Support Group for People with Disabilities

One of the secondary projects I’m working with is a support group for disabled people. The group is very passionate with their desire to help people but is extremely disorganized, and at times I really want nothing to do with them. For example, they have plans to build a rehabilitation center complete with medical staff, physical therapy, speech therapy and more. Sounds like a great idea but is the little town of San Miguel really an appropriate place for such a thing? Hmmm, maybe not.

Anyway, this group planned a Chocolatada (Christmas Party) for all the disabled children in the surrounding campo of San Miguel. I thought it sounded like a great idea so I told them I would be happy to help out in any way I could.

When I showed up there was a room full of stuff for us to give away to kids and their families. Someone had donated about 10 boxes of used clothing, a bunch of toys and balls, and a whole table full of candy. We got it organized and ready to give away and soon the families started showing up.

In walked extremely poor families from the campo. Most of them had old ragged clothes and only a few wore shoes. With each family was with a child with some sort of disability, anything from Down’s syndrome to being blind. Some were in wheel chairs; others that couldn’t walk were carried in on the backs of their parents. Most of the families had to walk for a couple of hours to get there. One came from so far away they had to walk for 5 hours! And after the party, they were just going to have to turn around and walk back home.

The party started off with a bunch of songs and games and then we had a talk given by the psychologist from the health post and another by one of the doctors. Afterwards we served hot chocolate, panneton (fruit cake that Peruvians love), crackers and cookies. Then we started handing out the toys and clothes. These things were so old, worn and out of style I don’t think even good will would want to take them. But the people at this party were overjoyed to receive anything they could. Who would have ever thought that just to get an old pair of jeans or a ragged sweater would light up their faces like it did?

As soon as the party was over, people started jumping up to start cleaning. I had girls running up to me asking for more brooms to help sweep. Others were putting the chairs away, and taking the decorations down. I’d never seen such a thing, people actually asking to clean up after their own party? These were some really great full people. A whole bunch of people came up to me and grabbed me then gave me a huge bear hug and saying their thank yous over and over again. Some even started to cry with their gratitude. I didn’t know what to say, I hadn’t done anything to deserve their thanks. It was definitely the most humbling experience I’ve had in my time in Peru.