Back to the Jungle!

Well, when I left the Amazon jungle in November last year I wasn’t expecting to be going back so soon, but in just under a week I will be flying back to the Peruvian Amazon, this time south of the river to the town of Puerto Maldonado, more on this later first a catch up on the last few months for those who aren’t on my newsletter list or Facebook.

In January I went to Jamaica to work for 6 weeks with the Pregnancy Resource Centre of Jamaica in Montego Bay. I was very warmly welcomed by the staff and immediately made to feel part of the team and given space to share some of my knowledge and experience as well as learning a lot more from them. The centre began life as a crisis pregnancy counselling service, however, it soon became evident that many young women found themselves not only pregnant but also homeless and without family support, therefore Hebron House was opened to fulfil this need. When I visted there were 3 young women in the home 2 who were mothers and 1 who was taken in after being found in a vulnerable position. I spent a large amount of my time there looking after two 3yr olds the daughter of one of the girls and another boy fostered by the director. It was great to get back to my roots of being a nanny, getting them up and dressed, doing the school run and helping with homework and generally playing with them. While they were at school I spent my time with the 17yr old mother of a 16month old little girl. We often presume that being a mum and bonding with your child is something that comes naturally, however it is actually a learnt skill, something we learn from our own mothers when we are children and mothers in our social group. This young lady, however, had not had those role models growing up and so together we worked to build the bond between her and her daughter through play, reading stories and singing. It was great to see this young lady really start to bond with her little girl.

Another resident was a young lady from the church who had found herself in a crisis, with no home, large debts and unemployed. She arrived the day after I did and it was an honour to be able to support her through that difficult time and to see her start to put her life back together again, but also to deal with some of the deeper issues that had contributed to her finding herself in that situation, she is now in a good job and saving for a flat.

After leaving Jamaica I went back to New York, due to visa issues with Colombia, I had to stay longer than planned but used the time to complete the Stress and Trauma counselling course with the Association of Christian Counsellors. It was a really interesting course looking at the issue of PTSD, the causes and treatments as well as crisis intervention and the roles of counsellors, churches and the community in supporting people who have been through a traumatic experience.

It was kind of hard going back to Cartagena after this time away as I had to face the reality of my time there coming to a close, telling my friend and landlady that I would no longer be renting her spare room, saying goodbye to close friends and the city. But also, knowing I would be there for a month with no definite routine. Therefore I made the decision to take the Counselling Children and Adolescents course then rather than waiting as originally planned. This course was somewhat harder; however I succeeded in passing with distinction.

So that brings me to the present, I am now sat in the home of my friend and spiritual mum in Lima, Peru, I arrived yesterday and tomorrow I go to my friend Johanna’s house also in Lima, for a week before flying to visit an American couple who have run an orphanage in Cusco for many years, however, due to recent changes in Peruvian Law and health issues they have moved down the mountain and into the rainforest to start a new work. As this new project is in its infancy I don’t really know what to expect, just that the couple share my passion for reaching girls who have been exploited sexually. So I am looking forward with anticipation to what this next chapter of my book will look like, what stories it will unfold, what will I learn from this experienced Godly couple and from my Heavenly Father.

Bring it on!!!