Winged snakes and puma people

A few weeks ago a large package arrived from Germany: Kyra Grewe, a friend of ours and of the network for years, had sent us her book Winged Serpents and Puma People, "her child", as she likes to calls it. It is a book in German, but more Peruvian than many other Peruvian books I have read ...

In approximately 300 pages, Kyra shares with her reader her travels to Peru. Although she visits and describes many tourist places, she invites us, above all, to accompany her on what could be called her inner journey into deep Peru.

Kyra's book is criticism, reflection and testimony. It is opening, searching and finding. It is unlearning and relearning. It is solidarity, community and ayllu (family).

It is a description of an immense inner change that requires the ability to open up to something new, unknown, something that inspires, but also invokes fear and insecurity. It's the story of your meeting, Kyra, with a little light at the end of the tunnel. And that light was turned on by thousands of community members of Cajamarca, nights around the fire, shared meals, mingas, walks, laughter.

And above all: laughter and the possibility of laughing at yourself. In many moments, Kyra's humour, her capacity for self-criticism, to tell with sarcasm and details of her multifaceted encounters with the Andean world, drew a big smile on my face. And at many other times, they made me burst out laughing.

Thank you, Kyra, for your sensitivity, your love for our people, for the Rural Libraries Network. I am honoured that you have allowed me to share this journey with you, sister. I admire your frankness, your path, your devotion. You are simply great… and so is your book. Hopefully soon we will be lucky enough to have it also in Spanish!

Rita mocker

Love and destiny

After a long time and a long confinement due to the pandemic, for Fiestas Patrias we were able to visit our family who lives on the north coast, in the countryside. It is a very beautiful place, surrounded by trees and crops where iguanas, lizards, parrots, hummingbirds and, of course, cats and dogs also live.

When we arrived, one of the dogs had given birth: eight beautiful puppies came out to meet us and conquered our hearts. So, as a family, we took on the task of caring for these little creatures and their mother.

During the week we spent on the farm, the pups grew up and began to play. We heard their barking when we get up and we felt their tiny little tongues caressing our bare feet when we approached them.

From our experience we know that puppies in the mountains are also highly appreciated: many times, people even exchange a puppy for a guinea pig or a hen to have company and someone to take care of the house. So we decided to take the eight puppies and find homes for them.

Along the way, our brother Ramiro Yglesias and his family, from Contumazá, received four of the pups, and in Cajamarca we quickly found a new home for another three. There was a little macho left ...

Then it occurred to us to put a picture of the puppy on the "networks" ... and almost instantly we received a notice from Sócota (in the province of Cutervo), which is about seven hours from Cajamarca: Wilson, a child from the Community Program, wanted to have the puppy.

So we had to organize the puppy's trip. With several stopovers and many hands that took care of him along the way, the little dog arrived safely at his destination. He is now accompanying Wilson… and, as you can see, it is an extraordinary affection.

Mara, Rumi, Alfredo and Rita

1971-2021: Tribute to our Network - 8

May the minga and the meeting not end, may we continue together to celebrate the bond with the land; may our books also continue to be guides for what we do.

May the strength of our communities continue to keep us warm and remember that we are here and here we continue.

Tribute to courage and drive - 8

Recognition to the Burga Tarrillo family: to our coordinator of the Ramada area, in the province of Cutervo, César Eladio Burga, to his wife Vila Tarrillo and children, who together do the work of librarians and promoters of reading.

Thanks to all of them for their bond and solidarity.

Eusebio visiting

A few days ago our coordinator for the San Andrés de Cutervo area, Mario Sánchez, sent us a photo with a note announcing the joy of receiving a pleasant visit. This is what Mario wrote: "Today, brother Eusebio Silva Lozano, coordinator of Churumayo, visited my library to share a moment of fellowship and reading together, and moving forward is our commitment to books and the community."

We met!

The state of emergency in our country due to the Covid19 pandemic and the restrictions that we have assumed since then, coincided with the culmination of our General Assembly of the Network, in March 2020. Since then we have not met again.

That is why, a few weeks ago, we decided to make use of technology and, despite all the difficulties that our brothers and sisters have due to the lack of connectivity, cell phones that only serve them to make calls or lack of budget to maintain a permanent service, we managed to meet with several of them.

It was very nice to see them, even from a distance and to send us “virtual hugs”, which is not the same as a physical hug, since we are used to feeling the heat, strength and encouragement of others every time we meet.

We saw each other and talked, informed about the situation in the communities, remembering some pending tasks, among other things. But the most important thing was that we were able to hear from our brothers and sisters, from the communities, how they are managing to keep carrying the books and help others to keep reading.

Alfredo opened the Assembly with the offering to the land, the apus and the dead. The ceremony also had to be virtual, always calm because we know that the offering is held in the communities before each day.

Happy with the warm presence of dear friends such as Gabi Hidalgo, Sally Vernon, Nathalia Quintero and receiving the greetings of Helen Heery, from England.

It was not the party we are used to every time we meet in person, but it is something, as we usually say, and something very good for these times of mandatory distance.

We are glad to have seen each other, we are encouraged to have talked, we are given hope to see that the night comes and, even from the darkness of the places where there is a “better signal”, but there is no electricity, we continue to listen to each other.

Thank you, comrades, for this meeting.

First virtual Assembly of the Network

In the month of July we had the opportunity to meet for our first virtual assembly: may these times of pandemic and social distancing not stop us wanting to meet to find out how we are doing, to renew our commitment and the joy of living in the communities of Cajamarca.

Thank you for keeping up our spirits, for the precautions and care to keep us in good health, and for looking for alternatives to continue reading in families, communities, and with students.

Lovely meeting, although we miss the hug and the joint work!

Mauricio visits us

A little while ago we had a pleasant visit from our brother Mauricio Pérez, who in a silent and committed way has been accompanying this walk of the Network, looking for spaces between his tasks to integrate into this great family and motivating even young volunteers to help with some tasks at the home of the network.

Mauricio has also grown fond of books, enthusiastically spreading them in different spaces: this is an extraordinary support in self-sustaining efforts.

Our gratitude to Mauricio and a big hug!