November 4, 2006

VILLA LA PAZ

I recently had the priviledge of visiting Dr. Tony and the children of St. Francis of Assisi Home near the town of Chosica, an hour and a half drive from here.  This home is for sick children whose parents cannot afford medicine or hospital treatment for them.  The children, now numbering 60+ and ranging from infants to teenagers, live in the home.  They receive medicines, treatments, food, and a home, free of charge.  Once they are well, the children return to their families.  Dr. Tony and his staff, with the assistance of generous volunteers, provide care in a loving home, 24 hours a day - 7 days a week.  Working together, they are bringing hope to these children and their families.

Dr. Tony is a pediatrician who left his work in the United States to serve the poor of Peru.  The children who come to him have medical problems mainly due to the poverty in the country.  The most frequent illnesses treated are chronic diarrhea, malnutrition, tuberculosis, and chronic respiratory diseases.  Many of the infants come to him with a cleft palate or other surgical conditions.

When we arrived to the home, the children were just finishing supper.  All who were able had a job; sweeping the floor, clearing the tables, washing the dishes, or helping in the kitchen.  Amid all the activity, they still had time to ask a million questions and of course to pose for the camera!

LIMA

Not only am I learning the Spanish language here but I am receivng history and geography lessons as well!  Lima, the capital of Peru was founded in 1535 and named the "City of the Kings" by Francisco Pizzaro.  The heart of the city is the Plaza Mayor or main square.  Our first stop in the historic center was the cathedral, a truly magnificent church.  I made my three wishes there and also at the church of San Francisco.  This church is considered by some as the greatest architectural structure of its kind in Latin America.  I thought it was ironic that all the pigeons in Lima seemed to be at the church of St. Francis.  They too must know of his love for God's creation!  The tour of the churches was not complete until we descended below the city to the catacombs which had served as a cemetary for the wealthy in years past.  From there we joined the other tourists at the President's Palace for the changing of the guards at noon.

 

By now we have worked up an appetite and on my list of things to do was the go to China Town.  Lima specializes in Chinese food, better known in Peru as "chifas".  The Chinese food reached this area when the first Asians came to work in the haciendas close to the capital.  In many cases, the food is a mixture of Chinese and Peruvian food.  This combination has created many unique dishes such as my favorite, arroz chaufa (stir fried rice).  Our day was completed with the taxi ride back to the convent.