Rosany is a petite, brown skinned girl with a beautiful smile and the face of an angel. Her eyes are soft and wisps of black hair frame her fine features. She was guided into our office by an officer of the court.  Her head was down because she was shy, confused and too scared to contribute any details of her story.

 

About a year ago the parents gave 14-year-old Rosany to a lady in Iquitos to “use” as a baby sitter for a Down’s syndrome boy and another toddler. The parents were simply too poor to provide for her.  Rosany’s owner was supposed to have put her in school but instead washing clothes, cleaning house, cooking meals and caring for a special-needs child became her life. The neighbors took notice when the physical abuse began, and after the authorities were notified, People of Peru Project became her home.

 

I just returned from Cusco and was eager to meet our new little girl. The first night in Iquitos, I went to the facility in Santa Thomas to make her acquaintance. During the weeks of my absence, the father was brought from another city to formally relinquish his parental rights to us. This was his decision. There were other options, but he was simply finished being a father. While he was in our facility saying a final farewell to his daughter, he ended up in a group photo of a birthday party happening simultaneously. The good-byes were said.  He left for his own city, and three days later died a sudden death from a brain aneurysm.

 

On Saturday night, we had planned an evening of popcorn and a DVD for the girls, but Rosany cried through the first ten minutes of the movie, and then went to her room. Two of our staff followed, and after about thirty minutes I quietly slipped in to see what was happening. This is what I saw:

 

Rosany was sitting on her bed with the photo of her father in her lap. One of our staff had her arms around her, and the other was kneeling on the floor in front of her, pouring her heart out in prayer. All three had tears running down their cheeks. They were asking God to comfort this little girl and support her through this difficult time.

 

When they were finished, I sat down beside Rosany and told her that I couldn’t possibly understand how she felt but if she wanted to stay, this would be her new home, and we would be her family. Her mother has five other young children and could not provide for Rosany while the father was alive, now it would be impossible. The court said that she is ours.

 

I feel certain that the impact of this life-changing experience will not be felt for quite some time.

 

As I stood to leave, I asked her if she understood that we had made a serious commitment to care for all her needs. She simply leaned over and hugged me and shook her head yes.

 

Later in the evening, I was telling everyone good-bye and when I started toward Rosany she jumped up and threw her arms around my waist and asked, “Is it okay if I call you daddy?”  I answered yes, not only for me but for all of you who have made it possible for little girls like Rosany to be safe and loved. I could very well be the luckiest man alive to be the recipient of these tender moments, but I have never once forgotten that you who support us so faithfully are the absolute reason that literally thousands of lives have been changed in Peru.

 

You will find many of these stories on our web site. Some of the details and circumstances of these kids’ lives are so graphic and horrible that decency dictates we refrain from crafting any mental images. I can only tell you that my breath has been sucked from my lungs, and my stomach tied in knots as I have listened to the saga that some of these kids have called "life".

 

This is the time of year when our hearts turn toward family, friends, blessings of the year, and perhaps some of the only moments of reflection that we can squeeze into our busy lives.

 

With your permission I would like to take a few moments of your holiday season to brag! Unlike some of the Christmas letters you will receive this year, I will be bragging about you, and the lives that have been impacted by the support of those who receive this letter. The hardest part for me is selecting from hundreds of poignant moments. Moments when time stood still, and we were fully aware that a life had just been changed.

 

People of Peru Project has:

1.  Taken on the responsibility of 8 girls and 4 infants in our foster care facility. This number is subject to change any given day. We will begin construction on the first dormitory the middle of December.

2.  Hired an agricultural engineer who is living and teaching full time on our land 50 miles up the Amazon River. He teaches the children in school in the morning and the adults agriculture and economic development in the afternoon.

3.  Fourteen children that are sponsored in a Christian school and dozens of others who could not have gone to public school without the uniforms, books and supplies that you paid for.

4.  Treated over 9,000 people with free medical services. Most of which has happened in the last 3 years.

5.  Hosted medical teams like the plastic surgeons from Kettering Hospital that did 65 procedures in 5 days or the ER doctors from Loma Linda University and the Nurses International Studies Program from Washington State University. These groups provided thousands of people with free medical attention.

6.  Students in the University of Iquitos studying law, elementary education and psychology.

7.  Completed the beginning phase of our vocational training program for the girls in the crisis center. Sewing, Baking, computer skills and business management are but a few areas of interest.

8.  Finished the guest housing for our volunteers. We now comfortably feed and house 36 people with room for more.

9.  One family in a transitional house in the slums of Belen. This is a step toward leaving poverty behind.

10. Two full time nurses that coordinate our medical clinics and do health education in the surrounding communities.

11. A full-time bible worker for religious instruction.

 

I am amazed at all that has happened in the last 12 months. All of these things and more, when broken down, equal stories just like Rosany’s.

 

What is equally amazing is your response to these needs. I have been overwhelmed and speechless as one by one these challenges have been met. Every time we faced a financial need, God directed just the right person at just the right time to give just the right amount. We have learned in the last 6 3/4 years that God typically does not pay early nor does He pay too much, but in our experience it is always just enough and right on time.

 

We finished an organizational meeting two nights ago with the girls in our care. At the end Anita asked if she could say something. This was the first time I had ever heard her speak English. Here are some excerpts from her two minute presentation:

 

“Thank you so much for this beautiful place that I can call home. This is a wonderful day when we can all be here together…I know my mother would be content to know that my baby and I are here living in this nice place….I thank God everyday for giving me this opportunity…”  Again, I must be the luckiest man on earth to receive the reward for all that you have done.  On behalf of Anita and all the girls, I pass these thanks on to you. On behalf of all of you, I let the tears roll down my cheeks and simply said,……”You’re welcome.”

 

Our monthly expenses have jumped dramatically. We need your help!  Virtually all the money still goes directly to Peru for the direct benefit of the Peruvian people. We are a   501 c3 tax exempt organization. We will be happy to send you a tax receipt for your generous year-end contribution.

God bless you and your family as you enjoy the blessings of our great country and during this holiday season.

 

Paul