As I am sitting here ready to write a new post I have to be honest. This week has been one of my more difficult weeks since I have been in Peru. There have been a lot of late nights, and a lot of early mornings.
The week started as usual. I was with a Scottish group all day on Monday at the boys' home, and they were getting ready to fly back to Lima on Tuesday morning. I called the bus driver on Monday night to confirm the transport from the group's hotel to the airport, but he informed me that there was going to be a "strike" on Tuesday. A strike here in Peru is quite a bit different than what our idea of a strike is back home. Basically, when a group of people is in disagreement with any government decision or policy, they will go on strike; this means that they will march in protest, but it also means that they will often block the roads. The idea is that if the roads are blocked, then Peru's economy comes to a standstill, and hopefully the government will start to pay attention. Anyways, my bus driver informed me that the public transport staff was going to strike for a day because they are in disagreement with a new law that increases fines for traffic violations.
The group's original plan was to leave Tuesday morning around 8:30 to make their flight on time. My bus driver told me that we would probably beat the road blocks if we left earlier in the morning--around 5:00. With no other option, I had to ask the group to wake up extra early in an effort to beat the road blocks. Everything was set until about 4:30 then next morning. I received a call from the driver telling me that he couldn't make it to our hotel because people had already started striking and blocking the roads. At that point, there was no more that we could do. The group was going to have to miss their flight back to Lima. The Scripture Union office worked hard to rebook the flights for another day, but the earliest that the flights could be changed to was Thursday. The group was now going to have two extra days here in the Sacred Valley.
Really, from the perspective of the group, there wasn't much of a problem. They would have two more days here in Cusco, and a couple less days at their second stop--Kusi. For me, the delay brought a couple of complications. Originally I was going to have one group leaving Tuesday and a new group arriving on Wednesday. Because of the plane delay, the new group was going to overlap for one night with the other group. We did not have hotel spaces booked for that many people, so I had to rush around Urubamba looking for extra rooms. In the end, I was trying to juggle between two different groups who were staying in three different hotels.
Going to pick the new group up on Wednesday was also an adventure. Normally I take a public vehicle from Urubamba to Cusco when I go to the airport to pick up a group. Because of the strike that was going on, there were no public transport vehicles running. The trek was quite an adventure. I ended up riding in the trunk of a station wagon with two other men. It was a cramped, but uneventful ride thankfully.
On Thursday the group that got delayed finally left, and it was back to the normal routine--or so I thought! One of the ladies from the new group arrived quite sick. She hadn't eaten for a number of days, and she was incredibly weak. On Friday we decided that she was going to need to go back to Cusco to get checked out at a hospital. We left on Friday morning expecting to be at the hospital for 3-6 hours, but when all was said and done she was kept in the hospital for just over 24 hours, and she was diagnosed with Typhoid Fever--a bacterial disease caused by a certain strain of salmonella that is usually a result of drinking contaminated water. It was a nice hospital, and there was an extra bed in the hospital room, so I just stayed the night there, but I was woken up every 30 minutes or so when the nurses came in to check on the lady from the work team. Thankfully the hospital was very nice, and the lady is feeling much, much better now that she has medicine to treat the illness.
This week back in Michigan was our church's Kids' Kamp that the children's ministry puts on every year. I grew up going to this camp, and I loved it so much that when I was too old to be a camper I began working there as a volunteer. To this day, some of my best friends are the families that are involved in Kids Kamp. I found myself feeling a little bit homesick and missing friends and family back home. It was a long and exhausting week, and I think that all of the business wore my immune system pretty thin. I came down with a fever and nausea last night. I won't go into the details, but I was fairly unwell. It must have been just a 24 hour flu or something because thankfully I was feeling much better by this afternoon.
It has been a difficult week, and I appreciate all of your prayers. But as I was feeling down today, God reminded me exactly why it is that I am here in Peru. After taking the morning off to recuperate from my sickness, I made it back to the Girasoles home in the afternoon. Today we celebrated all of the boys who had birthdays during the months of June and July. There were games, songs, dancing, and lots of cake. They even made a pinata! I got the see the joy on the boys' faces as we celebrated their lives and as we reminded them that they are important and loved by God. I left the home today feeling tired but refreshed at the same time. When I signed up for this job, I knew that it wasn't always going to be easy, but I know that even in the midst of the more difficult times IT IS WORTH IT. God has me here for a reason, and he has a plan for the lives of the kids at each one of our Girasoles homes.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Street Children and Girasoles
Every once in awhile, I think that I will write a post to share a little bit of background and information about Scripture Union Peru and its ministries for those of you who are not incredibly familiar with the organization. Because I am currently doing work that is specific to Scripture Union's Girasoles program, I want to start this series of posts by explaining a little bit more about this problem with street children that we experience here in Peru as well as in many other parts of the world. I will do my best to explain the issues to the best of my knowledge, but please have some grace with me as I am fairly new to the Peruvian culture. I do not have all the answers, and much of the following information has been gleaned off of other friends, such as Paul Clark, Billy Clark, and many of the house parents in the different Girasoles homes. I will warn readers ahead of time--this is heavy stuff, but it is real. Even in the darkest places, God is working! This is a longer post, but I encourage you to read through it, and learn how you can better pray for these children.
Where do these children come from?
There is not always an easy, clear cut answer to a question like this. Each child is different, so there is not just one blanket answer. With that said, the root of the problem is almost always extreme poverty. Behind the lives of many children on the street is a single mother who is struggling to provide for her family. In Peruvian culture, Latin American culture, and probably many other places around the world there is a definite double standard between the position of the man and the position of the woman in a household. It is culturally acceptable in Peru for a man to be the macho figure who can do what he wants, when he wants, and with whomever he wants. The sociological term for this is "machismo." It is not uncommon, especially in impoverished communities, for a man to have children with a number of different women. While the man goes around doing whatever he wants, the mother is expected to provide for and care for the children. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, poverty turns into a vicious cycle. When a mother can no longer provide for the children on her own, she is forced to attach herself to another, often times abusive, man for income.
So where do the children come from? Many times the reason that they end up on the street is very simple. From the mother's perspective, she can either abandon one child on the streets or try to care for everybody as the risk of starving the entire family. Paul Clark, the director of Scripture Union Peru, often uses the illustration of a life boat. When the boat is full one person needs to go overboard, or the entire boat will sink, and everyone drowns. There are other cases where the new boyfriend of the mother wants nothing to do with children from a different father, so he puts them out on the streets, or he at least abuses them until they run away on their own.
Other children begin spending days on the streets trying to sell small bits of candy, shine shoes, or just beg to try to provide income for the family. Many times, they are expected to bring home a certain quota daily, and if they do not meet that quota then they can expect to be beaten. Even when they do bring the proper amount of money home, very seldom does that translate to food on their plates. Many times the father will gamble the money away with his other friends or spend it away on beer to feed his alcohol addiction. After awhile, sometimes the boy decides that he would be better off living on his own rather than trying to meet an unreasonable quota and still not getting fed.
Once a child is out on the street, what becomes of him?
Nothing good is waiting for a child who is living out on the streets. To begin with, many of the populated cities in Peru have a fairly mild or sometimes downright cold climate. The leading cause of death of kids on the streets of Lima is pneumonia, among a host of other preventable or curable diseases, during the winter months of June, July, and August. Even if disease does not come upon a child, the streets are a world of drugs, gangs, violence, and abuse.
Street children in Peru's culture are the lowest of the low. They are generally feared and hated. Prostitutes would have higher social status than street children. Billy Clark often tells a story of a time when the work with the Girasoles had recently begun. He had taken some pictures with the kids, and he took the pictures to get developed. When he arrived to pick up the pictures, the man at the store recognized that the pictures were of street boys, so he asked Billy why he would be taking pictures of these nobodies. Billy answered and explained the ministry that Scripture Union has here on the streets. The man looked at Billy and coldly said, "You want a solution for this problem? Well I have one for you--one bullet for each head!"
One of the most common derogatory names used to refer to a street boy is "piraña," in English--piranha. The name comes from a common practice that some of the boys have of descending upon an unsuspecting person in a small pack. When they mug a person in this manner, they will sometimes even take the clothes off of the person's back. Because they are known for crimes like this, they are feared and hated. Thus, the cycle of poverty once again begins.
If a boy is living on the street, he is already categorized as the lowest of the low. So what are the chances that this young boy will get a legitimate job to support himself in a country where the unemployment rate is sky high? He cannot get a job, and he is hated by the majority of the people around him, so he goes and finds a hiding place to get away from the hostile world. If it were not for the sharp pain of hunger, a boy might well spend his entire life in hiding, but there a comes a point where hunger becomes so unbearable that he has to leave the safety of his secret spot.
Without employment, the child's next best option is to try to steal to survive. Sometimes this means stealing an apple from the market, but other times the boys will attempt to pick a pocket or grab someone's watch to trade for a plate of food. Some of the children on the streets become incredibly skilled at petty theft. I have spent a considerable amount of time with different boys living in our Girasoles homes, and they have shown me how easy it could be for them to get a watch off of my wrist or a camera out of my pocket without me even noticing.
Unfortunately, many of the kids--especially the youngest ones who are too slow to make a fast getaway--get caught and end up in the hands of the police. While there are many goodhearted and well intentioned people in the Peruvian police force, there are also many very abusive, corrupt police officers. It is hard to know exactly why police are often incredibly cruel to these children, but they are. Perhaps it is just the hatred that the culture has coming out in a tangible form. Maybe it is because these boys make the officers' jobs more difficult and more dangerous. Whatever the reason is behind the cruelty--it is absolutely unjustifiable. I have heard story after story. Boy's have been taken to a dungeon and used as a soccer ball to be kicked around. They have been forced to drink other peoples' urine. They have had water thrown on them and then electrical wires attached to their testicles. Sometimes a truck is filled with the children, and then they are driven out into the middle of the desert and left to find their way back into the city--some make it, and some don't. They have been fed sandwiches laced with rat poison...and sadly, the list goes on.
After facing this sort of abuse from the police force many of the children on the streets are very reluctant to continue to steal to survive. But what is left? No family to provide, no job to earn a living, no stealing for fear of getting caught. What other option is there? While it seems like the end of the road, there is one other option. It is safer in the sense that they will probably not be bothered by the police, but in actuality it can be far more damaging long term. The last option for survival is prostitution. In Peru and all over the world sex trafficking and sex tourism is on the rise. The boys will extend sexual favors in exchange for a small sum of money or just a plate of food. Sadly, I have heard there are some places on the internet where you can book a vacation in Peru that includes the services of these children. Of course it is illegal, but it isn't always easy to keep track of, and corruption means that sometimes a simple bribe is all it takes to keep the authorities off of your back.
At the end of the day after a boy has done whatever it is that he needs to to satisfy his hunger, he will probably scrounge around for a few coins to buy a bag of glue called "terokal," and he will go back to his hiding spot huffing the fumes from the glue. When asked why they huff the glue, they often simply answer, "Quiero borrarme" (I want to erase myself). We have now come full circle. They will hide once again until hunger drives them out from safety.
Scripture Union's program is for street boys. Aren't there any girls on the streets?
The simple answer to this question is that yes there are girls on the streets, but there are far more street boys. It is hard to know exactly why there are more boys than girls. Perhaps when a mother finds herself in the situation where she has to put a child out on the street so that the rest of the family can survive, she would opt to choose the oldest boy. It could be that she feels that her oldest boy will have the best chances of survival out on his own. Another factor could be that when a mother looks at her young boy, she imagines him to grow up to be just like all of the other men in her life--abusive, promiscuous, gambling, alcoholics who care very little for the well being of the family. On the other hand, the mother want to identify with her young daughter. She might imagine her to grow up going through all of the same abuses, and she may want to try to protect her daughter from the world that she has experienced. For these reasons, the boy ends up on the street, and the girl remains at home.
With all of that said, I think that the number of girls on Peru's streets is growing. There are some organizations who do work diligently with girls from the streets, and Scripture Union has at times partnered with some of these efforts. We have hosted some of these girls at our summer camp programs that we run. At this time, we are just not well equipped to meet the needs of the girls on a long term basis. We would need to have separate facilities from the boys and care for pregnant girls and infants among other resources. Poverty is everywhere, and hopefully we will never become so numb to it that we can just ignore it, but at the same time, because there are so many different problems we have to be really intentional about defining a very specific mission. If we tried to help solve every problem that presented itself, then we would be spread so thin that we would not be effective anywhere.
On a similar note, we also limit the number of boys at each of our Girasoles homes to about forty. The need is so great that we could easily open our doors to hundreds of children, and some places do. But again, we have a very specific mission. We hope to be able to provide not just for the physical needs of the boys, but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We really want the children in our homes to learn what it means to be a part of a loving, Christian family, and that mission would be impossible if we allowed for greater numbers.
How do the boys arrive at the Girasoles homes?
As is the case of many other questions, this one is difficult to answer because each boy has a different story, and there are many different means by which they arrive. To be honest, I am not the most qualified person to answer this question because I have very little to do with this specific part of the ministry. If you ever come to Peru, I encourage you to ask Pablo Lavado, the director of the Girasoles program, or any of the house parents at our different boys' homes. I know that sometime the house parents go out and do street work. They actually go find boys on the streets and tell them about the home. Sometimes word of our homes travels by word of mouth on the streets, and children show up because they heard about us from a friend. There are also times when children are referred to us by different government agencies when a case of abuse or neglect is discovered in the home.
What is the ultimate goal of the Girasoles program, and what have the results looked like?
Before I answer this, I want to reiterate once again that I am not the most qualified person to answer this question. I can say with confidence that the ultimate goal of the Girasoles ministry and virtually every other ministry of Scripture Union Peru is to bring children and their families to the feet of Jesus--the only true means of eternal redemption and transformation. In the case of the street boys, this is often a long process. When you tell a street child, "Jesus loves you," the meaning of the phrase seems so simple, but when you begin to look at it through their point of view, those three words can have a very different connotation. Most of the time, the boys in our homes have very little knowledge of who Jesus is. They have very little experience with any type of church, so Jesus really has no meaning. If they have any image in their minds of who Jesus is, it usually comes from the crucifix that is on display at the many catholic churches all over the country. Jesus is just a dead, bloody man on a cross. The term, "love," is another difficult one to communicate with a boy from the streets. In his world, love is always associated with some sort of sexual relationship. Try to look at it through there eyes--"Jesus loves you," can become an almost gruesome sentence.
While there is a lot of baggage to work through, we still believe that it is important to really explain who Jesus is and what true, unconditional love is. The full time Peruvian staff work day and night to care for and counsel the kids. They really do give themselves sacrificially to this ministry to help communicate this message to the boys. We have also found that the different foreign work teams that come to support Scripture Union also play an important part. A boy who has grown up being told that he is garbage will eventually start to believe those lies. In their mind God loves and blesses good people. Because the foreigners that come all of the way to Peru are usually pretty rich, God must love them. When they think about themselves, they believe that they are bad people, and God does not love them so He has not blessed them. Most of the readers of this blog will know that that way of reasoning is not true, but that does not change the fact that this is the way that the boys perceive the world. For a foreigner (again, a good person in the boys' minds) to come specifically to dedicate time towards bettering the lives of the children sends a loud and clear message to the boys that they are important people and that God does care about them. The short term groups help greatly to reinforce the message that the long term Peruvian staff and house parents are trying to communicate to the boys on a daily basis.
So what kind of results have we seen? As with most ministries of this nature, there are happy stories, and there are sad stories. We have found that no matter how hard we try to help a child adjust to life in one of our homes, there are some who just cannot cope with it long term. Perhaps it is they feel unworthy to live somewhere where they are so well cared for. Maybe after so much abuse, they just cannot grow to trust the Scripture Union staff. Some children have a hard time leaving their addictions to alcohol and drugs, and others just cannot adjust to living under rules and a daily routine after so much time of living without anybody telling them what to do. Whatever the reason is, there are boys who come and then leave our homes. We have an open door policy--we do not keep the children against their will. If we kept them under lock and key, then developing a bond of trust would be next to impossible.
On the other hand, there are many boys who have adjusted well to life at Girasoles. We do have children who I believe have come to a place of genuine faith in Christ. There are some boys (now men) who have graduated from the program and are maintaining a job. Many of our homes are fairly new, meaning that very long term results are yet to be seen, but I know children living in some of these homes who have dreams of being mechanics, bakers, policemen, military, and even pastors! Here in Cusco, our Girasoles home has only been open for just over a year. Most of the boys are between eight and twelve years old, and have a long way to go before they are ready to leave and live on their own. When the time does come, we will not just kick them out and never hear from them again. Just as any family, Scripture Union will always be these boys' family, and we hope to remain involved in their lives.
Other questions or comments?
The questions above are some of the most common questions that I get asked by work teams in Peru and by friends abroad. I know that many of you may have other questions or comments about this ministry. I welcome your thoughts. Reply to this post with a specific question, and I would love to share more.
Prayer and encouragement...
As I promised at the beginning of this very long post, this is not light reading. Even as I write it, I feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem. On our own, we can accomplish nothing. On our own, any work that we do is in vain. On our own, we will be quickly drained by the stresses around us. But GOD is bigger than all of that. With HIM we can accomplish anything. With HIM the work we do is for HIS kingdom. With HIM our strength is renewed day by day. Please do not read this post and leave feeling overwhelmed and useless in this world. Instead remember that God is in control, and he has a purpose and a plan. Pray for these children today. Intercede on their behalf that God might reveal himself to each of them--whether they are in one of our homes or not. Pray for the staff that work with the kids on a daily basis, that they may know that their reward waits for them in Heaven. Pray also for the culture here that is so resentful towards these boys. Ask God to soften their hearts--even to break their hearts for these boys. If we remain in HIM, then HE is faithful to remain in us. Be encouraged today by the words from Isaiah 40:27-31...
"Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Where do these children come from?
There is not always an easy, clear cut answer to a question like this. Each child is different, so there is not just one blanket answer. With that said, the root of the problem is almost always extreme poverty. Behind the lives of many children on the street is a single mother who is struggling to provide for her family. In Peruvian culture, Latin American culture, and probably many other places around the world there is a definite double standard between the position of the man and the position of the woman in a household. It is culturally acceptable in Peru for a man to be the macho figure who can do what he wants, when he wants, and with whomever he wants. The sociological term for this is "machismo." It is not uncommon, especially in impoverished communities, for a man to have children with a number of different women. While the man goes around doing whatever he wants, the mother is expected to provide for and care for the children. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, poverty turns into a vicious cycle. When a mother can no longer provide for the children on her own, she is forced to attach herself to another, often times abusive, man for income.
So where do the children come from? Many times the reason that they end up on the street is very simple. From the mother's perspective, she can either abandon one child on the streets or try to care for everybody as the risk of starving the entire family. Paul Clark, the director of Scripture Union Peru, often uses the illustration of a life boat. When the boat is full one person needs to go overboard, or the entire boat will sink, and everyone drowns. There are other cases where the new boyfriend of the mother wants nothing to do with children from a different father, so he puts them out on the streets, or he at least abuses them until they run away on their own.
Other children begin spending days on the streets trying to sell small bits of candy, shine shoes, or just beg to try to provide income for the family. Many times, they are expected to bring home a certain quota daily, and if they do not meet that quota then they can expect to be beaten. Even when they do bring the proper amount of money home, very seldom does that translate to food on their plates. Many times the father will gamble the money away with his other friends or spend it away on beer to feed his alcohol addiction. After awhile, sometimes the boy decides that he would be better off living on his own rather than trying to meet an unreasonable quota and still not getting fed.
Once a child is out on the street, what becomes of him?
Nothing good is waiting for a child who is living out on the streets. To begin with, many of the populated cities in Peru have a fairly mild or sometimes downright cold climate. The leading cause of death of kids on the streets of Lima is pneumonia, among a host of other preventable or curable diseases, during the winter months of June, July, and August. Even if disease does not come upon a child, the streets are a world of drugs, gangs, violence, and abuse.
Street children in Peru's culture are the lowest of the low. They are generally feared and hated. Prostitutes would have higher social status than street children. Billy Clark often tells a story of a time when the work with the Girasoles had recently begun. He had taken some pictures with the kids, and he took the pictures to get developed. When he arrived to pick up the pictures, the man at the store recognized that the pictures were of street boys, so he asked Billy why he would be taking pictures of these nobodies. Billy answered and explained the ministry that Scripture Union has here on the streets. The man looked at Billy and coldly said, "You want a solution for this problem? Well I have one for you--one bullet for each head!"
One of the most common derogatory names used to refer to a street boy is "piraña," in English--piranha. The name comes from a common practice that some of the boys have of descending upon an unsuspecting person in a small pack. When they mug a person in this manner, they will sometimes even take the clothes off of the person's back. Because they are known for crimes like this, they are feared and hated. Thus, the cycle of poverty once again begins.
If a boy is living on the street, he is already categorized as the lowest of the low. So what are the chances that this young boy will get a legitimate job to support himself in a country where the unemployment rate is sky high? He cannot get a job, and he is hated by the majority of the people around him, so he goes and finds a hiding place to get away from the hostile world. If it were not for the sharp pain of hunger, a boy might well spend his entire life in hiding, but there a comes a point where hunger becomes so unbearable that he has to leave the safety of his secret spot.
Without employment, the child's next best option is to try to steal to survive. Sometimes this means stealing an apple from the market, but other times the boys will attempt to pick a pocket or grab someone's watch to trade for a plate of food. Some of the children on the streets become incredibly skilled at petty theft. I have spent a considerable amount of time with different boys living in our Girasoles homes, and they have shown me how easy it could be for them to get a watch off of my wrist or a camera out of my pocket without me even noticing.
Unfortunately, many of the kids--especially the youngest ones who are too slow to make a fast getaway--get caught and end up in the hands of the police. While there are many goodhearted and well intentioned people in the Peruvian police force, there are also many very abusive, corrupt police officers. It is hard to know exactly why police are often incredibly cruel to these children, but they are. Perhaps it is just the hatred that the culture has coming out in a tangible form. Maybe it is because these boys make the officers' jobs more difficult and more dangerous. Whatever the reason is behind the cruelty--it is absolutely unjustifiable. I have heard story after story. Boy's have been taken to a dungeon and used as a soccer ball to be kicked around. They have been forced to drink other peoples' urine. They have had water thrown on them and then electrical wires attached to their testicles. Sometimes a truck is filled with the children, and then they are driven out into the middle of the desert and left to find their way back into the city--some make it, and some don't. They have been fed sandwiches laced with rat poison...and sadly, the list goes on.
After facing this sort of abuse from the police force many of the children on the streets are very reluctant to continue to steal to survive. But what is left? No family to provide, no job to earn a living, no stealing for fear of getting caught. What other option is there? While it seems like the end of the road, there is one other option. It is safer in the sense that they will probably not be bothered by the police, but in actuality it can be far more damaging long term. The last option for survival is prostitution. In Peru and all over the world sex trafficking and sex tourism is on the rise. The boys will extend sexual favors in exchange for a small sum of money or just a plate of food. Sadly, I have heard there are some places on the internet where you can book a vacation in Peru that includes the services of these children. Of course it is illegal, but it isn't always easy to keep track of, and corruption means that sometimes a simple bribe is all it takes to keep the authorities off of your back.
At the end of the day after a boy has done whatever it is that he needs to to satisfy his hunger, he will probably scrounge around for a few coins to buy a bag of glue called "terokal," and he will go back to his hiding spot huffing the fumes from the glue. When asked why they huff the glue, they often simply answer, "Quiero borrarme" (I want to erase myself). We have now come full circle. They will hide once again until hunger drives them out from safety.
Scripture Union's program is for street boys. Aren't there any girls on the streets?
The simple answer to this question is that yes there are girls on the streets, but there are far more street boys. It is hard to know exactly why there are more boys than girls. Perhaps when a mother finds herself in the situation where she has to put a child out on the street so that the rest of the family can survive, she would opt to choose the oldest boy. It could be that she feels that her oldest boy will have the best chances of survival out on his own. Another factor could be that when a mother looks at her young boy, she imagines him to grow up to be just like all of the other men in her life--abusive, promiscuous, gambling, alcoholics who care very little for the well being of the family. On the other hand, the mother want to identify with her young daughter. She might imagine her to grow up going through all of the same abuses, and she may want to try to protect her daughter from the world that she has experienced. For these reasons, the boy ends up on the street, and the girl remains at home.
With all of that said, I think that the number of girls on Peru's streets is growing. There are some organizations who do work diligently with girls from the streets, and Scripture Union has at times partnered with some of these efforts. We have hosted some of these girls at our summer camp programs that we run. At this time, we are just not well equipped to meet the needs of the girls on a long term basis. We would need to have separate facilities from the boys and care for pregnant girls and infants among other resources. Poverty is everywhere, and hopefully we will never become so numb to it that we can just ignore it, but at the same time, because there are so many different problems we have to be really intentional about defining a very specific mission. If we tried to help solve every problem that presented itself, then we would be spread so thin that we would not be effective anywhere.
On a similar note, we also limit the number of boys at each of our Girasoles homes to about forty. The need is so great that we could easily open our doors to hundreds of children, and some places do. But again, we have a very specific mission. We hope to be able to provide not just for the physical needs of the boys, but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We really want the children in our homes to learn what it means to be a part of a loving, Christian family, and that mission would be impossible if we allowed for greater numbers.
How do the boys arrive at the Girasoles homes?
As is the case of many other questions, this one is difficult to answer because each boy has a different story, and there are many different means by which they arrive. To be honest, I am not the most qualified person to answer this question because I have very little to do with this specific part of the ministry. If you ever come to Peru, I encourage you to ask Pablo Lavado, the director of the Girasoles program, or any of the house parents at our different boys' homes. I know that sometime the house parents go out and do street work. They actually go find boys on the streets and tell them about the home. Sometimes word of our homes travels by word of mouth on the streets, and children show up because they heard about us from a friend. There are also times when children are referred to us by different government agencies when a case of abuse or neglect is discovered in the home.
What is the ultimate goal of the Girasoles program, and what have the results looked like?
Before I answer this, I want to reiterate once again that I am not the most qualified person to answer this question. I can say with confidence that the ultimate goal of the Girasoles ministry and virtually every other ministry of Scripture Union Peru is to bring children and their families to the feet of Jesus--the only true means of eternal redemption and transformation. In the case of the street boys, this is often a long process. When you tell a street child, "Jesus loves you," the meaning of the phrase seems so simple, but when you begin to look at it through their point of view, those three words can have a very different connotation. Most of the time, the boys in our homes have very little knowledge of who Jesus is. They have very little experience with any type of church, so Jesus really has no meaning. If they have any image in their minds of who Jesus is, it usually comes from the crucifix that is on display at the many catholic churches all over the country. Jesus is just a dead, bloody man on a cross. The term, "love," is another difficult one to communicate with a boy from the streets. In his world, love is always associated with some sort of sexual relationship. Try to look at it through there eyes--"Jesus loves you," can become an almost gruesome sentence.
While there is a lot of baggage to work through, we still believe that it is important to really explain who Jesus is and what true, unconditional love is. The full time Peruvian staff work day and night to care for and counsel the kids. They really do give themselves sacrificially to this ministry to help communicate this message to the boys. We have also found that the different foreign work teams that come to support Scripture Union also play an important part. A boy who has grown up being told that he is garbage will eventually start to believe those lies. In their mind God loves and blesses good people. Because the foreigners that come all of the way to Peru are usually pretty rich, God must love them. When they think about themselves, they believe that they are bad people, and God does not love them so He has not blessed them. Most of the readers of this blog will know that that way of reasoning is not true, but that does not change the fact that this is the way that the boys perceive the world. For a foreigner (again, a good person in the boys' minds) to come specifically to dedicate time towards bettering the lives of the children sends a loud and clear message to the boys that they are important people and that God does care about them. The short term groups help greatly to reinforce the message that the long term Peruvian staff and house parents are trying to communicate to the boys on a daily basis.
So what kind of results have we seen? As with most ministries of this nature, there are happy stories, and there are sad stories. We have found that no matter how hard we try to help a child adjust to life in one of our homes, there are some who just cannot cope with it long term. Perhaps it is they feel unworthy to live somewhere where they are so well cared for. Maybe after so much abuse, they just cannot grow to trust the Scripture Union staff. Some children have a hard time leaving their addictions to alcohol and drugs, and others just cannot adjust to living under rules and a daily routine after so much time of living without anybody telling them what to do. Whatever the reason is, there are boys who come and then leave our homes. We have an open door policy--we do not keep the children against their will. If we kept them under lock and key, then developing a bond of trust would be next to impossible.
On the other hand, there are many boys who have adjusted well to life at Girasoles. We do have children who I believe have come to a place of genuine faith in Christ. There are some boys (now men) who have graduated from the program and are maintaining a job. Many of our homes are fairly new, meaning that very long term results are yet to be seen, but I know children living in some of these homes who have dreams of being mechanics, bakers, policemen, military, and even pastors! Here in Cusco, our Girasoles home has only been open for just over a year. Most of the boys are between eight and twelve years old, and have a long way to go before they are ready to leave and live on their own. When the time does come, we will not just kick them out and never hear from them again. Just as any family, Scripture Union will always be these boys' family, and we hope to remain involved in their lives.
Other questions or comments?
The questions above are some of the most common questions that I get asked by work teams in Peru and by friends abroad. I know that many of you may have other questions or comments about this ministry. I welcome your thoughts. Reply to this post with a specific question, and I would love to share more.
Prayer and encouragement...
As I promised at the beginning of this very long post, this is not light reading. Even as I write it, I feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem. On our own, we can accomplish nothing. On our own, any work that we do is in vain. On our own, we will be quickly drained by the stresses around us. But GOD is bigger than all of that. With HIM we can accomplish anything. With HIM the work we do is for HIS kingdom. With HIM our strength is renewed day by day. Please do not read this post and leave feeling overwhelmed and useless in this world. Instead remember that God is in control, and he has a purpose and a plan. Pray for these children today. Intercede on their behalf that God might reveal himself to each of them--whether they are in one of our homes or not. Pray for the staff that work with the kids on a daily basis, that they may know that their reward waits for them in Heaven. Pray also for the culture here that is so resentful towards these boys. Ask God to soften their hearts--even to break their hearts for these boys. If we remain in HIM, then HE is faithful to remain in us. Be encouraged today by the words from Isaiah 40:27-31...
"Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God'? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Just for Fun
Well, things are still going well here in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. For this post, I just wanted to share a small list of fun, random, happy, or just plain funny things that have happened over the last month. Here we go!
--To start off, I want to give you an idea of the scenery here in the Sacred Valley. I see views like this on a daily basis. What a great reminder of how powerful and mighty our God is!
The Sacred Valley
--Hector, the house father at Cusco, invited me to climb a small mountain that sits right next to the casa girasoles with him and some other guys. It is by no means an incredibly tall mountain, but it is not small either. Thankfully, Hector and the boys are good guides because there were some pretty steep passes. Everyone climbed up and down quite safely, except for the fact that it was almost impossible to avoid all of the spines and sharp leaves of the plants that grow there.
The Mountain Climbing Crew
--A few weeks ago, Kate Bruder and I traveled from Urubamba to Cusco (about and hour and a half drive) in a station wagon called a collectivo where you pay just for your seat, and the car leaves the station when it is full. Well, about half of the way through the trip we were coming close to a police checkpoint when the driver suddenly slammed on the breaks, parked behind the truck, got out of the car, and had another man who was riding in the trunk of the station wagon get behind the wheel. Our original driver proceeded to nonchalantly walk past the police checkpoint where we picked him up and continued onto Cusco...a little shady if you ask me!
--Kate and I happened to be in Cusco during the week of Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun. They celebrate during the week because it is their winter solstice (our summer solstice). Even though we weren't there for the biggest festivals, we still managed to accidentally run into about 10 different parades. I kind of lost count. They were all separate local parades with their own patron saints, dancers, bands, men in costumes. Gorilla costumes seemed to be a favorite.
Little Boy in Gorilla Costume for the Parade
Another Parade
--That same week, Kate and I ran across a fireworks show that was about to get underway here in Urubamba. I am not sure what it was celebrating, but it involved men wearing a cardboard form of a bull on their backs that were covered in different fuses for fireworks, and once they were lit, the men ran like mad people through the crowd shooting fireworks everywhere and at everyone. The evening culminated with a big tower of fireworks that was lit off--again with many of the sparklers and fire landing in the crowd. It was quite a site to see, and I have to say that half of the excitement of it all was the adrenaline high that you get, knowing that you might get hit by something! I dubbed it firework roulette. :-)
--I have enjoyed attending church in Urubamba with Hector and the boys during my time here. Last Sunday was particularly interesting because the elementary school children did a very hilarious skit about Abraham and Isaac. Some really good up and coming actors in that church.
--The same night as the funny skit in the church, there was a big parade/celebration in the main square of Urubamba.
--I am enjoying hosting quite a large number of Scottish groups this year. I have picked up a whole new vocabulary.
--I discovered that as a resident of Peru, I am entitled to take the local train to Machu Picchu. The cheapest tourist class train costs approximately $80 round trip. As a resident, I can do it for less than $7!
--Today I took advantage of the local train, and I accompanied the work team as far as Aguas Calientes (the town at the base of Machu Picchu) for their work day. Because I didn't actually enter the ruins, I had some spare time on my hands while the group toured around. I decided to test myself and see if I could climb up the path from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. By bus, the cost is $7 each way. Walking it is free! The only issue is that it is quite a hike. You begin at Aguas Calientes (6,700 feet), and then proceed to walk down the valley for about 20 minutes to an elevation of about 6,500 feet. After crossing a bridge that goes over the Urubamba River, all that's left is a long uphill hike...probably thousands of stone stairs, although it seemed like millions. Arriving at Machu Picchu at the end of the hike, your final elevation is about 7,900 feet. It is like walking down the stairs of a 13 story building, and then up the stairs of a 94 story building in the middle of the jungle! It definitely felt good to finish.
--Tonight after boarding the work team onto their train, I had a few hours before my train left. I killed time walking around the town, and I ran into another parade that was followed by a huge dance/music/comedy/magician performance. Are you starting to notice the pattern with the parades and celebrations here in Peru?
--Lastly, as I was waiting to board the 9:20pm local train to go back to the hotel tonight, I was approached by one of the staff people at the train station. He asked me if I was traveling alone, and when I said yes, he asked me to follow him. He then proceeded to board me on the front seat of the 8:55pm Vistadome because they had a few empty seats (a tourist train that comes complete with panoramic views, music shows and dancing, and food service...not to mention more leg room and more comfortable seats). Usually this train costs people $70 - $80 one way. I paid just over $3!
Well, it is getting late, and that is all I can think of for now. Don't forget that you can subscribe to get my new blog posts sent directly to your email inbox by clicking here or typing your email address into the box near the top, right corner of this page. I hope you all have a wonderful week!
--To start off, I want to give you an idea of the scenery here in the Sacred Valley. I see views like this on a daily basis. What a great reminder of how powerful and mighty our God is!
The Sacred Valley--Hector, the house father at Cusco, invited me to climb a small mountain that sits right next to the casa girasoles with him and some other guys. It is by no means an incredibly tall mountain, but it is not small either. Thankfully, Hector and the boys are good guides because there were some pretty steep passes. Everyone climbed up and down quite safely, except for the fact that it was almost impossible to avoid all of the spines and sharp leaves of the plants that grow there.
The Mountain Climbing Crew--A few weeks ago, Kate Bruder and I traveled from Urubamba to Cusco (about and hour and a half drive) in a station wagon called a collectivo where you pay just for your seat, and the car leaves the station when it is full. Well, about half of the way through the trip we were coming close to a police checkpoint when the driver suddenly slammed on the breaks, parked behind the truck, got out of the car, and had another man who was riding in the trunk of the station wagon get behind the wheel. Our original driver proceeded to nonchalantly walk past the police checkpoint where we picked him up and continued onto Cusco...a little shady if you ask me!
--Kate and I happened to be in Cusco during the week of Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun. They celebrate during the week because it is their winter solstice (our summer solstice). Even though we weren't there for the biggest festivals, we still managed to accidentally run into about 10 different parades. I kind of lost count. They were all separate local parades with their own patron saints, dancers, bands, men in costumes. Gorilla costumes seemed to be a favorite.
Little Boy in Gorilla Costume for the Parade
Another Parade--That same week, Kate and I ran across a fireworks show that was about to get underway here in Urubamba. I am not sure what it was celebrating, but it involved men wearing a cardboard form of a bull on their backs that were covered in different fuses for fireworks, and once they were lit, the men ran like mad people through the crowd shooting fireworks everywhere and at everyone. The evening culminated with a big tower of fireworks that was lit off--again with many of the sparklers and fire landing in the crowd. It was quite a site to see, and I have to say that half of the excitement of it all was the adrenaline high that you get, knowing that you might get hit by something! I dubbed it firework roulette. :-)
--I have enjoyed attending church in Urubamba with Hector and the boys during my time here. Last Sunday was particularly interesting because the elementary school children did a very hilarious skit about Abraham and Isaac. Some really good up and coming actors in that church.
--The same night as the funny skit in the church, there was a big parade/celebration in the main square of Urubamba.
--I am enjoying hosting quite a large number of Scottish groups this year. I have picked up a whole new vocabulary.
--I discovered that as a resident of Peru, I am entitled to take the local train to Machu Picchu. The cheapest tourist class train costs approximately $80 round trip. As a resident, I can do it for less than $7!
--Today I took advantage of the local train, and I accompanied the work team as far as Aguas Calientes (the town at the base of Machu Picchu) for their work day. Because I didn't actually enter the ruins, I had some spare time on my hands while the group toured around. I decided to test myself and see if I could climb up the path from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. By bus, the cost is $7 each way. Walking it is free! The only issue is that it is quite a hike. You begin at Aguas Calientes (6,700 feet), and then proceed to walk down the valley for about 20 minutes to an elevation of about 6,500 feet. After crossing a bridge that goes over the Urubamba River, all that's left is a long uphill hike...probably thousands of stone stairs, although it seemed like millions. Arriving at Machu Picchu at the end of the hike, your final elevation is about 7,900 feet. It is like walking down the stairs of a 13 story building, and then up the stairs of a 94 story building in the middle of the jungle! It definitely felt good to finish.
The Path Up to Machu Picchu
Looking Down from about Half-way Up
--The town of Aguas Calientes literally means "hot waters," due to the fact that there are natural hot springs that you can enter into. I had my first experience with them today, and it was a blast hanging out there with the group after a long hike. We will just ignore the fact that the water was quite yellow and so cloudy that you couldn't see the bottom.
Looking Down from about Half-way Up--Tonight after boarding the work team onto their train, I had a few hours before my train left. I killed time walking around the town, and I ran into another parade that was followed by a huge dance/music/comedy/magician performance. Are you starting to notice the pattern with the parades and celebrations here in Peru?
--Lastly, as I was waiting to board the 9:20pm local train to go back to the hotel tonight, I was approached by one of the staff people at the train station. He asked me if I was traveling alone, and when I said yes, he asked me to follow him. He then proceeded to board me on the front seat of the 8:55pm Vistadome because they had a few empty seats (a tourist train that comes complete with panoramic views, music shows and dancing, and food service...not to mention more leg room and more comfortable seats). Usually this train costs people $70 - $80 one way. I paid just over $3!
Well, it is getting late, and that is all I can think of for now. Don't forget that you can subscribe to get my new blog posts sent directly to your email inbox by clicking here or typing your email address into the box near the top, right corner of this page. I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
God is Faithful!
Well, I am still here working with the different groups and work teams that come to support the boys' home here in the Sacred Valley of Cusco. I am really enjoying my time with the teams as well as my time to get to know they kids, the workers, and the house family here in Cusco. I arrived last year for just over a week to translate with some of the work teams, but other than that short time, I am just now having the opportunity to deepen relationships and get to know everyone out here.
Last year when I arrived at the Girasoles home here in Cusco, there was a whole lot going on all at once. This is Scripture Union Peru's newest home for abandoned kids. It was opened near the end of March 2008. Hector and Maritza are the house parents for Girasoles Cusco, and at the time that the home opened in March, Maritza was 6 months pregnant. Just a few weeks after the opening of the home in Cusco, she had some major complications with her pregnancy, and she gave birth to baby Marcelo almost a full 3 months premature. Life all of the sudden became very difficult for Hector and his family. In the midst of trying to open a new boys' home, the family was now trying to take care of a new premature baby in a hospital about an hour and a half away from the home.
I know very little about medicine, but ask my sister Mandy. She knows her stuff, and I am sure the she can confirm these facts. Some of the very last organs to develop inside the mother's womb are the lungs, so when a baby is born premature, getting him enough oxygen is a very high priority. This issue was compounded by the fact that the city of Cusco is one of the highest altitude cities of its size in the world, and because the air is thinner, oxygen is even more scarce (elevation of nearly 12,000 feet). I am told that none of the doctors in the hospital expected the baby to live for any long period of time, but they did everything that they could and kept the baby in an enriched oxygen environment for a number of weeks.
Hector's worries did not end with the opening of the new boys' home and with the health of his newborn son. During childbirth, his wife Maritza slipped into a coma due to the problems that surrounded her pregnancy. At one point, the doctors did not know if she was going to live either. For more than a month, Hector and his 3 year old son, Adam, were continually driving back and forth between the boys' home in the Sacred Valley and the hospital in Cusco to visit Maritza and Marcelo.
As I have gotten to know Hector better during this year, I have learned even more about the struggles that the family faced during this time. It was a very dark and difficult period for the family, but Hector has told me how much this situation has taught him to fully rely on God. There was really nothing else that he could do but to trust that God knew what he was doing, and put Maritza and baby Marcelo into God's hands. Thankfully the story ends well. During the time of difficulty friends from all over Scripture Union showed their support. Other house parents and volunteers from some of our other boys' homes stepped up, traveled to Cusco, and helped out taking care of the boys and running the home. A work party that happened to be visiting the home bought the family a small, poratble oxygen tank that made transport to and from the hospital in Cusco much less risky for Marcelo.
THANKS TO GOD, after 15 days in a coma Maritza woke up and quickly came back to good health. Also, Marcelo pulled through after many long, trying nights at the hospital. When I left the home in August, there were 17 boys living at the home. Today that number has more than doubled, reaching the cap of 42 boys at the home here. What a testament to the great work that God has accomplished here in Peru. Hector and his family found themselves trying to begin a new ministry, and they were being attacked in full force by the flaming arrows of the evil one. God is stronger, and he will ALWAYS triumph! Hector remained faithful, and during the times of weakness the body of Christ was there to lift him up in prayer and in providing for his needs.
Healthy baby Marcelo (about 1 year and 3 months old)
God has a purpose, and even in the midst of great trials He is able to work everything for the good of those who love him. The story isn't always one that ends as happily as this one did, but we can rest in the fact that God IS faithful, and He has a purpose and a plan that is more far reaching than we could ever imagine!
Last year when I arrived at the Girasoles home here in Cusco, there was a whole lot going on all at once. This is Scripture Union Peru's newest home for abandoned kids. It was opened near the end of March 2008. Hector and Maritza are the house parents for Girasoles Cusco, and at the time that the home opened in March, Maritza was 6 months pregnant. Just a few weeks after the opening of the home in Cusco, she had some major complications with her pregnancy, and she gave birth to baby Marcelo almost a full 3 months premature. Life all of the sudden became very difficult for Hector and his family. In the midst of trying to open a new boys' home, the family was now trying to take care of a new premature baby in a hospital about an hour and a half away from the home.
I know very little about medicine, but ask my sister Mandy. She knows her stuff, and I am sure the she can confirm these facts. Some of the very last organs to develop inside the mother's womb are the lungs, so when a baby is born premature, getting him enough oxygen is a very high priority. This issue was compounded by the fact that the city of Cusco is one of the highest altitude cities of its size in the world, and because the air is thinner, oxygen is even more scarce (elevation of nearly 12,000 feet). I am told that none of the doctors in the hospital expected the baby to live for any long period of time, but they did everything that they could and kept the baby in an enriched oxygen environment for a number of weeks.
Hector's worries did not end with the opening of the new boys' home and with the health of his newborn son. During childbirth, his wife Maritza slipped into a coma due to the problems that surrounded her pregnancy. At one point, the doctors did not know if she was going to live either. For more than a month, Hector and his 3 year old son, Adam, were continually driving back and forth between the boys' home in the Sacred Valley and the hospital in Cusco to visit Maritza and Marcelo.
As I have gotten to know Hector better during this year, I have learned even more about the struggles that the family faced during this time. It was a very dark and difficult period for the family, but Hector has told me how much this situation has taught him to fully rely on God. There was really nothing else that he could do but to trust that God knew what he was doing, and put Maritza and baby Marcelo into God's hands. Thankfully the story ends well. During the time of difficulty friends from all over Scripture Union showed their support. Other house parents and volunteers from some of our other boys' homes stepped up, traveled to Cusco, and helped out taking care of the boys and running the home. A work party that happened to be visiting the home bought the family a small, poratble oxygen tank that made transport to and from the hospital in Cusco much less risky for Marcelo.
THANKS TO GOD, after 15 days in a coma Maritza woke up and quickly came back to good health. Also, Marcelo pulled through after many long, trying nights at the hospital. When I left the home in August, there were 17 boys living at the home. Today that number has more than doubled, reaching the cap of 42 boys at the home here. What a testament to the great work that God has accomplished here in Peru. Hector and his family found themselves trying to begin a new ministry, and they were being attacked in full force by the flaming arrows of the evil one. God is stronger, and he will ALWAYS triumph! Hector remained faithful, and during the times of weakness the body of Christ was there to lift him up in prayer and in providing for his needs.
Healthy baby Marcelo (about 1 year and 3 months old)God has a purpose, and even in the midst of great trials He is able to work everything for the good of those who love him. The story isn't always one that ends as happily as this one did, but we can rest in the fact that God IS faithful, and He has a purpose and a plan that is more far reaching than we could ever imagine!
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