The morning after the despedida, or farewell celebration, Goshen College students gathered at Casa Goshen for their final service orientation.
The Peru SST team gathered at Casa Goshen the last full day the students were in Lima. They are (from left): Lima Study Coordinator Celia Vasquez; Alicia Taipe Tello, who cooks for the students; Co-Directors Richard R. Aguirre and Judy Weaver; and Service Coordinator Willy Villavicencio,
Students participated in an exercise designed to show them what it might feel like to be poor and disadvantaged – like many people they would encounter on service. We reviewed cultural mores, health advice, academic (and behavioral) expectations and what to do in case of emergency. The students also got their service reading assignments and reminders about logistical matters. And we ended our session with reflections and prayer.
April, Jonathan, Neal, Thomas, Jackson, Gretchen and other students sing hymns at Casa Goshen.
For lunch, students enjoyed pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian dish of smoked chicken, potatoes, yams, green beans and corn seasoned with special herbs. Lunch was prepared by Alicia Taipe Tello, who cooks for students twice per week when they are in Lima. Afterward, we celebrated Gina’s birthday with a delicious chocolate cake.
Goshen women say goodbye with a group hug.
Then it was time for the students to say goodbye to one another, in many cases for six weeks. The women embraced and some shed tears. The men were stoic and did a kind of sports cheer. The students then left Casa Goshen and had the afternoon free to pack, relax and spend a final evening with their host families.
Gina has a tearful goodbye with her host sisters, Eva and Lucia.
Over the next two days, the students departed by buses for their service assignments in Chancay, Ayacucho, Tarma, San Ramon, La Merced and San Miguel. There were more tears as students said goodbye to host families at two bus stations, but also smiles in anticipation of new adventures and challenges.
The Peru SST team gathered at Casa Goshen the last full day the students were in Lima. They are (from left): Lima Study Coordinator Celia Vasquez; Alicia Taipe Tello, who cooks for the students; Co-Directors Richard R. Aguirre and Judy Weaver; and Service Coordinator Willy Villavicencio,April, Jonathan, Neal, Thomas, Jackson, Gretchen and other students sing hymns at Casa Goshen.Thomas and Malaina relax at Casa Goshen.Gina’s delicious birthday cake.Gina gets ready to blow out the candle.Gina gets set.And there Gina goes.Gina blows out her birthday candle.April, Malaina and Gina enjoy birthday cake.Aimee and Jake at Casa Goshen.Thomas, Jackson and Gretchen enjoy each other’s company.While Peru SST Co-Director Judy Weaver and Lima Study Coordinator Celia Vasquez watch, Alicia Taipe Tello bids farewell to the Goshen students.Alicia embraces Derek.Alicia with Natalie, Maria, Malaina, Gina, Gretchen, Aimee and April.Alicia with Jackson, Jonathan, Neal, Derek, Jake, Caleb, Dean and Thomas.Maria says goodbye to Gina.Goshen women say goodbye to one another.Goshen women say goodbye with a group hug.Goshen men say goodbye to each other.Goshen men say goodbye with a sports cheer and no tears.The Peru SST Spring unit: Natalie, Gina, Aimee, Gretchen, Maria (front row), April, Malaina, Jake, Neal (middle row) and Thomas, Jonathan, Dean, jackson, Derek and Caleb (back row).Dean says farewell to Jonathan.Malaina says goodbye to Jake.Gretchen waves goodbye as she and other students leave Casa Goshen.Derek, Caleb, Dean and Maria await the bus that will take them to their service locations.Dean waits for his bus ride.Derek says goodbye to his host mother, Betty Lozano.Maria says goodbye to her host father, Juan Calderon, while Caleb hugs his host father, Percy Peralta.April waits at a bus stop with her host mother, Krizian Mori Jiu.April, Malaina and Peru SST Co-Director Judy Weaver wait for a bus.Gina with the Muchas, her Lima host family.Natalie with her Lima family – host mother Marisel Avalos Mendocilla (right), host sister, Claudia, and host nephew, Adriano.Gina has a tearful goodbye with her host sisters, Eva and Lucia.Gina and Natalie pause for a final photo before boarding their bus.Jackson waits for his bus with his host father, Daladier Orbegozo, and his host sister, Dyadai.Neal with his host parents, Jose and Blanca Ramirez, and his host brother, Nicolas.Neal greets one of the children headed to the orphanage where he and Jackson will work.Neal and Jackson in front of the bus that will take them to their service assignment.
