Faces of Lima

eople of Lima, Peru, work hard — often six days a week — for barely enough to survive. Still, they know how to have fun. Going to the beach, dancing, sports and religious festivals are wildly popular. And so is eating well. With roughly 20 cooking schools in Lima and the ‘‘Novandina’’ (the new Andean cuisine) movement, the culinary arts have become not only a desirable profession but also a key to social mobility. Madre Socorro Barboza and Madre Imelda Huamani Javier Missionaries. ‘‘Where the road ends is where we start our work,’’ Madre Imelda says. Ride horses to mountain villages and live with the poor. Make CD’s of Peruvian Christmas music and sell them for their church. Dream: ‘‘To go to heaven and carry many people,’’ Madre Imelda says.

From left

Dennis de Lan Lanai Student at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Likes raves and trance music. Collects fliers from different parties. ‘‘I stick them on the wall of my dorm. Every wall is covered but one.’’ Vacations in Ibiza, Spain. Dream: to be a super-D.J.

Tiofila Mamani Sells crafts from Puno. ‘‘I like working. I like sewing.’’ Husband died eight years ago. Works to save money for her children. Can’t stop working. ‘‘No work, no money.’’ Has traveled as far as Cusco. ‘‘Every day I wake up, I pray.’’

Samuel Gutierres Gonzales Truck driver. Father of six. Likes to drive but says, ‘‘Gas is too expensive.’’ Has no time to watch movies. Doesn’t take vacation. ‘‘My dream is to have a truck that is not so old.’’ Wants to go to the United States.

From left

María Luisa Zárate Tae Bo and aerobics instructor. ‘‘I like to look after people and make them healthy. If I didn’t work, I would always do something to attend to the people.’’ Dances by herself for fun. Wants to have a little house in the countryside — ‘‘no TV’s or radios, just birds and flowers.’’

Asdrúbal Kahatt Paredres Medical technician. Goes to people’s houses to take blood. Prides himself on his patience. Is very good at chess. Doesn’t smoke, drink or have pets. Likes Pizza Hut pizza. Favorite actress: Pamela Anderson.

Vicente Furgiuele Owner of Canta Rana restaurant. Favorite food: ceviche. Favorite television show: ‘‘Get Smart.’’ ‘‘I like to be with people and take care of their needs. I have a lot of fun here. I’m a very good host.’’ Runs one hour or more each day. ‘‘My restaurant is the gathering place for runners from all over the world.’’

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parvez 25-03-2006, 13:04

1st: the craftswoman:: for reminding us the rawest and most uncomplicated, harsh truth of life “no work no money”. for her most straightforward and down to earth approach towards life. for her unconditional love of God (even though He still makes her work 7 days a week). and for being able to hold a smile even in sheer adversity.

2nd: the sisters:: for their wonderfully selfless, heart-warming dream. and for the humanitarian and righteous path they chose. go angels…take as many under your wings as you can. and before flying to heaven try changing the world…not by the message of religion alone but by love and compassion.

3rd: the wannabe dj, the truck driver, the aerobics instructor and the restaurant owner. simple people, simple dreams.

4th: mr. medical technician:: what’s the point of bragging about not smoking and drinking? who cares.

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Decorah Guy 06-03-2008, 00:15

There are so many people in the world. I come form Decorah, IA and this tiny community has a lot of life in it. The best thing of course is the very popular pizza place, people come to it from miles around: Mabes Pizza. Its really interesting to see this take on Lima; very insightful writing.

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