The last time we wrote you, we were just completing our 2nd week of strict, military-enforced quarantine here in Peru. At the time, there were only a few hundred cases. Fast forward 6 more weeks and we are in our 8th week of the same strict quarantine now with over 50,000 cases in Peru, with the surge of 3,000+ new cases identified each day in the last week. Brazil is the only country that has more reported cases than Peru in S America at this point. Officially we have less than a week left in quarantine, so the martial law maaaay (assuming they do not decide to extend it for the 4th time!) be lifted next week. Please be praying for wisdom for the Peruvian president & national government as they decide in the coming days how to phase out the quarantine without the number of cases spiking and the health system collapsing.
While the vast majority of cases are in Lima, the capital, this week there are already reports of hospitals & morgues in several main cities in the Amazon being overwhelmed by the rise in the number of cases & deaths. The number of medical personnel who have been infected is also quite alarming. There have also been reports this week that for lack of medical supplies & fear of the virus, that in some of these overwhelmed hospitals, their personnel have refused to attend people and have left them to die outside. Peru's health system could definitely use your prayers: that the number of cases will go down, that the health system will hold up well to the growing number of hospitalized corona cases, that the staff will have the needed medical supplies, and wisdom for the government on how to quickly beef up the health system here in Peru for the coming weeks and months.
While the vast majority of cases are in Lima, the capital, this week there are already reports of hospitals & morgues in several main cities in the Amazon being overwhelmed by the rise in the number of cases & deaths. The number of medical personnel who have been infected is also quite alarming. There have also been reports this week that for lack of medical supplies & fear of the virus, that in some of these overwhelmed hospitals, their personnel have refused to attend people and have left them to die outside. Peru's health system could definitely use your prayers: that the number of cases will go down, that the health system will hold up well to the growing number of hospitalized corona cases, that the staff will have the needed medical supplies, and wisdom for the government on how to quickly beef up the health system here in Peru for the coming weeks and months.
By the end of this week, we will have spent the full 8 weeks of quarantine here at our home base in Cusco. We are living in a rural community about 1 & 1/2 hours outside of the city of Cusco. Thankfully there are very few cases so far reported in our area, but there is a lot of fear of the virus among the local government leaders & the local population, so the quarantine in our community is pretty strict. All the local streets are blocked with mountains of dirt, rocks, & tree trunks (see the above picture of the blocked street our house is on), so that no one can move in a vehicle. Thankfully, Nemo has been able to get out around the blockades on his motorcycle to go to the local market for food which is about 15 min away in car.
Thank you for your concern & prayers during this time. We continue to praise the Lord for providing us a home here in Cusco late last year! Considering both the corona virus crisis & our pregnancy, these last 4 months would have been very difficult to navigate without it! We are thanking the Lord for His continued provisions & blessings.
Thank you for your concern & prayers during this time. We continue to praise the Lord for providing us a home here in Cusco late last year! Considering both the corona virus crisis & our pregnancy, these last 4 months would have been very difficult to navigate without it! We are thanking the Lord for His continued provisions & blessings.
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