THE DITCH, dun dun dun

Third time's a charm. This is my third tip to Peru. Why Peru? Why Moyobamba? I have often been asked why I choose to come to Moyobamba. Most people have heard the answers by now, loved ones have accepted the fact that a little piece of my heart was captured by the people here. My church has had a partnership with the people of Moyobamba and the local Presbyterian church here for YEARS. I remember hearing about it from Reid and Cathy when I was just in 8th grade. Four years later, I attempted to follow in their footsteps. I knew I wanted to come because of the way their eyes lit up (and teared up) when speaking about their experience. They didn't exaggerate. The love and immense gratitude they spoke about are things I have experienced each time I have been lucky enough to return to Moyobamba. I hesitate to call this a mission trip because I find the word "mission" often has a bad connotation associated with it. Its a PARTNERSHIP. Because the people here give me so much more than I'll ever give them. But I'm content to keep trying to repay them. I believe service is the rent we pay for living. Opportunities to serve are all around us. However, the opportunity to build cultural relationships is in Moyobamba. I cannot ignore the ability to be a bridge and focus on what all people have in common and relish in our differences. We are living in community while we are down here. Its this connection that draws me back each time. The language barrier fades away as we sing and dance to a song in Spanish for the children. They're laughing and we are laughing. I don't think they cared that I am completely tone deaf or that i am butchering each Spanish word as I attempt to dance simultaneously. I watch the faces of the little girls coloring their pictures as they glance up at Cathy for a nod of approval as she walks around. She smiles and they smile, feeling reassured that their picture is beautiful indeed. They crave this human interaction, just like children back at home. It's so easy to become jaded and to allow the overwhelming problems of world hunger and political injustices paralyze you. Instead, I have found personal refuge in the community of Moyobamba. I am honored to be able to stay in the Vargas family home on this trip and grateful for the constant reminder of family and the important things in life. I am continuously humbled by their faith and desire to reach out to areas even more remote than here, constantly looking for ways to serve. I'm just as grateful to be working with a team of adults who have been coming here for years and continue to learn new things each day. Each time I travel here, it is a wake up call. I worked in the ditch for about 30 minutes before I realized how easily my life could have been radically different. Instead of using a backhoe, we are using a pick ax and shovel to dig a ditch for a wall to be built. And as we work, the Peruvian church members around us are working and smiling. They worked through lunch. They are grateful to be working. In fact, They are just grateful period. Why Moyobamba? Why Burlington? I could have been born anywhere in the world. I am no more deserving than anyone else. We are all equal, there is no such thing as a lesser person. I grew up in a PRIVILEGED home (I'm not referring to monetary wealth). A home where i was taught two things. 1) My parents loved me and God loved me--2)and there was nothing I could ever do to change that. That being said, I grew up with modern conveniences that have made my life easy. However, the people I meet here are so happy yet they have so little. I believe I have much to learn about their sense of joy and resilient spirit. No matter what, we all face ditches. Literal ones like the one we are digging here in Peru, and figurative ones that represent our personal struggles. Now for a quick, semi-corny anecdote: There was once a man who fell in a giant ditch. It was dark and scary. A man passed by and offered him a rope to get out of the ditch, but the rope wasn't long enough. A second man passed by offering the trapped man a ladder, but it wasn't sturdy enough. Finally, a third man stopped and hopped right down into the ditch with him, saying "I've been in this ditch before and ill show you the way out" There's a lot to be said for solidarity and working WITH the people, sharing the temporary burdens of sore backs and heat from the Sun. But, We are in it together. And thats a comforting feeling! Ps: Charlotte says "ditch happens". :)