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Goshen College

Lea and Micah: Serving in Cusco

March 22, 2015

Lea and Micah at the restaurant Aldea Yanapay, which raises money to help Cusco area children.
Lea and Micah at the restaurant Aldea Yanapay, which raises money to help Cusco area children.

By Karen and Duane Sherer Stoltzfus
Peru SST Co-Directors, 2014-2015

When Lea and Micah joined us for supper near the Plaza de Armas, or central park, in Cusco, it was the first time they had seen each other two weeks into their service stay. While both of them are based in the Cusco area, they are in many ways at opposite ends of this sprawling city.

To get to Micah’s house and place of work in Lucre, we took two buses and a collectivo taxi. The trip takes about an hour and a half. Lucre is a kind of suburban outpost of Cusco, tucked away among green hills and beside a river that makes possible a dozen or more trout farms, each with a menu and tables in the shade.

Micah is helping his extended family to build their own trout farm, which will serve as an important source of income. Right now the family has about 10,000 baby trout, each the size of a pinkie finger, swimming in two pools. In about half a year, the trout will be ready to eat. The family hopes to have a small restaurant in place by then.

Micah with a family puppy, "Gringo."
Micah with a family puppy, “Gringo,” and his host grandfather, Viktor.

Micah lives with Margarita Carlos, a nurse; her son, Jerod, 10; and her parents. During the day, when Margarita leaves to work at a medical clinic,  Micah joins her brothers, Bernardino and Guido, at the trout farm.

He also is helping Margarita to control weeds at her young peach farm. Micah appears to have good timing. Margarita expects to be able to make peach jam and ice cream for a peach festival shortly before he returns to Lima.

During his free time, Micah has climbed several hills near his home, once seeing a puma track. As a student of physics with an engineer’s touch,  he also is deeply interested in helping his family take advantage of the hydro power potential in the nearby river. When we left Cusco, he was thinking on this.

“I couldn’t ask for a better place to work,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lea is working at World Vision, an international organization that focuses on the health and well-being of children and the communities that support them. World Vision links sponsors from the U.S., Australia and other countries with children in the Cusco region.

Lea, who learned Spanish through a school immersion program, helps to translate cards and track correspondence that is sent back and forth.

Lea and Noemi Callasi, a donor supervisor at World Vision, with a box of gifts that arrived for a sponsored child in the Cusco area.
Lea and Noemi Callasi, a donor supervisor at World Vision, with a box of gifts that arrived for a sponsored child in the Cusco area.

For example, a sponsor in Indiana may send a card with this message: “I hope you’re celebrating your 10th birthday in style. You’re now in the double-digits.”

Lea will need to translate the message into Spanish for a child who likely speaks Spanish and Quechua. “I’m using a lot of subjunctive — Ana and Moisés would be proud,” she said, referring to Ana Bracamonte and Moisés Arce, our Spanish professors in Lima.

She is also serving as a member of a World Vision team that travels into outlying communities to work directly with children, delivering cards and health care kits. Her first trip was expected to be to the Andean town of Ccatca, situated several hours from Cusco.

Lea with her host brother, Benji.
Lea with her host brother, Benji.

One day after work we joined Lea in taking a bus to her host home, climbing up a hillside. After the bus ride, we still had a steep hike to reach the home of Gloria and Mauricio Mamani. They have three children: Mabel, 15; Benji, 10; and Jhonaton, 7. Gloria is a member of the praise band at the San Jeronimo Mennonite Church and works as a medical caregiver on behalf of the church; and Mauricio is an independent contractor. The house also contains several well-loved pets, including a rabbit, two ducks and several chickens.

Gloria and Mauricio are deeply committed to being ambassadors for Christ. Soon after we sat down to a meal of semolina soup and fried yucca, we heard a knock at the door. A neighbor woman and her daughter, who are new believers, came in, unannounced. Without hesitation, Gloria and Mauricio brought out more bowls.

A tribute to Andean traditions in Cusco.
Lea and Micah at the restaurant Aldea Yanapay, which raises money to help Cusco area children.
Profits at the restaurant go to helping abandoned chlidren.
The decor is playful (and the food delicious).
The red tile roofs of Cusco.
Micah’s mother, Margarita Ayma Carlos.
Margarita Ayma Carlos, on her peach farm.
Margarita and Karen.
Capulin, on Margarita’s farm.
Capulin are popped in the mouth, like grapes.
Peaches on Margarita’s farm, several weeks before harvest.
A scarecrow on duty.
Flowers, as well as fruit, are abundant on the farm.
A river runs by the farm and the trout farm that is under construction.
Margarita’s father, Viktor, brought out a slingshot, known as a “honda.”
Here, Viktor lets fly with a stone.
Micah, with Viktor, Margarita and her brother, Gito.
Micah with a section of plastic pipe that will channel water from the river to the pools of the trout farm.
Micah with a family puppy, “Gringo” and his host grandfather, Viktor.
Micah and “Gringo.”
The trout need a constant supply of fresh water.
The family has 10,000 baby trout.
With Viktor and Margarita.
Micah helps to keep weeds under control at the peach farm.
Lettuce and other vegetables are planted underfoot among the peach trees.
Peach trees at the farm.
View of the farm from an adobe hut used for storage and rest.
On the road from the farm back to the house in Lucre.
Micah at the front door of his home.
The family also raises cuy.
Cuy are served on special occasions.
A view of the courtyard from Micah’s bedroom.
A view of the town of Lucre from Micah’s bedroom.
Lea and Noemi Callasi, a donor supervisor at World Vision, with a box of gifts that arrived for a sponsored child in the Cusco area.
Lea at her desk.
A World Vision map.
Lea shows some of the incoming mail.
Lea with Noemi Callasi and Manuel Soto, a manager at World Vision.
Leah in front of the World Vision offices.
The neighborhood near Lea’s place of work.
A map of Cusco.
Agriculture workers protested market prices for potatoes and other products.
Protestors en route to the Plaza de Armas.
Protest continues at the Plaza de Armas.
Courtyard at Casa Concha, a museum devoted to Machu Picchu.
The museum holds Machu PIcchu pieces only recently returned from Yale University.
A classic stone street in Cusco centro.
Lea pauses to share the view on the walk home.
The walk includes a long, steep set of stairs.
Lea generally goes homes midday for lunch and then returns to the office.
A view of the city from her neighborhood.
The family pets at Lea’s home include two ducks.
They have the run of a courtyard.
The family also has two hens.
Lea with her host brother, Benji.
Lea’s bedroom, on the second floor off the courtyard.
Benji, with his rabbit, “Rabbito.”
An artist’s rendering of Rabbito.
Mauricio and Gloria Mamani have two boys, Benji, 10; and Jhonaton, 7. A daughter, Mabel, 15, was at work.
A neighbor and her daughter joined us at the table.
The meal included semolina soup and fried yucca.