"El Fútbol de Donald"

I had lunch with Flor earlier this week. She is the person who looked after me when I was working in Villa Maria del Triunfo and other places and who organised everything for me. She is a good friend and brilliant worker with all the kids of Villa Maria and elsewhere. She means the world to me. She brought me up to date on what's been happening over the past four years, since I was last here.

She has known about my cancer since soon after I was diagnosed  but I hadn't told her quite how bad it is.  As we sat there in the cafe and I explained to her that this would be my last trip to Peru she began to cry. I had to hold her hand to comfort her. I hadn't realised quite how much she cares for me or even loves me. In the best way possible.

I guess I have become quite strong mentally over the past few years and usually avoid tears in most situations except maybe when a movie moves me, which has always been the case. The only person I cry with now is my brother Coinneach, and I'm sure he will agree I do it less now than I used to.

Well anyway we got over that piece of news and actually eventually we had a good laugh about the things we've done and seen together. Things which will be in my memory till the end.

These kids have grown up now. They're all four years older. Some have moved on, one of the girls is training to be a cosmetician, others are still in education of some sort and the younger ones are still around. Flor would like me to go out to Villa Maria to see them all. She has offered to arrange a re-union party with as many as she can contact. I doubt if I will have the stamina to go out there. It is not an easy journey at the best of times, but in my present precarious condition I doubt I can handle it.

She has offered to have the party at her house, which would be easier, but it's actually further out than Villa Maria, in Villa el Salvador, where I once put on another party. So we've decided, or should I say Flor has decided that, if she can manage it, she will organise to bring them into Miraflores on the bus so we can have a party here. Don't quite know how this will work out.

I bought a football  for the boys and girls of Villa Maria, last time I was there. Flor tells me that they became very possessive of the football and it became know as el fútbol de Donald. They would only allow the boys and girls who were attending at the time I bought it to play with it. This is very touching and moving for me, though not to tears, and I feel proud to know that these kids keep me in their memory.

It's also hard to believe that I played football with them four years ago. Look at me now. But I made it back, so that's something. Flor has never met Heber and family. She would like to meet them which will be good as I'm sure she will do whatever she can to support them.

I'm going to bed now as Gareth will be here soon.