Team from Vancouver Arrives in Peru

A work team from University Chapel in Vancouver, BC is currently visiting their partner community Rinconada del Sol in Peru. Michelle Palmer, part of our FH Canada team, is travelling with them and reports on their arrival.

We arrived safely in Lima last night and what a welcome we received! From the moment we started walking up the rough and dusty road to our descent several hours later, we were pleasantly surprised at the development of the community - shocked even!

What a huge difference from two years ago!! The road is steep and treacherous but not nearly as bad as it was. There is now water, sanitation and even electricity! And the preschool is almost finished. The class floor area is tiled and the walls are painted a cheery yellow. Plus there are even cute little flush toilets for the kids!

Just recently the community built a new structure for a library and now our team will be helping lay the rest of the concrete floor, making some shelves and benches as well as removing debris from the preschool site.

The community gave us a wonderful welcome ceremony. Children danced and the leader of the community and the education director gave speeches. Then the pastor and his team played some wonderful Peruvian pan flutes! Finally, we all danced together - Peruvian style! Then, the surprise... the ladies of the community had cooked us a Peruvian feast - chicken, potatoes, lima beans and tamales - all cooked in the ground - with a traditional purple corn drink! So yummy!

The love and joy offered so freely was amazing. And the feeling of hope in the community was strong. The team was touched, overwhelmed. And we have a whole week more to look forward to. Stay tuned!!

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