I am the first one up, breakfast isn´t for an hour so I thought I would write a little more.
LANGUAGE
Of the twelve of us down here my Spanish is some where in the middle of the (maybe forth, fifth or sixth best). But it hasn´t stopped my from jumping in and trying. For some reason I feel like me Spanish is much better than it was a year ago, which is odd because I haven´t practiced at all.
Also, I think it might be because I am in charge and people are looking to me to lead, even if there Spanish is better. My desire to make sure everyone is okey is over riding my uncomfortableness with the language.
I haven´t said anything too stupid yet, but the guy on the work site we were at on Saturday thought it was very funny that I introduced my as Genio, and really loved calling me it. (The soft g is very hard for Spanish speakers to say. Eugene=Eugenio, but since I go be Gene I shorten Eugenio to genio, which means genius in Spanish).
EASTER MASS
Last night there was Easter mass and one of the guys in the group wanted to go while the others were playing cards. So, I joined him.
I haven´t shaved in about a 7 days. I don’t have a beard by any stretch of the imagination (so day I will make it all the way through puberty), but I have more facial hair than the whole country of Peru combined). During the kiss of peace the 4 middle school girls who were in front of us all giggled and were shocked at the same time as we went cheek to cheek.
Who knew that I would be broadening people cultural horizons by my half beard.
CANTAMOS
We had hymn books for mass last night, which was great. I am more likely to understand when I can hear and read at the same time. An 8 year old ended up sitting next to me at mass (with her 11 year old next). We had two hymn books between the three of us and we shared.
The music was contemporary, included the Holy Holy Holy sung to the tune of Hey Jude (at the Vigil the Our Father was song to a Simon and Garfunkel song that is escaping me right now). The choir was awesome, and we just sang our hearts out.
It was just a great moment for me. Sitting with these two people of different age, language, culture, gender, and economic status. None of it mattered. We were community (familia) like we are suppose to be when gather around the table.
REFLEXTION
Last night was our first chance as a group to reflect on the experience, since seeing the area and doing some work. We gathered on the roof of the dorm.
Expectations? Surprises? Thankfulness?
All the answers surprised me, but none of them did. The group is so perceptive and has such big hearts. The perspective (at least in the moment) of how they see their home differently than just two days ago.
Thankful for water, education, my parents, safety, time to play.
HOY
Plan for today is work in the morning, a local market in the afternoon, more work in the evening.

The alarm went of at 320am. I went downstairs to make a cup of coffee. I made sure the chicos were up and then headed to the front of the church. The alter and seats were set out ready for the vigil mass.
Everything runs on its own time, so by 405am we were ready to start. At this point the only light was a huge bon fire by the front gate, were song sheets and candle were being distributed.
For the next 3h 30m we enjoy the breaking of the day and resurrection of the Lord. People were baptized. Bread was broken. Thanks given. Prayers requested. Kiss of peace offered. The youth choir sang (like angles, who have electric guitars).
Right as the host was lifted, day broke. Because we are so close to the equator (10 degrees south) there is no creep into the new day. Just the light switch flipped and it day.
As mass ended the skies broke with a light rain. It never rains here. Ever. (and it is the only place I have ever been were people think the ran is bad, mostly because it destroys the thatch houses.)
Quickly we cleared the alter and the pews.
Easter Vigil is for the hard core. There is no doubt about it. No matter the time. Or how long. It was so beautiful to be here with these people for the mass.
So welcoming.
PLAYA
The crew headed to bed after a little breakfast. I stayed up and taught two more of the chicas how to play cribbage. Then we headed to the beach.
To get to the beach we had to drive through some of the poorest neighborhoods I have been in in my life (the one we are staying in). Context: Chimbote is a town of 400,000 and it can´t support an airport with any flight a week. None. It is not financially feasible.
The beach we went to was amazing. Huge waves and no one there. Miles and miles of rocks and beach. We had lunch in a mall restaurant on the beach, then walked up and down. I have been to a lot of beautiful places in the world. Most of the time I feel like the path had been walked before. No here. I felt like I was first person to see this land.
We sent 4 hours, just hanging out and talking about life.
More reflections from Fr. Jack.
He hasn´t had a day off since Oct (which he knows is stupid and not healthy).
Sharing what it is like to have every person walks up to wanting and needing something. They are coming because they know cares and would be willing to help. But even he needs space.
Talked about the two hour walk to the beach. By the time you get to the beach no matter what problems you have, they are in perspective because you see the beauty.
Conversations with the revolutionaries. They wanted to kill the drug dealers. He was in for loving them to life change.
All of this on beautiful beaches.

GOOD FRIDAY
After dinner we enjoyed the Good Friday service. It was fun to see parish life is the same everywhere.
Technical problems with the power point. One microphone turned up too loud. Regular parishioners reading the Passion. Lots of waving and hand gestures trying to get everyone in the right place.
One the teens in our group is a freshman, and young looking at that. A group of 13 year old girls took a shine to him during mass. They batted their eyes, smiled, waved, blew him kisses, asked him question. He handled it with such dignity and grace. Not that, that sort of thing happened to me as a 15 year old, but I wouldn´t have handled it as well.
Good music and good fellowship was experienced by all.
THIS IS HOW IT IS
Our host is Fr. Jack. He is a diocesan priest from the diocese of Fargo. He had been here 38 years.
To call him an amazing man would be an understatement.
After breakfast he gave us a tour of some of the over 20 projects they manage.
Everything he says, no matter how jarring it might sound to a non-local, he says just as fact, much the way someone would tell you the time.
“On this corner a 15 year old was shot”
“That guy over there who didn´t wave, he is responsible for two killing in the last year”
“If there were to catch on fire, the whole block would go up in flames.”
I have been around this setting before, so it is not so jarring for me, but some of the students who are with us, it is a new experience.
I am glad he is not candy coating anything (not that he would know how). It is the reality, which we are here to learn about.
We heard stories of work that was given to one gang (cleaning a park I think) and the rival gang next door was mad. Se he created a project for them. In his own words, 70% of the money is used on drugs. That doesn´t phase him, because he is giving a step up to some.
We learned a little of the economics of poverty today (even if that wasn´t the intended lesson). For about $2.50 you can buy a bundle of straw. Three days of work to make 500m of rope. Sold in the market place for $10.00. It is hard to get a step up when you are making $2.50 a day for hard work.
OUR WORK
We spent the working part of the day on two houses. The basic house of the poor is dirt floor with thatched walls and roof. The termites eat the wood and the sea breeze rusts the nails. From time to time a home simply needs to be rebuilt. So we pulled the rotting walls and ceiling and put up new ones.
The work wasn´t hard, but it was eye opening.
HIGHLIGHT
I know that when I write from the road it is typically more up beat.
Not that today was a bad day.
It was a good day of work and friends. Lots of smiles and hugs were shared with each other and the Peruvian people.
There just wasn´t anything particularly funny that happened today.
The highlight of the day is simple, the young people I am with. They have thrown themselves head first in to the work and place that is very much out side their comfort zone. They have handled the change of plans and lack of plans so well.
At the afternoon work site there wasn´t enough work for all of us, so a group just headed out in to the street and started playing with the kids. Didn´t need encouragement. They just did it.

We are here and alive.
Long flights down.
Longer bus ride here.
We are in Chimbote. North of Lima.
We arrived in time for dinner. Good Friday service will start in 30ish (hora Perunian).
Traveling with a great group. The other three adults have never lead a group out of the county, so they have put me in charge of lots of things. Which is fine.
Highlight of day 1 was standing in line at customs last night. A 14 year old American girl turns to here father who is checking is BlackBerry, “Dad you can do that when we get back to NY. Just throw it away!”
More to come in the morning.

¡Voy a ir Peru!
Off to Peru tomorrow to build huts.
Rumor has it there is a computer were we are staying, therefore updates to come from south of the Equator.