Connie and I continue to remain busy in Peru assisting in caring for the health and safety of about 6,000 missionaries scattered throughout Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Because of the political situation in Venezuela, we do not travel there, but we communicate by phone or email with those who have health questions and problems. When we first arrived in the area, I spent a lot of time determining how to obtain prescription drugs and vaccinations to people in Venezuela. We have succeeded in accomplishing that goal. We spend most of our days fielding calls and emails about individuals with a plethora of medical problems. The most common ailments are probably skin problems and orthopedic injuries. We have traveled to Colombia and Ecuador to teach about prevention of such problems as dysentery, insect-borne illnesses, rabies and a number of other issues. We have had a number of cases of tuberculosis and dengue to deal with.
Every few weeks we have a free Saturday. Sometimes, we visit a park or market in Lima. A few weeks ago, we went with some friends to a national nature reserve located about 2 hours north of Lima called Lomas de Lachay. This is a unique place that is very green during the cooler winter months, unlike most of the coast of Peru. In South America, weather moves from east to west - the opposite of weather patterns in North America. Because of the Andes Mountains that lie to the east of the coast, we live in a rain shadow. Lomas de Lachay is unusual because the area is very green. It is not green from rainfall, but from moisture derived from dense fog that layers the area almost every day during the winter season. The reserve is located a few miles inland from the ocean and as you drive inland and uphill, the area becomes more foggy.
On the day we visited Lomas, the fog was very dense. We hiked one of the several trails that ascend the foothills of the Andes. There were many wildflowers in full bloom and several species of birds. This is the only place along the coast of Peru that does not appear to be a barren desert.
Below are a few of the photos that I made during our hike in the fog. At the end of this month, we plan to go to Machu Picchu, so I hope to obtain good photos there.
Trees and bushes along a trail in Lomas de Lachay in the foothills of the Andes. The plants receive their moisture from the dense fog.
Members of our group of visitors to Lomas de Lachay hiking the trail in fog.
In the afternoon, some of the fog begins to lift. This is a hillside covered with green grasses and yellow flowers - a scene never seen in Lima.
A section of the trail that we hiked at Lomas de Lachay. The visibility was usually about 50 yards.
