ST. OLAF COLLEGE VISITS THE ALTO CAYMA MISSION

We were very fortunate to have students from St. Olaf College from Minnesota visiting the Alto Cayma mission from the 18th till the 26th of January 2018. The college has been visiting for quite a number of years now and we are always so happy to have them with us. The students visited people in their homes with Maria our social worker, cooked and distributed food as part of our parish kitchen, helped building a new room to complement an existing pre-school we support in one of the settlements, gave a helping hand in our clinic and another nearby clinic and went on emergency calls together with the fire brigades in Arequipa.  They also visited some local clinics and hospitals besides some important attractions of beautiful Arequipa. Dr. Wayne Centrone, Dr. Robert Gehringer and  Karen Falkenstein from H.B.I. all gave a very important helping hand to the group making it a very successful visit. Following are some pictures from the visit.

The group arriving at the volunteer house at the Alto Cayma mission

The group arriving at the volunteer house at the Alto Cayma mission

Planing the additional room for the pre-school

Planing the additional room for the pre-school

Building the pre-school room

Building the pre-school room

Participating in the Sunday Eucharist

Participating in the Sunday Eucharist

Meeting with Fr. Alex

Meeting with Fr. Alex

A group photo at the Arequipa airport upon departure

A group photo at the Arequipa airport upon departure

Pictures of Christmas and New Year celebrations at Alto Cayma

The women's group preparing Christmas crafts

The women's group preparing Christmas crafts

more from the women's group

more from the women's group

Another group of women making Christmas cards

Another group of women making Christmas cards

The youth group preparing gifts for the elderly

The youth group preparing gifts for the elderly

Christmas lunch with the Parish staff

Christmas lunch with the Parish staff

Activity and lunch at the Family Center and the Children's Home

Activity and lunch at the Family Center and the Children's Home

Happy children

Happy children

The younger children performing at the Children's home

The younger children performing at the Children's home

The youth group has been very active in all activities 

The youth group has been very active in all activities 

Activity with the youths' parents

Activity with the youths' parents

More from the parents' activity

More from the parents' activity

Helping the needy with a happier Christmas

Helping the needy with a happier Christmas

Food hampers for the needy

Food hampers for the needy

The people we help

The people we help

Christmas activity in one of the settlements

Christmas activity in one of the settlements

Christmas Eucharist celebration

Christmas Eucharist celebration

The youth group participating in the Eucharist

The youth group participating in the Eucharist

Group photo of the youths participating in the Eucharist

Group photo of the youths participating in the Eucharist

Second group of youths participating in a second Christmas Eucharist

Second group of youths participating in a second Christmas Eucharist

Fr. Alex's podcast "Love is the Answer"

You can get Fr. Alex's podcast from iTunes. "What the faith" is a series of podcasts that Fr. Alex's nephew and niece plus a couple of friends launched on iTunes. 

The link is https://itunes.apple.com/pe/podcast/episode-44-5-fr-alex-love-is-the-answer/id788120885?i=1000393182657&l=en&mt=2

Recording the podcast in Melbourne, Australia with Lindsay my nephew and Caroline my niece. ENJOY!

Recording the podcast in Melbourne, Australia with Lindsay my nephew and Caroline my niece. ENJOY!

A DAY AT THE ALTO CAYMA MISSION - NOVEMBER 2017

The start of a new day welcomed by a wonderful sunrise.

The beautiful start of a new day!
Starting the day asking for God's guidance and strength.

Starting the day asking for God's guidance and strength.

Jessica attending beneficiaries of the Compassion Fund

Jessica attending beneficiaries of the Compassion Fund

Maria the social worker attending the needs of the people of the Alto Cayma mission community.

Maria the social worker attending the needs of the people of the Alto Cayma mission community.

Veronica continues to be superb in attending our visitors.

Veronica continues to be superb in attending our visitors.

Isabel, Toribia and Vilma, the women behind the food program. 

Isabel, Toribia and Vilma, the women behind the food program. 

The food program still going strong. Preparing around 200 meals a day, from Monday through Friday, all year round.

The food program still going strong. Preparing around 200 meals a day, from Monday through Friday, all year round.

Onelia delivering the food to those who cannot pick it up themselves.

Onelia delivering the food to those who cannot pick it up themselves.

Crafts' workshop with women from the area that meet and learn different crafts, get spiritual and peer group support, life skills formation, and much more...

Crafts' workshop with women from the area that meet and learn different crafts, get spiritual and peer group support, life skills formation, and much more...

Another group of women doing hand crafted cards.

Another group of women doing hand crafted cards.

A volunteer with the little ones at the Children's home.

A volunteer with the little ones at the Children's home.

No electricity in the settlement high up? No problem just take the generator with you and plug in...

No electricity in the settlement high up? No problem just take the generator with you and plug in...

A speaker facing one of the settlements instead of church bells! Religious festive music as a call for prayer.

A speaker facing one of the settlements instead of church bells! Religious festive music as a call for prayer.

Veronica, a catechist doing a religious class until people gather for the Eucharist celebration.

Veronica, a catechist doing a religious class until people gather for the Eucharist celebration.

Ending the day giving thanks to God for another wonderful and uplifting day, celebrating the Eucharist in one of the settlements.

Ending the day giving thanks to God for another wonderful and uplifting day, celebrating the Eucharist in one of the settlements.