Coronavirus or Starvation?
I'm currently waiting for word about permission to have a charter flight fly a group of US, Canadian, and German citizens to Lima. Once in Lima we have a much higher chance of getting out of Peru.
I am exhausted. Frankly, I don't know how to write. Not because there is a shortage of things to write about, but because my brain is a muddy fog. This week has been a never ending cycle of "your stuck" and "we may have a chance to get you out." With the news that the world as a whole is going under level 4 travel restrictions, my family and missions director have decided it is best for me to be home. The problem? Peru is taking our 15 day quarantine very seriously and is solidly closed.
President Trump has been working with the military to get people out of Peru, but it's a slow and uncertain task. At this point, from what I understand, flights are returning to the states from Cusco and Lima, the two largest and most "touristy" cities in Peru. The problem is that with travel closed within Peru, we've had a difficult time figuring out how to first end up in either of those cities.
Peru is dealing with a unique mix of troubles. We have two options. Allow people to come out of their houses, ensuring everyone can earn and spend money for food, thus allowing coronavirus to spread across a vulnerable country at breakneck speed. OR, lock everyone in their houses, prevent them from earning a daily living, and therefore allow some to starve or die from lack of water.
The President of Peru made it clear that banks and food markets would remain open during this time, however this is only helpful for people with enough money to keep in a bank. A large portion of this country's people live with just enough money to survive from day to day. They earn their money by selling food on the streets. With everyone locked in their houses, much of the Peruvian population now has NO WAY to earn food money.
Whether from coronavirus or starvation, Peruvians are in a time of crises.
Whatever my lot, whether I make it home or not, I'm safe, but this is because I'm an American who is living with locals who receive their salaries from the donations of people in the States. In a crises, we can hold on.
Albert and Papa Henrry have been talking about trying to buy extra food and deliver it around our neighborhood. However, even this is not possible in all of Peru. In Pucallpa we're lucky. Since we have no COVID cases here, the police are being relatively lenient about forcing us to stay in our houses. We CAN leave to deliver food to others. However, in cities like Lima, the policeman aren't even allowing the people out of their houses to go to the markets. The citizens of Lima, whether they have money or not, are being faced with hunger.
I don't know how to end this post. It feels like a cliffhanger. However, reality is a cliffhanger right now. Will I make it out? Will I get my cat out? Will Mama Laura, who was visiting another city, get enough food and water? Will my other SM friends make it out of the countries they are trapped in? I don't know.
Life's a cliffhanger.
~TBS~