9 Years of Paz y Esperanza in Ayacucho

April 1, 2011 was the 9th Anniversary of the birth of the regional office of Paz y Esperanza in Ayacucho. Our focus is human rights, especially with victims (individually and collectively) of violence. It began with the victims of the Violence (social and political) that gripped Peru from 1980-2000. Over the years it has grown into advocating for campesinoes that have been arrested and held against their will for crimes they did not commit to educating children, municipal officials, church leaders, and pastors on Domestic Violence. Team Ayacucho is an interdisciplinary team made up of lawyers, psychlogists, social workers, development experts, reporters and communication experts, administrators, and one gringo volunteer who is passionate about accompaniament, mission, and pastoral care (that's me!). HAPPY BIRTHDAY PyE AYACUCHO, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! On March 31, 2011 we held a church service or Accion de Gracias service at one of the local churches I work with, Christo Redentor. April 1st I joined the team for a "Paseo Institucional." That means no work and ALL play. We started out in Acos Vinchos at the Banos Termales, but it was rainy and the banos were, well cochino (or dirty, piglike) as described by one of my colleagues. Too bad. The ground was wet and muddy too, so we headed back to an encampamento in Ayacucho near the zoo. There we enjoyed a pacha manca (where you cook the meat and potatoes in the ground as an offering to pacha mama). We also played some games, and then volleyball and soccer. Good times.