Poverty » Peru

Where Do You See the Extraordinary?

Web Team — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:23:11 +0000

One of the greatest gifts God ever bestowed upon me was the courage to open my heart and welcome a child in need.

I feel so honored and privileged to introduce you to this special friend of mine. While considered ordinary when looked at through the eyes of the world, in my eyes, everything about my friend embodies the word extraordinary.

My hope in sharing her story is that you find encouragement. May her testimony serve as a reminder for us that even the simple things we do can have eternal significance.

Answering the Call

I am never shy about telling others that answering the call and becoming a sponsor at the age of 21 was the best decision I’ve ever made.

God blessed me with the honor of cheering on my precious friend, Katerin, starting when she was 10 until she graduated from the Child Sponsorship Program at age 17. And when opportunity knocked in the form of a sponsor tour to Peru, I happily answered.

As I reflect on that special time, meeting Katerin proved to be a life-changing experience in many ways. God provided me an up-close-and-personal encounter with Katerin, her family, and many of the precious angels who so gracefully reflect Jesus’ love to all the children at the Forjadores de Esperanza Student Center in Peru.

During this visit there were four things that Katerin helped validate:

She Prays
“How is your dad?” were the first words that came out of her mouth.
My dad had been stricken with cancer. While I never maintained any suspicions, clearly Katerin’s concern demonstrated that indeed she was doing as she said in her letters. And in that moment, I could not help but imagine this precious little girl on her knees interceding faithfully on behalf of my father.

Letters Matter
Upon arriving at her home for a visit, Katerin dashed inside. Before I could blink an eye she was outside again, trotting toward me with arms outstretched. From a distance she appeared to be holding something.

As she motioned for me to accept her folder, there must have been a dust storm or something because right then, as I opened the folder, my eyes began to moisten at the sight of items once very familiar. Yes, those letters and other simple-but-sincere acts of love really do mean something to our sponsored kids.

Winning Isn’t Everything
On child-visit day I learned that when you delegate sole power to your child, in effect empowering her to choose which activity to participate in, don’t be surprised when you soon are strapping it on in the three-legged race. With a satisfied smile, Katerin later reminded me, “Padrino, we did our best.”
Mom Is Supportive
Katerin’s mom was her world. Bless her heart, on child-visit day I admittedly was not at all prepared to accept the following words spoken by her mother: “I quit my job to be here today.”

Knowing that she was the lone provider at home, I needed clarification and was relieved to learn that “quitting her job” equated to not working (as a seller in the market) on that particular day.

Less than a year after meeting Katerin, the anticipated-but-never-really-quite-ready-for final letter arrived in my mailbox.

Among other things, she expressed her goal and dream of one day studying and furthering her career through university training. In my mind I imagined the possibility of one day receiving an email or letter saying,

“Padrino, I did it. With God’s help I am now learning in the university.”

Since I didn’t fully understand the possibility of communication beyond sponsorship, Compassion kindly helped guide me through this delicate process. Essentially it meant that all inherent risks (on both ends) were fully weighed and considered.

If I was still interested, I was told, I needed to fully agree upon and sign a waiver form. Local Compassion staff would then pass along my desire to Katerin, who in turn would be responsible for initiating the first dialogue (if interested and/or able).

About three months later, in 2006, I welcomed her first greeting. Although I have never taken this privilege of communication beyond sponsorship for granted, I would be misleading if I suggested that the years to come were without heartache.

While details such as working and attending to her church and family life seemed to encompass most of Katerin’s messages, the next couple of years afforded me a beautiful glimpse inside her heart. Not surprisingly, Katerin continued to prove that she was wired just like so many of our dear, sponsored children — with that refuse-to-give-up attitude.

This attitude would soon be put to the test.

Hope, Despair and Answered Prayer

In 2009, the words Where are you, God? echoed from deep within my heart. This after learning that Katerin’s mother had died, succumbing to cancer after a courageous fight.

As is often the case with this disease, her death was preceded by a painful, heartbreaking, prolonged decline in bodily function. The decline and death of Katerin’s mother left the children in deep despair.

You need to understand that the loss of her mother wasn’t an ordinary loss, as callous as that may sound (with due respect to the order of life). For Katerin and her two siblings, you see, their mother was the rock. While their father is alive today, for reasons unbeknownst to me he has not been a regular part of their lives.

Thankfully the local church and Compassion graciously provided an umbrella of support, tangibly illuminating God’s love through merciful hands of compassion.

One month after Katerin’s mother died, I had the privilege of sharing a conversation with Katerin on Messenger. With all the strength she could muster she reassured my doubting heart:

“I will be okay. I will continue on. This is what my mother would have wanted, after all.”

Fighting back feelings of despair, Katerin dug deeper:

“If God would have allowed, I willingly would have traded places with my mother.”

I could not have been more proud of my friend than at that moment.

Less than a year after her mother’s death, I received an email. Receiving that email was no different than if I had reached into my mailbox and found one of those unmistakable letters.

You know – those letters that contain arguably the five most beautiful words ever: Message from your sponsored child.

Katerin’s message came stamped with the very signature of God with this news: She would begin studying in college! God in all His faithfulness had answered Katerin’s prayer to attend college.

What Is Katerin Up to Today?

This year, thanks to God, Katerin celebrated her 23rd birthday. Studying in college has been put on hold (Lord willing, for only a season). Earlier this year she became pregnant and recently she welcomed into the world a precious little baby boy.

Katerin named him Jeremy.

The name Jeremy was chosen out of honor, she said. Although I admit to being a little biased, in one of the most precious messages I’ve ever received (you know the type — those capable of making grown men cry) she told me why she chose the name Jeremy.

The name she chose for her baby makes my heart smile with more pride than you will ever know (after all, come on now, Jeremy is a pretty amazing name, right?). But in all seriousness, her story is really OUR story. Her story is YOUR story.

May you always remember that, as a sponsor, you are making an eternal difference in the life of your child(ren). Whenever you bless another with an act of kindness or an affirming, encouraging word, don’t forget to smile because you, my friend, are bringing a little heaven to earth.

Your sacrifices help spread God’s love and truth to your child and family.

Your faithfulness reminds your child how much you love him or her.
Your prayers reinforce the truth that God is listening and always able.
Your encouragement helps fan the flame of hope, keeping your child’s candle lit.
Your letters of love inspire your child to dream and imagine.

If Katerin could say one thing to you today, I imagine she would begin by saying “thank you.” Then with all her strength, undoubtedly, she would challenge you to have the courage to sponsor a child. Or another.

As I have come to know my friend Katerin, time and time again I have been humbled by her uncommon resolve, her perseverance to discover a way when everything around might suggest tossing in the towel. Within her exists a courageous, never-say-never attitude very much reflective of sponsors just like you.

Included in her final correspondence letter was a challenge to me. As a way of honoring Katerin, I’d like to share her challenge with you:

“Have the courage to sponsor another child so you can give him/her the same help, because there are many here who need it.”

Do you know someone who may have this courage that Katerin speaks of? Who may be waiting for an invitation to make a significant difference?

With God actively at work and always going before you, imagine the power and potential of your testimony as a Compassion child sponsor. Might it even hold the key to unlock someone’s heart?

May God bless you and may you always go forth with courage!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeremy Vance became a sponsor in 1997 and then became an advocate in 2006. Currently he sponsors seven children and is a correspondent sponsor with nine more. He lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

A Spirit of Power and Love

Web Team — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:39:33 +0000

Every time I visit one of the child development centers in the southern cone of Lima, I look in the sea of children’s faces for Darwin, a small 5-year-old boy.

When I find him, I touch his hair and give him a big smile. Especially when the center workers tell me that he is one of the first children to finish his food and is on time to the program.

I met Darwin while visiting his home on the hills that decorate the crowded region where he and his family live. The tutor took me, anxiously seeking help for this family who had suffered a fire in their home.

Upon reaching Darwin’s house, I found three children sleeping in a small room with no windows or doors. The youngest was in the best spot, an old and dirty baby carriage; his 6-year-old brother was on top of him. I heard the cry of a child alongside his brothers. He was lying on the dirt floor among wet stones. It was Darwin. He was using dirty clothes as a pillow and was crying from pain and cold.

When I saw him I felt his pain, poverty and distress. I couldn’t contain myself and I cried. At that moment I felt the pain of a mother, sister and daughter. It was the Holy Spirit who grieved at the scene.

The tutor looked at me, surprised. I held back my tears and hugged Darwin. His mother, a woman who was limited by her poverty, came and shared their needs. At first, her face was hard and suspicious but eventually gave way to a friendliness and hope. Yes, hope despite facing such adversity.

When I see how hard poverty hits those who have the least, my mind is not at peace. I can’t not do something. Our good God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and self-control. Dear brothers and sisters, as children of God, let’s be His hands, His instruments to bring peace, love and good news to those living in despair.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. — 2 Timothy 1:7, NIV

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for giving us the opportunity to serve in this wonderful ministry with the members of Your Church. I pray that you would keep pouring out Your grace and Your spirit so that more children will be blessed and touched by You.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jessica Arce Huancacuri is a partnership facilitator in our Peru office.

Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Six Things I Learned From a Local Church in Peru

Web Team — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 07:16:35 +0000

Earlier this year, while my husband was on sabbatical in Peru, I spent time at the Tesoros del Señor Child Development Center. I visited the center every Wednesday for five weeks.

A friend at the church I attended in Lima was familiar with the center because it is connected to her former church in Villa el Salvador. She introduced me to the center staff.

In my time observing Compassion’s ministry, I learned six small, but important, lessons.

Poverty is invisible to the rich people who live nearby.
Because they are afraid to go into the poor neighborhoods, locals who could give their time and resources don’t know what is needed.
It’s the little things in life that can bring the greatest joy.
It was orange season when I was in Peru and that meant each child got a fresh mandarin orange after lunch. They were so delighted with this simple dessert.

Also, after weeks of using pencil stubs to color with, the children were grateful to get new colored pencils to use. They were always grateful for the smallest kindness, particularly when I sat down next to children as they colored. They loved having me watch (and praise) their drawing.

Poor people don’t travel.
While visiting the church, I made several tourist trips around the country and was embarrassed when I realized the staff at the child development center haven’t been out of their city. Nevertheless, they were gracious in asking me about my trips and interested in hearing how I liked their country.
Living with less leads to great faith.
The women who work at the center showed great faith in God during their morning devotions. They had so much less materially than my family and friends, but so much more trust in God’s provision. Perhaps saying God provides all I need is backwards. Maybe the right idea is: I need what God provides. That seemed to be the case for these women of faith.
Hugs and smiles speak volumes when the language doesn’t work so well.
The children who spoke little English had no trouble communicating their pleasure at my presence even though I spoke little Spanish. And although I was nervous about my poor Spanish, they didn’t mind at all and understood me.
Fasting from riches makes me more thankful.
When I returned home I was so grateful for the little things I had access to, like fresh vegetables. I was less caught up in all the stuff I might have wanted before. I passed on this gratitude to my family as well. A fast from riches makes us feel richer in Christ as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eunice Lehmacher is a licensed social worker with a counseling practice in Seneca, South Carolina. She and her husband have two sons and live in Clemson, South Carolina, where her husband is a physics professor at Clemson University.

If you’re interested in writing a guest blog post, we are happy to consider publishing it. Read our guest blog post guidelines.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

How Deep Does Compassion Run in Your Family?

Juli Jarvis — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 07:28:49 +0000

I (Juli) recently dreamed I was climbing a lot of barriers (including locked gates) to get to my sponsored child Nuy, and she was doing the same to get to me.

Nuy is the precious girl in Thailand I sponsored from the time she was 8 years old until she graduated from the Leadership Development Program last year.

In the dream, when we finally got past all the barriers, representing race, language and distance, and met in the middle, we hugged eagerly.

When I awoke, I recalled the real hugs we’d shared when I traveled to Thailand for her graduation – when we truly celebrated all the obstacles she overcame and the barriers we broke through over the years.

We shared a meal together for the first time, and on Mother’s Day no less. Words can’t describe the joy and satisfaction of that moment!

Chris: When we heard Mom was going to Thailand to attend Nuy’s Leadership Development Program graduation, my sister, Sarah, and I offered to go along.

We had grown up with Nuy, reading her letters around the dinner table and praying for her.

I didn’t know what to expect when we met her, knowing she had grown up in poverty. And when I saw her, right in front of me — beautiful, intelligent, nicely dressed — I wondered if she’d really needed us.

Then I realized, it worked. It really worked. She’s no longer in poverty.

Yes, she has chosen to stay with her mother in simple surroundings, caring for two small nephews, but she has a good job, is supporting her family, and is out of poverty. Wow! Compassion works.

Sarah: After the graduation ceremony, Nuy took us to a huge market and chose foods to cook as her gift to us.

The market was a crazy place with lots of things I hoped she wouldn’t buy, like the heads of pigs, slimy squids and intestines of various animals.

Thankfully, she made perfect choices and later we sat on the floor of the Leadership Development Program apartment, on a mat, eating the most delicious meal!

One other sponsor couple was also there with their student, Pen.

Chris: Hanging out with Nuy was fun, and meeting her in person was a step beyond the letters we had shared through the years. We had an extra day together after graduation, and soon we were taking goofy photos, laughing together, and sitting on the backs of elephants.

Sarah: We also went floating down a river on rafts. Elephants and wild water buffalo were all around and my brother and I pretended we were Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer! It was a blast!

Nuy is seen here with her mentor, Gratae, but Mom stayed back with Nuy’s mom, Bo, and the translators.

Juli: I’m so glad to have had time to visit with Bo. What a beautiful woman! She kept thanking me tearfully for staying with Nuy and not quitting.

As it turned out, she’d had a sponsor before us who had quit after one year.

What Bo didn’t know was that I couldn’t have continued sponsoring Nuy when she was accepted into the Leadership Development Program, but God had provided several friends to be partners in praying for Nuy and to help make the sponsorship payments; I didn’t want to lose her for anything.

Bo told me that the people at the child development center asked her to cook for the children, and she did so for years.

Since she was working at the Compassion center she would often sit in on Nuy’s lessons with her, and that’s how she also came to know Christ as the answer to her deepest needs.

Sarah: It was sad to say goodbye to Nuy, but we knew she was in God’s hands. I took this last photo of Mom and Nuy hugging. Nuy had just written something in Mom’s journal when she asked for her autograph (written in Thai, but later translated):

“Thank you for the love of God that you and your family give to me. I’m very glad and feel warm in my heart. Thank you so much for such a great time in only a few days.

I promise that I will miss you and pray for you often. And thank you for your embrace, which I’ve been awaiting for so long. It feels just like I’m hugging my mom.”

Chris: In addition, we had the opportunity to visit a child development center and meet three children in need of sponsors.

I wanted to sponsor this little girl, Film, but didn’t feel I could take on a second child yet; I’m sponsoring a little boy in Peru whom I also hope to visit some day.

It didn’t take long for Mom to find sponsors for all of them when we got home, although she chose to sponsor Mod-Daeng for herself.

Film’s sponsoring family is with her this month in Thailand — we all wanted to hide out in their luggage and go back too!

Sarah: We also went on a home visit and met this amazing family. They graciously offered some water, and we shared gifts we had brought.

Mom also found a sponsor for a child named, Fram — the sponsor is the youth pastor of our church.

Fram’s parents were the nicest, most sincere people, and we loved meeting them!

And we had a great time with all the Compassion staff; they are amazing friends we will remember forever.

Juli: I had a correspondence girl named Emjay in the Philippines, and could not imagine failing to meet her, too, as she was also graduating from the Leadership Development Program. So we also were able to visit Emjay’s home.

What a hoot to ride around in this tiny green motorella, all scrunched together!

We had a great time, traveling by various vehicles to a beautiful island, and hanging out with sweet Emjay and her delightful center director, Eva.

Since they spoke fluent English, the bonding and silliness came very quickly and easily between all of us!

I’m thankful for the blessings our sponsored children have been to us as a family. My kids have a greater interest in missions, in foreign travel, and in needs around the world because of it.

They have true compassion in their hearts for others. They have worked to help others in places like New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, soup kitchens and foreign mission fields.

Although my oldest son and my husband were not able to go on this trip, they are eager to help at a table when I speak for unsponsored children in churches as a volunteer Child Advocate.

This past Mother’s Day I got an interesting gift from Sarah, and called to ask what it meant. The number 38 rang a bell for me, but I wasn’t sure what she meant by her note.

I called her, and she said,

“Mom, for your gift this year I’m sponsoring a child.”

Wow! I couldn’t hold back the tears.

Compassion runs deep in our family. God’s ways are amazing!

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Ministry Highlight: Peru

Web Team — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 07:59:06 +0000

Compassion began its ministry in Peru in 1985 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2003, both the Child Survival Program and the Leadership Development program began.

Due to the extreme poverty of many Peruvian children, the Triennial Health Program launched in 1988. Focusing on disease prevention, our Peru ministry leaders hired a physician and two social workers to conduct training workshops at the Implementing Church Partners for all of our staff.

These workshops taught staff members how to identify common disease symptoms and prevent common diseases with good health habits. Out of this program, the Children’s Health Patrol began.

Children’s Health Patrol trained children to detect disease symptoms among their peers, then report any symptoms to church partner staff. This program was eventually implemented in other countries where we work.

Country Director

Cristina Zavala joined Compassion Peru as a Sponsor and Donor Ministry Coordinator in 1999 and later became the Sponsor and Donor Ministry Manager. She was appointed Country Director in 2005.

Before coming to Compassion, Cristina worked in secretarial positions at several companies including the Alliance Bible Institute. During her university years, Cristina organized evangelism programs and volunteered as a spiritual counselor.

Cristina holds a master’s degree in management administration; she also completed additional courses in theology and pastoral ministry while working at the Alliance Bible Institute. She is part of the pastoral team at her church and serves on the church board.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in Peru with whom we work to deliver child development and ministry in the field.

Spiritual Climate
Evangelical Christians account for approximately 15 percent of the population. Evangelicals are experiencing slow and continuous growth, and as a result, Christianity is reaching some of the most remote areas of Peru. Evangelicals are also increasing their influence in society.
Unique Challenges
One challenge unique to Implementing Church Partners in Peru involves fitting time for the child development program into a child’s schedule.

Government schools in Peru have now implemented extracurricular workshops twice a week in the afternoons, which makes it difficult for children enrolled in the child sponsorship program to attend their development centers.

Another challenge stems from the fact that Peru has three completely different geographical regions with vastly different cultures, ways of living, educational levels and social contexts. The three regions include the coastal area, the Andes mountain region and the Amazon rainforest.

Our programs are designed more for urban and coastal areas, but we have recently increased the number of Implementing Church Partners in the Andes and the Amazon. The challenge comes from adapting our programs to fit with their strategies and methodologies.
Contributions
Implementing Church Partners provide the child development center facilities with electricity and water, furniture, equipment, Bible curriculum, biblical training for the staff and church leadership, as well as transportation costs for the pastor, committee and staff when a ministry activity is held outside of the church.

Some Implementing Church Partners collect an offering for child development center staff members who volunteer their time.
Church-to-Church
There are no formal church-to-church partnerships between Implementing Church Partners and sponsoring churches. Some denominations in Peru do have an association of churches located in the same region of the country.

These churches sometimes help each other with needs such as repairing and enhancing church buildings.

Partner Development Activities
Our ministry in Peru develops partners through training in doctrine, evangelistic campaigns with outside speakers, regional meetings to encourage evangelism, and informational activities.

Child Survival Program

Caregiver Literacy
If there is a caregiver who is illiterate, the Implementing Church Partners register that caregiver in a government literacy program. The government program provides educational materials free of charge to any person who needs to learn to read and write. There are no literacy programs within the Child Survival Program.
Income-Generating Skills
Every two months, mothers participate in income-generating classes, such as making jewelry, knitting sweaters and purses, and baking chocolate candies. The mothers usually display their products at their town festivals.
Health Care
Caregivers are encouraged to access free health care available at nearby hospitals and first aid centers as well as the free health insurance offered by the government for all people living in poverty. Child Survival Program staff members educate caregivers about available services as well as the registration process in order to obtain health insurance.

Insurance does require certain documents, and in some cases, the Implementing Church Partner provides financial assistance necessary to process those documents.

Prenatal care, labor and delivery including c-sections, vaccinations, some medical checkups and care for all children under the age of 5 are covered by government health insurance.

In certain circumstances, such as the breakdown of medical equipment or lack of medications at the government hospital, Implementing Church Partners cover the cost for beneficiaries to go elsewhere.

In addition, all children registered in the Child Survival Program receive a medical checkup twice a year, and caregivers receive a checkup once a year. Implementing Church Partners have arrangements with the local hospitals for these checkups.
Nutritional Support
Once a month, each caregiver receives a bag of groceries which includes dry beans, rice, noodles, evaporated milk, tuna, cooking oil, eggs, sugar and oats.

Some Implementing Church Partners coordinate with local soup kitchens so needy families can receive a meal there. And they register needy families in a government program that provides milk for all the children in a family.

Involvement of Fathers
Fathers are encouraged to work with the mothers in their child’s early stimulation program. Some Implementing Church Partners have programs for Child Survival Program parents that include lectures on topics of interest as well as counseling for couples.
Transitioning out of the Child Survival Program
We begin to prepare children and caregivers to transition out of Child Survival Program and into the Child Sponsorship Program six months prior to the actual transition.

First, mothers are informed of the possibility that their children could be registered for the Child Sponsorship Program. The Child Sponsorship Program director explains the benefits and activities of the program and describes the new responsibilities the mother will have.

Next, we put small groups of the children into a classroom prepared especially for them. This allows them to begin to feel comfortable in new surroundings and start to gain independence from their caregivers. After this we register eligible children for the Child Sponsorship Program.
Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
We plan to expand into the northern region of Peru, because according to government statistics and UNICEF, this region has a high percentage of poverty and the most vulnerable population of children under age 5.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

Your sponsorship of a child in Peru provides a variety of benefits.

Peruvian schools offer a morning schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and an afternoon schedule from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Children generally attend the child development center either in the morning or the afternoon, whenever they are not in school. However, some Implementing Church Partners hold activities on Saturdays so children can more fully enjoy their time at the development center and have more energy to participate.

Meeting Times:
- 3 to 5 year olds: 3 to 4 hours a day, 3 days a week, or on Saturdays
- 6 to 8 year olds: 2 to 4 hours a day, 3 days a week, or on Saturdays
- 9 to 11 year olds: 2 to 4 hours a day, 3 days a week, or on Saturdays
- 12 to 14 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week, or on Saturdays
- 15 to 18 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week, or on Saturdays
Nutritional Support
Each child receives a meal at the child development center three times a week. A typical meal consists of vegetables, meat stew with beans and rice, fruit and dessert; it is made by cooks trained to prepare nutritious meals.

We provide this food because government schools do not provide meals or snacks, and many children do not receive well-balanced meals at home.

Vaccinations
The government provides free vaccinations for children. If important vaccines are not offered free of charge by the government, the ministry in Peru will contract with a nonprofit private organization to ensure children are vaccinated.
Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
Children participate in an extracurricular activity or community service every month. Some of the activities include camping, field trips to museums or factories, talent shows and helping at the child development centers.
Vocational Activities
We offer vocational activities that will complement the students’ formal studies at school. In Peru, if a student does not complete high school and only completes vocational training, he will have difficulty finding employment because of his lack of skills.

Even if he desires to become a technician in his chosen area of interest, he must still complete high school. Because of this, it is our goal to see every student finish high school.

Each Implementing Church Partner provides activities that cover four areas of development: spiritual, cognitive, socio-emotional and physical. As part of the cognitive development, adolescents have the opportunity to participate in one or two vocational training areas.

One of those trainings is offered weekly at the Implementing Church Partner under the direction of a technician or a sponsored teenager who has been formally trained at technical school. Among the most popular skills to learn are silk screening, jewelry making, baking, chocolate candy preparation and buffet preparation. The other training is held at a technical school.

Some child development centers have an agreement with a well-known technical school where the students study basic electric work, motor skills, computer programming, pastry baking and buffet preparation and presentation. A larger technical training program is offered to students 12 years and older.

Students are able to choose from a variety of technical careers and will be specifically trained in that one skill. Upon completion, they will be qualified workers and will receive a technical completion certificate. The hope is that these graduated teenagers will be better equipped to find good jobs after high school.
Parent Involvement
There are monthly parents’ meetings as well as scheduled activities such as Bible meditation, program information meetings, and local church activities. Parents are also invited to join in special celebrations such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Holy Week and church anniversary celebrations.

Some Implementing Church Partners plan recreational activities where parents and children can participate together. These are events such as sports tournaments and special parties. Parents are also involved with their local Implementing Church Partners through home visits, Bible studies and discipleship programs.
Areas of Expansion
We plan to expand toward the central and eastern areas of Peru due to the high level of poverty, prevalence of diseases affecting children, families that lack Christian values and the need to increase Evangelical churches in these areas.

Leadership Development Program

Universities Attended
Leadership Development Program students attend government and private universities as well as an evangelical seminary.
Location of Universities
Most universities are located in the capital city of Lima. However, there are a few that are spread throughout the country in populated cities.
Working Students
The majority of students do not work while attending university. Students who are approaching graduation will often look for part-time work so that they can fulfill the required practice for the career they are pursuing. It is also common for students to work during summer months to earn additional income.

All of the students’ families have economic needs, so it is frustrating for them to not be able to contribute financially to help support their family.
Service Opportunities
Our ministry in Peru requests that local pastors assist students in engaging in service opportunities at their churches. Students serve as teachers for children and teenagers, youth leaders, project tutors, Bible study leaders and worship team participants.

They are also encouraged to be leaders at their universities by serving as class delegates and student representatives.

The Leadership Development Program organizes annual community service activities in which the students are encouraged to participate. Also, we give students the opportunity to serve in their specific career fields.

For example, those who are studying medicine, can volunteer with Child Survival and Child Sponsorship health campaigns, and sociology students can do social work and administer surveys to gain information needed for the country office.

These experiences help students enhance their knowledge and increase their level of responsibility, engagement and service.
Leadership Development Program Meetings
The students meet in smaller groups on a monthly basis for Bible study, mentoring and recreational activities. The larger Leadership Development Program group meets quarterly; one meeting is held on the Worldwide Leadership Development Program Prayer Day and one is held just prior to graduation ceremony.

The Leadership Development Program curriculum is covered during each of the larger gatherings.

Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
We hold special events where we cover additional topics such as “The Pact of Sanctity” and “Relationship with Parents.” We arrange for people who specialize in each topic to teach the students.
Mentors
When a student applies for a Leadership Development Program scholarship, corresponding pastors are made aware that those applicants must have a mentor if they are accepted into the program. Once the applicant is admitted, our ministry coordinates with the pastor, the applicant and his parents to find a mentor.

Once the Leadership Development Program Specialist is given at least two names from the student’s pastor, he learns more about each candidate and then chooses a mentor that best suits the student’s needs and preferences.

Complementary Interventions

Our core child sponsorship program, while comprehensive, does not address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. The Complementary Interventions program was created to work with our holistic child development model to provide additional services, such as our AIDS Initiative, Bibles for all children, disaster relief and water projects.

Each child development center is informed of the Complementary Interventions benefits available, such as medical reimbursement, educational reimbursement or disaster relief.

Depending on the need and the level of urgency, the Implementing Church Partner will assess the situation and, in the case of an emergency, will provide the necessary assistance. A staff member then sends the required help through a Complementary Intervention program.

Common Complementary Interventions requests are for income-generating skills such as baking, pastry-making and buffet preparation. Water tanks are requested for the northern coast of Peru because there is a lack of water, and classroom repair is requested for the Andes region due to damage from heavy rains.

Highly Vulnerable Children

The primary Highly Vulnerable Children needs and corresponding strategies in Peru are:

Psychologically and Sexually Abused Children
We require each child development center worker to sign a “letter of engagement” that states their commitment to protect the children at the center from any abuse from staff.
Children in High-Risk Areas
This includes those children who are often home alone because their parents work elsewhere, those who live at the edge of a steep riverbank or on a steep hill with loose rocks and stones, and those who live in houses built with precarious materials and no sanitary facilities which makes them more susceptible to diseases, such as diarrhea and respiratory infections.

Each Implementing Church Partner coordinates with church members to assist these families by providing materials to make their homes safer.

Most Implementing Church Partners do not have an adequate number of members with sufficient economic resources to offer much help. This is why Highly Vulnerable Children funds are necessary.
Children Living in an Inadequate Family Environment
Many children live with relatives rather than their mother or father; these children are at high risk for being abused by their relatives. We plan to work more closely with parents of these children to educate them about child abuse prevention and to encourage active participation in the church.

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The Trials of Job

David Dahlin — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:48:40 +0000

Another long ride through the dusty outskirts of Lima, Peru. I was on my way to visit one of our oldest and biggest church partners there. They’ve done a lot of good work and the church has grown tremendously over the years. They’ve already started seven daughter churches and now are working with us to start daughter child development centers.

When I arrived, the church staff told me about a very creative project they had begun — they had just opened a rotisserie chicken restaurant. This was a new one on me!

They submitted a proposal through our Complementary Interventions Program to help the youth start up a chicken restaurant as an income-generation activity. They had professional adults guiding and teaching the adolescents, and there were five youths actively working in this capacity.

I looked out onto the church courtyard where the restaurant was located and saw a nice-looking young man wearing a bright white uniform with a lime-green apron and visor. He looked like he had walked right out of a well-run fast food joint.

When I stepped outside I caught the eye of this young man and his intense concentration changed into a bright smile. You know the kind. The kind that lights up the room.

When some people smile, it seems their face hardly changes. Then there are others who smile and it changes the world. Job’s is a smile that changes the world.

That’s his name, Job. Who names their child Job? I think only a Christian mother who is familiar with suffering — but also believes in a gracious God.

I felt an immediate connection with Job and, partly through my broken Spanish and partly through an interpreter, I started to get to know a bit about him.

Given that Job was working the “chicken stand,” I assumed he was one of the youth likely not on a highly academic track and was instead being prepared with a valuable vocational skill.

I asked him enthusiastically if he hoped one day to run a rotisserie chicken shop of his own. He abruptly told me no.

So I asked what he hoped to do. He told me he wanted to run a juice shop. I guess Lima now has juice shops popping up, kind of like Jamba Juice in the U.S. So, I thought that was very entrepreneurial of him. And I thought I had this kid pegged as a young entrepreneur.

To broaden our conversation I asked Job what else he likes to do.

His face lit up (remember he has one of those faces that really lights up!) and he said that he loves to read. Not many 14-year-old boys say their first passion is reading!

I encouraged him that I too like to read. Then he said that what he really wants to do is to be a journalist. Wow! Not who I had pegged this kid to be.

As God would have it (and God does have it!), we were planning to do a home visit that day, and out of all the homes that I could have visited, my small group was set to visit Job’s home.

Now isn’t that an interesting little coincidence? Out of all the kids that I could have connected with, I connected with Job, and then I happened to be given the opportunity to visit his home.

Job joyfully took us to visit his house and welcomed us into his home with pride. Job loves his family and they work together to do the best they can with what they have.

Job has a deadbeat dad who is seldom around and doesn’t provide for the family. So his paternal grandmother has taken them in. Awkward, but real.

Job’s family of five (not including the dad) live in one room in Grandma’s complex. Four other related families live there as well.

Now they feel safe because there is always a family member around to provide protection. Where they lived before, the mom never felt that her kids were safe.

We met Job’s sweet mother who has three other children and no regular income. But she is a devoted follower of Jesus and has raised her children to be involved in church.

In fact, her three adolescent kids all lead cell groups for the youth group. Grandma has even set aside a special room for youth group gatherings.

Job showed us his family’s room (no, not the family room, his family’s room!) and the simple little desk (set up on blocks because it has broken legs) where he studies.

His books are all neatly organized and highly valued. In fact, their room was fastidiously organized. I asked if just he was organized and he said that they all needed to be organized in order to live together.

We walked up two flights of open stairs (no railings, no wall) to a makeshift kitchen and a place where his dad comes to sleep once in a while. The dad has basically abandoned the family, but is still a constant presence because they see his empty bed in the kitchen of his mother’s house.

I asked how we could pray for the family, Job started to cry.

Sylvia, our wonderful Program Communications Manager, nudged me and said,

“Job needs to experience a father’s love right now.”

So I slid over and hugged Job. He collapsed into my arms. He just leaned back into me and rested in my arms. He had no desire to break free. He simply rested there, just like we need to do into the Father’s arms. Let go. Cry. Lean in. Breathe deep. Feel loved.

Job let me love him and express to him how much he is loved.

In that one simple act of wrapping my arms around Job’s small frame and letting him experience a father’s love, I felt like my purpose on earth had been realized. Why I was alive that day was evident.

One of God’s precious little ones needed to feel the Father’s love. One of Compassion’s 1.2 million children needed to know tangibly and physically and emotionally and spiritually that he was known and loved and protected.

This precious, godly, responsible, smart 14-year-old has all the potential in the world. The world will be a poorer place if he is not able to use his sensitivity, his courage, his heart and his mind to bless those around him.

And we are there for Job — through the reality of the local church and his sponsor. We are all making love real, offering hope, providing a way.

We must keep on. We must keep getting better. Job is counting on us. We have the great privilege of helping to restore to Job all that God promises. He has had the trials of Job and he is being faithful.

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Child Survival Program: Building Trust and a Better Tomorrow

Rebeca Harcharik — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:52:07 +0000

I was sitting in a small two-room house in Lima as this insight was revealed to me.

“The government, they just provided me with milk. But the church staff, they teach me how to raise my child.”

The speaker was a caregiver in our Child Survival Program (CSP) in Peru back in 2004. I never forgot that quote. It left a lasting impression.

Sometimes, the measure of success by large financial contributors to interventions for the poor is “the medicine is available at the clinic” or “the well has been dug.” These are all good things and the poor can take advantage of them. However, in essence, they are simply services that have been made available to the poor. They do not factor in the learning aspect. There is no guarantee that just because a service is available, the poor will take advantage of it on their own.

This is where the local church partners that implement our Child Survival Program come in. We partner with local churches in the developing world so that church staff may develop relationships with caregivers in their communities. We call these people “CSP implementers.”

Implementers register pregnant women and caregivers with young children into the Child Survival Program. They visit them at home one to two times a month. During this time, implementers and caregivers develop trust between each other.

The implementer provides the caregiver with child survival knowledge, such as coaching the mother of a newborn as she learns to breast-feed or teaching the mother of an older infant to recognize the symptoms of life-threatening diseases so that the mother can take her child to the local clinic for proper intervention. However, all of this happens as the implementer and the caregiver develop trust in each other. The key word here is trust.

Imagine that one day, you are sitting in your living room reading a book and, suddenly, you get a knock at the door. You go to the door and you are greeted by a group of foreign people. They speak your language, but not that well. You decipher from their conversation that you should eat a certain diet that you can’t afford and that you should practice an exercise regime that you have no interest in or time for.

They invite you to their gathering for next Saturday and they tell you that they have some of this food for this new diet available there. They shake your hand and then they leave.

After reflecting on your conversation for three minutes, you determine it is not worth your time. You decide not go. You return to your couch to read your book.

This same scenario can very easily occur in the developing world except that the caregiver might be milking her goat or cooking a pot of soup over firewood instead of reading a book at the time of the visit.

The suggestions that the visitors make seem foreign to her. She has never heard of this new diet and it doesn’t appeal to her. Since there is no ultimate incentive to participate, she easily ignores the suggestion.

Therefore, trust is the key component to truly making child survival interventions or, for that matter, any interventions for the poor likely to occur.

The desire to practice a new behavior or try out a new way of doing something has to be relational in nature. The fact that we partner with local churches makes this possible. These relationships that implementers develop with the caregivers in their communities are exceptional.

I have heard of implementers who accompany pregnant women during labor. They are present the entire time.

I have heard of caregivers who want to repay the church for the services they have received, but cannot do so monetarily so they come to the church on Saturday mornings to clean the classrooms and help with overall housecleaning.

There is no other motivator like trust. Where there is trust, there is also commitment.

Peer support is also an added advantage to our program. It is typical for CSP caregivers to develop relationships with each other at group trainings to the extent that they encourage each other to participate.

I read of a situation in the Philippines where caregivers visit the home of a caregiver who missed a group activity to make sure she is okay. This peer support alone causes the caregivers to own the program for themselves. They keep each other accountable to participating in the program. Neighbors’ relationships strengthen.

Behavior change is the single most difficult barrier to overcoming poverty. If someone has been doing something a certain way because she learned it that way from her mother and her grandmother and so forth, why should she have any incentive to try something different?

Why should a mother stop feeding her newborn animal milk or tea or plain water and make sure she is properly and exclusively breast-feeding instead?

Why should a caregiver trust a doctor with a needle if she has no relationship with that doctor? She could think it were poison instead of an immunization. It is the trust component.

If the caregiver hears that she should breast-feed from someone she trusts, someone who speaks her language, and someone who has had similar experiences, and if she has seen results from her peers and if she has the knowledge come to her rather than having to go search it out, then yes, she is very likely to change her behavior and practice proper child survival techniques. The commitment from and relationships with the church CSP implementers make all the difference.

In the end, I would say that the question to measure the success of interventions to the poor is:

“Did the person delivering the service and the person receiving the service build trust in each other?”

If yes, then the rest will take care of itself. The child will survive, the child and the caregiver will be healthy, the caregiver will be empowered and confident about her abilities, and the church staff will have truly been “the hands and feet of Jesus” in their communities. They will have brought new life and new hope to their neighbors.

These scenarios repeat themselves thousands of times each month in over 15 countries worldwide in our Child Survival Program. What a privilege and an honor to be part of these amazing lifesaving and life-changing experiences! To God be the glory!

Please visit RescueBabiesNow.org for more information about our Child Survival Program and how you can become involved.

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Formerly Sponsored Child Now Serving the Poor With Compassion

Adele Berg — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:35:23 +0000

After learning that his wife was expecting a second child, Giovanna’s father became angry and asked her to have an abortion. But the young mother decided to have her baby. She found out that her husband had another woman and already had children with her, so Giovanna’s mother kicked her husband out of the house.

The father did not care about supporting his two children. So after Giovanna was born, her mother worked hard to support the children by herself. The family lived in a precarious house made of matting, cardboard and plastic. When her mother learned about Compassion, she registered her children.

But Giovanna’s father liked to drink alcohol. Whenever he was drunk his partner kicked him out of the house, and he would go to visit his wife only to have sex. He became aggressive if nobody opened the door. He did not care about the two scared children watching.

After some time Giovanna’s mother was expecting a third child. She decided to leave the house and go to some other place in order to stop the family violence and the sad consequences of her husband’s behavior. For example, two children at the child development center had the same last name as Giovanna; they were her half brothers.

Although her father thought that women should not attend school because it was a waste of money, Giovanna was smart enough to take advantage of all the opportunities she was receiving. She showed leadership at the child development center and at church and was a good student at school.

When she was 12 years old, she began to help as a teacher’s aide at the center. When she was older, she was appointed to take charge of the little children and also at Sunday School, besides being the development center’s secretary.

After finishing high school with high honors, Giovanna entered a government university to study education.

The five years of study were quite difficult. The university was located far from her home; it took two hours by bus to arrive there each day.

Therefore, she had to wake up at 4 a.m. and had to be at the bus stop at 4:30. Her mother used to go with her because it was dangerous to walk several blocks alone in the darkness.

Giovanna had no money to buy a meal at the university and sometimes she stayed without having anything to eat at the campus all day. She would get home at 10:30 p.m. with an empty stomach.

During the summer Giovanna practiced teaching at her child development center and earned some money to buy her school supplies. Although the money she received was just an offering, it seemed a great amount to her. Finally, she finished university with high honors.

Giovanna used her skills in education to prepare Compassion’s children’s curriculum for the child development centers. Now she is working as a Partnership Facilitator in the Compassion Peru office.

Her main duties are representing Compassion to the leaders and pastors of our church partners. She helps to ensure the development of the children and church partners in accordance with the program’s desired outcomes. Her long-term vision is to help young children from birth to 3 years old in the rural areas of Peru.

Giovanna has witnessed that because of the work Compassion does together with the church, children are helped not only in the spiritual aspect, but also in the intellectual area. From then on God develops the gifts that have been given to each child.

“When I was a teenager I was surprised to find out that there were also professionals who were Christians.” Giovanna says that all the Christians she had met up to that time were the center workers and church people who were laborers and just simple workers.

Compassion’s Partnership Facilitators were the first Christian professionals she ever met, and they were the ones who motivated her to continue going ahead.

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Funny Things Kids Say

Kees Boer — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:24:42 +0000

Some of you might remember an old television show by Bill Cosby called “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” Cosby interviewed kids and they described things in very lively and many times funny ways.

It wasn’t so much to have fun at the child’s expense, but really a celebration of the innocence and beauty of a little child. So, I’m curious about some of the funny things that your children have written to you.

I’ll start off with something my little 6-year-old Sheyla from Peru wrote me:

“I didn’t know you taught math; I have a question: ‘Do you like ice cream?’”

Now it’s your turn.

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One Day in the Life of a Tours and Visits Team Leader (Part II)

Soledad Agreda — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:47:15 +0000

Sorry for so abruptly abandoning you yesterday. Please rest assured that if you’re ever on a tour with me, I won’t do that to you.

So, where did I leave off? Oh yes – 10 a.m.

10 a.m. Training with church partners that will be visited by another tour arriving in a few weeks. We asked six directors to come but most of them are late.

When I start 30 minutes later, I can’t go fast due to the fact that this will be a visit to their centers and they have a lot of questions.

I give them examples of what to do and what not to do, and encourage them to ask questions.

They are very excited for the visit and have a lot of enthusiasm and suggestions. Great!

But still we have to provide several guidelines. For example about the food.

We need to avoid too much spice, raw salads or any other thing that causes problems, and at the same time, not eat chicken every day.

Luckily our food is wonderful and we have lots of choices, but we cannot serve guinea pig or our best seafood dish, ceviche. Not all visitors are so adventurous to eat an animal they would view as a pet, or raw fish with chili.

Besides food, there are other intercultural issues to manage.

Time is a more relaxed concept in Peru and in all South America. To be sure that both standards meet, I tell church partners to be ready half an hour in advance. This way, they are really ready when we arrive … most of the time.

I often call in advance, though, and sometimes I have told the driver to go slowly while I point out some interesting views on the road to gain some time.

Also, for home visits I’ve learned that “accessibility” is quite a different concept for center staff, who are used to going up and down the hills – though per the visitors report, I should call them mountains – without using stairs.

I have learned to be suspicious when they say that the house to visit is located “aquicito nomas” (or very, very close).

I ask them to provide at least one house that is really close and in a flat area. They tell me that all are accessible by mototaxi, (a motorbike that pulls small car with a seat for two people), but still I ask for the names of the children to be visited and give ideas for the grocery bags we will give away at each home visit.

Another difficulty is finding the best way to communicate our ideas to the center staff. They are very loving and committed people, but many of them do not have higher education. However, they have a lot of resources and are very creative. But still, I need to set clear guidelines.

1 p.m. Lunch with the center directors. They continue to ask questions about the visit, and Elia and I continue to answer. As we usually translate in lunches and dinners, we know the art of talking and eating at the same time, so this is no problem.

The center staff are very friendly and excited, so they talk a lot.

2 p.m. We continue with the training. The directors make a draft program for the visits; each one now knows what we will see at their child development center: Child Survival Program mothers and babies, new center, older center, kindergarten children, boys and girls, teenagers, workshops, Leadership Development Program students, former sponsored children, home visits, etc.

In this way, the visitors will have the whole screen of Compassion work. Some centers also have children who will attend the fun day to meet their sponsors.

Now the coordination is made and, God willing, all will be ready when we visit the centers in some weeks.

Then I get an instant message from the Global Ministry Center, but I explain to that person that I am in a meeting and I see if he can wait. We agree to talk when my training is over.

3 p.m. Back at my desk. I have time to write down clearly some of the ideas the church partners had in the meeting. This will improve the materials for future training.

Another instant message. I see what they need and answer. However, I am not ready to answer all of it, as some answers have not arrived from the centers yet. I have to ask for more time.

I try to make one urgent call to answer, but the center does not work today so I have to wait until tomorrow.

3:15 p.m. My manager calls to get an answer about the approval for a tour request for next year. Elia and I discuss it and decide to accept as it does not interfere with any other tours, any center closing, holiday or special activity. So he will send the approval right away.

We have received requests for two years in the future and it looks like we are a very popular destination.

We will have to visit more centers after this tour ends. We need to get more alternatives for visits. Some of the visitors come back to our country again and we cannot show them the same places.

Elia and I also decide who will be in charge of the tour so we start working. We help each other as a team, but one is responsible for the tour and makes the final decisions.

3:30 p.m. The country director calls us to see the final details of the tour that arrives today. We have to clear out some issues related to the program and the involvement of our staff. Questions about future tours are also made.

We discuss one interesting proposal that overlaps a tour we have already set for the future. We will try to adjust the dates, but we agree we cannot say no. The request comes from a big mission, and this tour could mean more sponsorships for our country. We will take it.

We also talk to the partnership facilitators about more tours. Some mention that their centers are willing to welcome us. However, we have to check several details: location, security, programs available, and if they have been visited before.

The partnership facilitators help us a lot. They are the ones who recommend the best development centers for visits and encourage the rest to improve in order to get visitors, too. We know visits encourage the centers a lot.

4:30 p.m. Back to my desk. Elia and I make some final calls to the centers that we are to visit in this tour about to start.

Also, to be sure that all the children will come on time, we pass all the information needed to the partner country staff that will help us.

One more memo to the translators, some other memos to the project facilitators about some last-minute visits for the tour, and that’s it.

I start to get ready for the tour office visit tomorrow.

One final review to see if all is OK and if I am missing anything. Elia does the same, and we both take our laptops home with us.

During the tour, we will connect at home in the evenings to check urgent messages and answer others. This way, we do not have a bunch of e-mails waiting for us after the tour.

5:15 p.m.. As I am about to leave, a final phone call gets in. The center with the child who had to travel just learned that the father has decided to stay in the jungle with his family. It is a remote area and there is not a Compassion-assisted child development center in the area. So the center will send the child departure form in the following weeks.

I sit down and write a memo to tell this to the sponsoring country. With an upcoming sponsor tour, I will be out of the office the rest of the week so it is important I send this now. I know this will be very disappointing for the sponsor.

I pray over the e-mail before sending it as I usually do for any difficult situation. God is in control and He will continue to care for the boy.

6 p.m. Time to go home. I take the welcome boards and the small souvenirs we give the sponsors upon their arrival. The water bottles are also placed in the taxi as they will go with me to the airport, too.

I look forward to my mother’s food. I will be having lunch with the tour and perhaps some dinners. So it seems to be my last chance for homemade food for the next several days.

8 p.m. After dinner and some talk with my family, I connect to the Internet and check the arrival of the sponsors’ flight online. We have had a lot of fog during the last days, but tonight all looks normal and the flight is confirmed. But it will arrive one hour late.

The group is not that big so hopefully they will clear customs quickly. Elia and I talk on the phone to agree at what time I will pick her up. I can hear the voices of her children as I talk to her.

9 p.m. I wish I could take a nap, but I know if I get to bed I will fall asleep. So I check once again the flight and call the driver. He should pick me up at 10:15 p.m., as we have to load the water back into the taxi and then pick up Elia on the way. As she lives close to the airport, she will have enough time to put her children in bed.

10:15 p.m. In the taxi, I remind the driver about the children who will arrive from the province the next day for a fun day. He will have to pick them up from the bus station and take them to the hotel.

10:30 p.m. I call Elia to let her know we are very close to her home. She will be there when I arrive, and then we head to the airport together.

10:40 p.m. Elia gets in the taxi. We are dressed the same way, with our Compassion T-shirts and jackets.

Elia has already coordinated which T-shirt we will use every day. This way, we always give the same image and are easy to identify.

Elia tells me about her children and their last adventures in the school. She is very proud, especially of the little 2-year-old boy.

11 p.m. At the airport, to welcome a new group.

Thank God the plane wasn’t delayed further and it was clear enough for the plane to land without any problem. So, let’s smile and get ready for another tour week.

The tour leaders are new so we talk briefly and introduce each other. With good luck, I will be in my bed at 1 a.m. Or perhaps not.

The luggage of two of the visitors has not arrived. So Elia goes with the group to the hotel, and I stay and go with one of the tour leaders to the airline desks to ask about the luggage and fill out documents.

The airline says they will send the missing luggage to the hotel next day. We arrive at the hotel 20 minutes after the group, and I take one of the sponsors without luggage to a 24-hour supermarket nearby, to buy some basic things needed.

I am back home at 2 a.m. Not too bad as I don’t need to be in the office until 8 a.m., and the first day is always easygoing, usually containing an office visit and a city tour.

But that is another day and this day has officially ended, so I will stop here. Just before bed, time to devotion and read the Bible. And then to sleep!

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