The statistics in East Africa are staggering. Let me share a few of them
with you.
50% of the population in Uganda and nearly 44% in Ethiopia are under
the age of 15 - that's over 46.7 million children that are 14 years
or younger!
It's estimated that nearly 2.5 million adults (15 years and older)
are HIV positive in these two countries, leaving many of these children
homeless.
The under-five mortality rate (per 1,000) is 140 in Uganda and 169
in Ethiopia.
I have a hard time stomaching these statistics especially when you realize
they are more than numbers - behind these numbers are faces, smiles, children
who need help, children who need life.
I want to share with you a few of these children behind the numbers.
Here am I with a group of children who live
on the
streets in Ethiopia. They were taken
aback by us
sharing our food with them.
I was taken aback by
their smiles and
bright faces.
Since this lady has converted from Muslim to Christian
her family has abandoned her.
She and her two children
are now receiving assistance from our Shepherd's Fold
project. [Shepherd's Fold is three churches - of
different
denominations - working together
to help the Mekanesa
community
in Addis Ababa.]
These are the children at Almaz's Orphanage showing
off their new house!
This is one of the classrooms in Uganda
after we
unexpectedly disrupted the class.
This is Samuel in Uganda, showing off his bed.
Every
morning after he makes his bed he
decorates it with
his cards and mementos.
(We made a surprise visit
this day just
to make sure.)
This is "Salvation" showing me one of the
goats that they
take care of at the Mercy
Home orphanage. Many of the
children
in Uganda are abandoned at such a young
age
that they don't even know their own
name, so they
are given a new name.
Here's "Hope," my dancing partner, showing
off
his bicycle skills.
The children at Anchorage Christian
Ministries
in Uganda.
Some
missionaries recently arrived from Canada and they are starting an orphanage
for children in the northern part of the country called Gulu where the
LRA Rebels are abducting children as child soldiers. They are currently
bringing the children from the north to Kampala where it is safer for
them.
We have agreed to work hand in hand with them to help the children. In
July, they will be bringing children to Mercy Home for us to care for
and help rehabilitate them due to the trauma they have experienced.
Our vision is to help as many children as possible and show them Christ's
love. We believe through your prayers, support, and through our love,
care and concern, we can help these children to have a bright future.
At Suubi Nursery and Primary School, we have departments headed by different
teachers. We also receive teaching assistance children who live at the
orphanage who have been recognized as leaders. Both the teachers and the
children, also called prefects, directly impact the 178 children who live
at the Suubi Center.
Grace, who heads the Games and Sports department, believes that all work
and no play "makes Jack a dull boy, and yet all play and no work
makes him a mere toy." She is so thankful to PIA for providing the
school with children's games which they enjoy so much. Although Suubi
has many games for younger children, it does lack games for older children
like soccer balls and tennis shoes.
Abel heads the Welfare department and his duties include providing the
food for the cooks to prepare, and making sure the food is properly cooked
and served on time. More importantly, he also is responsible for making
sure that all the children get enough nourishment. Suubi's menu consists
of posho (maize flour) and beans mixed with some vegetables for weekday
meals. On the weekend, the children eat rice and beans mixed with crushed
sliver fish. Children also chew sugar cane twice a week. The last Sunday
of the month, the children have one meal of bananas and beef.
Nalubega Phiona, a prefect and a pupil in primary five, is one of Suubi's
best leaders. "During weekdays, we wake up at 6.00 a.m, pray and
praise to God, have breakfast, and then attend the early morning lessons
at 7.30 to 8.00 a.m (primary three to primary five). In the evening after
classes, we play a bit, bathe, and then worship from 6.00 to 6.30 p.m.
After prayers, we have supper then evening preps for one hour until 8.00
p.m. However most days there is no electricity and we only use candles
and lanterns which effects our prep time. We like our school and our teachers
and we always pray for them."
Crippen, the entertainment prefect, and Frank, the head monitor, talk
about weekend programs. "We always look forward to the weekend. Apart
from primary five, we don't attend classes on Saturdays. After cleaning,
we have breakfast. In the evening after dinner and after some rest, aunt
Carol and Pr. Elijah teach us songs, poems, Bible verses, and plays which
we present during our church service on Sunday."
Harriet and Joy, house matrons, are also teachers who are very happy
with their children. Their challenge is the proper custody of the children's
items like exercise books and clothes. They do pray for more supplies.
"Our children lack schools bags and suitcases. I also look forward
to seeing that one day, our children will get bed sheets."
With the support of PIA, the children of Suubi are learning how to face
the future challenges of the world with courage and strength. Putting
God first in all that we do, we hope for a bright future.
My
husband and I started sponsoring a child last year. Her name is Enyie
and she lives in Ethiopia. Her mother is her only immediate family. Her
father couldn't find a job so he deserted the family, which isn't unusual.
Her mother makes a meager income selling bread and washing clothes. Enyie's
story is sad and tragic. Unfortunately it isn't uncommon in Africa and
it's easy to forget and ignore the plight of the children when you're
not exposed to it.
Many times, we tend to let "human nature" get the best of us.
Whether we spoil our children, buy that pair of shoes or golf club that
we don't need, or go out to dinner and order more food than we can possibly
eat. It's easy to crawl into bed at night, read a book or watch TV, and
then fall asleep - safe and sound. We thought about this when we were
discussing sponsoring a child. It made the decision very easy. We know
that our monthly contribution isn't going to give Enyie a life that any
child truly deserves, but we are helping her to at least have a life.
She now has basic necessities like shelter, food, clothing, and medical
care. As she gets older, she will also have an opportunity to go to school.
Every time we look at her picture, we want to sponsor another child.
I'm sure many of you have had the same thought. Together, we may not be
able to save every child, but we can take on this challenge, one child
at a time.
San Diego Doctors Work in Conjunction with Centro
Medico Bosco and PIA For a Medical Mission
When
you have the chance to save lives, you have to give it all you've got.
That was the attitude shared by Centro Medico Bosco staff, PIA staff,
and doctors from San Diego during a medical mission on Saturday, June
17. Over ninety children were seen during the five-hour campaign and everyone
involved gave everything they had to make a difference.
The day started at 7:30 a.m. when Dr. Wilson and Dr. Tarango met PIA
Field Director Jeremy Francis at the border. When they arrived, the rest
of the support staff was ready to begin with a devotion and a time of
prayer. The campaign started at 9:00 a.m. when the boys from RSJB started
filtering in, but suddenly nearly all of the patients who were scheduled
for later that afternoon showed up and filled our waiting room.
The parents, eager to make sure their children would be seen, came almost
two hours early to wait in line to see the doctors. The logistics team
went straight to work registering and prioritizing the children who came
to see the doctors. They also spent time talking with the parents and
sharing the love of Christ with them.
"We really put an emphasis on healing both the body and the spirit,"
said Karen Francis, coordinator of ministry activities during the campaign.
"Even though we had more kids than we expected, the teams worked
great together to make sure that everyone had a good time in the waiting
room and the parents felt welcome. Even the clowns worked hard through
the heat to minister to the children."
The children in waiting were treated to games, activities, and art projects,
but the most fun was had when they brought out the clowns. Teens from
Rancho San Juan Bosco trained hard to learn clown acts and balloon tricks.
They danced their way into the children's hearts and the parents' as well.
Other members of the team processed the children so that the doctors
could examine and treat them as quickly as possible while still giving
them enough time to understand what was going on. The majority of the
cases seen at the medical campaign were well-child and well-baby check-ups.
The doctors were able to help the parents develop a good overall health
strategy for their children.
The doctors also detected some serious diseases in some of the children,
including heart murmurs, spinobifida, and even a case of pneumonia in
a one-year-old baby.
"Stacy and I felt really blessed to have been a part of the clinic
experience on Saturday," wrote Dr. Wilson after the event. "We
were so impressed by the quality of the staff working with us. Also, we
were impressed by the polite and cooperative behavior of the children.
We do hope that we truly made a difference."
The team plans to make the campaigns a regular event every two months.
If you would like to get involved in a medical mission we are looking
for doctors, dentists, nurses, and medical assistants to help with the
missions. We are also looking for volunteers to help minister to the children
in waiting and to help with security and logistics. Translators are provided
so one does not need to be bi-lingual to join in the medical mission.
For more information on medical missions please contact Jeremy
Francis.
San Diego Doctors Work in Conjunction with Centro
Medico Bosco and PIA For a Medical Mission
When
you have the chance to save lives, you have to give it all you've got.
That was the attitude shared by Centro Medico Bosco staff, PIA staff,
and doctors from San Diego during a medical mission on Saturday, June
17. Over ninety children were seen during the five-hour campaign and everyone
involved gave everything they had to make a difference.
The day started at 7:30 a.m. when Dr. Wilson and Dr. Tarango met PIA
Field Director Jeremy Francis at the border. When they arrived, the rest
of the support staff was ready to begin with a devotion and a time of
prayer. The campaign started at 9:00 a.m. when the boys from RSJB started
filtering in, but suddenly nearly all of the patients who were scheduled
for later that afternoon showed up and filled our waiting room.
The parents, eager to make sure their children would be seen, came almost
two hours early to wait in line to see the doctors. The logistics team
went straight to work registering and prioritizing the children who came
to see the doctors. They also spent time talking with the parents and
sharing the love of Christ with them.
"We really put an emphasis on healing both the body and the spirit,"
said Karen Francis, coordinator of ministry activities during the campaign.
"Even though we had more kids than we expected, the teams worked
great together to make sure that everyone had a good time in the waiting
room and the parents felt welcome. Even the clowns worked hard through
the heat to minister to the children."
The children in waiting were treated to games, activities, and art projects,
but the most fun was had when they brought out the clowns. Teens from
Rancho San Juan Bosco trained hard to learn clown acts and balloon tricks.
They danced their way into the children's hearts and the parents' as well.
Other members of the team processed the children so that the doctors
could examine and treat them as quickly as possible while still giving
them enough time to understand what was going on. The majority of the
cases seen at the medical campaign were well-child and well-baby check-ups.
The doctors were able to help the parents develop a good overall health
strategy for their children.
The doctors also detected some serious diseases in some of the children,
including heart murmurs, spinobifida, and even a case of pneumonia in
a one-year-old baby.
"Stacy and I felt really blessed to have been a part of the clinic
experience on Saturday," wrote Dr. Wilson after the event. "We
were so impressed by the quality of the staff working with us. Also, we
were impressed by the polite and cooperative behavior of the children.
We do hope that we truly made a difference."
The team plans to make the campaigns a regular event every two months.
If you would like to get involved in a medical mission we are looking
for doctors, dentists, nurses, and medical assistants to help with the
missions. We are also looking for volunteers to help minister to the children
in waiting and to help with security and logistics. Translators are provided
so one does not need to be bi-lingual to join in the medical mission.
For more information on medical missions please contact Jeremy
Francis.
Rey De Reyes Assembly of God Church Expands with
the Help of an Arizona Ministry Team by Karen Francis
What
a great month for sitting in the shade and enjoying what little breeze
there is, maybe even with a cold iced tea. It is hot and even a little
muggy. However, that did not stop the young people of White Mountain Bible
Church of Show Low, Arizona. There was little time on their week-long
trip to sit in the shade and relax; they did a huge job. Rey de Reyes
Asamblea de Dios (King of Kings Assembly of God) had a small building
in Lomatova, Baja California, Mexico, that they filled every time the
church doors were open. The congregation was donated a large cement slab
a few years ago and they built on it as best they could. The very faithful
congregation grew quickly and during winter cold and summer heat, they
would stand outside the building when no one else could get in. Nineteen
young people and their staff made the eleven-hour trip to expand the church
to make room for the people to worship in comfort. The roof was removed
and four walls moved to make a large and spacious one-room church.
For five days they worked in nearly 100-degree temps and high humidity;
they even went through a rare but heavy rain storm, to complete the church
for Wednesday night services. The people were thrilled and many came throughout
the week to see the young people and their dedication and hard work. Pastor
Rodolfo and some of the ladies of the church cooked a great Mexican meal
of beans, flour tortillas, and chopped beef grilled with onions and potatoes
for the group on Monday. There was also pico de gallo (a spicy hot sauce)
and a special drink of Mexico, Jamaica.
After the dedication service on Wednesday night there was more good food
to show their appreciation. In all, the youth of WMBC raised the roof,
installed new electrical outlets and receptacles for lighting, hung ceiling
fans, felted the roof, built a small platform, hung dry wall inside, moved
out and rebuilt the walls. Having several young men that were very skilled
in construction helped, but each and every youth put their hearts and
hard work into making the building beautiful. The people of Rey de Reyes
are thrilled and full of gratitude to the WMBC Youth.
Thank you for your time and talent!
Partners in Action has many different building projects available in
Northern Baja, including church construction, community centers, orphanages,
schools, and homes. If you would like to be part of a building mission,
please contact Jeremy Francis for help putting together your own ministry team.
Rancho San Juan Bosco Celebrates the Graduation
of Four Students by Jeremy Francis
We
were honored to attend the graduation ceremonies for three of the four
graduating students from Rancho San Juan Bosco. The primary school graduation
was quite an event with special presentations from each class that included
song and dance and lively interaction with those in attendance. The kids
all showed off their projects and their classrooms.
Three boys from Rancho San Juan Bosco Graduated from primary school and
will be attending Secondary (High) School next year. Josué Gastelún,
Hector Arturo and Cutberto Manuel all graduated into Secondary school.
This was quite an achievement for these boys who had to work very hard
to pass into Secondary. Cutberto Manuel made great strides to catch up
and his graduation is a testimony to his hard work and to the hard work
of the RSJB Profesora Eunice Morelos.
The ceremony also recognized Adán Adrian who also passed into
the next grade and received a special award as the top student athlete
in the whole school.
We were not able to attend the Graduation of Luis Alberto Fregoso because
of limitations on seating but we were still proud of his hard work in
graduating from Secondary School. He will be taking the entrance exam
for Preparatory school this summer and beginning his college career.
The end of the school year also marked a sad time for RSJB as the kids
said good-bye to their dedicated teacher, Profesora Eunice Morelos, who
accepted a new job teaching in a private school. She volunteered to teach
at RSJB and was offered the job several times but turned it down because
she had made a promise to stay on at RSJB until the end of the school
year. When the school year ended the job was still available and so she
made the very difficult decision to take the job to be able to provide
for her family.
At her farewell party she fought back the tears as she praised the boys
for their hard work and dedication and for the radical improvements they
had made. Her contribution to RSJB was immense and she will be greatly
missed.
Please pray for all of the students as they enter into summer break and
for Eunice as she begins this new chapter in her life. Also pray with
us that the Lord will provide RSJB with a new teacher with the same dedication
and passion as Eunice and the funding to pay that person.
You can make a difference in the Education of the Children at RSJB by
sponsoring the new teacher's salary of $600 per month or contributing
to their salary with your donation of any amount. We would like to raise
enough money to hire two new teachers by August.
Kumiaí Kids From Wa Ta-lus Kuateí
Children's Home Join Ministry Team at CTP for a Day of Fun!
A
Ministry group from White Mountain Bible Church invited ten of the thirteen
children currently at Wa Ta-Lus Kuateí (Big House Kumiaí)
Children's Home out to Campamento Tierra Prometida (Camp Promise Land)
for a day of fun.
The kids were excited about the day and were all giggles the thirteen
miles to the campground. The kids range in age from four to sixteen and
are children from an indigenous tribe here in Baja California. Most of
the children have serious medical needs and family but no money to provide
them the care they need.
The ten kids that came out to CTP where so excited as they have little
space outdoors and even less space indoors to play. The idea of running
in the "wilderness" to them was so exciting. One little girl,
12, was telling Karen on the way out how she had always dreamed of the
"wilderness" and running in the trees. Then a huge and unexpected
storm came and literally dumped rain for a couple of hours; her reply
to the rain was, "Oh, it is my luck!" After eating American
food (corn dogs and beanie weenies), the fun began with music and dancing,
and a craft, then the rain stopped and there was lots of fun to be had
outside!
The kids played on the swings and ran and kicked balls and ran some more.
They had a great time. The ice cream man came and there was ice cream
for everyone! Everyone left really happy and full of treats. The best
part of it all was when we took them home and were able to present the
director, Laura Cota, with a special offering of $265, over $250 worth
of food, and extra supplies for her, too. What an honor to be part of
a group that on their own decided to help out someone in need and make
a difference in the lives of so many. Look for more stories about the
Wa Ta-Lus Kuateí Children's home in future newsletters. This is
a great new ministry for us and we are excited to see what God has in
store!
You can sponsor a child at Wa Ta-Lus Kuateí Children's home through
Partners in Action.
If you would like to minister to the Kumiaí children, please contact Jeremy Francis for
more information.
It seems we have been talking a lot about food and conversation in the
culture taste feature of the newsletter, so I think for the next newsletter
I'll switch it up. First, though, as promised, I'm going to tell you what
"atole" is. Atole is a special drink that is usually consumed
during times of celebration and especially during the winter holidays.
Atole is like hot chocolate which is made here the old-fashioned way with
baker's chocolate and milk, but they add in corn flour and cinnamon to
make it really thick and really rich. As if the baker's chocolate and
milk weren't rich enough!
Some people substitute pineapple or guava for the cinnamon and it is
usually served with tamales, and usually a special sweet tamale with pineapple
instead of meat.
This drink comes from the south of Mexico, especially in Vera Cruz and
the Yucatán Peninsula. Here's the recipe:
1 cup of corn tortilla masa
2 quarts whole milk
1 cup baker's chocolate
3 cups sugar
Cinnamon, pineapple or guava to taste.
Dissolve the masa in two cups of milk; puree the fruits if you are
going to use them in the rest of the milk or add cinnamon. Melt the
chocolate on low heat in a large pot adding a little bit of milk to
thin out the chocolate. Add the rest of the milk and the sugar, and
cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the masa and bring to a boil
while constantly stirring. Serve Hot.
Next month we will share with you a little bit about the music of Mexico.
Well, it is definitely summer! The land here is very dry and sandy and
the temperature is definitely more desert temps and less of what we are
used to. Looking back, it is always easy to see why God does the things
He does; we do not always understand them at first, however. It is now
very plain why we had to go to Phoenix for the three months before moving
here; God was preparing us for a lesser heat but for the heat! It is funny
how God does these things! He knew we would face a hot summer here and
be unprepared for it, so He moved us to Phoenix in 117-degree weather
so that 100 degrees would not seem so bad. Although He has yet to provide
an air conditioner, HA HA, He has provided cool breezes and fans to help
us through the melting months, as they are called here. We feel your prayers
and so appreciate them, please remember to pray for a cool breeze and
less sun too, OK! God bless, Karen
We want to extend a special thank you to everyone who has been supporting
Partners in Action Latin American Ministries. We have completed our first
year of ministry in Mexico and we are looking forward to many more!
Special thanks to Dr. Wilson and Dr. Tarango for the involvement in the
Medical Mission this month. Their hard work and dedication to the children
of Tecate has been a blessing to us all.
Also special thanks to Teams from Calvary Chapel Escondido, Rialto and
Open Door Anaheim, TWO and World Servants for their hard work at RSJB
repairing during the month of June.
Thank you to White Mountain Bible Church Youth for your hard work on
the church building project and with the Kumiaí children.
PIA is involved with other causes and we wanted to share with you
a great honor bestowed upon us. Although we are dedicated to the children
and projects abroad, we also try to help close to home.
Mara
Reyes The Independent
PINETOP-LAKESIDE - Leann Carter, 37, who recently took over the reins
as the manager of Love Kitchen, knows what it means to need a helping
hand. She knows how comforting it is when others reach out during those
tough times. When her husband, John, 44, was seriously ill, battling liver
cancer, the community helped her family. "The community took us in
and took care of us," Carter said. "We had a great support system."
The Love Kitchen, a charity soup kitchen, was part of that support system
when they weren't quite making ends meet. Carter, the mother to three
girls ages 13, 16, and 18, worked at whatever jobs she could get, mostly
in the low-paying fast food and retail industries. So when she saw an
ad for a cook at the Love Kitchen, she saw it as a "good start for
us to start paying the community back." She applied and was hired
in April.
Three weeks later, when the former manager announced she was resigning,
Carter was offered the position. "I don't consider it a job. It's
a career. I wouldn't be surprised if I retired from here," Carter
said. "I've met the best people through this job. It's so rewarding."
Although the position has many "rewards," she also gets to witness
the heartbreaking situations some families go through. "There's a
couple of families that eat here two to three times a week. They sleep
in their vehicles. It's the husband and wife and their small children.
I rack my brain trying to figure out how to help them," she said.
Carter has noticed a spike in families during the summer. She attributes
it to kids being out of school. "Families aren't working and for
them this is a great place to come," she said. She takes comfort
in knowing that at least those families will have a healthy meal, including
dessert, every day. The kitchen, which was recently named the Nonprofit
Organization of the Year by the Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce members,
serves between 60 to 100 clients Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1
p.m. Food boxes are distributed on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m.
Carter is quick to point out that without the volunteers who show up
everyday and the organizations and individuals who donate food or money,
there wouldn't be a Love Kitchen. Some regular contributors include the
Chuck Wagon Steakhouse, Wal-Mart, Bashas', Vernon Food Bank and Bob and
Linda Gates, the Run to the Pines organizers, but the majority of donations
come from the community. "People have big hearts," Carter noted.
Nothing goes to waste. Even items past their prime are used to feed animals.
Nevertheless, sometimes the pantry gets low. "If more stores and
restaurants got involved, we would never be out of food. It's sad to hear
that some restaurants are called after weddings or parties to pickup leftover
food.
As manager, Carter still cooks on Tuesdays. The rest of the days, Grace
Pusich works her culinary magic. "She's an awesome cook. We never
know what we will be cooking. It depends on what donations we have, but
she can cook anything. Not me, I'm a planner," Carter said.
Carter said she would like Love Kitchen to reach out in more ways. "We're
so limited in funds, but I would love to help with gas vouchers or a night
at a motel where people can get a hot shower and a decent night's sleep.
I would love to see it grow that way," she said.
The Love Kitchen, located on Penrod Lane behind Eddie's Country Store,
has been operating for 25 years. That's why Carter is surprised when someone
hasn't heard of the Love Kitchen. Shocked but happy to explain. And then
she invites them to drop by for lunch. Anyone is welcome.
The organization is owned by Curt Cluff, who also runs Partners in Action,
Mission of Grace Thrift Store and Camp Grace. The kitchen also has contracts
to provide meals to the Head Start program and Camp Grace.
The kitchen will probably eventually need to look for a new home. The
property is owned by the Blue Ridge School District, which leases the
building to on a year-to-year basis. Blue Ridge does not have immediate
plans to sell the property but has discussed the possibility with the
charitable organization. "Some time down the road, the board might
decide to look at selling it," Superintendent Mike Aylstock said
last year. "We just want them to be aware of it. They're providing
a valuable service to the community right now."
When the time comes, the organization hopes to find a new home, ideally
a former restaurant or building with a commercial kitchen that can accommodate
more than 100 people a day. They hope someone generous will donate it
for the benefit of a tax credit. For more information on how to volunteer
or donate food or money, call Carter at 928-367-6505 or cell 928-242-5594.
Some
missionaries recently arrived from Canada and they are starting an orphanage
for children in the northern part of the country called Gulu where the
LRA Rebels are abducting children as child soldiers. They are currently
bringing the children from the north to Kampala where it is safer for
them. 
Suubi
Center
My
husband and I started sponsoring a child last year. Her name is Enyie
and she lives in Ethiopia. Her mother is her only immediate family. Her
father couldn't find a job so he deserted the family, which isn't unusual.
Her mother makes a meager income selling bread and washing clothes. Enyie's
story is sad and tragic. Unfortunately it isn't uncommon in Africa and
it's easy to forget and ignore the plight of the children when you're
not exposed to it. 
When
you have the chance to save lives, you have to give it all you've got.
That was the attitude shared by Centro Medico Bosco staff, PIA staff,
and doctors from San Diego during a medical mission on Saturday, June
17. Over ninety children were seen during the five-hour campaign and everyone
involved gave everything they had to make a difference.
What
a great month for sitting in the shade and enjoying what little breeze
there is, maybe even with a cold iced tea. It is hot and even a little
muggy. However, that did not stop the young people of White Mountain Bible
Church of Show Low, Arizona. There was little time on their week-long
trip to sit in the shade and relax; they did a huge job. Rey de Reyes
Asamblea de Dios (King of Kings Assembly of God) had a small building
in Lomatova, Baja California, Mexico, that they filled every time the
church doors were open. The congregation was donated a large cement slab
a few years ago and they built on it as best they could. The very faithful
congregation grew quickly and during winter cold and summer heat, they
would stand outside the building when no one else could get in. Nineteen
young people and their staff made the eleven-hour trip to expand the church
to make room for the people to worship in comfort. The roof was removed
and four walls moved to make a large and spacious one-room church. 
We
were honored to attend the graduation ceremonies for three of the four
graduating students from Rancho San Juan Bosco. The primary school graduation
was quite an event with special presentations from each class that included
song and dance and lively interaction with those in attendance. The kids
all showed off their projects and their classrooms.
A
Ministry group from White Mountain Bible Church invited ten of the thirteen
children currently at Wa Ta-Lus Kuateí (Big House Kumiaí)
Children's Home out to Campamento Tierra Prometida (Camp Promise Land)
for a day of fun. 
PIA is involved with other causes and we wanted to share with you
a great honor bestowed upon us. Although we are dedicated to the children
and projects abroad, we also try to help close to home.
