Yessenia

 Over the past few months, I have become really good friends with a wonderful family. I know them from my daily runs past their house filled with adorable children, and one day they started talking to me! This family is extremely kind, genuine, humble and have so many other amazing qualities. They live very modestly because they do not have much money at all, yet they invite me over to have lunch with them at least twice a week because they want to share food and conversation with me. The entire 6 person family lives in a one bedroom house made of adobe with dirt floors and very little space, yet they always make room for me. They have already taught me so much in just the few months that I have known them, and their friendship means the world to me and spending time with them is something that I always look forward to.  It may be one of my favorite parts of Peru.

Unfortunately, their oldest daughter Yessenia has cataracts in her eyes and is in great need of surgery. Classes have started and she isn't able to go because her cataracts are so bad that she can't see well enough in school. For the past few months the family has been working so hard to try to get money together to be able to pay for Yessenia's surgery. The mom has been making "mazamorra de papa" (a type of jelly with potatoes) to sell in the streets to make money for Yessenia's surgery...I've been helping them make and sell the mazamorra and I've noticed that that it doesn't make much of a dent and the money-saving process for the surgery is going very slowly. They have the surgery scheduled for April 5th, but if they don't raise enough money by then, they will have to cancel the appointment and Yessenia will continue to fall behind in school and lose her eyesight.

I just wanted to share this becausethrough out it all, little Yessenia has been so brave and her family is working so hard to try to get the money together for her. I am SO proud of them and am so thankful to have them in my Peruvian life :)

Here is sweet Yessenia who is in need of eye surgery to remove her cataracts!

The wonderful family that I adore so much. Mom: Benita, Dad: Prospero, Kids: Meyer, Yessenia, Yanelita and Araceli.

Yessenia's adorable little sisters Yanelita and Araceli