The Beginnings of a New Work

Months before I began my new work with Voces Para Latinoamerica and Voces para Cochabamba I attended the dedication and blessing of the new Therapeutic Center called GuainaCapac and it's workers. The work of Voces has been going on for many years, but this was a new project, that was coming to fruition after years of preparation. The above photo shows the beginning of the ceremony of the Q'owa, the Andean blessing. The Q'owa is similar to incense at a high mass (for purification and sanctification), or the Native American Smudging Ceremony (with sage for cleansings). Specific and significant elements as well as herbs are burned to receive protection (from demons) and blessings from the Andean Gods.



image left from a bolivian culture website

At the new Therapeutic center, the burner with a long handle, was walked around the house to the 4 corners to bring a blessing down upon the house. At each corner, there are 8 because the center is in a U shape, and at various outbuildings, the group of followers stopped as the leader said prayers. Another part of the blessing is the Ch'alla, which is a reverent action toward the Pachamama (mother earth). Pure alcohol (though others are used) is splashed on the earth at the 4 corners also. In this reciprocal process, we feed mother earth and she protects us, helps us with family, love, work, and business.



The air was festive as groups of people toured the grounds. The Therapeutic Center has been designed for a model project. The large center, out buildings, grounds are rented for less than what I was paying for a second floor apartment with friends after university. The hopes are that other organizations, who are working in similar projects, would come for training at the center. Currently Voces para Cochabamba provides the training, centralized through the Mayor's Office for all organization who work with children and teens who live in "situations of the street"



The most impressionable part of the day was the blessing of the workers, a sort of commissioning of their work and the new center. Many people came in support of the Center and the workers; they were from so many different connections, political, religious, associates, medical centers... There was even a dance troupe that performed a couple of numbers. One gave much food for thought as the dancers started within cardboard boxes. The symbolism of cardboard boxes and street living was obvious, but the struggle to gain freedom from the boxes, and the frequent return to them, sometimes alone or with other dancer was poignant.





Jose "Pepe" Alvarez Blanco is the man behind the dream and the vision of the center. He is from Spain has worked in Bolivia for years. He's a pretty amazing guy; even his old friends come to Bolivia for their vacations just to help out with his work or the center. Most recently a friend who is a nurse spent three weeks of his vacation living at the center and providing much needed medical assistance, as well as an excellent mentor figure.




Amazingly the center is about a 40-50 minute drive (in public transport up to hours!) from Tiqti Sud and yet you can still see Mount Tunari (to the west) as clear as day! It's nice to have this old friend looking over my shoulder when I work at the center in the countryside.

Below, looking northeast is the backyard of the center, wintertime. In the mountains you can almost discern the dirt roads that switchback their way over the mountains to the rural communities that reside at very high altitudes.