Peru Boy's Home

Christian and Dalila Albujar are the houseparents for our older boys who are generally in high school or getting ready to go out on their own. Like any parents they give the boys love and discipline, teach them important skills like how to cook, clean and respect others. They seek to give the boys a spiritual base and an emotional support to confront the tough issues which any teen faces but which often are compounded in children at risk. Currently the Albujars and their own 2 biological sons live with our 8 oldest boys in a rented facility 10 minutes from our main site.

Manchay Care Centre

Manchay, Peru is a mountainous area in the coastal desert just outside the capital city of Lima. It is an area of extreme poverty with no running water, no sewage system, and little electricity.

The Manchay Care Centre opened in May 2003 in response to the needs of mothers requiring a safe place to leave their children while working, so as not to put them in a children's home.

Over 30,000 people live in the town of Manchay. Plywood and cardboard make up the materials used to construct these small (usually 12 feet square or less) houses. Most of the community literally exists hand to mouth.

The care centre is a work in progress. Presently there are two classrooms and a kitchen. These buildings have been funded through the generous donations of supporters. The construction has been carried out by several different work teams from both Canada and the United States. The care centre will continue to develop such buildings as a dining hall, as donor funding becomes availalbe.

Currently the care centre serves children from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday through Saturday. Care for the children includes basic hygiene needs, clothing, nutritious meals, health care, educational preparation and spiritual development. Twice a month the mothers join their children for a family-style meal. After the meal they receive training and parenting skills.

The present facility can accommodate 20-25 children. Additional children will be taken into our care as the centre is developed.

Our goal is to add an after-school program for four-year-olds when they reach Kindergarten age. This program would include a safe place for tutoring, a nutritous meal and Bible study.

Lima Home

Lima, the capital city of Peru, is located on the Pacific Coast. Peru, nearly twice the size of Texas, and is a country of contrasts. The rich and the poor, the beautiful and the ugly, the historic and the modern, the mountains and jungle all add to the the mystique of this Latin nation.

Located in the coastal desert region, Lima receives less than one inch of rainfall per year. Moving 30 to 50 miles inland one encounters the majestic Andes Mountains and highlands, which separate the coast from the vast Amazon jungle. These three distinct geographical regions each have their own culture and people groups, making Peru a fascinating place to visit and live.

The Lima Home was founded by Larry and Betty Bartels in 1993 in a rented facility in the suburbs of Lima with 10 boys who were released from a government home that was closing. The number grew to 16 children in July of 1994 when the site of just over half an acre was purchased. In 1999 an additional parcel of land was purchased about a mile from the first parcel. Mike & Diane Fietje became the Directors of this home in the beginning of 2000 when the Bartels returned to the United States.

The Lima home has experienced God's blessing time and time again in its relatively short history. We are thankful to Him for each physical blessing as well as each of the children to whom we have been able to minister. The present facilities on the main property, besides the essentials (ie - bedrooms for kids, and staff), include a playroom an activity room containing a library, homework and craft area, and missionary apartments. Also on the property are a basketball/soccer court, a huge multi-level jungle gym, a sand box, and a swimming pool that can be used nearly year round. Extensive remodeling and construction, including the addition of a second floor on the main house, has improved the property. Much of the work has been done by service teams. There is one main building on the new property. The older boys live at this location along with their house parents. They enjoy the use of a weight room, trampoline and ping-pong table. There is also a halfway house for the older boys that have graduated from high school and are not yet ready to live on their own.

The home has approximately 40 children. They range in age from pre-school to 18. Dave and Connie Rhodes, as well as a number of talented short term missionaries, assist Mike and Diane Fietje. The Peruvian house parents are mature Christians, dedicated to attaining the goals of the home. These goals include not only providing for the physical, educational and emotional needs of the children, but also meeting their spiritual needs, preparing them for adulthood as Christians and as upstanding citizens in their community. As a result, a lot of emphasis is placed on devotions, discipleship, Bible memorization, and church attendance. The children attend 4 different schools in the area depending on their age and abilities. In the home there us also an emphasis on learning English, which will help them get better jobs in the future. In the summers the children attend camp, go on trips, learn different crafts and life skills. The older kids get jobs or work at Christian camps. Future plans include getting a new large piece of land in order to build apartments for each family group (house parents with their kids). This will enable us to house more children in a more family-type atmosphere while having space to make workshops so that the kids can leave with the knowledge of different trades, such as carpentry, welding and auto mechanics.

Our Peru Ministry

In Peru over 6 million children under the age of 18 live in poverty and 10,000 street and under-privileged kids die in the capital city every year. In addition, a 50% pverty rate coupled with widespread underemployment has prevented any social service infrastructure from being effective in dealing with the growing number of children-at-risk.

Kids Alive has been providing quality care to children in Peru for many years through the establishment of an orphanage for abandoned, neglected and orphaned kids in Lima, Peru. More recently, Kids Alive has opened a Care Centre for the children of destitute single mothers in Manchay, Peru.

We recognize that there are many children that need our help and we will continue to reach out a hand of love to them, one at a time.

Here is a verse to ponder

Daily Bible Verse
by MyChurch.orgShare

Now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

Appologizes

I have been really sick all week so I am sorry again for not posting

I got my Thyphoid need 2 weeks ago and have been sick ever since. Thinking it would pass well I was wrong. I have Vertigo, and a throat infection caused by the shot. Just as ya think it is passing bang it hits ya like a ton of bricks.

Any ways I hope all is well and will be posting hopefully later this weekend or next week.

God Bless

God works in strange mysterious ways when we TRUST Him

On Sunday morning it was our self denial service at our church. Some would ask what is self denial. Well you are to take the money you would regularily allow your self for some thing and put it towards self denial. So for example a Tim Hortons coffee every week take that $2 an put it a side for self denial.

This money then goes towards the overseas missions work.

Well the morning service especially cause I am presently planning for a short term mission caught my attention. But even more after that service I went to my friends home for Sunday lunch and we had a really nice visit. We were chatting a lot about the way God is working in my life through this up coming mission trip. I feel he is already using me here in Cambridge before I have even left.

It has given me many opportunities to share with others, to expand my horizions to share about what the Lord has done for me and to share about where I was and where I am and where I am going in my journey with him. It truely has been awesome.

Then at our church we also have an evening service. I always find the night that I struggle in getting myself going and end up finally making it to church, I get blessed the most.

Sunday night the service was about Hope Maketh Not Ashamed. Mostly about trust and faith. Well every song I felt was direct right at me and I finally turned to my friend after the scripture reading and said testimony time, well then our minister finally said we would have some testimonies, well I jumped right out of my seat. God is really using me.

We sang a song about where ever I go you will Follow me. It reminded me about my friends grandson at lunch, he had a rope and I was trying to teach him to skip or jump over it and it was really cute. He finally grabbed hold of the rope and told mommy where to hold it, then gramma and then me, he finally took the lead and started to walk and said follow me, follow me, follow me, and we walked all around the main floor of the house. Well it is really that simple all we have to do is grab on and follow Him and He will lead us.

Then Sunday night I began reading my new book, it is called Situation Psalms, messages for where we live by Ray Harrison ISBN: 81-7475-039-8

I was reading page 16 and 17 and on page 17 1/2 way down the page it says:

5) I Trusted You- Vs 9
"They who seek my life will destroy...but the king will rejoice in God. All who swear by God's name will praise him"

Then it carries over to page 18 where it then refers to Romans 15 verse 13 where it says: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust him, so that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit."

It also says "If we are praising when we can't see why something is happening to us, and sometimes can't even see God in our situation. THAT IS THE TIME TO TRUST."

"this whole sequence begins with 'I seek you' Are you seeking Him? The God who was with David in the desert, who is with the boy in the church on the borders of Bosnia and the evangelists in the mountains of Nepal, is our God, too. We seek him, we see Him, we praise Him, we shelter in Him and we TRUST Him."

Wow what a wonderful, awesome Lord I serve. He is always there ready for me to see Him and hear Him when I open my heart and soul to Him. He gives me Hope, strength more and more he day as I Trust Him more and more each day.

Ephesians 5

1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a]
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives and Husbands

22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—
30 for we are members of his body.
31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c]
32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Footnotes:

Ephesians 5:5 Or kingdom of the Christ and God
Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed
Ephesians 5:31 Gen. 2:24

Thoughts to Ponder Upon Our Return Home

In continuation of the book I have been reading I think this is a very important to talk about and that is what to expect when we return home.

Well the trip is over. After months of preparation and prayer, the trip will now become a memory --- a brief flash before your eyes. The thing you really wanted to, that was always the thing that put that lump in your throat when you saw it on television or you heard about it from many others that had experienced it before you, you have finally had that experience for your self. And now that we are home we will experience the loss of reentering back to the life we are so very comfortable with.

The book suggest that we might experience what they call PHD (Post -Hiatus Depression). We have been away of our regular duties and responsibilities of real life. We placed our selves in unusual circumstances, unusual cultural experiences and life styles. Although we we of service to God and others it has changes our lives and views.

Most of us will start to build resents and weird emotionsfrom the guilt of all the things we have and take for granted in comparisom to the people we just spent time with in that strange country we just visited. We may feel guilty and ashamed because of the way we have just seen children living their lives. Then after the guilt we might start into fault finding. We do this by looking at the way we do thing compared to the country we just came from, and we start building resentments especially when people around us do not change the way we feel they should.

It then becomes very important that we remember that "We go to help others, but usually come away with greater understanding of ourselves"

I am going to quote this word for word cause I feel it is so very important for us all to remember and as we read this it is also very important I feel that debriefing is so very important upon return to Canada.

"STUFF TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU RETURN"

1) Be aware that you may experience some depression, loneliness, fatigue, and illness as a reentry symptoms of stress. Remember, you can experience stress from both and sad events. You may go through a grieving process.

2) Be alert to your own expectations and the expectations of others. Sometimes conflicts in value will occur, but remember that values are the outcome of an individual's understanding of life. If you understand that, then you're headed down the right path.

3) Be reflective. Allow for rest, reflection, and rejoicing in what you saw God do. Reflect on your experiences and ask the Lord to show you the various aspects of your trip from which you can grow. Evaluate all that you have been through.

4) Be active. Talk about the differences in lifestyles that stood out to you (like seeing chickens in a tree), but try not to be judgmental or pass crticisms, even to fellow-short-termers.

5) Be patient. Take time to readjust. Be patient when others don't understand what you have experienced.

They suggest the following as well.

We will be experienceing these things right away so we should find a spot to put these reminders where we can see them daily and where we can review the list often and exercise patience--with ourselves. Talk to each other from the team often and talk often about your experiences and feelings you are haveing since you returned home.

Have others watching you and let ya know if they think you are having difficulties with reentry so you can get any help you may need to put everything into perspective so you can experience the changes in your life but can move forward to the next area God is leading you.

Well hope that this will prove to be helpful for you all.

Ephesians 4

Unity in the Body of Christ
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
8 This is why it[a] says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."[b]
9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]?
10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Living as Children of Light

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.
21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
26 "In your anger do not sin"[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Footnotes:

Ephesians 4:8 Or God
Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4

Peruvian Cuisine

Buenos Dias Amigos:

Peruvian cuisine is usually considered one of the most diverse in the world and only disputes world cuisine tournaments with French, Chinese and Italian cuisine (Hindu) as the leading masters of this art.

Thanks to its pre-Inca heritage and to Spanish, Basque, African, Sino-Cantonese, Japanese and finally Italian immigration (mainly throughout the 10th century), Peruvian cuisine combines the flavors of four continents. With the electric variety of traditional dishes, the Peruvian culinary arts are in constant evolution, and impossible to list in their entirety. Suffice is to mention that along the Peruvian coast alone there are more than two thousand different types of soups, and that there are more than 250 traditional desserts.

There are many restaurants specializing in Peruvian cuisine in many different cities throughout the world.

The great variety of Peruvian cuisine stems for threee major influences:

Peru's unique geography, 28 of the 32 possible world climates.
Peru's openness and blending of district races and cultures.
The incorporation of ancient cuisine into modern Peruvian cuisine.

Sorry Folks

My oh my it sure has been a while since I last posted. I do appologize to those who come to this sight daily for this.

Now not that there should be any excuses but since the long weekend at my cottage so much has happened.

First of all I came home to have to help with some major things around the house for my parents. Something that should have taken about oh 2 or 3 hrs of my time took up almost the whole week. Secondly I had my shots for our trip and for three days they really whacked me out. I was dizzy and really light headed. Felt really sick and just plan awful.

Then this weekend I just needed to take for myself. So here I am Sunday night trying to get all caught up and thought I should get a post or two up.

So I do appologize for my tardiness but I guess it is better late than never.

Buenos Dias

Unfortunately I will not be able to post to this site till Monday as I will be away for the long weekend.

I want to pray for travel mercies for all those travelling this weekend and wish every one a safe and wonderful weekend.

God Bless

MY PACKING LIST

Recently I have been reading a book in preperation for this Mission trip. Now those who know me know that I do not get excited over involved in any book, but this one has caught my attention and kept me reading on. Now mind you it is on a subject manner that I am very interested on.

The book is called HOW TO GET READY FOR SHORT-TERM MISSIONS, the ultimate guide for sponsors, parents and THOSE WHO GO!
by Anne-Geri' Fann & Greg Taylor
isbn #: 1-4185-0977-9

I recommend highly for anyone going on any type of mission trip to read this book. I have found it very insightful and helpful in my preperation for my mission trip to Peru that is coming up in August.

In this post I want to mostly reflect on one paticular section of the book which is pages 60 and 61. These two pages are entitled My Packing List.

It starts out here saying the following:

"It's easy to get excited about a trip you begin packing everything you think you might possibly need. Many things are necessary, but not all things are prudent-and I'm not just talking about underwear and batteries here. You also need to pack in a spiritual way."

So here is there list for you to ponder over and to pray about for todays devotions.

A towel (humility): For remembering to graciously accept hospitality

A broken watch(deliberateness): So I won't be in a hurry all the time, paticularly when I'm talking to people.

My Bible (transformation): To discipline myself to read daily from God's Word, memorize passages, and grow like Jesus-in wisdom, stature, favor with God, and favor with humans.

Crayons(creativity): So I won't sit around waiting to be entertained.

Gifts(generosity): To give the families I came to serve. (Note:First ask mission leader for appropiate gift suggestions)

Journal(dicernment): To keep a record of the incredible things I see and hear.

Magnifying Glass(healthy curiosity): For asking questions about things I'm uncomfortable with or don't fully understand, especially how or why a missionary is doing something. So I'll take an interest in my surroundings and enjoy the differences I observe.

A Mirror(respect): As a reminder to heed my appearance and conduct (e.g. what I wear, whom I talk to, and who I can touch or hug).

So this enough for today and I will continue with the second half of this list tomorrow.

So until then God Bless

Ephesians 4 (New International Version)

Unity in the Body of Christ

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

8 This is why it[a] says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."[b]

9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]?

10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be
evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Living as Children of Light

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.

21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

26 "In your anger do not sin"[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Footnotes:

Ephesians 4:8 Or God
Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4