No paradise yet

03.08.2009

Building a new medical centre is a tough project to bring to completion.

It's been all of six months since my last letter during which time so much has happened. You will be aware that after my last article I was appointed parish priest with all the pleasures and difficulties that come with the role.

I am aware of my linguistic and cultural limitations and these certainly are tested in this new position of responsibility. Luckily the people are great and readily accept my limitations and so we try to live out the gospel in the poverty of their living conditions and in the richness of their optimism and faith.

I would like to let you know about the progress in the little pueblo of Paraíso.  In this isolated part of the parish we are trying to establish a medical centre. On June 6, 2009 we inaugurated works on the site with a simple blessing, speeches and a little food!

Let me share a little about how the project developed.

Back in 2007, soon after I was appointed to the parish of Los Santos Arcángeles, I was made aware of people suffering different illnesses in the pueblo. Ordinarily these people should have been able to access medical attention and medicines. However, because of a variety of circumstances, they were not receiving treatment for conditions such as undernourishment, parasites and eye infections.

Through talking with the locals, I came to understand that part of the problem was their lack of access to medicine. Our idea of building a simple chemist shop was born.

As time went on our little group consisting mainly of women, started talking about the need to identify people who were ill and help them find the medical help they needed. We need to remember that this area has a high rate of illiteracy and no documentation such as birth certificates, national identification cards which allow access to the medical and social support systems. The idea was born of training local ladies to become "promoters of health." Three ladies have been trained and others are thinking of joining the team.

Meanwhile our search for land took us to a little settlement more or less in the middle of the strip of land which makes up the pueblo. Informal conversations were held with the 'committee of management' of the settlement and immediately other voices could be heard protesting the unsuitability of this land. Problems such as its zoning as archeologically protected, the  lack of proper titles of ownership, belonging to 'other' owners came to light and showed how divided this little pueblo of about 500 families really is.

The sad reality is that this 'pueblo' called Huertos del Paraíso (gardens of paradise) is anything but a paradise.

Our meetings continued with the committee of management until July 17, 2008 when a parcel of land was donated to the parish at a formal meeting with members of our local council, all members of the settlement with voting rights and our parish health group. The agreement was that the parish build a simple 'medical centre' which will be accessible to all people of the pueblo, not just the small settlement.

This committee  recently organised a fundraising/social event which  raised about AUD$100.00 (locally a good effort). It also made the decision to employ a social worker to work in the pueblo one day per week to help with documentation, social problems, organising health and social seminars. More recently we decided to begin construction of the centre although the funds don't exist to complete the work.

We will build a medical section and office for the social worker. This work (costing initially AUD$30,000.00) is being made possible through the support of Melbourne Overseas Missions and the many generous donations I receive from friends, schools and parishes. I am very grateful for this generous support.

Hopefully the project will address many of the health and social issues of this community. I think it's very exciting and important even though we still have many issues of division and poverty to address, but it's a step forward in faith and hope.

Fr Joseph Ruys is an Associate Priest working with the Columbans in Lima, Peru.