As the engines roared and the plane rose above the mountains of Peru, I looked down upon Lima a final time before we climbed through the clouds. Who knows when our journeys start, where they end, and what we will learn upon the way. Our lives are a mystery before us. At times, we may think we...

The Dedication of the Father David E. Farrell, C.S.C., Pavilion was the event of the day. As we boarded the van for our trek across Lima to Canto Grande, the excitement continued to build. On Thursday, during our visit to the Fe Y Alegría School, we had a sneak preview of the brand new...

Again, we picked up our guide, Fr. David. Our first stops were to chapels. In this District, chapels evolve over time beginning with what is attainable from straw mats or sheets of corrugated plastic or tin to enduring houses of worship. While it was impressive to see the transition of...

In Lima, we were staying in Miraflores, an upscale tourist district along the coast. More than ten million people, about one-third Peruvian population live in the metropolitan Lima. Canto Grande is located in the district of San Juan Lurigancho, which is the most populated district in Peru, with...

Forever. A word that I typically only think of in one of three specific contexts. First, sappy love songs in which the singer is obviously far too optimistic about a new, overly-simplified relationship. Second, the last word in the overused 2000’s acronym BFF. And third, in the movie...

At last a morning to sleep in until 6 a.m.!  Our day today was to consist of traveling back to Lima and then visiting Canto Grande. The entourage at this point was made up of the Farrell family, six members, and Farrell friends, consisting of four members. We departed after a leisurely...

Often Machu Picchu is referred to as the “lost capital of the Incas.” In fact, scholars believe that it was not the capital of the Inca empire, but rather a royal estate built for Pachacutec, the victorious ruler who forged the Inca Empire during the his reign from 1438-1471. Machu...

I awoke Tuesday morning feeling much better. The intravenous fluids, the hyperbaric chamber, and the drugs worked wonders! Looking back at the previous day, I realized that I should have been more concerned. I was not. Despite my total lack of Spanish and my vulnerable condition, I was treated...

The alarm startled me from my deep sleep at 5 a.m. I realized that I was in Lima. I scrambled to get dressed and back to the airport across the street to meet my fellow travelers, the friends and family of Fr. David Farrell, C.S.C. The Farrell and friends force had arrived late the night before...

 As the plane descended through the cloud cover, large swaths of peach colored night lights illuminated the sprawling city nestled between the deep darkness of the Pacific Ocean and the rise of the Andes. I was filled with anticipation of seeing Lima once again. Seven years earlier, I made...