Christmas Parties, The Peruvian Way

I mentioned in my last blog that I would be preparing for another Tamar Christmas party, but this time triple the size. I forgot to mention that I would also be helping with another Christmas party on Thursday for the women who are victims of physical abuse. Needless to say, it’s been a busy week.

Things I did this week to prepare:

-Cut out around 300 adornos (ornaments) in the shapes of balls, stars, angels, and stockings. Honing my art skills.

-Cut out three life size trees for the activity. The tree, in case you are wondering, represents life, and by putting their ornaments with their names on the tree, they are acknowledging the fact that all of their lives are a gift to God.

- Cut out Feliz Navidad six times for different departments in the office.

Basically, I went through a ton of paper, and the cutting muscles in my hand are incredibly tired, but everything turned out beautiful! Thank God.

During these Christmas parties, or any party at the office really, I wear many hats. I’m the official carrier of the tampón (ink pad) for the women to sign their names when unable to write. I’m also the official PowerPoint slide changer (intense, I know), and the backup photographer. I help hand out all the food and pour all the drinks... and then refill all the drinks (I can pour a mean cup of juice). I am then the official garbage receiver and sweeper. As you can see, I am acquiring many new skills, and perfecting others! The good thing is that there is never a dull moment, and the women and children really enjoy themselves.

One thing that I think is very important is the fact that I serve the women and children. First of all because almost all of these women and children come from extreme poverty, and are normally the ones serving others. Secondly I think it’s important because I am a “gringa” or person from the United States. There is a way of thinking here, and in many other countries, that people from the United States are better and should be treated extremely well, better than everyone else. I love breaking that stereotype. I never say a thing, all I do is serve them and clean up after them. It seems small but I pray that it speaks volumes to them about the fact that they are just as valuable and special as I am. That my white skin and green eyes don’t make me any better, or display that I deserve better treatment that them.

                                            My girls practicing their dance!

This coming week is filled with office parties, which means lots of panetón and hot chocolate. I did learn how to make the hot chocolate from scratch though. Super easy and incredibly delicious! Then on Friday, Sean, one of the other YAVs, is coming to celebrate Christmas with my host family in Huánuco. Then it’s off to Lima to meet my family! Thank God for family vacations in Peru!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Much love from Peru!

Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. –Martin Luther King Jr. 

Opening Wings

"Hope is folding paper cranes even when your hands get cramped and you eyes tired, working past blisters and paper cutes, simply because something in you insists on opening its wings." -Elizabeth Barrette

This past week was a whirlwind of emotions, planning, and activities. On Saturday we had our first of two Christmas parties for the Tamar girls or the victims of sexual abuse. We held the party this week in Tingo Maria, normally about a three-hour drive from Huánuco. After working hard all week to make sure everything was in place, we set off at 6:00 am Saturday morning. The road to Tingo Maria isn’t exactly what you would call straight. In fact it is probably one of the more windy roads I’ve ever been on, which made for an interesting trip full of breathing techniques and “It’s gunna be fines.”

When we got to the church, we quickly set up and started our two-hour party for the girls. We had speeches of welcoming and thanks, a sermon on the true meaning of Christmas, and the activity that I had planned. My activity was a simple task in which I made a tree out of paper (yep inartistic me!) and then made ornaments with each of the girls name on them. One by one the girls came up, placed their name on the tree and received their gift. All the gifts were bags of second-hand clothes that people had previously donated. It didn’t seem like much, but the girls really enjoyed it and the parents were incredibly grateful. One thing I found incredible was that there were only 12 victims at the party, but around 40 people. This is because parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all came to help support the girls and to give their thanks for all that Paz y Esperanza does. This insured in me that we not only help the girls, but their families and communities as well.

Everyone was then given pollo a la brasa (baked chicken that comes with french fries, a specialty in Perú) and panetón (fruitcake). Luckily we had just enough for everyone! To me, these Christmas parties are very special because most, if not all of the girls will not be able to celebrate Christmas the way most of us imagine. Most won’t receive other gifts or eat as well as they did at this party. Therefore, it’s an incredible blessing to be able to share with these girls, give them peace for a while, and a little bit of hope for the next year.

So, while I had a fun week and weekend, I was and am completely exhausted. Each time I thought I couldn’t possibly do more, I thought about the quote I put at the top of this blog. Seeing how incredibly happy the girls were to have a Christmas celebration and how thankful the parents were, made it all worth it. Though I had to work hard and struggle to stay awake at some points, I got to see their wings open, and for that I am grateful.

Now is a good time to mention that Panetón and hot chocolate are a common holiday treat. And by common, I mean that they eat it at least once a week during December and for every special Christmas celebration. While fruitcake is not one of my favorite holiday treats, Peruvians can devour a panetón in three seconds flat.

Now onto another full week of putting together gifts and cutting out paper ornaments for the next Christmas party! 

                            My host sisters and I at Jonathan's graduation party