Different day

Today has been the hardest so far, I cannot actually explain what I have seen, it was just out of this world, I can't even begin to tell myself that this is really life, it was just so wrong on so many levels. Let me expand abit, we entered a park (HUGE) which used to attract families and couples with beautiful landscapes but is now nothing near beauty. The dangerous street gangs have taken it over, The park is overgrown with cactus' and weeds and in the gaps are groups of children completely far from this planet. We walked down a bumpy path, into a area with about 15 children, I have never seen anything like this, the closer we got the stronger the scent of glue, the smell was awful, one you can't forget. The children were completly drugged up, all over the place. Now I didn't no before we went to this group that they are actually known to be the most dangerous street gang in Cochabamba, these children are involved in stealing, murder, abuse of all kinds, so what has driven them to this, their family background. We don't know all there stories, but these children are damaged, you can see it in their eyes. Towards the end of our visit we were hovering around their 'home' if you could call it a home, a place surrounded by rubbish and filth, I turned around to see a young boy cutting himself, this ripped my heart into shreds, it was actually his birthday today and in South America, families make a big deal over birthdays and celebrate there lives, but for street children it is never a fun day because they don't have anything to be thankful for. We took a cake with us for him and everyone sang happy birthday (in spanish) he was crying the whole way through, he would have woken up this morning thinking that he would have to get as high as possible to knumb the pain of know one caring that it was his birthday, but he saw that so many people did care and he was so grateful. The street team working with these children are doing an amazing job, usually when people from outside the come and visit, there can be trouble and a swift exit is needed, remember this gang is the most dangerous group, but today the children were welcoming and caring, which is unusual. They could see that we had come to see them because we care about them, this reflected onto them, they are out family as well. To walk away from this group was possible the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, and that is not an overstatement, one of the girls asked me if I could pack her in my suitcase, I would if I could. All day these children have stuck in my mind and I think they will for sometime, I cannot begin to explain the contrast between here and home, how can I, but what I can explain is that these children are being looked after by an amazing group of volunteers, the work they are putting into this group is amazing and there is huge vision for these children in the future, yes it is hard to walk away from, but the people working with them, know best and I thank God for them they are a blessing for those children.

I had a bit of banter today with one of the directors of Toybox about how Bolivians talk on their mobiles, they move the phone from their ear to their mouth when they talk, and it just amuses me. I ate cow's tongue and octopus today, it wasn't that bad either. Also lots of Matta de Coco today again, me and the altitude are not getting on at all, hopefully it will be better tomorrow as we are traveling by bus in the evening to Oruro, which is just over 3000metres, 1000meters higher that Cochabamba 

We drove through many crazy roads today in our mini bus, bumpy, pots wholes, narrow (very narrow) bridges, rocks.....and of course what does this mean a flat tyre......Max the driver did very well. I usually sit up front with Max as its the best place to take photos whilst we are on the move. It is amusing sometimes because I speak a tiny bit of spanish (actually which I believe has improved alot over the past couple of days) to Max and then he will start a conversation with me knowing I have know idea what he is saying, and then I will just reply with something random in english, and so it goes on, he's a funny guy.

So today has been one of those days where everything has been like a dream, I know myself that what I have seen is really life because I experienced it with my own eyes, but to recall it just doesn't connect with me, I want to tell myself that these children aren't living like this, but the reality is that they are. I am so thankful for the charity and what they are doing, the hearts of these people is amazing and they are such humble people, I send all my blessings to them.

Hope

Yesterday we flew from Peru via La Paz to Cochabamba in Bolivia; I will be here for the next 8 days. So in my earlier post I wrote that I was in La Paz airport, well soon after that when I went to the toilet and out of the oxygen café I was in, I passed out and was sick, 5 minutes before our flight was about to leave, this was because of the altitude. Any who typical South Americans we weren’t late getting on the plane and we were an hour leaving so I had time to recover.

So today was the first time out in the city of Cochabamba. In the morning we visited a girls home, full of children who have come from very damaged homes, but the project has brought them sooo far, as soon as we got there two girls came running over to me and grabbed my hand, I continued for about 3 hours just picking them up and playing with them, thoroughly tired out, so much fun though (literally had a gym workout)! Hyperactive is how I would describe them, sooo much Energy! So great to see children who are off the streets and safe in a beautiful home and setting, they still have a long way to go.


Its a huge culture shock, almost straight away you get used to there being poor people that surround you, and then you realise this is so wrong, its an emotional rollar coaster. I have seen some great work the charity has been doing, children now filled with hope, still damaged but are on a journey forward, its there faith that does this. We saw a family yesterday where her husband has now left the home (shack) and back on the streets drinking, his wife literally broke down in front of us, it was soo sad, we prayed for her, and she was so thankful.
Hope is the word for today....

Oxygen

So I have some time to kill in La Paz because the airport just decided to cancel our transfer flight because its been a bank holiday, the airport is tiny and everything is really old and run down. Thank-God we managed to get a flight in 4 hours time phewwww....otherwise it would have ment a 6 hour bus journey to Cochabamba :S Somehow I have got Wifi, The cafe I am sitting in is an O2 cafe which has oxygen pumped into the room, La Paz airport is the highest airport in the world, with an extreme alltitude of 13325 ft (4061m) breathing is quite hard, When you stand up you get a head rush, and walking just puts you out of breath it is sooooo bazar :S

Flights so far...and many to come:

Birmingham -> Amersterdam -> Peru -> La Paz -> Cochabamba

Even though I was only in Peru over night, alot can happen. My hotel I stopped over night was literally by the airport, so the story goes: I'm just wondering out of the restaurant on my way back to my room and all the staff in the hotel are at the doors of the hotel, I can hear massive amounts of screaming outside so I go have a look and guess who walks past......MILEY CYRUS! The street was packed with young screaming fans, crazy times.....

I have only really seen Peru from the air, but I am so amazed by how beautiful the landscape is, it is just breathtaking. On the flight from Peru to La Paz I looked out the window all the way here, we were flying over the Andies, these mountains are stunning, lots of blue lakes and houses/shacks just in the middle of knowhere. 

Email

This morning I received an email from my Mum and Dad who are already out in South America. They have been in El Salvador and have been visiting some of the children I met over a year ago, below is my reply to his email:

I just did not think when I looked at those photos it would be children I met over a year ago, in every photo there is a child I regonise from that night I went out onto the streets...

I'm not really sure what to think, my first reaction was, thank God they are still alive, but then the reality of there life, living on the street, high on glue constantly....they probable wouldn't remember me? It is weird, I look at the photos I took in South America last year and they are so familiar, but to see new photos of the people I met over a year ago has stirred me, it has brought the reality of all of those children that need saving, its almost overwhelming...

It makes sence in the media side of things, that to touch peoples hearts you need new images, we become numb to familiar photographs, for people who cannot travel to these places, a photograph is one of the biggest sources that can be brought back with us, to show others what is going on here. It has reminded me how special yet also important it is for me to take photographs whilst I am there....

Its a shame, I would have loved to have gone to El Salvador or Guatemala again, would have loved to try and find children I met last time......another day.

This time I will be visiting Bolivia and Peru. I feel like this email has brought me back to earth, I am not just going to a fantastic country, I am going to a country full of disaster and ruin, the reality of these people is horrifying,I'm not sure anything can prepare you for this, pray at all times. 

Below are some photos my Dad sent me, with his photo on the left and my photo on the right, showing the same children but a year ago...

                                                  

Phillipians

'I can do all things through him, who gives me strength'

'Puedo hacer todas las cosas a través de él que me fortalece.'
Filipenses 4:13

Bolivia & Peru May 2011

My next trip to South America awaits me in 7 weeks time. During this time I have HUGE amounts of university work to do........Looking forward to the trip is what is keeping me going. This time I will be visiting Peru and Bolivia. My trip will be 5 weeks this time, which is a lot more time to build relationships with the children and families I will be working with. I am also looking forward to seeing my brother Jonnie (http://jonniewelford.blogspot.com/) who has been out there for a year and a half now, it will be great to see what he has been doing whilst out there and meeting some of the children and families he has been working with. 

February 2010

Last February took me on a trip to Latin America with a team from the Toybox Charity. We briefly visited Costa Rica and Guatemala but most of our time was spent in El Salvador where we documented and visited various projects that are working with street children. My role was 'Photographer' this proved to be a challenging role, specially with some of the situations I came up against.

'A country of beauty and potential, but filled with fear and violence. Yet hope is stirring in the form of a small network of people, striving to bring hope to street children and their families.' www.toybox.org.uk

The trip was a roller coaster of emotions, when I think back its the amazing people I met along the way, the never ending smiles from people who have nothing to smile about but are glad to have the love of the people helping them. It was been simply incredible. I was deeply challenged whist in Latin America, now even more determined to continue to help Toybox and other charities aim towards a world with no street children. 

'I can do all this through him who gives me strength.'

Phillippians 4:13