I’d sum up the experience so far with a metaphor: some might see a bunch of unpleasant thorns at first glance, but with a closer look, beauty abounds.

… And a puppy.

I’d sum up the experience so far with a metaphor: some might see a bunch of unpleasant thorns at first glance, but with a closer look, beauty abounds.

A seasoned señora on her way to town.

This is beautiful country. The people are as modest as they are humble.

As we were wrapping up for the day I found some wire to create a little decoration from wire for their new living room.

This is Señora Supa in her kitchen. They have a wood burning stove and you’ll notice guinea pigs running around. They are a delicacy and a great investment because they reproduce fast and sell well.

Making progress on plastering the walls.

This is Esmeralda. She’s the Supa’s youngest daughter. We are using bamboo, nails and wire to prep for the plaster to better stick upside down.

The Supa family’s bedroom upstairs. The tarp keeps dust and dirt from the roof from falling.

Most houses aren’t built under the same roof. The Supa family have thee rooms: a living room, a bedroom, and a kitchen. The bedroom is upstairs (this is the view from the porch outside the door). The rooms are joined by a little courtyard that had a small wall to give privacy to the toilet. All made out of adobe and wood.

Most houses are made from adobe. We were honored to spend the afternoon with the Supa family, plastering their walls and upgrading their environment. They just got electricity in their home for the first time in the past year. Peruvian Hearts is also helping them purchase some new beds and furniture. Really excited to participate.

Alexandra and Jessica are Peruvian Promise scholars. They studied late into the night at this table to qualify and be accepted to university. Peruvian Hearts takes care of their expenses and gives them a place to live in downtown Cusco as they complete their studies.

The walls of their kitchen are black from the wood burning stove they use for cooking. Incredibly humbling to see some of their living circumstances.

Chicken legs anyone?

Many of the cathedrals in Cusco were built using Incan stones from the fortresses and temples in the hills. Kind of sad, but Peruvians seem to embrace their dual heritage .