game as well the many varieties of produce. At times it’s
not a place for the faint of heart as the sights of chickens being cut open,
their heads removed and others being split open and hung from hooks can be
tough to watch. It is one thing to see a market like this on the travel channel
but an entirely different experience to walk the aisles in person. In addition
to fresh foods and vegetables they sold a variety of other items that someone
may need at home.
Perhaps the most enriching part of my
experience at Los Martincito’s involved the bi-weekly home visits. Each week on
Tuesdays and Thursdays we were able to go out into the surrounding community
and visit seniors in their homes. To be standing in someone’s living room in
Villa el Salvador and hearing their story and experiencing their lives first
hand is unlike anything you can imagine unless you’ve been there. When I first
decided to become an international volunteer and learn about a culture beyond
the tourist destinations this is precisely what I had in mind. In addition to
home visits on Thursday we typically went to visit a location within the
community so that we could gain cultural enrichment. The previous week we
visited a local theater called Arena y Esteras which is an organization of
artists, educators and leaders committed to the surrounding community. They
focus on art (theater, circus, music, dance and visual arts) that contributes
to human development and social transformation.
On Thursday July 04, following home
visits we had a very special cultural enrichment visit and it is one that still
gives me goose bumps. We drove to the top of a hillside in Villa el Salvador
and standing atop this hillside we were able to see all of Villa el Salvador
from the hills to the coast. It was an awe inspiring moment and in that moment
the culmination of my journey through Peru was realized as I stood in amazement
of what I was witnessing. It was truly a moment unlike any other I’ve
experienced up to that point in my life. I don’t know if I will ever be able to
recapture the precise emotion I felt at that moment.
There is no amount of detail that can
sufficiently explain my experience of being in Villa el Salvador, spending time
with the seniors and volunteering at Los Martincito’s. Leaving this experience
I have learned a great deal about human resilience in the face of adversity and
problems are only what you perceive them to be. This experience will forever be
in my heart and memories.
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| Villa el Salvador, Peru (July 04, 2013) |
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