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Baby in the Andes Mountains, Peru - 2006/05/05 09:42
I was climbing to one of the remote villages of the Peruvian Andes Mountains--Culca. The indigenous tribe of the area had never seen a foreign woman, and I would be their first encounter. I had been warned in the village of Tupe I would be robbed, and murdered. I traveled on anyway with 2 partners--one from AL and one from VA. I could not imagine my senses being any more alert. The hike was beautiful and extreme, but I was more focused on the people.
Upon our arrival, the village was seemingly deserted. It consisted of about 10 families--most were working in the fields. Although the language was Quechua, we were able to communicate in our broken Spanish to a couple of families. They were in awe of our visit.
The night brought the most memorable event. Of course, I could not sleep for what had been warned me in the previous village, so when I heard movement nearby, I sprang into action. I found an elderly man holding a baby. He spoke in desperation. A young girl emerged from the shadows a moment later. He heard white men could heal the sick, and he pleaded us to heal his great grandaughter he held in his arms. This beautiful baby--Adela--had recessed lip, a condition that could be fixed by surgery in the states, but resources aren't available in such remote areas of Peru. The condition is not critical, and steps could be taken to ease the burden. My AL partner had a medical background, so he was able to explain the condition to our midnight friends. They were relieved to discover their Adela would be alright.
We bid farewell to our village friends and continued our travels to the region's seat--Catauasi. We were spent, but very much alive. I will never forget my visit to Culca as the first foreign woman, and I will never forget little Adela.
Safe Journey,
Tamara Paul
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