News in Peru and Vision Health International

Cameron Diaz didn't know about Shining Path... An interesting debacle.

5 foot tall penguins once roamed the Peruvian cost. Whoever wrote this article doesn't seem to know that there still are species of hot weather loving penguins that live in southern Peru, in Ica, where the Nazca Lines are. I don't think that they're very big. I gotta get down there. It's supposed to be beautiful. The penguins live on a few islands off the coast that Peace Corps volunteers call the Poor Man's Galapagos. I think they're really called Islas Ballestas.

In my own life I was helping out a bit yesterday at a free health campaign in Piura at the Ministry of Health Hospital. A group of eye doctors was down from the US to do operations on children with crossed eyes and adults with cataracts. It's called Vision Health International. These campaigns are always so crazy, mobs of people each with a heart wrenching story and each patient with at least one family member lobbying really hard to make sure that their loved one gets to see the doctor and gets care. I have never seem so many cross eyed kids, and blind elderly people in one place before. The folks were amazing. They had a system. Everyone got to see the doctor and I think everyone made it on the surgery schedule- with respectful, kind, and language appropriate communication to boot. And they're working with the Ministry of Health which many NGO's don't do because the bureaucracy makes it difficult but, it's the best way to reach the people who need the help the most. They're the ones who can't afford anything besides the Peruvian national free public health care system which only offers limited benefits. If you're interested in giving someone money or helping out as an eye doctor (John and Larry) these are good folks.

I actually went with Dora, the mom from my former host family. She really cannot see that it's her brother coming in the door of her house and I went to try to get her some glasses. Come to find out that the plan in the campaign is just surgery. Fortunately, a couple of the doctors took pity on us and promised us a pair. I'll post a picture of her in her new glasses when she gets them. Assuming she'll let me take a picture! She says that glasses are for old ladies.