Gracias, Henri Nouwen!

I have been reading Henri Nouwen's Gracias: A Latin American Journal in my spare time this past week. I have been home all week with stomach and back pains...a result of a kidney infection and more parasites! But, I was able to watch the whole first season of House and get into Gracias, which is absolutely amazing!

Henri Nouwen was a Dutch priest, who felt the urge to learn Spanish and work with those of Latin America. He attended Maryknoll's Language Institute in Cochabamba, Bolivia and then worked in Lima, Peru as a missionary. According to Nouwen, our job as missionaries is "to search with the poor for treasure hidden in the ground on which they stand." This was an idea developed by Maryknoll--a "radically new perspective" to missionary and volunteer work. I completely believe I am working here in Bolivia to help the babies and girls of Ninos con Valor find treasure not only in their land and culture, but in themselves. Each child I have gotten to know here has a special gift, a special treasure inside. I see it everyday.

The Dutch priest beautifully describes the irony of "Latin America: impressive wealth and degrading poverty, splendid flowers and dusty broken roads, loving people and cruel torturers, smiling children and soldiers who kill. It is here that we have to hunt for God's treasure." Yes, it is here in Bolivia where I find faith and see the teachings of Jesus. It is not in a huge cathedral or at a prayer group, but in my daily experiences at the two homes, people I see on the street, and grassroots movements I hear about. Bolivia is a place where desperation and poverty and helplessness are constantly in your face, yet it is also a place of hope and incredible beauty!

I could quote many things from Fr. Nouwen's book. Every page contains an important lesson that not only pertains to live in Latin America, but about how we can help others and help ourselves!

The Infamous Pyjamada!

Last Friday, Clare, a fellow volunteer, and I planned a pyjamada for the girls! We decorated the house with balloons and streamers, and set up a floor of mattresses to watch movies all night and a dance floor on the second floor! Although I think Clare and I had more fun dancing than the girls, the pyjamada was a hit!

We started the night dancing to the girls favorite artists--Jonas Brothers and Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus ans Selena Gomez, Rhianna and Justin Beiber! The littler girls had a lot more fun on the dance floor than the older girls. After some dancing, we watched Camp Rock 2, which the girls have been dying to watch! A DVD of current, popular music videos was the next on the list. And, finally, we ended our night with some Karaoke! Yes, the girls love karaoke and had a blast singing to High School Musical songs and other pop artists from Latin America!

I am so fortunate to have this opportunity to work with these girls! Each girl is absolutely amazing! I will never forgot the special moments I share with them, like the pyjamada! They have truly made my life in Bolivia complete!

This week I am traveling with the volunteers and directors of Ninos con Valor to the region of Miaque in the department of Cochabamba. We will be renovating a daycare in a small town with very few residents and no running water or electricity! I am excited to meet the families we will be helping, and working with the kids and teachers in the daycare! Also, I am excited to see another part of Bolivia!

I miss everyone so much! Sending all my love!

The Uyunian Adventure!

Finding words to describe the beauty and the isolation, the vastness and the pureness of Salar de Uyuni and the surrounding area seems impossible. I only hope this part of Bolivia remains untouched because it is truly spectacular!

We began our trip at Café Paris in Cochabamba’s main plaza! The first leg of our journey was a 5 hour bus trip from the bus terminal in Cochabamba to a random street in Oruro. We thought we had 20minutes to find our bus to Uyuni, which seemed like an impossible feat. We asked everyone we saw where the bus left from, and everyone gave us a different answer. We were literally running around the streets of Oruro at 11:30 at night to find our bus. Miraculously, a woman heard us panicking and frantic, and told us to knock on the bus company’s closed, locked door. Sure enough, we were in the right place, and the bus did not leave until 1 AM. So, the workers of Todo Turismo were nice enough to let us sit in their office until our bus arrived.

We boarded our sleeper bus at 1:15 AM and tried to sleep through the night, but a bumpy road will sure prohibit any sound sleeping. We arrived in Uyuni around 8:30 AM, and it was absolutely freezing! We dropped our luggage at the tour office and found a quick breakfast. We had time for a little shopping, which I loved! The town of Uyuni seems so quaint and cute! I wish we had more time to explore, but the adventures that laid ahead were far beyond what I imagined!

Around 10:30 AM we piled into our Toyota Land Cruiser 4-wheel-drive and headed off on our adventure! Oscar, our driver and tour guide, and Rosemary, our cook, were so amazing throughout the entire weekend! Oscar let Caroline and I name his car! We decided that Panchito was a fitting name! Our first stop was the Train Cemetery. This is a huge tourist attraction, but I found it not nearly as interesting as what we were about to experience! We spent about ten minutes climbing on trains and taking pictures! Our next stop was SALAR DE UYUNI, the world’s largest salt flat! It is 12,106 square kilometers and is over 12,00 feet. The Salar is a center of salt extraction—about 20,000 tons per year! Salar de Uyuni is truly magical—it is just the white ground, the blue sky with amazing clouds, and you! We walked around in awe for a while, snapping pictures and playing in the salt mounds. We then visited Cactus Island (Icawanku), which is located in the middle of the salt lake! The island is covered in tons of cacti, and we even spotted some llamas! Rosemary prepared our lunch here on the island. We enjoyed llama meat and vegetables as we still we in shock and awe that we were actually on Salar de Uyuni! Our next stop was Galaxia, a cave that used to be under the sea and is about 2200 years old. It was beautiful, and you could see the leaves that were fossilized into the top and bottom of the cave. Next to Galaxia was the Devil’s Cemetery—a pre-Incan burial ground. There were actual skulls and bones in the small holes made by the founders. After a full day of activities and very little sleep, we headed to our “hotel” in the small town of San Pedro. It was very basic—only electricity at night, concrete floors and beds, no heat, etc. But, I survived!

We began our second day with a huge breakfast courtesy of Rosemary! We ate, got ready, and packed up the car. Our first stop was miles and miles of volcanic rock formations, which went on as far as the eye could see. The formations were not that big, but very intricate and fascinating. Next were the mountains of color, which were layered with all different shades! Near the mountains of color, Oscar showed us an active volcano that straddles the border of Chile and Bolivia! We were so close to Chile! Our next two stops were two different lagoons, which were both amazingly beautiful and serene. Thousands of flamingos lived in both lagoons. We had another amazing lunch at the second lagoon. After lunch, we drove a while to the huge rock formations, which included the infamous Tree of Rock! Our last stop for the day was Lagoon Colorado, which literally has red water! It was so cold and windy that we could not spend much time outside of the car! Our hotel for the second night was a little nicer than the first, but still very basic and VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY COLD! We met some fellow travelers from Argentina and Spain and ended up playing dice games with them!

Our last day in Uyuni was insanely busy! We got up at 5 AM to head to the hot, thermal bath, which turned out to be lukewarm and it was way too cold to even think about taking my two shirts, three jackets, gloves, hat, and scarf off. The geysers, however, were amazing! The sun was just rising and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! Our very last stop on the tour was the Green Lagoon. The water was definitely green, but no wildlife can live in this water because of its high levels of toxins and minerals. After the lagoon, we began our 8 hour drive back to the city of Uyuni with a few stops along the way—Dali Rocks, a few small towns, lunch, and more crazy rock formations!

Around 6 PM we pulled into downtown Uyuni. We grabbed a quick dinner and headed to the bus station, which was complete mayhem! We arrived in Oruro around 2:30, and a lady traveling with us was so sick because of the drastic change in altitude, the bus company helped us get a private cab back to Cochabamba!

After three days of no shower, the first thing I did was shower when I got back to our house! It was an amazing few days of seeing and experiencing things so unreal! I will never forget the natural, untouched, simple beauty of Uyuni! Also, I traveled with 5 other women—4 of then over 40 and one the same age as me—and it was so fun! We have all come from very different backgrounds and we are all at different places in live, but we got along so well and had so much fun!

I have had such amazing experiences in Bolivia, and am so thankful each day that I have had the opportunity to travel and get to know this amazing country and its amazing people!

Noche Sin Techo! (and other updates)

Last Friday, September 3rd, 5 of the older girls from Corazon del Pastor, some staff and volunteers from Ninos con Valor participated in Noche Sin Techo. This event was planned by Mosoj Yan (Camino Nuevo or New Road), an organization here in Cochabamba that works to get kids and teenagers off the street. A few times during college, my friends and I participated in the Invisible Children sleep outs. So, I was expecting something similar--a somber occasion where we watch movies and talk in small groups, etc. However, as much as I enjoyed spending time with the girls and attempting to be in solidarity and support those who sleep on the streets, Noche Sin Techo was something far from my expectations.

Instead of talking about the reality of life on the street for kids, and instead of watching a documentary about street kids, and instead of suggesting ways in which we can assist these kids, there were comedy routines and dancers, singers and musicians who lighted the mood. It seemed like a celebration more than a movement of solidarity and support. Many of the participants seemed to believe this was a camp out or a fun night. Also, the entertainment never mentioned the reality that tons of children and teenagers are abandoned and runaway, live on the streets and sniff glue, steal for a simple meal.

I was discussing my feelings about the night with one of the other tias who attended and she agreed. She also told me that many kids sleep in the plaza we slept in every night. So, these kids were kicked out of the plaza so we could show our support? That just doesn't seem supportive and helpful to me! I do understand that Mosoj Yan wanted the participants to be safe, however, kicking "street kids" out of a usual place they sleep is not a way to show support and solidarity. This tia also told me that the same cops that were there to protect us from any danger mistreat "street kids" all the time. They will round them up, take them up to into the hills above Cochabamba, make the kids wash their cars, and then leave them up there to walk back to the city in the middle of the night by themselves. Others will be beaten by police officers, and sometimes shipped to other parts of Bolivia to big buildings where rapes and violence are common. It is funny to me that none of this was mentioned during the evening.

I think it is wonderful for the girls to participate in activities like this. The five girls who came chose to attend. But, it would have been even better for them to really see the reality of "street kids." However, I was proud to work with an organization and with girls who are willing to put aside comfort to spend a night in the cold, sleeping on the ground to show support for kids, just like them! Many of the girls at Corazon del Pastor could be living on the streets, but have a roof and food, love and support because of Ninos con Valor.

Other news from Cochabamba:

*This weekend I am heading to Solar de Uyuni, one of the biggest salt flats in the world! Uyuni is south of Cochabamba. We are taking 2 buses-a total of 18 hours! I am super excited!

*September 14th is the 200th anniversary of Cochabamba! There is no school, and will be huge celebrations!

*September 29th will be the 4 year anniversary of Ninos con Valor! The girls and the babies will be participating--some of the girls will be playing music, some will be dancing, some will be making art projects; the babies will be dancing and singing! I am so excited to see them! Also, the tias, including myself, will be dancing! We will see how this goes!

*September 17th is a dance party and sleepover Clare, another volunteer, and I are planning for the girls! They just cannot wait to dance to Justin Beiber and the Jonas Brothers!

So, things are going well here, minus a few problems with ameobas and bacteria. But, as I keep telling myself, it could be worse! I still cannot believe it is September! I wish I could slow time down! I am very excited to head home, but I really cannot imagine leaving the girls and babies behind! But, I can always come back!

I hope this post finds everyone well back in the states! As usual, I am sending all my love!

The Chapare: Quite the Jungle

Last Friday, I traveled with a group of Maryknoll students and volunteers to the Chapare, a region in the department of Cochabamba. The Chapare is much different than the city of Cochabamba! It is very jungly, hot and humid, and the people who reside there live much differently. As we bused east towards the Chapare, it was crazy to me that we were so close to the city I am currently living in, but literally worlds away. The houses in the Chapare are made of banana leaves, small wood slats, adode, or bricks. Most homes had no doors and windows, and many have no running water or electricity. And, the towns there are very small and quaint. The roads are dirt and rocks. So, coming from the city of Cochabamba was an experience!

Saturday morning we went to visit Don Vicente and his land. Don Vicente was born in the most southern part of Bolivia, near the border with Argentina. When Vicente was a teenager, his family moved to the Chapare in search of a better life. When they arrived in the Chapare, they purchased a piece of land to cultivate and make a living from. They government told the family they could grown anything on their land, but coca. Coca, which has such an important cultural, social, and medicinal purpose to the indigenous of Bolivia, could not be grown. But, over the years, laws were changed, and coca can now be grown in the Chapare. Don Vicente is a very humble, hard-working man. He cultivates and grows coca, rubber trees, heart of palm, and cacoa. The process of cultivating his crops is hard work, and he only makes enough to get by. He lives in a small house made of adobe with his family, which is quite a distance from his land. He told us all about the attempted eradication of coca in the Chapare by corrupt presidents with help from the United States, and the constant battle with the coca leaf. Don Vicente explained that some coca farmers do divert some of their crop to cocaine production, but he does not because of the sacredness of the leaf and the strict laws against the production of the drug. President Evo Morales has recently made the laws against cocaine much more strict!

Next, we visited UMOFAR, the police unit that fights cocaine production and transportation. The officer touring us around, explained that unlike Colombia, cocaine production in Bolivia is done by families, not cartels. So, cocaine is produced on a much smaller scale, usually, and it is harder to catch shut down the labs and catch people transporting the drug. The production of cocaine has spread to poor communities in Santa Cruz and El Alto above La Paz. For many families, the production of cocaine is their only source of income. The Bolivian government is working to stop the production of cocaine, and put more focus on the organic growing of coca.

On Sunday we went to Parque Nacional Carrasco, a protected portion of the jungle! It was one of my favorite activities of the weekend! In the city, we are constantly surrounded by cars and buses, buildings and chaos, but in the middle of the jungle there is serenity and peacefulness. We went on a three hour hike covering only a small portion of the Parque. We say so many different trees and plants, birds, and even bats!

Overall, my weekend in the Chapare was absolutely amazing! I could have done without the millions of bugs and horrible humidity, but it was all part of the experience! A huge cockroach scurried down the bathroom wall one night and I found a frog in the shower. So, I was definitely in touch with nature!

Work is going so well! I have really gotten to know the kids and the tias I work with well! I cannot even think about leaving in December! These kids have been such an important part of my life for the last three months. But, there is still so much more to come and so much to look forward to!

Religion...

This week has been pretty busy--saying goodbye to Mom and Dad, a really fun birthday party, work, and singing practice. Yes, singing practice! Tim, my new roommate at the Maryknoll volunteer house, and I are part of the Capilla of Exaltacion's music ministers! We went to practice Saturday night for about 2 hours and went over each song twice. And, this morning we sang at the 10 AM mass. I was really nervous, but it was so fun! I really enjoy singing again! Also, since I have been in Cochabamba, I have become more religious. I do not attend mass regularly, although now that I am singing I will be at mass every Sunday morning. But, I have found a deeper spiritual significance. I believe this new understanding has come from working with the children in the Ninos con Valor organization. They have taught me that no matter what you go through in life, you can always still be positive and loving, happy and grateful, kind and respectful! This is a religion in itself.

Also, while Carol was here, we attended mass in the deep Southern zone. In this part of the south, many of the families are extremely poor and very indigenous. Most of the citizens in this area speak only Quechua, an indigenous language. But, the mass we went to at 7:45 AM was one of the most beautiful masses I have ever been to. The people were all so kind and welcoming, even those who did not speak Spanish. Also, the "church" was a recreation center that is being built. There were a few benches and stools for the parishioners. There were no windows and the floor was dirt and rocks. There was only a cross made out of woos and a small shrine--a few candles, a picture, and some flowers. So, religion does not need to be practiced in multi-million dollar churches and cathedrals. Religion can be practiced anywhere, even in an incomplete building in rocks and dirt!

On a less spiritual level, last Friday was Nora's birthday. Nora is a Franciscan missionary in Cochabamba for three years. She is working with Franciscan International and also helping a Maryknoll priest begin a composting program here. But, we went our dancing and it was so fun! We went to a place called Pancho's close to Plaza Colon and we had a blast! We met people from all over South America and a few guys from Kenya! It really is a small world I am realizing here!

This weekend I will be traveling to the Chapare, an very jungley area of Bolivia! Many Bolivians have told me that the Chapare is the most beautiful place in Bolivia. While there, we will visit a coca farm, some eco-tourist locations, hike, and swim in some rivers and lakes! I am looking forward to seeing the Chapare! I will take lots of pictures!

Here is to a good week!

Oh, the Bolivian Adventure!

Well, I had an amazing time with my parents, and already miss them so much! It felt so surreal that they were in Bolivia with me. My parents got to come to work with me, and they absolutely fell in love with the babies and the girls! They also saw the Cancha, the biggest outdoor market in Latin America, where I buy vegetables and fruit. During our Cancha visit, we bought souvenirs and coca leaves, which my dad was most excited about! And, we even ate a traditional Bolivian meal--choclo con queso (Big corn with cheese)--with a few of the tias I work with! They also met all the Maryknoll members and Alfredo. Alfredo is a wonderful Bolivian man, who has taught many young kids in the Southern Zone his art of woodwork. We visited his workshop, and my parents got to see the products being made by hand, the original drawings. They were very impressed and enjoyed meeting Alfredo! Urkupina, a festival celebrated in Quillacollo, a small town next to Cochabamba, was celebrated the weekend mom and dad were here! On Saturday, August 14th, we went with a group of Maryknollers to the entrada, a parade with traditional dances and music. It was absolutely amazing! I loved the dancing, and I got to see a friend who was dancing the Tinkus. All in all, I had an amazing, fun ten days with my mom and dad!

I tried to show my mom and dad daily life and the culture of Cochabamba. But, I know it was not the restaurants or the shopping or the Cristo de la Concordia or the Urlupina festival that impacted and affected my parents the most--spending time with the girls and babies of Corazon del Pastor and Pedacito del Cielo left a permanent imprint on both their hearts! Both my parents commented that they will miss the kids, even after only meeting them for a few hours! At the baby home they held the kids and got on the ground to play with them!

The young Bolivian children I work with are truly spectacular! Although many of the girls and babies have suffered traumatic pasts, each child possesses so much love and so much kindness. After two months of getting to know the girls and spending time holding the babies, I feel like I am a friend, an older sister to these kids. My time and my presence is my gift to these kids, and after this experience, I think that is one of the best gifts you can give to someone, especially kids looking for affection and love, attention and encouragement. I could not have been assigned to a better organization! Although I have about four months left, I already know I am going to have a very hard time leaving the girls and babies! I have become accustomed to helping the girls cook and do homework, talking and listening to their stories, giving them hugs and kisses when I arrive and when I leave, listening to their problems and trying to find a solution; I have become accustomed to sitting with and holding the babies, getting them ready for nap and for bad, picking them up after they fall.

I really cannot put into words what an incredibly amazing experience this has been so far, and I know there is so much more to come! And, it makes me most happy that my parents got to see me at work, to see where I live, to see what daily life is like, and to meet the wonderful kids who bring such joy to my life everyday.