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Global Urban Trek 2008
My Friend CarmenJuly 11, 2008
Meet Carmen.
Carmen lives with her husband and two young children in a two-room house that rests on top of one of Peru’s many ceros (steep, rocky hills). Thanks to a personal recommendation from a friend, Carmen applied for and received a government job. Now, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, Carmen cleans and cares for a school near her house. Her salary, 600 soles a month (approximately $200), seems generous when compared to that of her husband; he works 12 hours, six days a week and earns about 500 soles.
Carmen and her husband consider themselves to be in Peru’s lower middle-class. Their tiny house seems a mass of contradictions to my American eye: a television with cable in the living room, but an outhouse in their backyard – three walls and a flimsy tarp are all that separate the toilet from the chickens and bunnies they keep nesting there. Both Carmen and her husband are excited about the new water pipes coming into their area; though they’ve lived in their house for 16 years, this is the first time the state has attempted a project like this.
Amidst all the dirt and the difficulties, Carmen has managed to create a home full of love and warmth. Her children are well-fed and polite; books line the walls of her house; and she shows support for her community by volunteering with several non-profit organizations.
How did we meet Carmen? The Yaycuy Camuy team had the privilege of being hosted by volunteers from the local branch of World Vision in Carmen’s area. Carmen was one of five other volunteers who generously opened up their homes and lives so our team could get to know Peru on a deeper level.
For three and a half days, our team shadowed these women as they went about their daily lives, working alongside them when they worked, playing with their children, making chocolate (okay, that was just Sean – lucky dog!) and learning about the struggles and accomplishments they’ve experienced while volunteering in their communities.
Our visit culminated when our team assisted two churches, both of which were located in areas with some of the most intense poverty we’ve seen thus far, in a program for children from the community that celebrated the National Day of Prayer.
-Jacque
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