|
 |
Trip to Peru...
 My trip to Peru last December was my second trip to the country with Medical Wings. As a youth volunteer, I'm never sure what to expect, since my roles on the missions really vary. On this trip, I helped prepare gift bags to hand out at the Christmas party in Las Choncherias and helped out at the party the next day. While stuffing bags with toys, treats, and personal hygiene items, I gained a new appreciation for just how big the number one thousand is. You have no idea what an impressive number it is until you've put one thousand candies, one thousand combs, one thousand washclothes, one thousand bars of soap, and one thousand toys into one thousand small bags.
 These bags went to the over one thousand kids who showed up at the party. At the party, I went around painting stars, Christmas trees, and hearts on the kids' faces. Although they were shy at first, the kids quickly warmed up to us. I've never had much artistic talent, but these kids were thrilled by the lopsided drawings I sketched on their faces. I was really struck by how much this party meant to them, and how happy they were to receive the gifts and food that they received.
Hannah Melnicoe
Youth volunteer
|
