Today is Mother´s Day. I was invited to join Martha´s family for dinner. All of her extended family was there and we shared tamales, papas helado (an ancient potato dish), cake and champagne. There were toasts to the mothers (including me) and much laughter and conversation.

Martha's family (part of it)

I´m still not sure how many children Martha has…at least 5…all girls except one son, Victor, the youngest. She has one grandson, Alexander. I took a group picture (which doesn´t include everyone including Alexander) and I will post below.

Martha's family (and me) on Mother's Day

Martha is much loved by her family who appreciates her. She is a true matriarch. I know that she has had at least two husbands but she is single now. I really haven´t been able to sort it all out but it doesn´t matter.

When I was sick last week she took care of me bringing me tea and Vicks VapoRub. She also boiled eucalyptus leaves in a pot and put it in my room for me to breath. It felt good to be mothered.

Her family brought her candy and cakes and there will be a presentation for mothers at her two youngest children´s schools. A big family but probably very different from the family life where she grew up. Her three oldest daughters are not married, one is divorced. They all live at home. In the past they all would have been married by now with children. They all work and have cell phones. It is a very different world.

Martha told me that when she was young there were condors flying in the skies above Cusco and many birds everywhere. Now they are all gone. But there were very bad times in the past. Times of high inflation, little food and murders by the government. Times are better now but still need to improve.

My stay with this family has enriched my life. I was forced to use the little Spanish I know to converse so we did the best that we could to communicate. But we communicated in other ways. People are the same everywhere…hearts know and share automatically.