December 8
Poverty is common in
Peru.
Many people come from the highlands to the cities along the desert coast to find work.
They live in shanty towns–some with no electricity or running water.
As we walk to our bus stop to go to school, we pass some of these people selling various goods along the way.
There are walkways over the highways where many station themselves to seek customers.
The walkways and spiral access are wide.
Thursday, as we rushed to school, we saw a man walking along the houses near the walkway with a black bag over part of his long matted hair.
He wore a brown shirt that had many hole worn through it and loose long dirty black pants.
As he walked, you could see that he had no shoes on.
He walked over to the grass to relieve himself.
As we came around another corner of the spiral walkway, we could see him under the spiral part of the bridge where it was close to the ground.
Evidently he slept there the night before.
I had seen another man like this the previous week.
I had wondered if we could bring food to leave with him the next day, but evidently they don’t stay in the same place every night but move on.
Another day we were riding in a taxi near the orphanage and a man was walking along the roadside wearing nothing.
I wasn’t looking in that direction, but Kelsey and Robert noticed it.
Robert said “He had no tan lines.” showing that he was accustomed to walking around that way.
We suspect he probably has some type of mental problem.
There is so much here in every direction you turn that needs the merciful hand of God.
