Back to Mariscal Gamarra

Back in March last year, I visited this group of villages, and assured them I'd be back within a month.  Little did I know...

After a heavy cold (no, not Covid, according to the test!) last week postponed my much-delayed return, we finally went on Thursday.  My plan: to visit the people who had bought filters last year, as well as to generally catch up and encourage the churches.  Cesilio's plan: to deliver 300 food parcels in the various villages.

There was some drama on the way, including not knowing whether the truck was behind or ahead of us, getting stuck at some roadworks (but eventually let through) and then finding the truck broken down halfway through the new section of road being worked on!  But eventually we arrived to the villages in the valley, and it was wonderful to be greeted warmly by friends there who I've now known, amazingly, for 8 years.

I managed to visit most of my water-filter families.  I had very low expectations, as I know how important follow-up visits are and hadn't managed to do any - in some cases these expectations were justified but in others there was good news!  I fixed some broken filters, retrained people in how to clean them, and sold a few more.

We loaded up some of the food parcels into my car and drove up the mountain - previously I'd only ever walked to this village but there is a new road.  The top part had clearly suffered a recent landslide but it was passable - but I have a new top 3 entry for "scariest driving moment"!

One of the villages I visited 2 years ago had a tiny group of 5 or 6 Christians and we met together outside someone's house.  During the pandemic, the church has grown hugely, and is now around 40 people - it was so exciting to see!

People have been so generous and I came home with 3 sacks of different produce - now to share it round with friends and neighbours.