Week Three

The Lord continues to teach me and stretch me in new ways here in Curahuasi. This past week, we've kept busy with Kids' Clubs, Bible studies, and working at the hospital--I even got to assist Will with an ingrown toenail extraction! (I've excluded the photos for our more queasy readers.) Last Tuesday, Natali and I joined the other two college-age female interns from Texas in painting a bathroom for the new orphanage that is under construction, and it was great to share life stories with them. We've been particularly busy since Friday evening, when we left for a dental campaign in the Quechua village of Atancama. On Friday night, we spent the night in Abancay, which is where the dentist (Erin) and her family live. We left for Atancama at 6AM Saturday morning, and just like last weekend's medical campaign, we set up a makeshift dental clinic in a cluttered schoolhouse. Before beginning, a Quechua family served us a breakfast of boiled potatoes, dried corn, and a sweet, hot drink made from lima beans and milk. Over the course of the day, we saw 22 patients. Some came for a cleaning, others for a filling, and still others for an extraction (or two, or six). My main job was filling out paperwork for each patient and collecting the fee of 3 soles, but I also got to help sterilize the instruments--and, yes, I did get to extract a tooth. (Once again, I will spare you the photos.) The same Quechua family served us a lunch of stewed yucca and rice, along with puffed corn and tea. I enjoyed the day so much, especially being able to interact with the Quechua people and receive their genuine gratitude. We arrived in Curahuasi late Saturday night, and at mid-morning on Sunday, Natali and I made our little one-night getaway to Cusco. Cusco is such a neat place, having once been the capital of the Incan Empire. Needless to say, we had an absolute blast just exploring the city. We toured the temple of the sun god, went to an ancient ruin called Saqsaywaman (or "Sexy Woman" for us English-speakers), bought the obligatory tourist stuff (like backpacks, sweaters, and unbelievably fuzzy llama dolls), and ate some GREAT food. At first, we thought Cusco must be a really gay-friendly city because of the abundance of rainbow flags, but as it turns out, those are the flags of Cusco. I'm so glad to have such a sweet friend as Natali for my intern partner, and I can't wait for the many experiences that await us! Throughout everything that we have seen, God has been working on my heart to love the "unlovables" and "untouchables," and to put myself aside for the sake of his kingdom.

Dental campaign

At Saqsaywaman 

Just trying things on

Cusco Catedral