Make A Child Smile - Lavender Graphics

.::Make A Child Smile::.
Although we did not go this past summer (2010), these kids remain close to our hearts. Amazingly, some of them are able to go to the internet cafes on the mountainside and we can keep in touch via Facebook. My brother went and with the other church that went, we saw our kids through videos and pics. We hope to go again in the future. Progress is always being made at the community as Miguel's mission is not only for these kids to always put God first, but to be self-sufficient.

From 2009:

We just returned from our second church mission trip to an orphanage just north of Lima, Peru. It was wonderful to see all the children again and visit with those who had especially touched my heart last year. As expected, those and also new ones became even more special to me. It was also exciting to see what changes have come with added funds from another church in Austin. They now have a bakery to bring in extra money, a completed first story school that they are going to add to, and a chapel area. The children are also eating better, receiving meat with their meals. Last year the toddlers only received sweet potatoes everyday that we were there. This year not only did they receive better food, but much more of it.

Some of the children who are there found their way to the orphanage after hearing it, sometimes coming from far places in Peru. Some are taken there by their parents who are unable to take care of them. Miguel, the founder of the orphanage, is an amazing man and turns no child away. Mario, the "counselor" is equally amazing. One of the goals he has is to reach out to the parents of the children staying there to stop the cycle of leaving more than one child at the orphanage. Why do they do this? Because Miguel, with the help of local volunteers, tries to provide the children with learning English, Bible studies, working (these kids are NOT lazy!) inside the orphanage, and other skills. The parents sometimes see this as an opportunity for their children instead of providing it themselves.

The orphanage, now called the Hogar Sagrada Familia, is on the side of a dirt mountain among many, many one and two-room houses where the poor of Peru build their homes. They do this because the land is free if you build on a mountain. Thus, countless thousands upon thousands of homes, some of cement, some of plywood, are built in the mountains. As one lady on the trip said, "Even our poorest people in America have it better than the people here." Most Peruvians do not receive any kind of government help, but I did hear that the government is beginning to help some.

This is no small orphanage - there are, as of last week, 730 children there ranging in ages from less than a month old to 21 years old. Once they reach the older ages and choose to stay, they begin taking care of small groups of children. As one young man who captured my heart (there were many!) put it, "I have been taken care of here and now I am caring for these little ones". I told him there's a phrase for that - paying it forward. He smiled and knew the phrase!

Lunchtime is a sight to behold. The babies, toddlers, and preschool kids stay in their respective "casas" to eat lunch. The rest come into a large lunchroom and take their places. Each "casa" has their own bowls, which they know and would tell us where they went if we got the wrong bowls with the wrong group of kids! Even with a language barrier, they made that clear .. lol No one eats their food until each child has a bowl of food in front of them.

Right now, quite a few of us at church make monthly donations to Olive Branch Ministries that go to the orphanage. Olive Branch is the organization that gets the mission trips together for us. The money, so far, has gone to help the ophanage in ways that Miguel sees as most necessary to the safety and educational efforts for the children. After last year, some of us have specified that our donations go specifically towards food. Now with the church in Austin helping - in a huge way, I might add - food will improve and more things will be done so that they can reach their goal of becoming self-sufficient.

After last year's trip, I began thinking about how I could not only designate my monthly donation towards more food for the kids, but also put Lavender Graphics to much better use - that's where you come in! Below are links to Olive Branch Ministries, which is desperately outdated but very much a legitimate organization, and my church so that you'll know it's all legitimate :). Also, I found that had information about Miguel and how the orphanage started. That site is VERY old as it mentions how many kids were there several years ago. I did not recognize any of the children in the pictures, so they are either not there anymore or have just grown up!

Now for the how you can help part. When you purchase anything here at Lavender Graphics, 100% of your purchase will go towards helping feed the children at the orphanage. Or, if you'd like to give a much bigger, tax deductible donation, simply go to the Olive Branch site and let them know you want to help.

God bless each and everyone of you who took the time to read this page. It's my prayer that your heart will be touched and feel the need to help feed these beautiful children. Whether you give a little through Lavender Graphics or go to Olive Branch to donate yourself (specify the Peru orphanage), it is MUCH appreciated!

.:Links:.
These sites are not updated as often as they should be, but you'll be able to see that my church does support Olive Branch Ministries, which supports the orphanage. The orphange website is terribly outdated, but it does tell a bit how Miguel started the orphanage and why.

Olive Branch Ministries
Woodland Oaks Church of Christ
Hogar Sagrada Familia