Arequipa Week One Part Two

In total, my parents were in Arequipa for one week. You already know about the first three days, but what about Mon - Thursday I hear you ask...

Well on Monday we had an early start as we were visiting the International Colegio (started by Latin Link) and had to be there for 8am for the assembly. This was my second time at this assembly and its great to see the kids all come in, in an orderly fashion and stand there with not much fidgeting going on. The band are also great to here as well. 

As Chairman of Latin Link Ireland, Dad was officially welcomed to the Colegio as a representative of the mission and Mum and I were welcomed as well. After the assembly was over we were treated to a private concert by the sax quartet, the music in the Colegio is of a very high standard and always good to listen to. We then had a tour around the place and Mum and Dad enjoyed catching up with Rosemary Gibson (the director of the Colegio and long time friend of parents).

After the Colegio we were taken down to Shalom, the school for disabled children (also a Latin Link project). Mum has wanted to visit Shalom since it was started nine years ago. 

Before my parents left they were given a gift for Shalom, so it was lovely to go with them and hand this gift over to the director Ruth Green. This gift will go towards a replacement bus which is used to take the kids to school and home again every weekday. 

It was lovely seeing the kids at Shalom again and helping them make little sheep hand bands. Think Mum thought she was back teaching again. 

Mum and Karoli

Jossep

After a long day on Monday, Mum and Dad had a relaxing morning on Tuesday before being collected by me to take them to Nuevas Fuerzas where I work. They have heard so much about this place and the people there from me over the past eight months, think they were looking forward to meeting everyone face to face, and I was looking forward to introducing them to everyone as well.

Mum and Dad brought three new jigsaws over with them, so the afternoon was spent putting jigsaws together with Alejandro, Kati and Diana, having cake to celebrate the official day of disabilities etc. The jigsaws went down well with everyone and Alejandro loved them so much he did each one twice. 

Alejandro and Dad

Diana with Mum and Dad

Paul and Javier with the Cake

Mum and Pablo

Mum, Alejandro and me

On Tuesday night we went to the Latin Link prayer meeting which turned into the Kennedy Show with me doing the praise, Dad doing the word and Mum on Prayers. It was nice to have them there and they enjoyed participating in the meeting and catching up with people again.

On Wednesday while I taught, Mum and Dad went on the bus tour which I think they thoroughly enjoyed and Dad took many many pictures as usual. Then in the afternoon we went to the museum to see Juanita, the Ice Maiden who was killed as an offering to the Inca Gods in the 14th Century and discovered on Mount Ampato (a Volcano just outside Arequipa) in 1995. 

Thursday saw us the start of our travels and my holiday proper as we set off to Puno.