Wednesday, September 30, 2009

A week and a half with the Red

I write today waiting for my computer to load some videos into imovie. It is rather strange to realize how much I have used technology during my time here. When I told most of you that I was going to Peru to do development work, I am willing to imagine that most of you thought of far off hills and valleys, living in a very rural setting. Basically, I was going to live with Pacha from The Emperor's New Groove. If you didn't you think differently than I do, because that was the image in my mind. But instead I live in Lima. In case you didn't know, Lima has an unknown number of millions of people (I have seen estimates between 8 and 13). The sounds of buses, taxis and trucks is a constant background of hums, honks, roars and rumbles as this city goes about its business. I live in a nice 2 story house in Pueblo Libre (one of the neighborhoods of Lima). I have wireless internet in my room, warmish showers (though the head is about 8 inches too low and I often end up taking my showers sitting down, and the picture is not of my shower, but one like it) and the opportunity to watch El Fondo Hay Sitio and El Show De Los Sueños. I eat more bread and rice than any other point in my life (the bread is FANTASTIC, and doesn't always look that cool, but tastes like it). During the last weeks, when I don't have my computer, I have walked to work. It takes about 30-40 minutes, but is a really nice way to wake up and enjoy the morning. I go through a park where most days about a dozen middle aged women do aerobics. Most of the walk is on the busy street called Bolivar. Lima is interestingly laid out because when you step onto one of the main streets, it seems to go on forever. When I cross them and look up through the smog and the ever-present low lying clouds, it really feels as I am living in one of the old National Geographics that we had to cut up for middle school reports. The other funny thing about the town is that because all the streets are so long and straight and because of the Spanish heritage here, the city would be more or less square. That assumption would be WRONG. If anything maps of Lima look like spider webs, with the main streets being the support strands and each individual road making up the web, which can ensnare and capture the most innocent and lost who venture into her grasp (ok, it really isn't that bad, but I like the image).

Here at the Red, I am mostly working to find ways to connect people around the world, especially in the United States with the work being done here. So I've made a facebook fan page, am writing the organization's newsletter, called La Retama (to receive it, just send me an email at jtobiason08@gmail.com or LaRetama.RedUniendoManos@gmail.com, first edition end of Oct), making some videos, and a podcast highlighting the stories, lives, and experiences in and around the Red Uniendo Manos. Oh, and whenever I get a camera, taking pictures.

Well, my videos have loaded so I can start working, but I just want to let you all know you are special. Check out the links on my previous post for new pictures or my flickr for the artsy ones. You're all great people. Thanks for being in my life.

Oh, I almost forgot. The survey. Here are the results:
Keep on growing: 6 votes, 50%
What it is now: 4 votes, 33.3%
Stubble: 1 vote, 8.3%
Clean: 1 vote, 8.3%
other:
Bring back the mustache!
Big & bushy ... then decide
Mustache!!!!!!!1!!!!
maybe a little longer, for a Ray LaMontagne look...
Try a goatee
Fu Man Chu
Soul patch and mutton chops!

My response: No more mustache. Done it once, don't want to look like a molester. Goatee, don't want to look like my dad. Fu Man Chu, Dr. LeRoy, I love you but that is your look, not mine (also did it once). Soul patch and mutton chops (you didn't look the picture, my sideburns lack just a little too much to pull that one off. So final decision, MORE BEARD!!!
Question of the post:
What do you want to know about Peru?

Saturday, September 26, 2009

New Pics

So these are the last few pictures from my "disappeared" camera and a few I took on a borrowed camera. There are some from Orientation, Life, and artsy. Thanks!!!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Against the Universe

Due to an unfortunate moment, this post is a little less interesting because my camera was (using geographically correct terminology) “disappeared” in Huancavalica earlier this week. Then to top it off, I took some film in to get developed and they screwed up the roll and so I got nothing back. The universe does not want me taking pictures right now.


I want to thank the delegation from the Presbyterian Church who came down this week. I really couldn’t have thought of a better way to get to know the work that the Red Uniendo Manos does here in Peru except through visiting many of our partners here and getting to know their work. Between Sunday and Thursday, we went to church twice, visited children’s education group, discussed earthquake relief with some afro-Peruvian women, visited a squatters site, checked out a new water tour, attended a cake making class, chatted about water problems, got pulled over 10 times, made one “donation,” had a breakfast meeting about local environmental problems, cracked jokes with a firecracker of an Andean woman, failed twice at using a solar cooker, learned about looms, ate LOTS of potatoes, actually felt rain, got lost once, saw thousands of llamas and alpacas (and can tell the difference between them), received the organic farm tour (including the guinea pig barn), had a stimulating discussion about micro enterprise with a women’s group that dries stuff, visited one of the 10 most polluted cities in the world, spent 25+ hours in the car and that is just what I remember. (I would have some pictures for you to see, but thanks to the camera issue, they are not available).


As I have been here for the last few weeks, one general theme about Peru has begun to surface, juxtaposition. Everywhere I look, there are two world that are running into each other at top speed. I want to make sure not to qualify these worlds, but just point how they contradict each other. This makes sense for a country that has an enormous, but “relatively” new mountain range that was created by two plates colliding. On my walk home from work, I pass by a tailor working in a little wood shack that buts up against a 20 foot wall which separates the “real” Peru from the manicured soccer fields that are within. I knelt down and talk to a little girl who doesn’t have a right hand, lives in a squatters village in the middle of the desert and whose mother is gone all day at work and look up to see one of our trip checking his email on his blackberry. I am daily told how dangerous some other part of town is, but always greeted with the warmest of hospitality. These are just a few thoughts. They are not all encompassing. They are not that profound, but it is just something that has been on my mind for a while and will continue to be for a while.


So, I’ve been gone for a month. I need a little input. I haven’t shaved since I left and would like opinions on whether which direction my facial hair should go. Here are a few pictures to help you decide which is best and then click on this link and take the one question survey.

Let me know, beard, stubble, or clean shaven?

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Peru Orientation

Before diving into my time here in Peru, I do want to thank everyone for their comments on the passage that we discussed after my last blog entry. I do want to say that I do not completely agree with his stance either, but it was interesting to see and come into contact with other interpretations of the bible, especially ones on passages that are well known. I do not think his thoughts were heretical, but neither were they spot on. I do just like hearing biblical reminders of how we need to be caring for the least of our world in a society that is structurally sinning against them.

I have been here in Peru since late on the night of Aug 31. I can’t believe it has almost been two weeks. We have been quite busy with devotionals, museums, trips to ruins, discussions on fair trade, Peruvian history, fake money, economics and a trip to the fountain park here in Lima.

One general theme that really struck me in a few of the trips to ruins that we have taken, was their proximity to the rest of life. We went to one called Huanca Pucllana which was right in the middle of Miraflores (one of the nicer barrios here in Lima). It was very strange to stand on top of the main temple and look around at all of the elegant apartment buildings that surrounded it. At another, Pachacamac, it was very interestingly placed between the beach (and the Pan-American Highway, yes that goes all the way to Alaska), the desert, a fertile valley, and a squatters settlement that has started to encroach in on the site. I really feel that this is a good explanation of Peru. It a country filled of different cultures that are living right next to each other. There are 3 main regions (coast, mountains, Amazon jungle), multiple languages, 80% are impoverished, but also a very strong right population. I really don't know what to take from that, but it is interesting to be able to go to every different street corner and see bits and pieces of so many different cultures running together.

One of my favorite parts of being abroad is listening to stories. I know that my Spanish isn’t quite sufficient to really comprehend everything that is said and it is far from being strong enough to really debate people’s thoughts. But to hear how people live and what brought them to the place in which they are makes me happy. This is one reason that I like taking taxis. My normal questions that spark conversation are “how has the night been” or “how long have you been a cabbie.” Some speak of how the city has changed. Some discuss how they haven’t worked in that job for their entire time because other jobs come and go. One told me that Fujimori was the best president Peru has had. And some just don’t want to talk, but it is always an experience.

Most morning, our group has done some sort of devotional. The first week, it was led by a man named Edwardo (who is Ginna’s host dad). He was great. This week has been very powerful to me because our friend Efrain has led our devotionals. The theme has been the different blind people in the Bible. This is a great way to look at these miracles. In each one, Christ healed their infirmity, but each one has a particular story. We looked at the stories in Mark 10:46-52, 8:22-26, John 9:1-11, and Matthew 9:27-38. Check them out. Which one stands out to you? Why? The theme that most struck me was that Christ usually required some sort of action or reciprocation of work. For me, the Matthew passage is most potent because it is two blind men who come to Jesus together for sight. They were completely dependent on each other and only together were they able to receive the gift that he is giving. I guess that is kinda the feeling I get about this whole trip. I am definitely blind, and I’d wager that those with whom I’m trying to find God are in need of his help too. That is really our mission here in Peru. We are blindly working together to find some light.

Yesterday we finished our two weeks of training with a trip to photo exposé from the armed conflict here in Peru. Each of the photo has a story that was heard and needs to be heard. I was amazed to see the normal Peruvian faces etched with the grief and pain of living (and dying) through this violent period. It was not a morning I really want to remember, but is something that I can never let myself forget.

So then with a little afternoon of pisco sour making, dancing, a few fair trade artisan gifts, some late night cake and not very much sleep, we are no longer together as a group of 6. I currently am sitting in my bed at the Vargas household. This is my new home. The family is very wonderful and my accommodations are so much more than I could have ever guessed. I am so very blessed. So here we go. I am off tomorrow (Sunday) and the rest of the week with a group from the states who are here to see what we do at the Red. I will let you all know what is up too when I’m back. Thanks for reading and which blind man do you connect with? Paz de cristo.

Monday, September 7, 2009

New Pictures!!!!!!

Hey, I finally got up some pics from this first week in Peru. Here are some from our life and some from my psudo-artsy photographer side. Check them out!!!!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

I'm here, but that is not todays topic

Hi from Peru

Wow, I have been waiting for oh so long to be able to say that to you all. This is really amazing. When we got on the plane in Atlanta (almost a week ago, wow!!!) I couldn’t help but thinking about how this is really happening.

Before I continue too much into Peru, I do want to say a few things about our orientation in Stony Point, New York (Not NYC). I learned that I am an ISFP according to the Meyers-Briggs test. We had a very good discussion with a woman named Jessica Vasques Torres about race, gender and living a life in the “center” (which we used basically as the American power structure: media or media, money, govn’t). The theory that we based the conversation around was the belief that there is a “center” that has power and controls the power and there is a “borderland” that does not have it. The borderland is connected to the center and relies on it for its existence. In reality, those of us from the States are irrevocably connected to the center. It is important to mention that it is not necessarily a bad thing, but that it just needs to be understood in the way that the borders of our society connects with the center. That led into a discussion about who were living in the borders and the re-commitment to those of whom we will be working with this next year. One point that she made that I thought was interesting was the conclusion that the Center removes the culture of some (i.e. Norwegians or British) and accentuates differences or only a small misrepresented portion that they want to be seen in others (i.e. most African and Latin American cultures). Both of these are dehumanizing because they do not see the whole perspective. I can claim myself to be Norwegian and Finish, but I have never been to either, the only Norwegian I know is how to “sit on my lap and kiss me” (and that may even be wrong), I have never worn any traditional clothes. Other than the heritage that gives me my height (dad’s side) and my brown eyes (mom’s side), what of this culture can I really claim as mine? Is it degrading to Norwegians for me to say that I am one of them when I really am not. Is it also degrading to other people from the States that I am trying to escape that. What does it even mean to be “American?” Is it even possible to answer that question? There are so many different versions of “American.” Which one is the “real America?” I know that Iowa will try to claim that, but in reality what makes it that. I really was happy with Jessica’s point that no matter what we say at this point, it is devaluing who we are and who everyone else is too. If you are interested in this or more about the race stuff that we talked about too (that I in the most un-rascit way possible am choosing not to go into for sake of space), check out a book that she recommended called “White like me.”

We also watched and participated in a skit/lesson by Rick Ufford-Chase about the economics of poverty (specifically in Latin America, but is applicable to share with the rest of the world. The point of the skit was to show how basically all the money that is in the world ends up in the hands of the powerful (basically the “center”). It was interesting to see how “petrodollars,” World Bank/IMF loans, and even many countries internal revenue ends up back in the hands of the powerful. And of course these practices are promoted because they help those that make the decisions on what to do. This was really not new information to me thanks to the great education I received at Whitworth and CASP. But what was really interesting was the bible passage that Rick used to back up his beliefs. He used Matthew 25:14-30 and the parable of the slaves and the talents. So often we read this to say that we all aspire to be the first slave who did what he knew how to do and got the most out of his work and are told not to be the slave that only gave back what he was given. Most of the time, this is taken to say that we need to do what we are good at and focus on that. If you are good at hugs do it to the best you can. We were went out to our small groups (thanks Seseme Street group for helping me to get ready) and I argued the normal interpretation. What Rick later explained to us was that his interpretation of the passage was that because the passage does not start out with “the kingdom of heaven is like” as do most of Jesus’ parables, Jesus was telling about life and how it worked in the period. Rick believes we are to be the “lazy” slave who was trying to subvert the “norms” of the society and instead find a better agenda. I like this because it isn’t easy. Far to often we take the Bible to be a tame book, but it really is and always should be revolutionary (but don’t worry mom, I’m not about to take on the revolutionary mantra of other historic Peruvians). But what do you think. Read the passage. Do you agree with Rick or disagree of have something else to say?

Other than these good lectures, orientation was just an amazing time for us to all be together as YAVs and celebrate the work that God is going to do is us. I really was encouraged by my small group to take this on. I really found God in a worship song. Thanks to everyone who helped me get out of the states. Well, I’ve written quite a bit so far, so I won’t get into actual Peruvian life quite yet. Rest your eyes, but not your heart or mind because this is a good passage to hash out as a community. I love you all.