Barrios

A little about where we are staying and working. Our home away from home is in the Chorillos district of Lima that while not the most wealthy here, is doing pretty well as a municipality. We see workers in city jumpsuits, active store fronts and the roads are paved. We are staying a a Catholic Convent that also has a retreat center chirch and girls school on its grounds. The location is cliff side overlooking the bay with sand and surfers down below. Consturction is proceeding in several places including a new frontage road by the beach. Our neighbors are several tall condo buildings as well as lots of private residences, many with security guards. Across the street is a military neighborhood with housing, recreation. The Peruvian war college is just around the corner. Both the police and military have thier own housing, hopsital and parks and these professions are very highly regarded. There is a stong sence of honor and support for these institutions.
On our commute to Jesus el Salvador we are treated to a rainbow of socio-economic conditions. We pass shiney Roky chicken outlets and large scale malls with movie complexes and mega supermarkets. Later we pass grass lined medians with newly planted palms and crews working on concrete curbs. Later as we leave Chorillos we see the beginnings of open space and the high walls of the womans's prison the shops become road side mechanics, car washes and small food stands. As we climb the hill into Villa senor the city trash sits piled along the roadside picked over for any small item or treasure. Later, we enter the commercial center. The streets are wide and paved with an unkept grassy median. Corner vendors sell all sorts of items from stalls. Bus stops are lined with locals waiting for their "routa" bus, each labled with the streets on which it runs. Some how there is always room for one more passanger.
Driving here is a lesson in bravery and we are all constantly amazed by the numerous near misses; not for the faint of heart. Busses and trucks are scurried around by taxis and "motos", a rickshaw like vehicle driven like a motorcycle as well as private cars, most well kepy. Oddly, it all seems to work in an organized fashion and we have yet to see an accident or be delayed in any major way. There are lots of police to assist and even our bus was stopped once for a random check of the driver's papers.
Our work site is in the Villa Salvador district. This area is only about 40 years old and was founded as an "invasion". This is a neighborhoood where families simply begin setting up homes as wood or corregated shacks in an open ares. From the beginning the "streets" are laid out in an organized fasion with a park park in the center of the barrio. Once established these neighborhoods wait as municipal systems like power and water catch up with the demand for services. In the case of Villa Salvador, the residents have come a long way in 40 years and the municipality has proudly addded soccer and basket ball courts as well as a small community center. There is a small store in the barrio and on the main road lots of shops and small eating places. But there are none of the large retail or fast food chains here.
We are working with great people and are very happy to be making a real difference in thier lives and their church.