Patients and Patience

It’s hard to think that four days have passed since I boarded a plane in Boston and headed to Peru! Upon arriving in Peru, after a very long flight, I requested a taxi to take me from the airport to the bus terminal which is about an hour away. I got to the bus terminal around 7 AM and waited patiently for my 12:30 bus. Around 11:45 I began to get anxious, hoping that they would announce the arrival of the bus headed to Chimbote. People were lining up at one of the terminals and I decided to get in line with them. In broken Spanish I asked if this was the bus to Chimbote; it wasn’t.  However a kind man (my guardian angel for the day) stepped in and told me that 1. I needed to check my suitcase in at the baggage claim and 2. I needed to wait 10 more minutes for my bus to arrive. This kind man was ironically seated across from me on our 8 hour ride to Chimbote.

I was greeted at the bus stop by Sr. Lillian and Sarah, a fellow American from Alaska who will also be working at the clinic through July and August. All of my fears were relieved knowing that I was safe at my destination and that I would have someone by my side who also spoke English. We took a cab to La Casa de Iglesia, a Diocesan Center, where I will be staying for the next two months. I was shocked at how spacious the Casa is, especially my room. For the first time in my life I have my own bathroom! Hey, when you’re miles from home its the little things that bring you joy and excitement (like bathrooms and large bedrooms).

The next morning I began work at the Clinic. The Clinic, which I was able to tour today, includes an orphanage, a pharmacy, a laboratory, an outpatient clinic, a physical therapy unit and the maternity hospital. They serve over 1,000 patients a day, ranging in age from newborn babies to the dying elderly! When I arrive at 8 in the morning patients are  already lining up to be seen by the nurses and doctors, it is an incredible sight to see so many people and to see the care that the center provides!

Our days start at 8 AM and we work until 6, taking a small break for lunch around noon. This week I am working in the orphanage. Although I am eager to get the chance to work in the actual clinic and go on home visits, I am so excited to spend time working with the 16 children in the orphanage and improving my Spanish with the nurses. The children, who were either abandoned by their parents or taken away by the courts, have stolen my heart and have already taught me so many lessons.

I’ve learned that love has no language barrier. The children do not care that I speak broken Spanish or that I keep smiling when people talk to me because I am only comprehending half of what they are saying (I’m working on comprehending ALL that they say, but it’s a work in progress)! All they want is affection, and trust me they have mine.

I’ve learned that I need to practice having patience. Patience with learning and speaking Spanish, and patience with the children. Yesterday I struggled to feed a little boy named Jesus. He didn’t want to eat, and he was content with taking his food and throwing it at me. But a deep breath, a quick prayer, and some patience  we were able to get more rice into his mouth than into my hair. Also, incase you are wondering it takes a while to get mashed up rice and chicken out of your hair!

As you can probably tell by the pictures the children and the people of Peru have already stolen my heart. I am so grateful for this experience and all that I have learned in the past few days and cannot wait to see what is next.

Until next time,