David's amazing day!

What an amazing and humbling day! We started early again from our base in Chincheros...first thing in the morning another bumpy dusty ride up and down mountain hilllsides to Angel's office in Uranmarca (view pictured right) where we got an update on our schedule for the day - visits to three different communities where World Neighbors staff has been active in community development.

It wasn't far to the first village where we sat in the small plaza of the town and heard welcoming speeches from community leaders and active World Neighbors sponsors. Everyone praised the support and training provided by World Neighbors.

Successful micro credit stories were told....we met a young woman named Lucha (pictured left with her father) who used a loan guaranteed by her father to buy a sewing machine and start a small business.....we heard from farmers who used credits from the programs started by World Neighbors to buy cows and grow a herd. Pictures were taken, hugs shared, everyone thanked us and thanked us for being part of the World Neighbors team. We all left the small village feeling very good about how well Angel and Julio were executing World Neighbors principles.....and we were just getting started.

We turned our direction back to Uranmarca for the next visit and to hear other stories.... and much to our surprise and delight were greeted by everyone in town...the local school band banging on drums and blowing horns....a welcoming banner and people lining the main street of town applauding and throwing flower petals in the air. We got out of our van and village women ran up to drape beautiful blankets over our shoulders, wrap alpaca shawls around our necks, cover our heads with colorful sombreros and hand us another banner to carry praising the work of World Neighbors.


We proceeded to dance thru the town with smiling faces all around us, music guiding the way, flower petals snowing the air. What a reception....what a welcome. Speeches followed on the street outside Angel's office....the town mayor, the principal of the local school...other dignitaries. Everyone praised the work of Angel and Julio and the commitment and support of World Neighbors. Everyone noted the rarity of visitors from far away and how much it meant to the community. We were actually and formally declared the Godparents of the local high school. The paper to honor us will be proudly displayed at World Neighbors headquarters in Oklahoma City.

More speeches and praise flowed from the local community leaders as well as the World Neighbors representatives. An Andean Harp and violins emerged and music again got everyone to their feet for more dancing. The food came out next....heaping plates of potato, corn and cuy. More speeches, requests and commitments. A veritable love fest for World Neighbors that was absolutely overwhelming to those of us along to learn about what our programs really do. What they really do is inspire people and improve communities.....I have seldom if ever felt so good and so proud to be associated with an organization.

We followed the celebration with pisco sour toasts in Angel's office and a presentation on the types of programs, the number of people and families served by World Neighbors in Uranmarca. I think the numbers surprised even those who are receiving the support.

Another round of praise for World Neighbors by the town leaders and we finally began to disengage....we had another town to visit and more people to see. Handshakes hugs and eternal thanks surrounded our departure. The drums and brass provided a farewell blast.

Our next visit was a bit of a drive away and we were reliving the excitement and discussing the details of our work in Uranmarca when we pulled into our final destination for the day......much to our surprise and delight another welcoming parade! More local floral confetti, drums and brass, women grabbing our hands to dance.....we worked our way to the town center and were provided seats of honor in front of local authorities and leaders.


Emotional speeches followed about the impact and effort of World Neighbors in the community.....again micro credit programs seeded and trained by World Neighbors being the key to many successes. We met a man (pictured left with his wife) who got a loan to buy carpentry tools and was now the primary furniture maker for the town. Another woman used a small loan from the community credit program to buy a loom (built by the carpenter!) and start weaving blankets and other goods for community purchase.....the interconnectedness and shared efforts were impressive. We heard many of the same speeches we had heard in our other visits - gratefulness for World Neighbors commitment and training, the hard work being put in and the satisfaction with an improving quality of life as the result.

Very clear admiration for Julio and Angel and the whole World Neighbors team behind them, believing in the community and the people.....again, we were overwhelmed by the reception and the fact that as representatives of this great organization we were the recipients of all this love and respect. Very humbling but very rewarding. Unforgettable.

I'm not sure what time we got back to our little hotel that evening.....long after dark and long after our schedule had suggested. We all glowed with the events of the day and the knowledge that World Neighbors plays such a meaningful role in these people's lives. Very humbling and very rewarding. I encourage you to experience one of these journeys yourself.

I'd like to extend special thanks and admiration to Julio and Angel who so clearly and successfully lead World Neighbors efforts in Peru. Very special, talented and committed individuals who bring out the best in so many. World Neighbors is made up of many people like them. I am proud to be a member of the family.

- David Bearden