The Right Thing

Poor little Flor.  She is our neighbor, ten years old, and her house collapsed a few weeks ago due to the torrential rains that fell this year.   She's a third grader and she hasn't missed a day of school since the incident that could have easily taken her life and those of her entire family.  Luckily no one was in the house when it fell.  She and her family have squeezed into a neighbor's spare bedroom in the interim.

Flor goes to school every day, and then as soon as she gets home she changes into a traditional outfit from her father's hometown of Lares.  She grabs her pet alpaca, Oso, and pulling him by his lead races down to the central plaza to ask any tourist she sees to take a photo of her for a Sol (30 cents).  She's a sweet girl with a bright smile and a robust work ethic. She has been over to play with Sophia and Isabel a few times and has shared dinner with us and gotten help from us on her homework.

Right after the accident we bought the family some pots and pans since theirs were buried under many feet of mud and debris.  We gave Flor and her little sister clothing that we didn't need and bought some extra food to drop off at their door whenever we went to the grocery store.  Today, I made good on my promise to Flor to buy her some new pants.  Only one pair survived the collapse of her house.  I went down to El Molino to pick some out, and found a nice collection of jeans at one of the stalls.  The owner of the stall quoted the price at 45 soles a pair.  I explained why I was buying them and without batting an eye she chopped her price in half.  She told me I would be blessed by God and kissed me on my cheek.  The vast majority of Peruvians have been affected in some way by the disastrous rains that fell this year, so I presume they have a heightened sense of empathy and generosity for their countrymen.

As the sky continues to brighten each day,  the muddy sidewalks are transforming into dusty ones.  The stomachache of worry that came with each soaking rain is now a memory and the scorching sun makes us squint our eyes and walk on the shady side of the street.  Things here in Cusco are looking up lately, and everyone is breathing a sigh of relief.