Peru: One Journey Ends…

Greetings blog followers,

It is with great sadness that we regret to inform you that OG Peru Disaster Relief 2011 is now officially over. All participants have returned home to the luxuries of green grass, toilets with seats and warm showers. While they may appreciate finally being able to throw used toilet paper in the toilet instead of a smelly garbage a few feet away, the allure of ceviche and the beaches of Paracas will soon make everyone wish they were back here in Peru.

We cannot express how proud we are of the accomplishments of the participants. Mostly being first-time travelers, everyone quickly learned the ins-and-outs of the backpacker lifestyle in Lima before we embarked on a life-changing journey to Pisco. Working with Pisco Sin Fronteras, our group built construction tables, painted murals, built an earthbench out of tires, taught English classes, poured cement, installed plumbing and so much more. The money fundraised before the trip will go towards purchasing a new truck for PSF, community development with the plan to start a vocational training program for local youth to work alongside foreign volunteers, environmental education programs for local schools and to PSF´s General Project Fund (which constructs houses for those still homeless after 4 years post-disaster) as well. In total, we raised over $7,000 for the in-country projects and worked our butts off for more than 2 weeks to make a real difference in the community. The added bonus: learning new skills, making international friends and realizing that earthquakes may take minutes to stop but towns take years to recover.

We would sincerely like to thank all of the participants for making this a truly unforgettable experience. Just remember guys, bite off more than you can chew then chew it.

For the last time,

Your fearless Peruvian leaders,

Jonah and Laura