"Creation is a love letter from the Trinity." ~Thomas Dubay
After about 5 months here of working in the Centro in principally catechetical formation of pastoral agents, I finally had the opportunity to engage another branch of our work here in Otuzco...AMAS (Asociacion Marianista de Accion Social). {As a side note, on Friday I also co-hosted a radio program on Chami Radio [our third work here in Otuzco] so I have been staying involved in a diversity of ministries in our three branches this week} To get out and use biology after more than a 5 month hiatus was so fun! We spent the entire week in the field. Manuel, Ronal and I took a group of gente from the various pueblos close to the testing sites and helped instruct them about the monitoreo del agua. We do a couple sets of chemical tests and also screen for macroinvertebrates in an above and below water testing system.
For me this work is so rewarding. It is social justice in action. We are trying to encourage the mines here to have better regulation of their water in order that the communities that live near the mines are not affected or poisoned by the water. The work is the perfect combination of science and pastoral ministry. Manuel and I are biologists- so we teach the gente about the different chemical tests, show them how to use the equipment and help identify macroinvertebrates. Ronal is involved in environmental education so he helps talk to them about the effects of water on their communities. The work is fulfilling because we are empowering the mountain people with knowledge- doing so on a local level and in the Family Spirit of the Charism.
The team- returning to the camioneta after the tests (if you are wondering where the road we drove on is...well we definitely take offroading to a whole new level)
Ronal- showing the gente how to work the equipos
One of the sites we stopped at had a waterfall- I paused for a photo op with the reporter from Santiago de Chuco who was doing a story on our work
Taking some pH measurements and same tests for conductivity and salinity
In Peru we share the road with animals...this campesina was leading her herd of alpacas y ovejas down the road as we passed one morning
Another waterfall that was along the path to one of our testing points
Ronal and Manuel taking a pause at one of our testing points...one of our gente is scooping some macroinvertebrates in the background
A good point to ponder...the water testing sites are so beautiful
The team in action
Testing the water at a site where we were greeted by people from Barrick (the big Canadian based mine here in La Libertad)
One of the security guards from Barrick- we told him about our work- then included him as a witness in our report
More biology fun...this rock formation looks a little like Christ crucified (yes I am sure you are all thinking about the Virgen Mary in grilled cheese....) and thus has become a little shrine outside the community of Usquil
Manuel, yo y Ronal- after 4 long days we climbed to the top of the steps of the little shrine...such a great adventure and incredible view
An incredible reminder about the beauty and grace of creation, and of the integration possibilities of faith and science! Thoughts and prayers to all who read this!
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