Medical Equipment to Save Lives, More Foods of Peru, and Scenes around Lima

20 August 2017

Saving Lives in Remote Clinics

Our project to help mothers and babies survive childbirth high in the Andes is coming to completion.  In two weeks we travel to Cerro de Pasco  (at 14,400 feet elevation) to make the final delivery of equipment that will help doctors save the poor who have no recourse but to visit government-sponsored clinics. These government clinics, though staffed with good doctors, often lack equipment that we would consider necessary in any modern health establishment.

Donations in Cerro de Pasco
Left: Portable Ultra-sound devices (3 total)
Right: Fetal Monitors (2 total)

Cerro de Pasco has a population of 50,000. Things get complicated there when there are medical emergencies because the next closest city with an airport is 2 hours away over twisting mountain roads. The equipment donations we are making (ultrasound devices, fetal heart monitors, blood chemical analyzers) will go to remote clinics where mothers often give birth. This equipment will help with early diagnosis of problem pregnancies so mothers can be referred to larger hospitals to give birth before they go into labor and have problems.

All of our humanitarian projects require approval by the Area Presidency. To help gain approval, we prepared a video of the health situation in Cerro de Pasco to show to the Area Presidency, highlighting maternal and neonatal deaths that occurred in the past year due to lack of equipment. Click on this link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etlgq5Jexak&t=2s) to view the short video we prepared (sorry, it's all in Spanish).

Video for Cerro de Pasco project. The doctors we interviewed described the multiple maternal and neonatal deaths they have had, many of which could have been prevented with early diagnosis of health issues and better monitoring during delivery.

Our trip to Cerro de Pasco for the delivery ceremony promises to be an adventure. Last time we went, we both suffered from altitude sickness (even after taking preventive medication ahead of time). The only cure that works for most people in the Andes is coca leaf tea, which quickly cures the headaches and nausea in ways that modern medications don't seem to touch.

More Peruvian Foods

Tamales - Peruvian Style

We love Mexican tamales, and we made them every year in New Mexico as part of our traditional Christmas meals. Here in Peru, rather than wrap up their tamales in corn husks, they wrap them in banana leaves and tie them neatly before cooking (you can buy them this way at most grocery stores).

Peruvian tamales - all wrapped up ready to cook

After cooking and unwrapping the tamales, they look a lot like the Mexican tamales. The corn masa can taste similar to the tamales we have at home, but the Peruvian tamales typically have less meat, are served with a special onion garnish on top (which they call 'sarsa'), and include a cooked olive. For these Peruvian tamales, we typically put lots of spicy 'crema de aji' on top (a Peruvian salsa which we really like). We usually eat far more 'aji' than most Peruvians because we like our food very spicy.

Peruvian tamales, cooked and ready to eat, served with an onion garnish on top call 'sarsa'.

Exotic Fruits of the Tropics - Passion Fruit and Granadilla

We find lots of fruit here in Peru that we never saw in the USA. Many of these fruits are so perishable they could never ship them from the tropics. Two that we really like are passion fruit (called maracuyá) and granadilla. The passion fruit is so tangy and tart that it is like eating a whole pack of Sweet Tarts. I often blend up several of both fruit, along with yogurt and some mango, to make an incredible smoothie that we drink every Sunday.

Tangy Passion Fruit (left) and Granadilla (right), some of our favorite tropical fruits.

Potatoes in Peru

All potatoes trace their origin to the Andes Mountains. The Spaniards took potatoes back to Europe with them, and they are now a staple around the world. Now, although we typically see about a half-dozen varieties of potatoes in the USA and Europe, here in the Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia there are something like 3,000 varieties. They come in lots of unusual shapes and most of the colors of the rainbow. Almost every Peruvian dish includes potatoes.

Some of the most bizarre shapes and colors of Peruvian potatoes.

Local grocery stores here in Lima carry a dozen varieties, but we find more odd and colorful types when we go to the little markets. Even more varieties are available in the mountain towns where the many varieties cultivated by the Incas are still easily available.

Bread to Your Door

Street merchants abound here in Peru - people go up and down the neighborhood streets selling their goods, many of them on bicycle carts. One of these merchants is a guy selling bread who rides his bike cart up and down our street, honking a little horn to let everyone know he is coming. You go out of your house, he opens up his 'store', and you pick the bread you want. How convenient!

The bread seller with his bike cart. Note the small horn in his hand that he honks to let all in the neighborhood know he is open for business.

Fresh breads, cakes, rolls - right to your front door.

Peruvian Hairless Dog

We occasionally see a very odd breed of dog here called the 'Peruvian Hairless'. This breed has been around since the time of the Incas. Ugly? I think so. We always watch ourselves when we see these dogs walking around - they like to bite!

Nap time for a Peruvian Hairless. They often have some blonde hair on the top of their heads, but other than that, their black skin is bare. Certainly a strange site for us.

Keeping us Safe

Here is a shot I took a while back. Police were gathered at a park downtown on the day of a demonstration. They seem to like demonstrations and strikes here. The cops come along too to maintain order. Next time I will include a shot of them in their riot gear - it is a lot more impressive!

Cops are always present during strikes and demonstrations in Peru.

Our humanitarian work marches on. It is hard work but we know we are helping those most in need. It is hard to believe we have now completed 7 of our 18 months in Peru. At times it feels like only a few weeks have passed - but on some days, it feels like we have been here for a decade! We are grateful, nonetheless, for this incredible chance to serve.