While in Ayacucho, we got to spend a good amount of time with Lisa, the local Young Adult Volunteer who, along with two other YAVs, is under the care of Joining Hands. You can find out more by visiting their website or finding them on Facebook.Įarly the next morning, we set out by plane for Ayacucho, where we met with the national leadership of the IEPRP. They call themselves “CAMBIALO” (Change it!) and they are outspoken and energized in sharing their story. In the meantime, a group of children from La Oroya supported by Joining Hands continue their efforts to raise awareness about their situation. The smelter has ceased operations, for now, pending legal proceedings, but it’s unclear how things will be resolved. Decades of contamination have led to a shocking statistic: 97% of the children in La Oroya have lead poisoning. On my recent trip to Peru together with two colleagues from Presbyterian World Mission in Louisville, I had the blessing of getting a small glimpse into each of these areas.įirst was a long day trip up into the Andes to the mining town of La Oroya, the site of an infamous metallurgic complex responsible for extreme pollution and the focal Joining Hands campaign for clean water and environmental care. In addition to two church partners–the Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Peru (IEPRP), and the Peruvian Evangelical Church (IEP)–the PC(USA) partners with Red Uniendo Manos (Joining Hands) an ecumenical network with three program areas in Peru: environment, human rights, and local, sustainable economies.
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