Much of my time these past few weeks was dedicated to a youth group delegation from a Michigan church, planning it and then accompanying it as small group and work team leader, and translator. I enjoyed very much watching the youth’s reactions to cultural things that I have been adapted to, but I enjoyed more watching these young people have a transformational experience. I compared much of it to the trips I took to Colombia my senior year in high school and college, that had so much of an impact on my faith journey.
The highlight of this trip was a mural we painted together. I spoke at the dedication ceremony in both Spanish and English. I was pretty nervous going off the cuff to a large group of people, but it went really well. We had painted the leaves of the many trees in the mural with hand prints, and the Mayor of La Oroya, who attended the mural dedication, placed his hand print in as a show of solidarity with the youth of La Oroya’s efforts/dreams for a cleaner and healthier city and people.
I am reminded again and again of how much the US impacts the rest of the world. How often does something happen in another country and everyone knows and talks about it? I was told again and again of the VT shootings by my co-workers, my host family, everyone. Perhaps because I am from the US, and perhaps because one of the victims was Peruvian, they sought me out to talk about it. But still I was amazed at the awareness they have of world events. I suppose it shouldn't be to hard to expect someone to know what is going in the world.
