Welcome to Session 1!
During Session 1, we will look at some Peru basics: geography, languages, population and people groups, education and literacy, income, etc. It is important for you to have some background and some knowledge of Peru as a country and as a culture in order for you to prepare to build relationships with the people here and to know how to serve them well.
The content for Session 1 is loaded in order below. Just follow the content as it appears on the page and continue until you reach the end of the page/end of the lesson. Have fun and enjoy learning about Peru!!!
Let's get started with a video:
The content for Session 1 is loaded in order below. Just follow the content as it appears on the page and continue until you reach the end of the page/end of the lesson. Have fun and enjoy learning about Peru!!!
Let's get started with a video:
As you can see from the video, Peru is quite diverse! Please click below to watch a short clip about the geography of Peru...
As though Peru weren't diverse enough in her geography, we now look at her diversity in population and people groups. Look at the graphic below...
Let's take a quick look at the people of Peru... Just what do Peruvians look like???
Did you expect that??? Actually, there are 104 defined different people groups in Peru. And this correlates with the next bit of information... Languages of Peru.
Languages of Peru
Did you know that there are over 104 languages spoken in Peru?
The major languages spoken are Spanish, Quechua (35 dialects), Aymara, and a large number of Amazonian languages. Below are samples of the 1 John 1 in Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. Take a listen and compare them.
The major languages spoken are Spanish, Quechua (35 dialects), Aymara, and a large number of Amazonian languages. Below are samples of the 1 John 1 in Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. Take a listen and compare them.
1 John 1 in Spanish
1 John 1 in Quechua Wanka
1 John 1 in Aymara
Calm down... Don't panic!!! We will take care of your language needs - we supply translators for your team! You don't need to speak Spanish or Quechua or Aymara. You will be working alongside our Peruvian team. The Peruvian team not only consists of the Mission Society missionary team, but also of Peruvian team members who will be helping you during your time here, serving their own people and serving you.
Are you okay now??? Don't let the language thing bother you. We've got that covered.
Now let's look at education in Peru. We're going to watch a video about some children and their teacher and what a typical day looks like for them.
Are you okay now??? Don't let the language thing bother you. We've got that covered.
Now let's look at education in Peru. We're going to watch a video about some children and their teacher and what a typical day looks like for them.
Education
What do you think? How many North American children do you know who would do homework by candlelight after working in the fields and tending to the animals? And just a note on the temperature... in the Andes when the sun goes down (or hasn't come up yet in the a.m.) IT IS COLD!!! And we don't have heated homes or schools. We just dress in layers.
The video shows a rural situation. In the cities, school classes can have 40-50 children in a classroom. The school around the corner from our home in Huancayo has 5500-6000 students! Books and materials are very poor or non-existent in most schools. Children must buy their own supplies and their own textbooks, which can become very expensive.
School begins for children at age 3 (optional)/ 6 (mandatory) and goes through age 16-17.
School is "free", but students must pay for their own supplies, textbooks, and mandatory uniform. This cost can run up to near $300 which is exorbitant for most families. Therefore, they do not buy the textbooks or some of the supplies and the children attempt to study without books - usually resulting in failure.
School is mandatory, but not enforced. The current statistic is that more than 25% of Peruvian school-age children are not in school. This percentage is higher in rural areas where education is not available or is not valued... it is more important for children to work for the family in the fields or help support the family at home.
The video shows a rural situation. In the cities, school classes can have 40-50 children in a classroom. The school around the corner from our home in Huancayo has 5500-6000 students! Books and materials are very poor or non-existent in most schools. Children must buy their own supplies and their own textbooks, which can become very expensive.
School begins for children at age 3 (optional)/ 6 (mandatory) and goes through age 16-17.
School is "free", but students must pay for their own supplies, textbooks, and mandatory uniform. This cost can run up to near $300 which is exorbitant for most families. Therefore, they do not buy the textbooks or some of the supplies and the children attempt to study without books - usually resulting in failure.
School is mandatory, but not enforced. The current statistic is that more than 25% of Peruvian school-age children are not in school. This percentage is higher in rural areas where education is not available or is not valued... it is more important for children to work for the family in the fields or help support the family at home.
Literacy
Literacy is a big issue for us in Peru. For example, among the groups that we work with in ministry:
The overall literacy rate for Peru is 67%, compared to the USA statistic of 99%.
In most of our mission work, we are dealing with the lower numbers on literacy. This is a very oral culture... knowledge is passed on verbally and this is a culture that values storytelling and conversation HIGHLY. For you as a short-term team, this is important to note. Be very careful with anything that you do or bring with regard to written material. Chances are, you will be very ineffective if you rely on our traditional USA methods of teaching. Think more in terms of visuals and oral methods of teaching.
- the Ashaninka people (native Amerindian population) have a 1% literacy in their native tongue, and a 5% literacy in Spanish (their second language).
- the Yanesha people (native Amerindian population) have a 10-20% literacy in their native tongue, and a 15-20% literacy in Spanish.
- the Quechua people have a 1% literacy in their native language, and a 5% literacy in Spanish.
The overall literacy rate for Peru is 67%, compared to the USA statistic of 99%.
In most of our mission work, we are dealing with the lower numbers on literacy. This is a very oral culture... knowledge is passed on verbally and this is a culture that values storytelling and conversation HIGHLY. For you as a short-term team, this is important to note. Be very careful with anything that you do or bring with regard to written material. Chances are, you will be very ineffective if you rely on our traditional USA methods of teaching. Think more in terms of visuals and oral methods of teaching.
Income
Please take the poll below... No peeking! No cheating! Come on... this is a mission training!
The average income per month per person in the USA is $3120. (Remember, that's an average... some make much more, some make much less.) What is minimum wage right now in the USA???
In Peru, the average income per month is $276. Peru has a minimum wage of 18 soles per day ($6). PER DAY! But, just like in the USA, there are many undocumented workers... people who work for cash and don't have any paperwork or ties to government entitlements. If you have papers, you must pay taxes and a Peruvian form of Social Security and insurance. MANY people choose to not work under government paperwork and choose to work for cash in hand. However, the difference in pay is not much - the difference is in the hassle of the paperwork. They choose to forego the insurance and social security and paperwork for a couple of dollars in difference.
Now, relate this information back to the literacy rate... Of course many people choose to forego the paperwork - they can't read it or fill it out or understand the legal jargon!
Now, relate this information (average income) back to the cost of a "free" education... remember, the cost of supplies and textbooks and uniforms can total close to $300 for one child. Are we surprised that so many children are not in school, or if they are, they don't have supplies or textbooks???
In Peru, the average income per month is $276. Peru has a minimum wage of 18 soles per day ($6). PER DAY! But, just like in the USA, there are many undocumented workers... people who work for cash and don't have any paperwork or ties to government entitlements. If you have papers, you must pay taxes and a Peruvian form of Social Security and insurance. MANY people choose to not work under government paperwork and choose to work for cash in hand. However, the difference in pay is not much - the difference is in the hassle of the paperwork. They choose to forego the insurance and social security and paperwork for a couple of dollars in difference.
Now, relate this information back to the literacy rate... Of course many people choose to forego the paperwork - they can't read it or fill it out or understand the legal jargon!
Now, relate this information (average income) back to the cost of a "free" education... remember, the cost of supplies and textbooks and uniforms can total close to $300 for one child. Are we surprised that so many children are not in school, or if they are, they don't have supplies or textbooks???
This session in review...
Please print the following document to review the material from this session...
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Select the file on the left to download the notes for this session. |
Congratulations! You finished Session 1 !!!
Don't forget to download your devotional readings for the week and carefully consider them as you prepare for Session 2. You can download the devotionals by going to the "Links and Downloads" section of this website... look at the top of the page and click the words "Links and Downloads". This will allow you to download the entire devotional booklet at one time. OR, you can click below to download the Devotional guide for Week 1 only. See you in Session 2!!!
devotional_guide_week1.pdf | |
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