DAY 1

And so it begins.  This pilgrimage to Peru is one that I have dreamed of experiencing for most of my adult life.  As we met with Sister Pauline and Yvonne to prepare for the trip, we were given travel information and a general idea of what our visit to  Peru might encompass. Expect the unexpected seemed to be their mantra. Tough to pack for that!

Upon our arrival at the airport in Lima today we were so pleased to hear that we were early enough to meet our youth group that were preparing to board the plane and head home. They were still very excited and eager to share their experience.  It was a joy to see their enthusiasm as they told their stories about their work among the poor. They told us that their trip had been amazing, wished us well and headed back to Canada.

We were driven from the airport to a Convent Retreat Center that would be our home for the next several days.  I considered it a small miracle that we made the drive and lived to tell about it.  Traffic moves at a rapid speed in Lima and the drivers seem to navigate with a system of hand gestures, horn honks and aggression that makes rush hour in Toronto look like a Sunday drive.
After we had a short rest and a much needed shower, we drove into the heart of Lima to have lunch with Bishop Adriano Tomasi and Jorge, assistant to Cardinal Cipriani.  As we tasted our first Peruvian food and drink we learned of the many projects that the Diocese oversees.  Bishop Tomasi’s love for his people and his beliefs that they must be helped was very evident. His frustration with the politics involved in some of the work was also very clear.  I have never had so many work projects explained to me in such a short time.  I am very pleased to know that we will meet with the Bishop again tomorrow and see some of this work first hand.

It is hard to believe that we have not been here for a full day. There is much to see and learn and I am very excited to be part of that process here in Lima.

Thank you again for all of your prayers and support.  Joan

Group in front of the Lima Cathedral main altar.

Group in the Lima Cathedral Museum.

Group in front of a partnership agreement between the Archdiocese of Lima and the Diocese of Pembroke signed by Cardinal Cipriani (of Lima) and Bishop Smith (of Pembroke) in 2006.  The plaque behind the group hangs in the Lima Cathedral.