Blanco y Celeste: Into the Heart of (ex) terrorist country

One of the areas we visit is Perlamayo, a lush coffee-growing area in a mountain valley. It's a tiny little town straight out of a western, in a place where you would least expect to find a town! So, in the late 80s, Trevor Loechel and his native companions went looking for a contact of someone who had professed in another area, and they came to this town. There they met a man called Antonio Delgado, who straight away saw truth and made his choice to serve God. Through him, many others who are still continuing today, came to also listen and receive the gospel into their hearts. It was at the height of terrorism in Peru, a group called the Shining Path were agin the government and trying to reform people of their own accord. They operated throughout the country, but had bases in certain places, one of which was Perlamayo. When I see it, I can see it would be a perfect place for terrorists to hide out, and hide their stash of arms. It's surrounded by mountains covered in thick vegetation, and probably more so in those days when there was no road, and the only means to get there was walking (the workers walked several days to reach there). The terrorists were very violent, blew up police stations etc, and would reign by terror...killing whole families sometimes if they deemed them to be off-side for some reason.

When the workers went in, the rumour went around that they were terrorists, or spies, spying out the land for mining companies! So Antonio professed, but began to delve into village politics, and that led him to joining up with the terrorists. He became quite high up, and the workers believe that perhaps he had a big part to play in the fact that they were never touched by the terrorists in their forays in there.

The day came when the National Army was beginning to get the better of the terrorists, and Fujimori who was the president at the time was offering amnesties to the lesser terrrorists in exchange for info on the leaders and where their arms stash was. Story has it that the soldiers went in to Perlamayo, the little plaza full of them. Antonio's mother went out and called for him to come out of hiding, pleading with him to come down and give himself up. Eventually he did, and received protection for many years after showing them where all the weapons were. Antonio and his wife are still outside of the God's will, but now and then the workers visit them. They always receive them gladly, and recognise that there is no other way...but!! Hard to get back I suppose.

So this is how we get there! Pack up all our stuff, put the backpack inside a big plastic bag to protect it from the elements, then go along to a depot from where the vehicles leave from. The vehicles come down the mountain early, like 6am, bring their passengers into town, then return anytime from midday on. So we go and wait for one to fill up, then pay our fare, pile in and we're off. This is one such ute loaded with anything from sacks of corn, to live chooks.

A local - straight out of Lucky Luke

Some shots of the road over the mountain range to Perlamayo. Definitely need 4x4! It is the rainy season and there is a lot of mud and slips.

Part of the township of Perlamayo - where Antonio handed himself in

Two dear old faithful souls, Sofia and Camila. They are part of the original group. Sofia can't read, they are both up in their 80s.

Inside Sofia's son Alvaro's house. Simple living!!

Looking down toward the township from the house...nice street!! All the waste water gets chucked down there.

After Sun am mtg

Alvaro in pink t-shirt is the owner of this house. He was professing, but for some reason has stopped taking part. Lady in blue top comes to mtgs when we are there! The man in blue t-shirt is Camila's grandson, not professing as yet. This was our Sunday am mtg.