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| Deisy leaves with her sister, Janet, |
| to reunite with her family. |
It’s always a mix of emotions when children leave Hogar de Esperanza. We’ve had plenty of experience with those emotions over the last month as several children have left to reunite with their families. Deisy and Janet; Maria and Jonathan; Pedro, Rosario and Brisa are all now with their families. Volunteers and workers are sad to see their little friends leave, but happy to see them reunite with their families. It’s tough to know what’s best. The children all long to be home, but we know they won’t have the same opportunities in terms of education, activities or living conditions. We just pray God’s blessings on them as they leave our hands.
Where most orphanages serve the same menu of rice and beans each day, Filomena takes pride in creating menus that include some of Peru’s most savory and popular dishes. Filomena has been the head cook at the orphanage since 2004 and says, “Cooking for the children is the way I serve God. I am happy when they like the food I make.” She is always looking for ways to save and bargain so the children can have a variety of fresh vegetables, fruit and meat. She shops weekly and feeds over 70 people 3 times each day for a little less than $700 per month. Filomena is the mother of 3 grown children and lives in Esperanza with her husband, daughter and young granddaughter. She commutes by bus over an hour each way to and from the orphanage and is an active part of the Baptist church in Esperanza, where our younger children attend services each Sunday.
Paul is one of the many children at our orphanage that enjoyed the benefit of going to summer camp. Twin Lakes Camp is offered to many of the community members in Trujillo, as well as the children of Hogar de Esperanza. The children spent their days swimming, horse-back riding, playing soccer, participating in team building activities and learning more about God’s love for each one of them. We are grateful to Twin Lakes for providing our kids with this experience!
Que Dios les bendiga, (May God bless you)
Board of Hogar de Esperanza
