The Joys of Travel Among Friends in Peru and Bolivia

With comments from Robin Mohr, Executive Secretary, and Meredith Garrison, Iowa Yearly Meeting (FUM)

Robin: Being with Friends from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Iowa YM (FUM), New England YM, and Northwest YM made traveling more fun. The group ranged in age from mid-20s to late 80s. Some of the Friends from NWYM had been missionaries in Peru and Bolivia previously and they shared generously from their memories and their knowledge of the countries.

Meredith: Getting to travel through Peru with the help of the FWCC was an amazing experience and complete blast. I loved the group I traveled with. Robin was always prepared for anything and everything, Jeff was always quick with cool comparisons between Peru and Bolivia, and Nataly always knew how to help me with the locals. The Northwestern group was also great. To travel with people who had such a connection with the people of the country was a blessing.

Robin: Interviewing Friends for part of the review of the Comite de Amigos de Latino America

Meredith: The Peruvian Friends were wonderful hosts. The always made me feel welcome and cared for, even with the language barrier and occasional bout of sadness

Robin: Being present for the dedication of a new Friends Church in Puno, Peru. The small group of four families and a few older and younger adults had just finished building a new church space, after some months of meeting in one family’s living room.

Meredith: I loved how throughout all the services it was clear all "performances" were done out of complete adoration of God, not in search of approval and praise from others

Robin: Visiting with Friends on the outskirts of Arequipa, Peru, and seeing the land where they plan to build a new church building, just in the shadow of the city jail, where they hope to bring Alternatives to Violence Project workshops

Robin: Worshipping together with Friends on the site of the first Quaker worship in Peru, on the 50th anniversary of that occasion

 

Robin: Attending the celebrations of INELA Peru in Ilave, with cake & fireworks at midnight, and choirs from every quarterly meeting during three days of celebrations

 

Meredith: I also loved how the Peruvian Friends treated one another as if they were an extremely tight knit family. From calling out what they saw as faults at a service to the love between the mountain and city people, it was clear that there was love in the room. Also, the food was amazing. I ate so much bread, drink my body weight in banana soda and ate salchipapas whenever I got the chance.

 

 

Robin: Attending a meeting in La Paz of the six yearly meetings in Bolivia, and seeing them grow in trust and cooperation as they prepare together for the 6th World Conference of Friends next year in Kenya

Robin: Bringing a positive response to the invitation of the Union Juvenil Evangelica de Los Amigos (Young Adult Friends) in Peru & Bolivia to develop a Quaker Youth Pilgrimage in South America

 

 

 

 

Robin: Attending a special worship service at the Friends Church in El Alto, to welcome the Iglesia Evangelica Union Boliviana Amigos, (IEUBA) the newest yearly meeting to join FWCC

 

 

 

Robin: Attending session of Los Andes Quarterly Meeting of the Junta Annual de los Amigos Central in a rural area on the altiplano between La Paz and Lake Titicaca.

For more stories and photos, visit the blog of the Northwest Yearly Meeting team: Eyes and Ears Abroad

Read more about the Committee of Latin American Friends (COAL).