...to the National Museum!

This past Saturday, LLI's women's group took a field trip to the national museum to see the Yuyanapaq exhibit, a photographic display of the destruction brought to many Peruvians in cities and small towns by the terrorist group, the Shining Path, in the 1980s and 1990s. The exhibit serves as a way to remember those who suffered or were killed during this tragic time.

I myself have been to this exhibit many times since moving to Lima a few years ago, but I had never experienced it like last Saturday. A majority of these women had lived through this experience as young girls or teenagers and it was so moving, and heart-wrenching, to listen to their stories and commentaries as they viewed the photos of the history they lived through.

Although the exhibit was intense, the mood lightened a bit once we went out for some appetizers and Irene, who's in her 70's, began dancing to the music and laughing with me. This is why I love working with these women: they have difficult pasts, and possibly difficult futures... but they are always positive, resilient and eager to learn more. We have slowly built up this women's group over the past year and it shows no signs of slowing down!

Volunteers Ellie and Jessie pose with three of the women.

Part of the group waiting outside the museum.

Special thanks to Franzi Weil, former LLI volunteer, who graciously sponsored this field trip! Interested in sponsoring a field trip? Contact Lara@lightandleadership.org for more info!

--Lara DeVries, LLI Executive Director

Published by Lara DeVries on behalf of Light and Leadership. Special thanks to Jessie Pincus for the photos and to Sarah Renkert and Eleanor Hargadon-Lowe for coordination of the field trip. We'll miss you :(