Welches in Peru

12 February 2017 – original written by Dr Klaus John

The total journey of 460 km takes nine hours return. Bend follows bend and travel sickness is a fellow passenger. Five times we drove from Curahuasi to Andahuaylas to find a suitable site for our radio tower. Finally we were able to buy the plot of land. But then came Poltocsa!

350 houses, most of them roughly a kilometre away from the tower, 700 adults and perhaps 2,300 children. Six towers already stand on the mountain. So why does the population of Poltocsa not want the seventh one?

"The radio antennae will change our climate" says one group and "Our children will be born deformed" says another. "We hear funny noises coming from the mountain at night. It is an eerie feeling!" The Quechua people are superstitious, fear dark powers and APU to unfriendly god who lives in the mountain. What would Pachamama (mother earth) say to the seventh mast? Why did we have a severe hailstorm recently? It must have been due to the antennae.

Four more times Doris Manco and I travelled to Poltocsa to meet the challenge of persuading the residents. Through two presentations in the city hall we tried to soothe the public anxiety. So then we collected signatures. Saturday evening: until deep into the night we knock on doors and speak to lone wanderers we meet out and about. By 10 pm we have collected 268 signatures. Will that be enough?

Doris Manco collecting signatures from residents of Poltocsa

At 7 am the next morning the "Asamblea General" (General Assembly) commences. 175 paterfamilias or their wives must be present. By 8 am we are nowhere near the required number. The mayor does not allow me to give a presentation of Diospi Suyana in the school's auditorium. There we would all have had enough space and would not have to bake in the sun.

One after another is granted permission to speak and says he is against Diospi-Suyana radio. Doris Manco, José Saenz and I have to endure the hostile atmosphere. Why we are not granted permission to speak, we do not know. The mayor had promised us beforehand did we would be allowed to give a presentation of our vision. Were all our efforts and our sweat in vain? Will all our many hours of journeys through many nights come to nothing?

Then others arrived and there are now 180 Quechuas present and we now have a quorum. But it is clear we had lost this discussion ages ago. When the vote will be taken, no one present will vote for us. The populous is terrified of its politicians. They fear did if they vote for Diospi Suyana that the water for their fields will be turned off. We heard this fear often expressed in the previous weeks.

My tongue clings to the roof of my mouth. Have we not prayed for days that God would intervene? Did not the Christians living there say they would support us? The pastors themselves spent hours during the night praying for us. That morning I had sent an email to the missionary fellowship in Curahuasi urging them: "Pray for us, we are under great pressure".

Finally the alcalde (mayor) grants me permission to speak. What should I say? "Doris, while I am speaking, can you pray?" The head of our media centre nods her head. She would have done so without me prompting her - she had been praying all along.

I have ten minutes. I start talking about my childhood, about my dream to be a missionary doctor for the poor; I mention my wife Martina, who some of those present know personally (having been attended to in Diospi Suyana hospital).

"We are here to help you", I call without a microphone into the large crowd. "We do not care what our bottom-line looks like. We want missionaries to comfort, alleviate and heal! "I talk about the suffering in the homes in which we have visited and treated people. "Via our radio we can tell you what services the hospital offers directly and which doctors are there!"

Further verbal contributions follow; most of them are against a radio Diospi Suyana. Just before the vote I can address those present one last time: "Dear inhabitants of Poltocsa, it is your choice. I beseech you - did you listen to the voice of your hearts, not to what any leaders here want to tell you!"

The mayor Describes how the vote will take place: everyone who goes and stands on the right hand side is for Diospi Suyana radio, on the left hand side is against. It will be a matter of seconds and then we will know for sure if we are if we can leave here once and for all, sad and downcast. It is best to get unpleasant things over and done with as soon as possible.

But as soon as the vote starts the people flock and stream towards the right hand side! The queue stretches across the whole school yard and along the far wall. An incredible spectacle! The vote is crystal clear. We can hardly believe what we are seeing. Not a single person, not even minutes before had those who rallied against and Criticized Diospi Suyana, goes to the left hand side. 108 votes for Diospi Suyana, 72 abstentions.

What a decisive and incredible victory against fear and superstition, against opposition and intimidation. A huge stone falls from my heart. Doris, José and I cannot believe what we see. All the prayers spoken were not in vain. Thanks be to God. Gracias to God!

After a four-hour long session being baked in the sun, the 180 people present must now sign the minutes. I am one of the last in the line. Over the past few years, this must now be my favourite signature and my dearest document.