And this is the environment we have to offer
The usual picture. The admission coupons have been drawn and all emergencies have been granted entry. There are lots of people in front of the entrance, also asking to be let in. But unfortunately we can only treat between 150 and 200 patients a day. If we had more staff, this number could be significantly increased. We are looking for convinced Christians who are willing to commit themselves to Diospi Suyana on a voluntary basis – supported by private groups of friends – for at least three years.
Such a decision needs to be carefully considered, as the following ABC (German wording) describes the realities of Peru.
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A = Armut/Poverty: Especially in the mountains and in the slums of the big cities, the bitter poverty of the people is striking.
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B = Bettler/Beggars: Because of this sad situation, men, women and children can be found begging for money in the streets and squares.
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C = Chaos: Lima’s cab drivers describe their own country as chaotic and completely disorganized.
There is a lot to their assessment.
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D = Diarrheal diseases: No one can escape this evil. Anyone staying in the country for a longer period of time should take medication at regular intervals against the common infections.
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E = Erdrutsche/Landslides: In the mountains, landslides are a daily occurrence. Especially in the rainy season, you are well advised to avoid traveling at night. The dangers are real and the risks are high.
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F = False statements: People lie through their teeth. A congresswoman said in an interview: “You can lie. Lying is not an offense!” The mixture of untruths and false promises makes every visitor to Peru uncomfortable in the long run.
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G = Gewalt/Violence: According to analyses by the authorities, two thirds of Peruvian women and young people suffer from various forms of violence. Violence often occurs under the influence of alcohol. An issue that we should also note under the letter “A”.
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H = Hundebisse/Dog bites: Large packs of dogs roam the streets and become particularly aggressive at night.
Dog bites are part of life in the Peruvian mountains.
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I = Ignorance: People’s general knowledge is extremely poor. Peruvians read less than 1 book a year.
Because of their ignorance, they often fall victim to populists and seducers.
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J = Justizirrtum/miscarriage of justice: The head of one of Peru’s largest law firms once told me: There are billions of USD circulating in Peru just to influence judges and lawyers. Unfortunately, Peru is definitely not a constitutional state. Decisions are mostly made through pressure, threats, bribes and intimidation.
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K = Korruption/Corruption: A large proportion of public contracts are awarded on the basis of bribes. As a rule of thumb, a company must pay 10% of the construction sum to the mayor and his team in advance. This money, which flows under the table, drives up the costs of public projects enormously. Corruption takes place from the kindergarten to the government palace.
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L = Lärm/Noise: When the neighbors have a party, it can stay loud until the early hours of the morning. In Peru, this noise is part of life. Society functions against a backdrop of disturbing noise.
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M = Müll/garbage: There is garbage everywhere along the roads. Anyone following behind a bus soon makes a sad observation. Every two minutes, bottles, plastic bags and leftover food are thrown out of the windows to the left and right. Garbage is a sign of backwardness.
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N = Naturkatastrophen/Natural disasters: Peru regularly suffers from flooding, especially in coastal areas. If a rainy season fails during a drought, farmers face personal bankruptcy.
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O = Oberflächlichkeit/Superficiality: People scratch the surface. Poor education and a penchant for irrelevant small talk often thwart profound conversations.
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P = Palaver: In clubs, schools and churches, people endlessly discuss trivial matters. In the end, people rarely stick to the agreements made. So much ado about nothing.
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Q = Quarrels: Since the common good is not high on the agenda, it’s all about self-interest. This view leads to disputes and narrow-mindedness. It is not uncommon for drivers to park their vehicles directly on the junction because they want to do a quick shop. This lack of foresight drives Europeans into sheer despair.
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R = Rechtlosigkeit/Rightlessness: In road traffic, it is not right before left, but first come, first served. In plain language, the bus is allowed to drive first, then the SUV and finally the cyclist. Pedestrians are definitely last in this pecking order.
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S = Spinnenbisse/spider bites: Beware of poisonous spiders (black widows etc). But even house spiders occasionally cause serious inflammation after bites. “S” also includes scorpions, which often find their way into houses.
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T = tarantulas: Tarantulas are not poisonous in Curahuasi. But when they suddenly run across the floor or over the wall, we Europeans take a deep breath.
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U = Unpünktlichkeit/Unpunctuality: As a rule, appointments are worth nothing!!! Everyone knows an excuse to explain why they are three hours late. But in this culture, you don’t even need an excuse. You are simply not there at the agreed time. Period. That’s life.
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V = traffic accidents: In relation to the number of cars, the risk of dying on the roads is ten times higher than in Germany, for example. There are many reasons for this misery: Drinking and driving, worn tires, broken brakes and careless driving. This category also includes corrupt police.
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W = Water shortage: In Peru, you have to live with the fact that the tap stays dry for hours – sometimes even for several days. The problem usually – but not always – lies with an incompetent town hall.
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X = Xenophobia: Peruvians also suffer from xenophobia. After a crime, you often hear the phrase: “They must have been Venezuelans or Colombians!” . Y = Yacht clubs: The rich upper classes enjoy the good life in their clubs.
Their own pet dog is often treated better than the domestic help. There is hardly any social conscience for the poor among the wealthy.
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Z = Zauberei/sorcery/mysticism: In the mountains of Peru, people are afraid of the god in the mountain (APU), the “fright” and the “wind” that brings bad luck. At night, creatures – half human, half animal – are said to ambush hikers and suck off their fat. This misconception is not only widespread among the lower classes. A congressman once told me that he was convinced that the apus (deities) in the mountains really existed.
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Why on earth would anyone want to leave Europe or the USA to work with Diospi Suyana? The answer is simple.
When God calls us, we go and roll up our sleeves. No matter how high the price.
Since every thing has two sides, the other perspective will follow in the next few days). So don’t panic. /KDJ
