Peru was far beyond anything I could have ever imagined

Encountering God in the Andes

Erl Dylan J. Tabaco, a Columban seminarian from the Philippines, spent two years in Peru as part of his formation for missionary priesthood. He writes of a visit to a Columban parish in the Andes Mountains.

Since childhood I have been fascinated with geography. As a child, I would love to build different islands and mountains on the seashore and imagined myself at the top of them. It was a lifelong dream for me to travel from one place to another but being in Peru was far beyond anything I could have imagined.

After spending a year of pastoral experience in a Columban parish in the Peruvian capital city of Lima, I had an opportunity to visit a Columban parish in the Andes Mountains of Southern Peru. I was very excited to arrive in Cusco even though I immediately felt breathless and faint due to the 3400 metre altitude. Cusco is the birthplace of the Inca civilization and is the point of entry for Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

I was accompanied by Fr Gregory Young-In Kim, a Columban priest from Korea who works in the parish of St James the Apostle in Yanaoca. I was happy to spend the night in Cusco to acclimatize to this high altitude before heading off next day to Yanoaca, which is even higher than Cusco. It was a night filled with awe and wonder as I prepared myself physically for the continuation of our journey.

Early next morning we left Cusco and drove for two and a half hours to the parish of St James the Apostle in Yanaoca. Columban Fr Paul Prendergast, from New Zealand welcomed us on behalf of the community with their traditional tea made of coca leaves that was helpful in alleviating altitude sickness.

The serenity of the place and the simplicity of the locals amazed me. It was very cold and the freezing air penetrated my bones. Nevertheless I was mesmerized by the beauty of God’s creation. It was my first time to see snow. This thrill took away my dizziness. I started roaming around the place feeling excited not knowing what new experiences I would encounter. I struggled to understand the local people since the majority only spoke Quechua, their native tongue, rather than Spanish.

Erl Tabaco in Peru, which is far beyond anything he could have imaginedAside from the main parish, there are several chapels and far-away communities where Columbans visit and administer the sacraments. It is customary that once a year, the Eucharist is celebrated for the feast day of the patron saint of the chapel.

One of these distant chapels is Machucayo A, a distance of 90kms. As we were driving there I kept remembering how Fr Paul Prendergast had shared that in his early years as a missionary in this area he either walked or rode a horse to these distant communities.

Fr Paul has spent most of his life building friendships with the local people. As a missionary, bringing God’s love and building friendship with the locals are inseparable.
 
We can only be effective in our ministry once we value the dignity of every person that we encounter. His love of his ministry transcends time.

Fr Paul is now almost 80 but his passion for his priestly ministry remains an inspiration to me.

The people slowly began to arrive at the chapel after our arrival. Most of them had walked for a long distance just to attend the Eucharist. I had a chance to talk to one of the ladies who was catching her breath as she laid down her basket full of fruit and vegetables. She told me that she and her family had walked for almost five hours in order to attend the Eucharist in honour of the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The chapel looks like a run-down shack. It was very old and empty except for the little altar. As we commenced the Eucharist, the whole community sung the hymns wholeheartedly. I was amazed by the participation of the people. Even though I didn’t understand a single word as the Eucharist was celebrated in Quechua, I could sense the great reverence of the people as they offered their lives, their families and their work to God.

I was moved to tears. It was a life changing experience for me. In that moment of grace it seems that the banquet in heaven with God and the saints was occurring here on Earth in this remote chapel. Through the faith of the local people I sensed the presence of God. It touched me deeply.

After the Eucharist, we were invited by the head catechist to have lunch with his family. They lived in a small house along with the catechist’s aged mother. In spite of his mother’s health, she generously prepared for us a traditional Andean meal. As she served us the meal she spoke in a low tone repeating, “This house maybe very small but our heart is very big”. Reflecting on those words I’ve learned that encountering the presence of God doesn’t have to be in extraordinary situations. Experiencing Him doesn’t have to be mystical. Even in the most ordinary of situations you can encounter Him, as long as your heart remains open.

The beauty of these high mountains and valleys along with the goodness of the local people prepared me for that unforgettable encounter with God. The people of the mountains may be deprived of material things but their faith in a loving God as expressed in their daily lives was very rich.

As I continue my journey in becoming a missionary priest, I want to tell the story of this encounter with God high up the Andes Mountains of Peru among the indigenous Quechua people.

Erl Dylan J. Tabaco is a Columban seminarian from the Philippines.

Read more from The Far East, November/December 2016