When Bill and Jeanine first told me that they were moving out into the countryside to live among the poor Quechua families, I wasn't quite sure what to think.  Sometimes our imagination is worse than reality.  

The reality is that the house they live in, though perhaps not entirely up to American building codes, is nice and quite comfortable.  It sits on a very large lot and is surrounded on all sides by a large adobe wall.  They have fruit trees, and a separate walled garden/greenhouse (which, unfortunately, still needs the clear plastic covering at the cost of approximately $200 American dollars).  Fortunately, they have the space to park their vehicle within the adobe walls, which they do at night.  Although they don't have a clothes dryer, they do have a washing machine, under cover, close to the back door.

Their home is the only brick house in the whole "neighborhood".  They are surrounded by poor Quechua neighbors, whom they've befriended, living in small Adobe homes...of all shapes and sizes.  Most of the homes are owned by a landlord living elsewhere.  Most of the Quechua homes do not have indoor plumbing.  At night there is the smell of the wood fires, as the families cook on a fogón, a type of  earthen wood stove.  

Some of the families have a few livestock - a cow or two, a hog, a few sheep, some chickens or turkeys.  Jeanine buys fresh milk from one farmer and pasteurizes it for their use.  The milk is very rich and makes great puddings and other desserts.  She also buys fresh eggs from another farmer.  They eat very healthy living there in the country, cooking all fresh food.

The photo above is the home of Gladys and her husband Ephraim and their two children,  Jennifer (pronounced yen' i fer) and Ronald ("Ronnie").  They live directly behind Bill and Jeanine's house.  You'll notice the rustic wooden door on the left side of the adobe wall.  The family of four live in one room approximately 12' x 14'.  

The small hut next to the adobe wall is their kitchen which has a dirt floor, table, chairs and a fogón.  It's also where they house their guinea pigs and where the children do their homework at times by the single light bulb overhead.  There is one large utility type sink just outside the kitchen door and a single commode on a concrete platform between the kitchen wall and the adobe wall.  They must walk across a muddy path during the rainy season to get from the room where the four of them live to the kitchen or the outdoor toilet.

Gladys raises chickens and guinea pigs (Cuy) to feed her family.  She also picks apples to sell to make money for her family.  The father works long hours away from home during each day.

Jennifer is nine years old.  She is very pretty with a beautiful smile.  A very bright and artistic child, Jennifer goes to a public all-girls school in Cusco and travels by public transportation - alone - everyday.  She has to transfer buses twice.  If you've read my earlier description of traffic in Cusco, then you'll understand the magnitude of this truth.  Jennifer has to cross the streets of Cusco on more than one occasion everyday. 

Already Jennifer helps her mother do laundry, washing their clothes in one bucket of cold water and rinsing in another.  She helps cook on the fogón.  She takes care of her little brother Ronnie, and she does all of this with one of the sweetest dispositions I have ever seen. 

Jeanine had recently cut Noelle's hair, and Jennifer decided she wanted her long hair (which had not been cut since infancy) cut also.  Gladys was very happy that Jeanine would cut Jennifer's hair and so one afternoon we were all gathered in the backyard together watching the transformation.  Jennifer was quite pleased with her new look.  I went to the market the following day and bought her barrettes and ribbons for her new hair style.  She gave me a big hug and a smile.  I was very touched when Jeanine told me that Jennifer had told her mother that she wanted me to be her new grandmother and that she wanted to go back to the United States with me.

Ronnie is six years old.  He is in the first grade in public school.  He also takes public transportation to get to school everyday.  He is a bright, inquisitive child with a sweet disposition and a ready smile. 

One of the first things I noticed when I met Ronnie is that he has Nystagmus.  Evidently, he has had it since birth.  He has never seen a physician in his life.  Jeanine is encouraging Gladys to take Ronnie to the clinic to see Bill for assessment about his eyes.

Meeting my new friend Gladys was one of the highlights of my three weeks in Peru.  I speak very little Spanish and Gladys doesn't speak English.  My granddaughters would translate for us until they tired and were ready to go play. 

One day I had been visiting Gladys and when I returned home, my son said with a grin in amazement, "Mom, how could you stay an hour?  You don't even speak Spanish!"  Oh, no problem, I replied.  She was showing me her family photos and all her knitting (beautiful!).  We managed.  (Photo at right:  My friend Gladys and me...keep in mind, I'm only 5'3"!)

I bought apples from her and made three apple pies.  I gave one to her family.  Usually, the Quechua don't like a lot of sweets, but apparently they liked the apple pie.  Jeanine made bread one day and took a loaf to them which they also enjoyed very much. 

A few days before I left, Gladys gave me a small piece of Quechua pottery with a lid...and two amazing pieces of her border embroidery - one of which said "No me olvide"...don't forget me.

The Sunday before I returned home we went to the market in Pisac.  I bought twelve skeins of beautiful navy blue Alpaca yarn...enough for Gladys to make Jennifer and Ronnie each a sweater.  I wanted to do so much more for each of them...their needs are so great.  Gladys and her family did something special for me...they gave me a glimpse into the hearts and lives of the Quechua people.

Email:  patacakebabies@msn.com

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