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Dating back to 1641
This report provides you with an account of what went on behind the scenes in the days preceding the Peruvian President’s visit to Curahuasi. One might think Georg Neumark had Diospi Suyana in mind when he wrote the lyrics to his tune 373 years ago. While the language has changed somewhat since then, the meaning remains valid.
1. If tho but suffer God to guide thee
and hope in Him through all thy ways
he’ll give the strength, whateer betide thee.
And bear thee through the evil days
who trusts in God’s unchanging love
builds on the Rock that nougth can move.
7. Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
so do thine own part faithfully,
and trust His own word, though undeserving.
Thou yet shall find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook an need
the soul that trusted Him indeed.
Thursday and Friday were two days of great concern. When Dr. Martina John picked up her husband from Cusco Airport on Wednesday night, no one knew that President Ollanta Humala and his Health Minister, Sra. Midori de Habich, would visit Diospi Suyana two days later. While driving through the mountains their phone rang. It was Stefan Seiler, the hospital administrator. He informed them that the President of Peru might land on the hospital helipad on Friday.
On Thursday, however, the mayor of Curahuasi assured us the helicopter transporting the President was going to land at the stadium. Another helicopter transporting other officials would land at the hospital.
Hopes rose again on Friday morning when we were told the helicopter transporting the President would be landing at the hospital, after all. At around 8 o’clock Dr. John and Agustin Landeras (head of the hospital’s logistics department) discussed specifics with the President’s consultants. A guided tour of the hospital was added to the tight schedule.
However, when the President arrived at Curahuasi with a 90 minute delay, thousands of citizens and his cabinet were already waiting for him in Curahuasi’s central square. As a result, the tour of the hospital needed to be postponed until after his meeting in the town.
Details of the President’s visit continued to be “in the air” right up to the last minute. His helicopter was scheduled to leave no later than 5 o’clock to reach Cusco at the appropriate time. From there, a plane would fly the President to Lima, where he was expected to arrive at 6 pm. With darkness setting in early at present, it was important he departed before 5 pm to ensure safe flying conditions for the helicopter and its landing in Cusco.
The Head of State and his Minister, however, did arrive on time! Diospi Suyana Hospital was able to reestablish excellent relations with the presidential palace and the Minister of Health. The Minister affirmed she would be glad to receive Dr. John in her Lima office within the following three weeks.
As an example, our new CT scanner has been withheld at Lima/Callao customs for over a month now. A further goal of ours is the licensing of our doctors. We can’t help but see God’s hand at work in the surprising events of that Friday.
The fascinating history of Diospi Suyana thus goes on. Sometimes our hearts skip a beat or stop for a moment. Shirts and blouses are sometimes soaked in sweat. Many times we don’t know what might happen in the following 10 minutes, much less the forthcoming days. But if God wills it, the President of the country lands in a helicopter right outside the doors of our mission hospital.
