The Program

The program is not yet finished, but several Peruvians and a few compadres in the class have asked me if I would return to Peru. My answer is unequivocally yes! Not only would I return to Peru has a visitor, but I would also encourage others to do so. If one is unexposed to Latin America, eager to learn about a developing country committed to its own progress and willing to have an experience involving service-learning, this course would fit the bill.

The academic portion of the UNO-in-Peru program was conducted on-line by the very capable Dr. Olga Celle, professor of urban sociology. Dr. Celle was born in Peru but has lived in Italy, Germany and the United States. She presently resides in Lima. She guided the students through a variety readings and preparations for their trip to Lima. Once in Lima the students could see the lessons they studies first hand.

The service-learning component might be somewhat new to the reader. It involves first learning about the demographics of a particular population (e.g. the impoverished children of Lima) both from an academic point of view (background litterature) and engaging the community (meeting with parents and teachers of those children) to discover what they believed to be their needs (in our case, the building of a nursery) and working hand in hand with the adults to assist in achieving that goal.

The mission was moving. At first the parents had no basis to trust the UNO students and faculty. Over the course of a year, the Lima parents, teachers and community witnessed the actual participation in the construction of their building. Last year, I am told, none of the Peruvians would chip in to help with the construction, labor or erection of the building. They just did not believe it would really happen. When the group came and started working, however, a few of the mothers began to help. No men would aid in the efforts. No men would attend the meetings. This year-–and I am a witness-–men participated in the meetings and worked side-by-side with the UNO entourage in bringing the community's dreams to fruition.

The children showed genuine care and excitement that we were there. Their exuberance was spontanteous. They wanted our hugs. We wanted to hug them. With my limited Spanish, I asked for, and they returned, their names. They inquired of mine. We also visited a school with which UNO may work next year. We visited each grade from preschool to high school. They made a variety of presentations-–from reading poetry, reciting history, and, get this, two young men even rapped a song making their own rhythmic beats with their hands imitating the drums. They obviously had practiced it to perfection. I bopped to the beat along side them. It was actually pretty good, even though I could not understand a word of the Spanish lyrics. The lines rhymed and were on time. I shook thier hands when they finished.

It was of special note that one parent asked that we not make promises that we could not keep like so many others have. I was not sure of her past references, but she was absolute right-–lame promises make liars out of those who utter them. I hope UNO can commit more. I hope that more UNO students and Omaha community members will get involved with UNO in Peru. It´s worth it!

Darryll Lewis, J.D., Finance, Banking and Law Department, CBA-UNO