For the past 7 years the SJU Peru group of students have been coming to Cusco, Peru to visit and learn more about the problems and solutions The Pura Vida Foundation deals with on a daily basis.  Over these years we have grown together and have flourished more and more each trip, and this year was no different.  The students got to see first hand what the Pura Vida Shelter does for the young girls of Peru, they were able to meet the kids who are the faces of our shelter and foundation.  The students also got to meet Ricardo who has been such a huge part of the SJU Peru trip, they also got to see what years of hard work from past students and teachers were able to accomplish for this young boy.  It has been nothing less than miraculous what SJU and The Pura Vida Foundation has been able to do for Ricardo.  This year was also very special because we were able to show the students first hand where these young girls come from and the problems they face before coming to The Pura Vida Shelter.  We traveled to more than 15,000 feet above sea level to a very impoverished and forgotten community called Paru Paru.  There we had two little girls showing us around their community house to house as we distributed blankets, warm clothing, school supplies, and medicine to some of the poorest families in Paru Paru.  The Story of one of the little girls really hit home for all of us because at 10 years old she is at high risk of being sold, impregnated, or outright abandoned.  And to show these students a young child that The Pura Vida Shelter is working with to bring to Cusco to live in our shelter was very heart wrenching and very impactful.  Another year has come and gone but we all hope that the things these students were able to see and be apart of will stay with them for the rest of their lives!!!!!