We are back

Well we have returned and our adventure is over for this year.  It has been an incredible and very rewarding experience.  I am now going to learn some Spanish and also learn more about Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos International (NPH) and their founder Father William B. Wasson.  We have so much here in Canada  and these children have so little but they do have each other and the NPH staff and they seem very happy to be part of this organization which to them is their family.  I believe the work we did and the resources we brought to them will in a small way help them on their journey and that is very rewarding.  So again thanks to all who offered resources and help along the way. Know that these children truely love all their supporters here in Canada...I have experienced their hugs and kisses first hand.

Here the children welcome us to their temporary home in Lunahuana, Peru.

The donations were to be handed out by the NPH staff to those who needed them the most at a later time but here were two boys who just could not wiat to see what we brought.

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View from our hotel room in Cusco. They ran out of regular rooms so Roberta and I got a suite. Great room with a kitchen, sitting area and a loft.
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Mass today at the Catedral in Cusco. Masses on the hour starting at 6:00 to 10:00. The huge church was packed. More standing than sitting.
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Atop Machu Pichu with the Inca village in the background.
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Today we stood atop Machu Pichu...what an awesome (and very high) experience.
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We are on a train headed to our final destination - Machu Pichu.
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Roberta found a new friend at our last hotel. Thomasa was a very friendly feline who visited our room. The hotel was beautiful...like a place caught in time.
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Ollantaytambo - a 60 meter climb to the incomplete temple of the sun. The Incas were forced out by the Spanish before they could complete the build.
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Moray - an ancient gigantic crop laboratory where Incas researched how sun, shade and elevation among the terraces created differences in temperature. It was taxing at this altitude to walk down to the pit and ascend.
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Mother Earth's oven
Tonight our supper was prepared in traditional Peruvian fashion - Pachamanca. A deep hole in the ground was dug and earlier in the day filled with river stones and heated. The stones were removed and supper put in the hole. This was covered by the stones, banana leaves and dirt. Two hours later we enjoyed a delicious meal.
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Last day on the worksite. We spent the morning making and moving cement for the sidewalk. Very hot but it felt great when we finished the sidewalk.
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Some of our crew dressed in traditional Peruvian clothing.
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Getting ready to move larger bricks to be used on the roof. Tomorrow we work in the morning and pack up to head to Lunahuana where the kids are staying until this location is ready. We are looking forward to meeting the younger kids. We will stay over night and head to Lima the next day.
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Started the day off at mass at 7:00 am. It was a beautiful church. I didn't understand the sermon but I'm sure it was a good one.
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We worked in the morning and spent the afternoon at the beach. It was beautiful.
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After work we walked into the market. An very interesting and busy place. Anyone for a chicken?
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We spent most of the day throwing bricks to one another to move piles from one location to another. Scott is on top of the pile throwing them down.
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In the afternoon we formed a human chain and threw bricks from one person to the other to move them across the worksite.
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The older kids from the orphange came and helped on the work site today. They are great kids and wonderful workers. We got the rubble pile moved and they began to move dirt to set the foundation for the cement walkway.
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We spend the day moving a pile of rubble from the construction site. Another group worked at laying the foundation for a sidewalk and the last group helped the Peruvian workers lay the bricks for house 5 and 6. Everyone is tired but happy we made some progress on the build.
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Climbed the "mountain" in the distance. It was hard work but well worth the view once we got to the top.
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Morning after first night in a tent for a non tent person. I should have signed up for "girl scouts" when I was younger. I need to work on organization.
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Day on at camp. We set up our tents and when on a hike to explore the area.
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On the shore of the Pacific Ocean in Lima. Two blocks from our hotel.
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Landed in Peru at 9:30 and off to our hotel for a night.
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Packing for Peru

Thanks to all who provided money, school supplies, clothes and shoes for the children in Peru.

A look at construction on the site

Here is a look at the houses we will be working on in Peru.

Friends of the Orphans Website

The trip is in conjunction with Friends of the Orphans. Check out their website by clicking here.

Preparations for the trip

As January 31st approches I am getting busy with preparations for the trip. There are lots of things to collect and assemble before we head off to Peru.