Encountering a City of Contrasts

Arequipa is a city with two sides: one extremely poor and another bustling and developed.  All we had experienced in Arequipa previous to this trip was the first side of the city.  This year, however, we got to see the other side.

Extremely Poor

The first side of Arequipa we were introduced to was its poor side.  As we would drive to the outskirts of town, we would leave the green grass, the developed buildings, and the bustle of the city.  Our ride would transition to the poor side.

Here the road would turn from paved to dirt.  There would be fewer cars.  There might be sheep or goats passing on the road.

The houses would slowly transition from finished homes into unfinished ones.  They were built with white volcanic bricks, similar to cinder blocks, held together with cement.  The houses would be one room, usually around 10 feet x 15 feet.  There would be no water, no plumbing, and no toilets.  But, surprisingly, electricity is available, and some houses even have satellite dishes on the roofs, along with a few guard dogs on top too.

The church we have been building is also poor.  Work is only done on it when we come with money to buy supplies, to pay the laborers, and with a few extra hands. 

The progress is slow, and the tools are crude, if present at all.

The first year, our team dug trenches for the foundation.  The second year, we cut wires, assembled rebar columns, and poured cement in one of the columns.  This year, we were able to put in a cement floor and paint a wall.

I half-joked that if this were in the United States, and someone said we were going to build a new church, but not have a roof for over three years, people would laugh and find another church. Or they might just offer to write the check to cover it.

But on the outskirts of Arequipa, where the money is as scarce as the water, the people wait expectantly, hoping to someday have a finished church to worship together in. 

Of course, the people still come and worship there.  The people of the church faithfully gather to serve and worship God together.  Bread is given out to those who have none.  And if it rains, they sit together under umbrellas.

Bustling and Developed

In contrast, this year we got to see the other side of Arequipa, a side we previously didn’t know existed. 

On the poor side, we’ve needed to bring our own gloves. We’ve used crude or worn tools.  Cement was mixed by hand.

We didn’t know if there was another way here in Peru, like there is in the States.  We didn’t know if things were just done differently here.

Well, this year, we ventured out into the city on a quest to buy new plastic chairs for the church.  Our local leaders knew just the place to take us.

We drove down street after street, each one selling a unique item.  There was Metal Street, Lumber Street, Plumbing Street, Couch Street, even Shoe Street.  As we drove past street after street, we had our eyes peeled out for Chair Street.

Street after street passed by, and finally, we came upon a center in which we had to pass by a security guard just to get in.  As we looked, we saw the equivalent of Walmart, then a huge movie theater looming.  We finally stopped at the Home Depot knock-off.  Home Depot (well basically), who knew!

Inside, we saw all the tools of the trade that we didn’t know existed in Arequipa.  We saw the gloves we would bring, the sharp wire cutters that would have been great last year.  We saw row after row of all the same things you could buy in the U.S.  All that was missing were the workers in orange vests, waiting to answer our every question and lead us to the right row.

As our team walked in, with eyes bugging, the contrast was stark and clear.  Arequipa is a city with two sides: one is extremely poor and the other is bustling and developed.

Have you experienced two sides to your own city? What were your impressions?

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