I've been telling my friend Sarah, one of the other volunteers, that i
am going to write a 'dog blog' about all the dogs in Cusco! Seriously!
There are so many, different colors, sizes, shapes, breeds, and many
that look even pure-bred. Where is the puppy farm? There has to be a
factory somewhere just churning out these guys. And who knows who or if
they belong to anyone, except the ones that clearly guard to the death
their front doors and garages. I've seen enough dog on dog, then dog on
child and then mom on dog violence to know that animal control isn't a
big priority in Peru. 
Another non-priority in Peru is the
utilization of dumpsters. Those large, metal, nearly dog proofed bins
where human trash can be kept. Meaning on trash mornings, when the night
before trash is piled in the streets, the dogs are in scavenging
paradise, and those poor trash men have to collect the trash strewn
about the entire neighborhood. Which brings me to the traffic patterns
in the streets. There isn't one. In fact the only ticket I've seen
issued to a driver was for stopping too long on the side of the road,
therefore impeding the flow of unlimited speeding cars, with no regard
to those dogs, children or pedestrians. They simply don't stop. Most of
the traffic is taxis and I once foolishly wondered where do the taxis
park when they are off duty? Silly me. They are never off duty. I've
begun to recognize some of them by elvis dash board bobble heads, or
Virgin Mary fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror. Pedestrians run for
their lives. I laughed so hard at this sign, because its run or be run
over here in Cusco. We went for a weekend trip and again these taxis are
crazy. Please see the attached video for proof. I'm so glad I'm alive.
There
have been tragedies also. Just this month 51 people were killed in a
bus accident in southern Peru after the bus rolled off a winding
mountain road. All on board killed. I'm making that particular trip next
month. Prayers appreciated. Also while you're praying, I have had more
than a few weeks of trying to recoop from a pain in my left rib cage,
either a fracture or a costochondritis but it doesn't really matter
because I'm supposed to rest and give it several more weeks. Just this
weekend I re-injured it doing the oh-so-dangerous risky behavior of
sneezing. I dislocated one of those imported ribs at the a
costocartilage joint, and now those angry muscles are back with a
vengeance. "How dare you sneeze without bracing yourself on something!"
Owwww. Well that means I'm hanging out at home, taking some time to not
lift children or do PT with them, but all the while trying to brace
myself to lift heavy things like my laptop or coffee cup. 
This trip has not been as expected. Oooh life, gets me every time.
But who was I to assume that coming to Peru as a PT meant that I would
actually do PT, or go to a Peruvian church (which i haven't yet) or eat
guinea pig (no that one's ok to skip, no gracias.) But really, it hasn't
been as expected. I have felt stretched on every side, culturally,
linguistically, emotionally and physically. I'm at maybe 50% of my
capacity to.. walk. forget biking. (Cusco is a mountain biker's paradise
and even though my heart rate is back to normal and I'm not winded
walking up steps at these 11,000 ft, I can hear my body laughing at me
when I google Inca bike trails.)
So that leaves me
here, in my home casa home, seeking the Lord, my heart choosing to
praise him instead of question what kind of cruel trick was it that got
me here? For though He slay me, yet will I trust Him, and as my mom
wisely told me, a seeking heart will not be ignored.
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