22 August 2007
Lima, Peru

Hello Dominic,

I write to you in a tired state - a very tired state - after having just come from Chincha. I cannot stay on anymore because of my work obligations here [in Lima].

The Asociacion Peruana de Escultismo [an Earth Charter Youth Group in Peru], through the Scout group APE Huellas Profundas, has been working in coordination with the Municipalidad de San Miguel to organize points for the collection, classification, and distribution of donations. Furthermore, we have sent two delegations to the disaster zone (in particular, three cities were hit: Pisco (the most affected), Chincha, and Ica). My delegation was in Chincha, in the neighborhood of El Carmen, known for its population of Afro-Peruvian origin.

The groups Salvadora Cosmopolita (based in Chorrillos and Lima) and Fogata Luminosa (based in Moquegua) helped gather and distribute donations [to earthquake survivors].

I have sent you a number of photographs. I have not commented on each one because I am very, very tired and have thousands of things to do as I have lost working days…

But it was, indeed, an emergency.

I hope you are well.

A hug,

Carlos Ponce de Leon
Asociacion Peruana de Escultismo