Freezing in the Andes, Blankets to the Rescue in Arequipa

23 July 2017

Temperatures in the Andes mountains are freezing cold right now. Five regional governments have appealed to us for help, so we have sent 7,000 blankets and 3,300 foam mattress in response to the emergency requests.

Emergency Supplies into Arequipa

As part of the deliveries of emergency supplies, all of us in the area welfare office have been sent to different mountain cities to attend delivery ceremonies. This week we attended one such ceremony in the mountain city of Arequipa in southern Peru.

One of the most beautiful cities in Peru, Arequipa sits at the foot of snow-covered Misti volcano. The weather in the city was nice, but not far away in the mountain communities, freezing winter temperatures are driving this emergency.

The city of Arequipa, sitting at 8,000 elevation, is the capital of a region that requested the blankets to send to freezing citizens living in really high elevations where winter temperatures are killing even the llamas and alpacas. 

Regional officials, local church leaders, and us all gathered for the donation ceremony at the regional government. Right after the ceremony, blankets and mattresses were loaded onto trucks to be taken to the mountain communities most in need.

Gathering together for the delivery ceremony at the regional government offices in the city of Arequipa.

The 20 bundles contained 50 wool blankets each (1,000 total for this region alone, 7,000 total throughout Peru) being sent to the mountain communities. Deliveries were being made to other regions throughout the Andes Mountains as part of the emergency.

The 4-inch foam mattresses were being donated in addition to help make the nights bearable in mountain communities, many of which are located above 14,000 feet elevation.

Foam mattresses being donated to areas most affected by the extreme winter conditions.

Trucks from the regional government loaded up the blankets and mattresses and hauled them into the mountain communities. Our partners in the regional government sent us the following shots as the supplies were being handed out in the communities most affected.

Distributing the blankets and mattresses in the mountain village of Caylloma, elevation 14,763 feet. It might be sunny, but temperatures fall well below zero at night in this region where the poor build their own homes out of rocks and mud.

Mountain residents waited patiently in line to get some of the blankets and mattresses that will help them face the coldest of nighttime temperatures.

The emergency supplies were handed out directly to the people in need, and each recipient signed a form indicating what they had received in order to make sure the shipment was handed out properly.

We felt fortunate to be able to participate in this emergency project and see the people helped through this especially difficult winter.

Around Arequipa

We had a few hours to spend in Arequipa before our flight home. What a beautiful city - cobblestone streets and colonial Spanish buildings from the 1600s. This is a city we could easily live in with its mild climate, friendly people, and beautiful architecture!

View in the Plaza de Armas (central park of the city) with the cathedral and snow-capped volcano in the background. Most amazing is the fact that palm trees can grow at this altitude and survive the winters here.

Beautiful colonial architecture throughout Arequipa gives this city a special charm.

The last time we saw such beautiful Spanish 'Plateresque' building sculptures was when we visited Spain. The Spanish influence is found through the city. This mansion, built in the early 1700s (Casa Tristan del Pozo), is a classic piece of colonial architecture.

Because Arequipa is high in the Andes Mountains, many of the residents are Quechua Indians. These woman brought one of their baby llamas (or alpacas) into town for photo ops with the tourists.

Quechua Indian women in traditional dress with their baby llama (or alpaca). Note the knit cap on the animal's fuzzy little head.

A religious procession was in progress the day we arrived. Men bearing this image of the Virgin Mary on their shoulders slowly marched down a street as part of the parade - a common practice throughout Peru.

Shot of the Plaza de Armas with its fountains, arched building facades, and even palm trees in this high-altitude city. With close to a million residents, Arequipa is still a very livable city.

Final night shot of the Arequipa Cathedral. The white stones that were used in this and many other buildings in town have given Arequipa the nickname of the 'white city'.

And so as we flew home after a successful delivery of emergency supplies in Arequipa, we wondered where the next disaster would take place. Then, we looked out of the plane's window and noticed this - a smoking volcano spewing ash and steam. Hmmm, who knows what is waiting around the corner for us!

What other surprises are waiting for us next here in Peru? 

The locals keep telling us, "En Peru, todo es posible" ("In Peru, everything is possible"). And so we march on, knowing that anything (and everything) is possible here in this amazing land of such incredible beauty.