Peru Lima East Mission (Misión Perú Lima Este)

The Peru Lima East Mission (Misión Perú Lima Este), from which we recently returned home, covers the east side of the city of Lima (on the coast) and also the High Central Andes of Peru.

The mission is one of seven missions (as of October 2009) in Peru, as shown in this map:

The Peru Lima East Mission, the Peru Lima North Mission, the Peru Lima South Mission, and the Peru Lima Central Mission, each cover a section of Lima as well as several regions (state-like politcal areas), as indicated in the above map.

The Peru Lima East Mission includes the following regions: Lima, Huánuco (with the city of Huánuco as its capital), Pasco (with Cerro de Pasco as its capital), Junín (with Huancayo as its capital and includes Tarma where we lived for seven months), and Huancavelica (with the city of Huancavelica as its capital).


To travel through the Peru Lima East Mission involves more elevation changes that any other mission in the Church. A typical tour of the mission starts in Lima (sea level, where there are 10 LDS stakes), goes up from there over Ticlio pass at 15,807 feet above sea level, drops down to La Oroya (12,200 feet; 2 LDS branches), passed through the town of Junín (13,600 feet; an LDS branch), climbs up to Cerro de Pasco (14,200 feet, the highest stake in the Church), drops down to Huánuco (6,200 feet; two stakes), returns past Cerro de Pasco, drops down to Tarma (10,050 feet; four LDS branches), drops farther down to La Merced (2,600 feet; an LDS stake), returns up to Tarma, goes over a pass of 13,600 feet, drops down to Huancayo (10,600 feet; two LDS stakes), travels on to Huancavelica (12,100 feet; an LDS branch), and returns over the Ticlio pass and back down to Lima.

For more information about this fabulously diverse mission, read more of this blog.

Carnival in Tarma

One night, just as we arrived home, a parade of people came down our street. Here at the right are some men dressed up as women:


Scott pulled out his camera and began taking pictures. The costumed people were thrilled to have someone take their pictures:


Even the adults wanted their pictures taken:


Proud parents also encouraged their kids to have their pictures taken:


Two days later, we ran into some more merrymakers along the main street of downtown Tarma. The band was playing loudly and the costumed people were dancing enthusiastically:


Crowds gathered to watch the revelers and to join in the fun:


All of this is part of the month-long celebration of carnival ("carnavales," as it is called here). Carnival occurs each year just before Lent, the 40 days of fasting prior to Easter. The most famous carnival celebrations are in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

In Tarma, neighborhoods join together, dress up, hire a band, and walk from their neighborhood to downtown Tarma, where the music, dancing, fireworks, and (of course, drinking), goes on until late at night.

Another Tarma tradition during carnival is the process of choosing a "mayordomo" (steward). The steward organizes a group, hires a band, holds a parade through the streets of Tarma, and serves a big feast. The following are pictures of a stewardship group walking up our street.


As they got closer, we saw the "mayordomo" (steward) holding the group's banner and dancing with his partner. The women were dressed in traditional costumes with native hats:


As the group paraded up the street, they occasionally twirled around as part of their traditional dance:


This couple strutted and danced to the music as they walked along. The woman wore the customary expression of being in a trance:


However, this woman couldn't resist a smile as she knew Scott was taking her picture:



Here you can see the dancers, followed by the band:

After the parade passed our house, some men on horses joined the group. Their horses pranced and bucked at the head of the procession.

The parade literally stopped traffic on our street, as you can see from the parked mototaxis (the three-wheeled vehicles that we ride in everywhere we go within the city.)

Life in Tarma is never dull.