My Jobs at La Ciudad

Much of my time at La Ciudad was spent rummaging through garbage in the recliclaje.  Every Monday and Wednesday garbage trucks would bring us giants loads of trash which the boys of San Felix had the joy of organizing into to cardboard newspaper, magazines, glass bottles, plastics, etc. This was probably my most frustrating job because it was disgusting, it never ended, and it didn't seem like we were working towards any sort of end--just a never-ending cycle of garbage.  I joke with the other volunteers that my purgatory would be just this, rejuvenating piles of garbage which had to be sifted through.  Of course, things were made interesting by the boys when they would stumble across some of the more interesting items, old pieces of clothing, sun glasses with a broken lens, things that they would immediately try on.

Below you will see the boys' favorite thing to do in the recliclaje, nothing!  They would take their time in doing the work in order to read, nap, goof around, or just about anything to avoid actually finishing the job.

I also helped on the chicken farm, where I learned chickens must be the ugliest, least intelligent creatures.  They start out as cute, soft, and fluffy, but then grow into ugly, stupid, awkward monsters. After feeding and watering these creatures for several months, I had the opportunity to help butcher 400 chickens with the boys.  After that I never wanted to eat chicken, which is unavoidable in Peru.

I also spent much of my time working with Hermano Delso pouring cement or lay brick.  The two main projects that I worked with him was in the amphitheater and the patio for the volunteer's apartment.  Hermano Delso was a short, stocky man with leathery skin and a toothless smile.  His eyes seemed to tell more about him then the few words he spoke.  They were bright, full of life, and caring.  If ever there was a person who worked hard his entire life, it was him.  And throughout all the difficult work he did, the jocular grief that the boys gave him while working with him, he always said "Anything for the Lord."  While working with him, there were very few words exchanged, but every much learned, from pouring cement and laying brick to more valuable lessons like hard work and patience.