Our Family
For Christmas and the first part of January, Cristian and I were blessed to be able to travel to the states to spend some time with my parents, sister and her family. We had an wonderful time visiting family and friends, playing in the snow and just hanging out. We also found out some exciting news during the holidays about some new beginnings for our family; Cristian and I are expecting our first child in August. This was definitely the best gift we could have received for Christmas.
Cristian had to return to Peru and work in early January, but I was able to stay on in the states through to the end of the month. While it is always hard to be apart, I am so glad that I was able to stay and connect with so many friends and supporters during that time. The month included lots of opportunities to share about my ministry with Food for the Hungry in Peru, with home groups, a retirees group, and even in Florida with the church I grew up in.
New Beginnings for Food for the Hungry Peru
In February I returned to my work with Food for the Hungry Peru, and these last few months have also been a time of new beginnings for our ministry.
Upon returning to the office I was joined by a new work partner. Fredy Vargas, who has worked for FH in Pucallpa (the Jungle) for the last 6 years, was promoted to work alongside me in the area of monitoring and evaluation. I am really excited to have someone to work with in this area, and we have already started to see how God will be able to use each of us as a complement to the other. Fredy is excited by this new challenge, and eager to learn new things. I too, am already learning a lot from Fredy's experience working as a community facilitator, and health project coordinator.
January also marked the beginning of Food for the Hungry's work in a new region of Peru, Huancavelica, in the southern mountains. Currently God has opened the door to work in 5 communities in this area with possibilities of expanding to other communities in the next year or so. Huancavelica primarily a rural area with more than 60% of the population living in poverty. The high altitude there makes for a harsh environment - extreme cold, and short growing seasons.
A typical day for a child in this area is to wake up early and eat a bit of bread and cheese, some tea, and then go to school. In the afternoon kids help their parents with their subsistence farming endeavors like pasturing sheep and goats or helping work in the field. In the evening kids share a meal with their families of soup, potatoes, cheese or other products their family grows. With the extreme weather, calorie needs are great, but food is not always plentiful, and the right kinds of food - protein, fresh fruits and vegetables are rare. Chronic malnutrition is a real problem that affects many children in this area, and limits their growth and development towards their God-given potential. But FH hopes to begin working in these communities to change this. Currently we are working with local community leaders to determine which areas FH can best support children, families, churches and leaders in the development of the community so that their children can grow up happy and healthy. As FH works through this diagnostic process with leaders, we are also beginning the AMO educational program with the children. This is an after school kids club type activities that children will attend twice a week and learn about God and his love and plan for their lives through literature, crafts, music and bible stories.
This month, March, FH is also starting the same AMO program in communities in Lima, Pucallpa and Chincha. Please be praying for the facilitators who will be teaching these classes and for the children who will be attending.
March brings the culmination of the long planning phase of the violence prevention program. Currently I have been helping to review the first module of the violence prevention curriculum to be used with kids and parents. When the revisions are done, the curriculum will be published. But the end of this phase of planning and preparation marks the beginning of the training phase (hopefully to start in April) with kids, teens, and parents. Please be praying that these materials and the training sessions will have a transformative impact in the lives of families in Lima, and Pucallpa.
Thank you so much for your support, prayers. May the Lord bless you and any new beginnings in your lives as well.
Lauren
