Creative Corners - Our Work - Peru: Sacred Valley Orphanage's Latest news

Peru: Sacred Valley Orphanage's Latest news

$Peru: Sacred Valley Orphanage\'s Latest news$ June 15, 2006

Highlights from our Sacred Valley Orphanage's latest newsletter....

Dear Family and Friends, Amazing how fast time flies...

All of the children were on summer break January and February. January was spent playing soccer, doing crafts, chores and enjoying their freedom. Roberto, 16, was in a special summer school in Cusco. It was the first time that he has been away from home for an extended amount of time.
He was in Cusco all week and came home Saturday evening and Sunday. He actually had a room to himself, and enjoyed the peace and quiet. It took a few days for him to readjust to his large family life.

The soup kitchen, Sopa del Dia, functioned throughout the summer break, feeding 95 children and 12 elderly lunch three times a week. The food for the elderly is taken to their homes as many of these people cannot get out and about. For many of the children and elderly this is their main or only meal of the day. The health improvement in the children is apparent at first sight and even more evident as you spend more time with them. Their teacher is raving joyfully that now they can actually concentrate on the school work and have a much better retention of the material.

In February Allen and Marie took the kids on their annual camping trip to the warm springs in Cconocc. The children absolutely love the four days in the water. Most of them can swim, at least enough to stay afloat. This is the only time that they get to be near water and swim all year long. Here in the high Andes it is too cold and there is not much water.

Also, the children started spinning and dying natural wool yarns. They are using all natural dyes from plants, the children help collect the plants and then use them to dye their wool. Most of the girls are great at the art of knitting and crocheting. After two months of practice we are going to start teach them to work on the loom. Their teacher, Profe. Bertha, is a wonderful young woman from our community actually lives by spinning, dying, and weaving with the yarn from her animals.

In March Luz Marina turned 15 years old, we went all out and had a typical Latin quinceñera party. In Latin America this is a coming out of sorts, it is the most important birthday for a young woman. Luz Ma was stunning in her full length formal cream colour gown. Papa Marco and Papa Allen presented her and danced the waltz. (which was practiced nightly by Luz Ma with her sisters). She was so beautiful and proud. It was her day to be a fairy tale princess.

School started back March 1st, which is always a huge ordeal. With 20 children attending school, there is a lot of work to be done getting all of the notebooks and school books covered new shoes, uniforms, and school supplies. This year we were able to fix up all of the sweaters from years
before to fit everyone, the dining room looked like a sewing room for a couple of weeks.

Also, we are kept busy with helping our community families with their school supplies in a program where they can buy through us for wholesale and also pay it off in low payments over several months, with work, or with potatoes or corn.

Our gardens and greenhouse are flourishing under Allen’s supervision; there is always a new experiment for everyone to try. All of the children are healthy and happy; even with many of them going into adolescence. Please remember us in your thoughts and prayers as we try to raise the amount needed to have our budget for 2006.

Thank you for all of your love, support and prayers.
Sending blessings and love from our home to yours,
Mama Kia, Mama Marie and Papa Allen

Want to volunteer here? ...read more...