| News and Happenings at Operación San Andrés - Collique, Lima, Peru |
April 2019 |
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Dear Friends of OSA,
Summer is over in the Southern Hemisphere, and children are back in school in Peru. In addition to describing summer activities for the OSA kids, this newsletter highlights OSA's growing partnership with Baylor University in Waco, TX. A group of pre-med students from Baylor had a mission trip to Collique, Lima, Peru during spring break. You will also read about Fany, one of the dedicated, loving, and hard working teachers in OSA's educational enrichment program. As always, we appreciate your continued interest in and support of OSA.
Grace and peace,
Operación San Andrés (OSA)
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Summer program with our kids
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About 70 kids were actively involved in summer activities at OSA's Educational Enrichment Program. They made handcrafts with recycled materials, knitted beautiful carpets, and developed new math and communication abilities. Many of our children do not have financial possibilities to leave their community during summer vacation, thus, we organized two outings for them and their families. They visited a local recreational park where they could enjoy time in the pool and playing games with their families. They also went to the movies and spent a fun day while strengthening their bonds with their mothers. These events triggered such expectation in our little kids that they were talking about them the entire week before going to these places.
"The outing activity was awesome as I saw the goats and I also fed them." Dany, age 7.
"My friends and I were so happy to visit the park as we went to the pool all together, and we enjoyed it so much. I would like to have the chance to go to these kinds of activities again." Dayanna, age 8.
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Visit from Baylor University students
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Last March we were visited by 26 students and 2 faculty members from Baylor University in Waco, TX, who joined our OSA team to conduct a medical clinic for the underserved populations in Collique. Throughout a whole week this team was able to provide medical screening, health services, reading glasses, and educational activities to more than 400 children and adults. We partnered with several other government and private institutions to organize medical clinics at different areas in Collique as well as in two government projects that support disadvantaged families. The OSA Talita Cumi Project and Light of Hope church were involved in planning and organizing the activities that took place in different areas of Collique.
OSA kids also benefited from the activities run by Baylor students. They learned about several health topics, such as personal hygiene, nutrition, exercise, and safety around strangers, among other themes. To end the week, more than forty fathers and mothers of our children gathered at OSA House to learn how to take care of their children's health in a better way. This remarkable initiative from Baylor University was accompanied by more than 25 local community leaders trained by OSA that supported the work of the visitors and helped them to reach more people across the community. These committed community leaders are part of OSA's Talita Cumi project, which is an initiative from OSA to prevent violence against women in the community.
Along the week, dozens of people expressed their gratitude to Baylor and OSA for this joint project and asked them to organize it again in the near future.
"I first thank God for all the support we received and for all the people that made it possible. I now have my reading glasses that help me so much in my daily activities. It would have not been possible without your help."
Jacinta, age 60.
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Summer activities with OSA's church
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 Our Luz de Esperanza (Light of Hope) church organized a new Vacation Bible School during the last week of January. More than 30 children from the Paraiso Community and about 50 children from our church enjoyed a program full of games, singing, dancing, and wonderful lessons about God's plan for their lives. Many of these children had the opportunity to hear about Jesus for the first time. The major topic of the Bible school was called "Little Heroes" through which children learned that all those who follow Jesus become little heroes in their families and community.
During February, about 60 children and teenagers participated in our summer Christian camp in the Pachacamac district, 80 miles south of Lima. The major topic was called "In Search of the Treasure". It was a week full of games, singing, dancing, and with a special time to make positive decisions that will change their lives. The most impactful time was at night during the bonfire time, when children and teenagers were able to make a strong commitment with God to follow him and obey his commands from that day onwards. All participants came back to Collique with a strong desire to make a positive difference in their families as well as strengthening their commitment with the local church to reach other people for Jesus.
"What I liked the most about the camp, was the teachings about how we can love God. The most important things are not money, clothes, cellphone, etc. but the word of God in our lives." Carmin, age 10.
"I accepted Jesus as my savior in the camp. I truly understood how much God loves me. I also learned about the negative attitude I had been having with my mother and I decided to change. I only ask for your prayers for me and my family so we can have a good relationship between us." Maria Jose, 9.
"Through this camp, I accepted Jesus in my heart. I learned that I was severely affected by my mother's abandonment, but I found in Light of Hope Church a true family that cares about me," Flavio, age 13.
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OSA staff Member, Fany Marcatoma
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Fany Marcatoma is an OSA teacher with responsibility for third and fourth graders at our Educational Enrichment Program. She has been with these same kids since they began their classes at OSA House when they were just 6 years old. Fany began working at OSA in 2011, and since then she has been deeply committed to guide her children academically, but also in their knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus. She states that what she likes the most about our organization is that she has the opportunity to teach children about Jesus freely, something she could not do in her past job. "I love to share with them the word of God," she verbalized.
Fany has been contributing her skills as a professional educator and Christian not only for the development of our little kids but also for the improvement of our team. "I like to take care of my personal testimony as I want to be the same person at home, at church and also here," she added. Fany acknowledges that OSA has helped her to grow as a person and professional as well; she used to be a more reserved person who struggled with relating to other adults, but she now feels more confident to influence OSA team members. Her biggest dream for her children is that the seed that is being planted in them can grow and flourish as the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3:6 - "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow."
During her time at OSA, Fany has proven to be a very responsible, humble, and loving person, someone who truly shows compassion to serve vulnerable children in Collique. Her goal as a professional is to continue developing her teaching abilities, so she can give more to her students as they grow up. When asked how she would like to be remembered by her team partners, she responded with: "I would like you to remember me through the Bible verse that says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." We give thanks to God for the life of Fany, who has become a mother figure for dozens of children at OSA House since her arrival.
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- For the next mission team from OSA Houston, arriving on April 8th
- For the beginning of therapeutic sessions with our mothers at our educational program
- For our children who are just beginning a new school year
- For the group of mothers that will begin a new entrepreneurship program with OSA
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- Our next mission trip arrives in Collique on April 8th
- Light of Hope church celebrates its 5th anniversary this April
- This April our mothers will begin a new period of training for developing their skills in entrepreneurship
- Mother's Day celebration comes the second Sunday in May
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Excited after reading this newsletter?
Please contact Ruth Campos for
additional information about future
OSA mission trips.
Please contact Ruth Campos for information
(+1) 713-464-8525 or [email protected]
Also contact Ruth for additional
information about
Operación San
Andrés and its mission in Peru
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We appreciate your prayer support which is so vital for the work of OSA in Collique. In addition, you can support our work financially by making tax exempt donations online through our PayPal account.
You can also support OSA by using Amazon Smile for your on-line shopping needs and choosing OSA as your designated non-profit. If you do this, Amazon will send a small percentage of every purchase to support the work of OSA. To get started, just click on this link:
smile.amazon.com
We encourage you to bookmark this link and use it each time you shop with Amazon.
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Operación San Andrés | 11918 Taylorcrest Rd.| HOUSTON, TX 77024
Phone (713) 464-8525| Fax (713) 464-2730
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Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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