Southern Cross Intern Updates

Southern Cross currently has 12 amazing interns in three locations: Trujillo, Porcon (Cajamarca region) and Sacred Valley Peru. Special thanks to Alberto Puertas for organizing the interns and Blanca Esther Castillo Martell, Leo Gavancho and Don Alejandro for hosting the interns in Peru. We wanted to share updates of the interns first weeks in their locations. For full accounts click here see our child blog site.

Aldea Infintal (Trujillo) by Carrie Van Dusen:

"Two new boys came to the Aldea Infantil in Trujillo this past week. One is tall, quiet, nice and his name is Pedro, the other is Christian. Christian is about 8 years old and is missing all his front teeth yet still insists on biting people-myself included. Yes, I was bit by the toothless child and, impossibly, it still left teeth marks. I gave him a hug, and he gave me three red sores on my stomach. As you can probably tell, Christian and I didn't take to each other very quickly. I suppose this is understandable considering he had been picked up off the street only days before and may not be very used to affection.....
On Friday Christian, Pedro, and another new girl in the Aldea had to get their shots so we all piled into the truck for the hospital in Trujillo. I wasn't terribly excited for Christian, the boy with possible ADHD and an anger problem, to sit next to me in a confined space for 40 minutes, but, surprisingly, the whole ride he quietly held my hand and smiled as I counted out his fingers, "uno, dos, tres, cuantro, cinco-dame cinco!" (one, two, three, four, five--give me five!) It made me reevaluate the importance of holding someone's hand.... (to read more see the blog!)

El Girasol (Sacred Valley) Peru by Brittany Bushnell

"I have so much I could write I don´t know where to start! All I can say is these kids are incredible. When I first got here I didn´t know their stories and I would have never thought they have had such hard trials, because they are all so loving and have the sweetest spirits. The first thing I noticed when I got here was how hard-working they are and how much they take care of each other. They are also so eager to learn and love anyone. I really thought when I came here that I would be serving them but since I´ve been here these kids have taught me so much."

Granja Porcon (Cajamarca Region) by Brian Walker

"It´s been an amazing first two weeks here at the Granja Porcon. The people are amazing, their love is extended to anyone, including those who have come from far away to learn from them. When we first got here they quickly
took us in and provided everything we could need and have also treated us with such great respect. Recently, we have started working with the tourism division here in order to broaden their tourism and also improve it using what knowledge we have. One assignment we received is to create four new pamphlets advertising the amazing community here in Porcon. Along with this assignment came the opportunity to go and work along side the people in their daily work to do such things as helping to milk cows, weaving native tapestries, and vaccinating over a 150 bovines over two days time. All along the way we learn a little bit more about these people and the truly unique culture they have to offer the rest of the world. However, I feel the things I have learned from these hard-working people, such as Don Alejandro, or Don Pedro, or the hundreds of others we have rubbed shoulders with, are inexpressible. I just hope that what little we can offer will be enough to make a difference in their lives for the better, because they truly deserve it."