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Published: January 29th 2008
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Lima Girasoles Boys
They were a real bunch of posers and just loved having their photos taken. My last day!! I can't believe how quickly it's all gone!! It's been almost three weeks and I don't want to go home!!
Up early again for flight from Iquitos back to Lima. I'm glad to say that whilst there was some turbulence on the way back, it wasn't nearly as eventful as the trip out!! Mark - thanks for the info via Vicki. It's good to hear that planes are built to withstand that sort of thing. I'll hang on to that thought next time it happens!!
Today was a relatively short day in comparison to yesterday, which was good as I'm still suffering the effect of the malaria tablets. Determined though, that it won't spoil my last day!!
The main part of today comprised (oh my goodness - I'm already getting into Internal Audit speak in preparation for my return to work!!) a visit to the SU Girasoles home in the centre of Lima. The area where the centre is located is renowned for pick pocketing, but we know that's definitely not attributable (aaagh - more audit speak) to the boys who live there!!
Our visit there was great. We had a tour of the
A wee suke
He really was - jus adorable!! centre and paid a visit to the shop. I bought a few wee gifts for friends there which were lovely, and also a pack of postcards which mostly featured street kids. I plan to give these out to the kids in Church together with the friendship bracelets I bought, so that they will have a visual reminder of the kids who made them.
We had lunch with the boys and I got chatting to one of the older boys over the food. It turns out he has very good English. As we chatted further it became clear that he wasn't one of the boys, but an older volunteer/worker. The more we talked and the boy explained what he did, it became clear that he was the one of the boys that Paul told us about in my very first blog entry - the boy taken by his grandmother and turned out on the street with his feet badly burned. That young man has made a great success of his life. He now shares an apartment with a friend (a former Girasoles boy) and they have a moto taxi business. He also works at the night shelter at Rimac that
Last one of the boys
Last phot for today - uploaded loads yesterday for the jungle blog. I described in an earlier blog. The best part is that he has an incredible Christian faith, and hopes to travel to Africa to become a missionary. I gave him my e-mail address and he has been in touch. Please note, that I specifically haven't mentioned any names, and don't intend to. I looked at him - a very attractive young man with a gorgeous smile and cheeky sense of humour (probably just about young enough to be my son though!) and wondered if his family ever think about him and imagine what he has become. I wonder if they could ever imagine him to have done as well as he has - partly due to SU, but mostly due to his own determination. Would we have the courage to move on from one of the most challenging starts to your life that you could imagine?? His story really made me think - yet again.
Also, during lunch, we poured out the jug of juice that had been provided. Of course, we were one short, and one of the boys looked like he wasn't getting any. I had been served mine, so I took my cup and split my juice with the boy who had none. You should have seen the incredulous look he gave me as I did that -almost as if he had just expected to go without which just wasn't on from my perspective!!
After lunch, the group gathered upstairs where my friend from lunch and the street boy also mentioned at the start who had been shot in the head, joined us and chatted a little about there lives now. It was just incredible and very moving to hear how their lives and their faith have progressed and changed. I just hope that all of the other boys currently in the Girasoles houses will reach the same heights and make the same progress. Paul also shared with us the story of one of the boys who lived at Kawai and was killed in a road accident - his name was Cheeky. The story was very moving. he told us how his Girasoles friends planned the funeral and what a moving but uplifting experience it had been. The hardest thing for me was that when the wee boy was hit, he was conscious, but never once cried or complained despite the horrific extent of his injuries. Almost as if (in his view) what happened to him was no less than he expected or deserved.
I have attached some photos of the boys. They were all just great, and I really enjoyed spending time with them.
After we left the centre, I had time for a quick trip to the Indian market for some last minute shopping before heading off to the airport for my flight. Only Fiona and I were headed home as the rest of the group were headed to Cusco to explore the Sacred Valley and see Macchu Picchu. I wasn't too sad about missing that as I had been there before with Vicki. I was very sad about coming home though. It felt as if time had just gone way too quickly!!
Photos attached again of my last day. Will write one more blog about being home and at work again.
Hope you enjoyed my trip - if anyone would like to find out more I have lots of info re Los Gorriones and the Vine Trust - please just drop me a note.
Thanks to all my die hard family, friends and colleagues for journeying with me.
Lesley x
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