Newsletter April 2024
Hello everyone!
This truism is particularly relevant to the past few weeks and our current situation. In this newsletter, we are pleased to report on the work of artists from “Cup of Color”, on our Easter camp and on our official collaboration with the political community of Mi Peru.
(By the way: names in the text have been changed)
“Cup of Color”
Four artists from Europe and Asia from the NGO, “Cup of Color” visited us for a month. They are designing a mural on the buil-ding in collaboration with the neighbors of the property. The in-spiration for this will mainly come from the people on site, for which they and our team interviewed, (for example, questions like these):
A draft of the picture is currently being sket-ched out based on their answers. We hope that – as so often before – God will also guide this process. “Cup of Color” wants to convey hope and touch people’s hearts.
The neighborhood will be integrated into the process for a whole month. Hopefully this will, in turn, create new relationships! There are many drug addicts and delinquents in the neighborhood. Carlos has recently been con-tacted by some of these people with vicious construction mafia style threats. These men, like all the other parents, will receive an invi-tation to come to the construction site on two Sundays with their children and paint alongs-ide the four artists. In this way, they will leave a positive, lasting mark on Estación Esperanza and the lives of their children. During the other days, all our other neighbors have the opportunity to get involved.
Easter camp
Even before the “Cup of Color” visit, we equipped one of the Pachacutec project houses both for guests and for camps. The immediate occasion: we held a two day Easter camp. However, we were not prepared for the large number of participants. Thanks to mattresses on the floor, we were still able to find a place for everyone to sleep. However, the small children slept in their mothers’ beds.
Whether personal feelings of guilt or wounds due to a difficult fate (incurable illness, abortion, sexual abuse, husband died from the coronavirus, etc.) – all the adults in the camp carried burdens on their souls. These families don’t have the money for professional help and consider it out of the question to confide in their neighbors or friends. Although there is supposedly no loneliness here, people very rarely trust each other. Most have any real friendships. Women from the area keep telling me: “I learned that you can’t trust people.” Perhaps that’s why our Easter camp offer met with so much interest?
Natasha said after the camp: “I would never have thought that I would be allowed to do something for myself. I feel so much lighter now. I was able to hand over various burdens to God.” This woman has two children herself and when her sister died three years ago, she took custody of her three children. Her husband is no support. During the camp, the children and young people were kept busy with an age appropriate program and the participants did not have to cook or clean. This allowed Natasha to take time for herself and the course.
We know that such traumas cannot be proces-sed in two days. But just stimulating a healing process, talking about injuries in a safe place, being heard and praying with others… These are very important first steps. Additionally, we made it clear that everyone is welcome to continue to talk to us.
Political municipality: Cooperation
Carlos and Mayor Irvin Chávez signed a cooperation agreement between the political municipality and Estación Esperanza on April 11. According to the municipality, the aim of the cooperation agreement is to strengthen educational activities for children and expand services that directly benefit families in the district. For Estación Esperanza, this means nothing more than doing what we do anyway, but we are very appreciative of the mayor’s interest and help. Irvin has helped us a lot with the building permit for the kindergarten and for the water and soon also connection of electrical services. Now he is supporting us in the process of obtaining the permit needed to run a kindergarten or school.
Such things often take years thanks to the bureaucracy in Peru and the inefficiency of government agencies. Irvin knows that Estación Esperanza does not practice corruption and therefore does not receive any bribes. What a difference from the previous mayor, who died of coronavirus three years ago! He did everything imaginable for a year to prevent us from getting a permit for the protective wall, let alone a building permit for the building.
School attendance is mandatory
A good and affordable educational offered through Estación Esperanza will be a great benefit for the district. There are many situations in which the Peruvian system offers no solution. In theory, all children must attend school. But what about people like the Rivario family? They moved from the rainforest to Lima three months ago with four children because they hoped for a better life here. The reality they experienced did not meet their expectations at all. The Rivarios live right next door to our property. The two older children are now working without finishing school. The two younger ones (10 and 12 years old) can neither read nor write. They did go to school before the pandemic, but then the schools closed for two years.
Without electronic devices, it was not possible for them to take part in online lessons. After the pandemic, the boys were not allowed to repeat the school years they missed (presidential law), but the schools were unable to include them in classes with their peers due to their knowledge gaps. They are currently receiving extra tutoring from a volunteer. However, we are looking for a solution to integrate them into a school before the end of this year. If the Estación Esperanza school already existed, we would have less trouble finding a solution.
Important notes
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