Amy Somero, Anibal Pepper and Sue Hammon were on hand to talk about about the trip they took last year to Dr. Pepper's hometown of Arequipa, Peru.
Amy and Sue are teachers at Frankfort Elementary School who are active in the school's relationship with Elohim Elementary School in Arequipa. Dr. Pepper, a Frankfort Rotarian, is a native of Arequipa who has returned there many times to conduct medical missions and to support the Elohim School.
Sue and Amy spent four days with school staff from the Elohim School and two days at the school. The school is in a poor rural area outside of Arequipa. It serves as an important part of life for its students--not only with regard to education but also with respect to more basic needs like meals. While Elohim is an elementary school, it is now offering programs in cooking and cosmetology in the hope that graduates can pursue careers rather than being left with few alternatives to street peddling.
The Elohim students and staff treated the Frankfort visitors as honored guests. Despite the language gap, the students were able to communicate with the visitors, demonstrating that "6th graders are 6th graders, whether they are in Frankfort or Arequipa."
Following their time at the school, Amy and Sue were able to see much of the country with Anibal and Ann. Their travels included the beautiful Sacred Valley as well as Machu Picchu. Their photos reflected the beauty of the country and the extent to which terraced landscapes and other facets of Incan culture still remain..
Anibal added fascinating information, such as the role of llamas in Incan history. He noted that a trip to Peru quickly demonstrates how it is a country of haves and have-nots. As noted by one Club member, we are fortunate to have an international project like the Elohim School.