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AMOR
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL - L
October issue - 2011
PROJECTS
KIN INTO OUR FUTURE KING
clinical operations, assessing the general facility, and leading out joint administrative meetings to clarify information needed for the grant writing process. They also sought out local doctors in Pucallpa to aid us in the use of equipment, a surgical facility, and professional input. All of their endeavors proved successful and in the spring of 2012 a group of fifteen will return to perform surgery on patient previously selected. The grant-writing project will come to completion by the summer of 2012 and we are very excited to see the results. It thrills us here at A.M.O.R. to couple with schools like Eastern Virginia Medical School because strong connections such as these are Eastern Virginia Medical School sent a group the building blocks for future expansion and development. of four to grace A.M.O.R. with their presence Pterygium is an all too common problem among these rural for one all too brief week. Dr.Paul Aravich communities and treatment of any kind is far beyond unlikely led the fearless foursome into our jungle for these Peruvian’s, free surgeries to correct this facility to accomplish a set of goals in an pigmentation would bring much relief. The grant would help effort to create a symbiotic relationship A.M.O.R .in its endeavors to create a polyclinic recognized by between their school and our project. EVMS the government by meetings its various requirements (medical works alongside A.M.O.R. to help students supplies, infrastructure, staffing etc). We cannot wait to see (public health) fulfill their international our new friends again as we set out to create a stronger future practicum. The location of our clinic and the for us both. demographic of the general populace in this area create an advantageous experience for Right: Kelly their students and their projects. This year Johnson, there were two main items on the agenda: Dr.Paul one was a study of the prevalence and Aravich, treatment of pterygium (an eye condition Richelle Anthony, caused by the dust and sun), the second was and James a grant writing project that will help secure Spain. A.M.O.R.’s finances and make possible the prospect of upgrading kilometer 8’s clinic into a polyclinic. The group spent their time surveying locals door-to-door, observing
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This is how it is...
Today after class Jasmine and I (the teachers) were pulled aside by another staff member who relayed to us a horrifying story. One of our students had been raped. One of our second grade students. One of our no more than 75lb students. She is one of the sweet faces that we see almost everyday. The details of her ongoing tragedy are too horrifying to write and you may wonder why I’m telling you at all. It is because I want to highlight for you the helplessness of the people. There is no point to this story. There will be no punch line, no asking for your money. I want to tell you about this because this is how it is here. If you have been following this newsletter for sometime now you have you no doubt read countless stories about this project and the lives it has touched, but what I want for this article (which I plan to make ongoing) is to paint for you a picture of what life is like in the underdeveloped world; the good and the bad. Just so you can see it, so you can know it’s there. Not to depress you, bring you down, or make you feel guilty for not having the answers, but to make you aware of what it is we see here. It is important to know these things. They are the hard things that we all must learn to look at. The most heart wrenching part of this was the look on the face of the other teacher. It was a look that said ‘I don’t know what to do.’ We all shared this look together. It was the only look we could find, the only one that fit our face in that moment. The helplessness felt by these people is what struck me. She explained that the mother wouldn’t call the cops because the neighborhood had threatened her. You see they didn’t want to disturb the neighborhood, stir up the pot so to speak. So here we see an innocent child sacrificed for a little neighborhood peace. It might all be in vain anyway, they said, because cops don’t exactly respond Johnny-on-the-spot to calls from poor neighborhoods and if they do they can easily be paid off. What is the solution for a people who feel utterly powerless to protect their families? It takes much effort, persistence and honest justice to bring this to an end, qualities rarely exercised in places like these. They hold no power, or so they believe. Their learned helplessness is perpetuated by the corruption and the cycle continues. The school is now organizing an intervention to lock this man away for good. We hope and pray that he will be brought to justice and we hope and pray that the moral standard of tolerance to unspeakable violence will be raised in this area. This is one helpless story of many. This is one little piece of the darker side of the jungle, but we must face it because this is how it is.
Meet Wendy Murayari, she is a fierce whirlwind of energy and passion. She grew up not two minutes away from our kilometer 8 clinic but never did she imagine what her neighborhood had in store. In November of 2010 she came to the clinic as a patient. A short while later she returned to bring a cake in gratitude of the treatment she had received. Now as you may or may not know, the way to any missionary’s heart is food. Wendy struck gold and A.M.O.R. quickly fell in love with her. Months went by and the clinic became shorthanded during the holidays so Wendy was asked to help for a few weeks. She agreed and we haven’t been able to part with her since. She serves as a nurse and is a darn good one. Her early ambitions were to become a lawyer but after working with A.M.O.R. she is currently enrolling into nursing school. Indeed our wonderful Wendy will go far! Percy Calisaya came to A.M.O.R. after studying medicine for seven years at River Plate Adventist University in Argentina. He was born and raised in Peru and jumped at the opportunity to fulfill his medical apprenticeship in his own country where he would be able to take the education he had received and use it to serve his own people. He specializes in surgery and men’s health here at kilometer 8 but his talent has quickly extended beyond our own clinic. He volunteers in the local hospital emergency room on the weekends, where he works all night shifts. If he’s not
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Arms Wide Open
There are many schools in Pucallpa; few are as humble as George Velasquez Porto Carrero. It is conveniently located, quite literally, a hop and skip away (down the street and across a small stream). It is filled with the sweetest and most lovable children you could ever meet. Their education is substandard (even compared to other local schools) and supplies are limited, limited being one serious understatement. Worksheets and crayons are treated like candy and if you ask them if they are ready to learn you might lose your hearing because their answer is an overwhelming yes. Give them a sticker and they’ll hug you like they’re performing the heimlich maneuver. A.M.O.R. has two teachers Jasmine Silva and Breanne Johnson, that’s me by the way (newsletter editor). We teach English classes daily to some 250 students. The first day of class was very enlightening. When we asked them to guess where the English language came from, we were not expecting to hear answers like ‘Lima, Ecuador, Mexico.’ Most students had never even heard of Europe. We quickly realized their need for other miscellaneous classes and have recently started special extra curricular classes in the evenings. We’re covering subjects such as planetary science, geography, environmental science, health and a ballet class for girls. Yes, they come willingly to these classes on their own time after school. They come with their arms open wide ready to learn and ready to love you. They are among some of the most overlooked children in Peru. Theirs is the face of desire and gratitude; the desire to learn about their world, the gratitude of being taught new words or receiving a shiny sticker. We, the teachers of AMOR, have become the students and are daily learning not only how to instruct but also how to be grateful and how to allow our students to become our teachers.
working he’s studying and if he’s not studying he’s most likely making everybody laugh at mealtime. His sm is a consistent one and a reminder of Gods smile bles blessing on A.M.O.R.’s clinic.
Every home needs a mother. Someone to keep the house from falling into chaos; to ask for advice; someone to bandage the wounds. Cecilia Caballero Lopez stepped into this role last year when she came to A.M.O.R. to fulfill her internship for medical school. She, like Percy, is a bo born and bred Peruvian that has returned to her coun country to serve her people. She attended River Plat Plate Adventist University to study medicine in the hope hopes of becoming a pediatrician; after months of wo working with local women in Pucallpa she has reco recognized her deeper calling to become an obst obstetrics gynecologist. She has delivered countless babi babies in our humble clinic and has brought much reli relief to the women and children of our area. Aside from her work she cooks some of the best meals and can be heard singing throughout the day. Or Originally Cecilia set out to work with A.M.O.R. for one year, well one year has come and gone but she has remained with the project because of the burden she has for the work of God and the people of Peru.
Students gather for an annual talent pageant assembly
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doing manuel labor. They quickly joined our A.M.O.R . family and were an inspiring couple to meet!
If you haven’t met Ever Salcedo, which I know you haven’t, I’m telling you now that you are missing out on a wonderful friend. Ever came to A.M.O.R. by way of his brother Eric who works at t the kilometer 38 cite. One day Ever stopped by to visit his brother. Never one to sit around while work is to be done, Ever helped for the day doing g miscellaneous jobs. His work ethic was his only application, an obvious shew-in, he was asked to stay. He is currently studying law at the local University and it is to be noted that he is ranked number 1 in the entire school. He is a Jack-ofall-trades type of guy that has helped to shape the lives of locals and missionaries alike forEver.
Above: Garrett of the Ucayali with a patient registered EMT clinic!
and Jordana standing in front river. Below: Jordana poses she attended, she is a and was a real blessing to the
Visitors of A.M.O.R.
We were so happy to receive dental SM Victor Longoria’s sister Jordana and husband Garrett Spangler for a week visit. They could have spent their time relaxing in hammocks and sight seeing but they immediately rolled up their sleeves and helped out in the clinic as well
CONTACT US
EMAIL
www.touchoflov eperu.org
ADDRESS
A.M.O.R. Projects P.O.Box 212 Loma Linda, California 92354
WEBSITE
Touchofloveper u@gmail.com
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