Lima, Peru (Jul 2025) - Service Trip Recap
Dates: July 19 - 27, 2025
Location: Lima, Peru
Our team returned from an unforgettable journey to Peru, where they had the opportunity to connect deeply with the local community, support the incredible staff and children at the Kids Alive Residential Center, and immerse themselves in Peruvian culture. From engaging in meaningful service projects and educational activities to sharing laughs over games and bonfires, the team built lasting relationships and unforgettable memories. They capped off the trip with a cultural adventure through the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
Read all about our most recent team to Peru below! ⬇️
Day 1
Travel day for all of the team members! They met up in Miami on a layover to Lima which was the first time the team met in person. They had members from California, Minnesota, and Connecticut. ✈️🧳
During the layover, the group got a chance to get to know one another a bit more and bond over Chick-fil-a and their favorite bagel places in New York. Apparently the Miami airport doesn’t have the best bagels. 😅🥯
When they arrived in Lima, they were greeted by the Executive Director of Kids Alive Peru. The team was tired from traveling all day but excited for the wonderful week ahead! 🇵🇪🤍
Day 2
The team got to spend a lot of time with the kids and make official intros. They started the day by joining the children and house parents for Sunday service and immersing themselves into the community. 🫶
Later, they had a blast at a nearby soccer field by playing games to quickly break the ice. The crowd pleaser was the "Egg > Chicken > Dinosaur> Superhero > Sky" game that got everyone involved: the kids, house parents, and the visiting mentors, too. It was a fun twist to "rock, paper, scissors". Everyone got very into the acting part of the game! 🎭🙌
And of course, they played soccer! There was a mini tournament of teams mixed, made up of HFK, kiddos, house parents and mentors. ⚽️🥅
They closed out the day by going to the town square and eating some pollo a la brasa. This was followed by a walk in which they saw a procession for the Virgen de la Carmen and closed the night with helado and a couple rounds of "Guess Who?". 💫💙
Day 3
The team got the amazing opportunity to meet and learn from the staff and house parents. They spent some time bonding over bracelet making, arts and crafts, and volleyball. They also received a presentation on all of the amazing ways the Kids Alive Peru team is supporting the kids in and outside of the Residential Center. 🙌🎨
Afterward, they helped the kids with homework - 1:1 reading lessons and assistance with math. The team was humbled by the math lesson and brushed up on their long division. 📝📚
They ended the day by doing some gardening and helping clean up the soccer field. They had a fun time beautifying the property and providing the kids a working field! ⚽️🥅
Day 4
The team visited the Jireh School and the kids were so excited for the visit! They had two stations going - a sports clinic for the younger kids and English practice with the older kids. 🙌📝
The kids enjoyed all of the exercises they did together, showing great teamwork and a joy for sports. They even had time for a very fun game of soccer. ⚽️
The older kids had an opportunity to practice their English skills with the team through conversational exercises. The Jireh School is one of the few schools in the area to incorporate English into their curriculum. 📚✨
Afterward, they enjoyed a very competitive game of bingo with the Kids Alive Peru kids! 🫶
Day 5
This day was La Minka! It’s a Peruvian tradition where the community comes together to work on a service project. The house parents, kids, and the HFK team all gathered to beautify the Residential Center. They mowed the lawns and cleaned up the gardens together. 🪴🫶
La Minka ended with a communal lunch, and later, everyone got the opportunity to go into town and catch the new Superman movie! It was a wonderful day of service and fellowship. 🎥💙
Day 6
The hardest day yet, the goodbyes! 🥲
The team started the day with their last beautification project and then spent the afternoon at the Oasis Community Center in which they participated in some of the center’s outreach programs that provide valuable education. 📚🫶
They ended the day with a bonfire with the Residential Center kids and said formal goodbyes. Great bonds were built this week and the love was felt this night. They don’t know when they’ll see each other next and where life may take them, but they do know that they will forever remain in each other’s hearts and prayers! 🙏💙
Day 7
Time to explore! Although the team was sad to say goodbye to the kids, they were excited to explore some of Peru’s incredible sights and learn more about the culture during the remainder of the trip. 🇵🇪
This day was primarily a travel day. The team started by saying goodbye to Diego, our Executive Director, as he headed off to Costa Rica for another service trip. 🇨🇷 As for the rest of the group, their journey included: Lima ➡️ Cusco ➡️ Ollantaytambo ➡️ Aguas Calientes. ✈️✨
In Ollantaytambo, they enjoyed a delicious lunch with beautiful views, explored the Sacred Valley, and did some shopping. ⛰️
In Aguas Calientes - the gateway town to Machu Picchu - they explored the area and sampled some local delicacies. The foods included beef, cuy (guinea pig), and alpaca. Everyone enjoyed the alpaca, but only 4 of the 5 in the group tried cuy. Of those 4, 3 liked it enough to try it again. Not bad odds! 🍽️🙌
The team got settled in and ready for their next day of adventure! 💙💚
Day 8
What a magnificent day it was!
The crown jewel of the day was Machu Picchu (which means “old mountain” in Quechua). What a view! 😍
The team spent two hours up in the mountains learning about Hiram Bingham’s rediscovery of the site and the restoration process that brought it to what it is today. They took every opportunity to snap photos and capture the experience. ⛰️📷
Fun facts: There are nine free-roaming llamas within the Machu Picchu grounds - and they all have names! The Incans knew how to build two-story structures, and you can tell a person’s status by the smoothness and intricacy of the stonework. 🦙🗿📍
Tupananchiskama, Machu Picchu! “Until we meet again” in Quechua. 🫶💙
Day 9
The perfect day to wrap up an amazing trip! 🙌
The Peru team toured Cusco. They got to see more of the Incan ruins, visited the Mother Earth temple (one of the team members may or may not have been the sacrifice - she wasn’t stoked about it 😅), and had a spiritual experience with a local Incan shaman. ✨
They chased down alpacas - some were more successful than others. 😆 The team also had the opportunity to walk through the neighborhoods and experience Cusco on a more personal level. 🦙💙
They wrapped up the day with a visit to a cat café, more local food, and some amazing views of the town square before saying goodbye. ☕️🫶
Tupananchiskama, Peru! 🇵🇪🤍
We are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to serve alongside our Peruvian partners and witness the impact of the Kids Alive firsthand. This journey strengthened our connection with the local community and deepened our commitment to ongoing support in Peru.
A heartfelt thank you to our amazing team members, donors, and supporters who made this trip possible. Be sure to explore recaps from all our recent trips here!
