I had the joy of having my nephew, Gareth, and a friend, Margaret, visit me here in Peru. One of the things that Gareth said to me before he left for home was, "I have often heard you speak of the 'shantytown' or the 'barrio' and I have seen photos that you have shown us at home, but now I have a different understanding of what these words mean to you". It often takes a new pair of eyes, seeing for the first time what we have become accustomed to looking at day after day, to jolt us back into the harshness of the reality that we share with the people whom we serve.
The 'barrio' concept is like homesteading, you develop your home and you get to stay. Photos courtesy of: Our Hands For Hope.
During their visit I attempted to show Gareth and Margaret, a variety of the different faces of Peru, from the exquisite cuisine, for which Peru is becoming increasingly internationally renowned, the old colonial buildings with their beautiful balconies and of course Machu Picchu, the Inca city lost in the mountains, to the five sole (less than $2) lunch, where I eat most days and then of course, the 'barrio'. This was the place which above all else, left them speechless. The sheer extent of the areas which we visited, thronged with humanity in all its facets, searching, suffering, struggling but also full of hope for a better future, "a long life, a full life, a life with dignity and a happy life", as one of the slogans of the project, 'Si, da Vida' ('Yes, give life') states. 
The 'barrio' becomes a part of the ever growing city. Photos courtesy of: Our Hands For Hope.
The 'barrio' is what keeps me here, to be part of that experience of life; the search for identity and meaning, the wish to learn and to advance, the will to overcome hurdles and celebrate the achievements, to acknowledge the things that we so often take for granted. Through the project work of 'Si, da Vida' we bring a message of hope to people who are so often pushed to the fringe, vulnerable and exploitable, they live with a condition that they are often forced to hide, from friends, from family, at work and regrettably even within the Christian communities where they seek acceptance. 
'Si', da Vida' workshop held in the 'barrio' with Columban Fr Cathal Gallagher.
'Si, da Vida' is a Peruvian-based nonprofit association that has been developing activities for people living with HIV and AIDS since 2006, including awareness-raising, prevention and care for the families and those living with HIV and AIDS.
I am constantly challenged by the message of the Gospel and the forceful examples that Jesus used to insist that, the last will be first. He took those who were hired to work at the final hour and paid them first, giving them the same pay as those who had worked all day. I who have called to the vineyard early and now see those who join later, growing in the kingdom values of solidarity and mutual care and their willingness to reach out to others in the task of the prevention of the spread of HIV; this is what calls me to the ongoing conversion of recognizing all people as sons and daughters of God, all people who are called to the kingdom.
Columban Fr Cathal Gallagher SSC lives and works in some of the poorest areas of Peru where he helps people living with HIV and AIDS.
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