La Oroya, Peru, is one of the most contaminated places on the planet, with decades of poison unleashed on this small community. For more than 20 years a group of citizens has advocated for the enforcement of adequate environmental measures.
Now, for the first time, there are signs of hope.
The 85 or so Presbyterians studying the underpinnings of systemic poverty zoomed out to take in a more global perspective recently, thanks to presentations by Valéry Nodem and the Rev. Jed Koball.
La Oroya, Peru is one of the most contaminated places in the world. Poisoned by the emissions of a U.S.-owned metals smelter, nearly 1,000 miles of surrounding land is contaminated as much as four inches deep with lead, cadmium and arsenic.
The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network (WCC-EWN) began the 2018 edition of its annual Lenten campaign “Seven Weeks for Water” here last week.
The gravel road is mostly abandoned now. With only small spots of fallen snow and flurries along the way, one would not believe this was the same road that led masses of people to the world’s highest lift-served ski area at 17,785 feet. After navigating hairpin turns and watching the houses and farmland of the Bolivian altiplano (high plateau) become smaller and smaller (if one dared look over the narrow road’s edge), the Chacaltaya glacier, in all of its nakedness, soon would be revealed. Today’s view of the glacier, however, is much different from that of years past. Now only a few small remnants of ice and snow persist.
