The Andes Mountains rise to higher than 19,000 feet in parts of Peru, splitting the land into three distinct regions.
We’re all surrounded by mountains-they set the background at the U at all times-but I was still impressed.
Costal cities like Lima are shrouded in a perpetual mist, and the lowlands are home to miles of rain forest, broken by snake-like rivers that carve their way through the jungle.
Meanwhile, the South, where the sky-piercing Andes, the highlands, cradle modern cities that were once the root of ancient civilizations. The Incas lived there, building monuments of stone to their gods-constructions that still stand today.
It is here, in the highlands of Peru, that the Amazon River begins, weaving its way down mountain slopes, past cities and villages, to the Atlantic Ocean.
In essence, Yanamono is little more than another village that lines the banks of the Amazon River. However, for eight days, this village became home to a group of Utah volunteers and U students.
I had the opportunity this summer to travel with this group to Yanamono with a program called YouthLINC, a service organization affiliated with the U’s International Center and Utah Rotary Clubs.
My initial impression of the people in Yanamono was severely prejudiced by the fact that they were impoverished. They lived in grass huts, farmed the land and could afford only a primary education for their children.
While there, I was not only able to experience the sights and sounds of the jungle, but I was able to become acquainted with a distinct and beautiful culture and people.
First and foremost was Alex. While only a 10-year-old boy, Alex had milky brown eyes that expressed a certain depth and understanding. (There was also a touch of humor as he listened to my mangled Spanish.)
It was surprising how he stood out among the crowds. After an hour of sitting in the crushing heat and listening to community leaders give lengthy welcome speeches in Spanish, my last concern was for the squirming children that sat around me. (I was more concerned about stopping the rivers of sweat that ran down my face.)
Regardless, Alex caught my eye. It may have been his dirty white clothes, the bare feet caked with mud or his sideways grin-I don’t know.
There was another-an 18-year old girl-named Delilah who became an instant friend. Because we shared a common language-Delilah had learned English while in the United States for a year-she was able to communicate to me about her home and the way she lived.
In fact, she even took me to her home. It was a dark night, and Delilah met another girl and me by the dock near our lodge. We were dressed in long sleeves to guard from the mosquitoes and carried a dim flashlight.
Weaving our way on a well worn trail, we followed Delilah, joking about snakes, black ants and the piranhas that would eat us when we tripped and fell into the river. The birds, frogs and omnipresent insects buzzed incessantly.
Meanwhile, we passed several homes lit by dim kerosene lamps. There was the noise of children playing and the various animals bedded beneath open-air porches.
We crossed an open area, making our way toward a small home on stilts. Pausing beneath stairs carved into a tree trunk, we climbed to an open room where Delilah’s sisters and cousins were enjoying a slight breeze on loosely slung hammocks.
They greeted us with a kiss, and then Delilah’s father, who was a powerful community leader, walked out from a small room and formally welcomed us to his home. We were invited to sit, hold one of several infants and listen as he introduced the members of his household. He then presented us with gifts of miniature canoe paddles carved from dark jungle wood.
While our moonlight excursion to Delilah’s home was brief, it was a meaningful and impacting experience. For me, it served to answer a question of perception that had been playing in my mind for some time.
Indeed, as I became acquainted with individuals and worked with them side by side on various medical, educational and construction projects, I was able to see past the poverty and language barriers and gain an appreciation for their work ethic and their beautiful sense of community.