Newsletter October 2022

Mael and I have arrived back in Lima after 5.5 weeks in Switzerland. The walks in the green forest, the clean air in the mountains, visits to farms, pleasant conversations with friends and acquaintances and unforgettable moments with the family – it felt good.

Luckily, summer is coming to Lima soon. The sun is already pushing through the month-long blanket of fog.

In the current October friend’s letter we tell you about the new structure of our growing youth work. It is very important to us that these young people don’t just hang around on the street, but can shape their own path constructively.

It was just mayoral elections in Peru. Why is this a “frustrating thing” and also affects the work of Estación Esperanza?

Also the link with a short film. This is what it looks like on our property at the moment and these activities are already taking place (without finished premises).

Newsletter October 2022 (pdf)

Overview newsletters

Current tour (movie)

Hello to each other

I wanted to start writing the new newsletter a few days earlier, but since there was another power cut, I couldn’t charge my laptop. So my plan had to be changed and the writing had to be postponed to “mañana” (=tomorrow). Based on these and other things, it is clear to me: I am definitely back in Lima.

time in Switzerland

After 1.5 months at home, Mael and I arrived safely in Ventanilla after a 50-hour journey with a number of detours. The trip was fraught with tension, but these abruptly subsided in Lima. It was good to see Mael happy to see his papa and sisters again. In addition, one noticed immediately that he is emotionally more balanced in his usual Lima area.

Personally, I think it’s a shame that he can no longer say “brrrr” (horse) and “muuu” (cow) in connection with the living farm animals. He has to be content with animal pictures in the book again. It would also be advisable if he quickly learned to walk independently. Crawling is not possible in the project house or outdoors because of the dirt. In Switzerland, he could even sit on the ground outside in restaurants and find out whether he liked the gravel.

So I look back gratefully on the past 1.5 months. It was nice to see so many lovely people and we are grateful for the diverse support and your interest. There were always opportunities to publicize our concern, namely the kindergarten/school building project. When we can continue to build, we trustingly leave it to God. We are currently back to saving.

Discover your potential

Several months have passed since our youth weekend with 40 young people. The EsEs youth work has grown again in both project houses. We have adjusted our strategies and founded the “Kingdom Kids Club”. All young people who would like to be part of it have signed an agreement. Instead of “just” taking part in the Kingdom Kids offers, they take on certain responsibilities: For example, helping out with the children’s program at least twice a month, getting personal coaching, working on personal challenges (e.g. behavior at school or in the family).

There is a points system. Depending on whether the agreed number of points is reached, they are invited to meetings that promote group dynamics (e.g. eating out together, visiting a park, etc.). Another new group is called “los conectados” (= the connected). Young people who want to grow more intensively in the Christian faith take part in these monthly meetings.

It is very important to us that young people do not spend their free time on the streets. We would like to accompany them, encourage them and help them to shape their lives constructively. Many have hardly trustworthy reference persons and motivating role models in the family. EsEs wants to be a family for them so that they don’t have to look for confirmation and love in partnerships at an early age, which often leads to early pregnancies. We discover great potential in many young people and therefore invite them to help out as mini-leaders in the project. That boosts their self-confidence.

Sarah’s story

Take Sarah, for example: For her, It is a place of refuge or home. She is 14 years old and a few months ago her family, who lives in a town on the Amazon, sent her to relatives in Lima. Her everyday life consists of two things: going to secondary school and being responsible for her three very active cousins (4, 8 and 10 years old). She is often frustrated because they do not obey her. Until recently, she wasn’t able to discuss these problems with anyone. Then the aunt allowed her to attend the activities in EsEs. Now she takes part in almost everything with or without her three cousins (floorball, children’s program, church service, etc.). She said that she no longer feels lonely and that she is so happy that she can discover Jesus and his plan for her.

Angelina’s story

A new phase of life has also begun for Angelina. We met her at the beginning of the year. At that time she was always well dressed and one had the impression that she was trying hard to always appear strong and strong. Suddenly she stopped coming. Our leader couple, Samuel and Esther, found out what had happened. The inputs in the Kingdom Kids group had led them to think and finally to a big decision. She gained the strength to break off the secret love affair with her married and much older neighbor. But then came the next problem. He did not agree with the decision and began to persecute and intimidate Angelina.

Angelina hardly dared to leave her hut anymore. She told no one about her fear. She was ashamed and did not want anyone to find out about the love affair. Intensive support from our side, many conversations and God’s work led to Angelina telling her parents everything. Samuel and Esther were able to find a way together with their parents and Angelina so that she can live without fear again. We are now very happy about the great cooperation and open relationship with this authentic young person.

Elections leave no choice

Two weeks ago, new mayors were elected in the 43 distritos (= city districts) in the huge metropolis of Lima and in all of Peru. I was in Switzerland and couldn’t vote. Since I am now also Peruvian, that would have been my duty. Now I have to pay a fine. Otherwise I get an entry that would make it impossible to conclude any contracts. To be honest, I would have found it difficult to vote with conviction for a candidate in Ventanilla. Many have corrupt pasts and their election campaigns are financed by people who, in turn, think only of their own gain. If someone wins the election campaign and gets the office of mayor for four years, he/she owes a lot to the supporters. Often these, whether with or without experience and appropriate training, receive all the important posts in the church building. You can imagine what that means for the quality of the work.

Many use the four years primarily to enrich themselves.

Earlier this year, we were approached by the church building in Mi Peru for gifts worth US$1,300 for children in the slum. The catch was, we would have had to sign receipts from the community center that said we had received $3,000 worth of toys. Those responsible in the community center would have pocketed the USD 1,700 privately. I am always amazed at the corruption that is everywhere. Sad, because that prevents the country from progressing. For Estación Esperanza it means we have to be strong. Without using corruption, everything often takes much longer and we need more strength, energy and also money (e.g. because of complying with unnecessary kindergarten building regulations). But we trust that God is with us.