Hi Everyone,
Here is our 2014 Year end update;
Yikes!! I can't believe it is the end of April already, and I am just sending a year-end report. I had most of this ready back in January but I was waiting on some facts and never got it finished. I think the old saying is true that "The older you get the faster the years pass by." Or maybe time really is speeding up?
Children's Medical:
We spent $1800 this past year in pharmacy and medical costs for the children in need. There are always
colds, fevers, diarrhea, coughs and funguses that we can just go to the pharmacy for. But there have also been
Dr. visits and lab tests which were critical especially for the new borns.
We had our share of Emergency Room visits that we were able to help with, like when Wiliam fell out of a tree and broke his arm. When Aron was knocked over by a motorcycle & Elias got a fish hook in his finger.
We have also had some children hospitalized; like Genesis a 2 year old with high fever due to infection. Gabriella who had an advanced case of Dengue Fever. William who needed screws in his arm due to the type of break in his arm. Those and of course there are a few new borns every year, who I usually bless with 6 cloth diappers and a pack of Huggies.
Children's General Fund:
We spent $750 in general costs for our 4 church's and our outreaches. Which includes costs for copies for the children
to color, Prizes, VBS costs, balloons, occasional sandals, help getting the children's ID's, and we were able to send
5 children to Summer camp.
For those who don't know we only help those most in need, usually only single mothers. There are many families in need but we are only able to help those in most need.
School Assistance:
We were blessed to be able to help 16 children stay in school this year, the most we have ever been able to help.
We spent $1,784.28 on school supplies,uniforms & matriculations.
Two groups were the big doners; COTA (Children of the Amazon) and a Woman's group from Calvary Murrieta got us started
with very generous donations, and this was supplemented by the generous contribution of others.
So as you see the children here are important to us and we hope to make an impact on their lives. We pray that each child that comes to our ministries or are helped by us will come to know the love of Jesus.
"Calvary Chapel Iquitos" (There are more pictures there than I can send in an update)
We thank all those who contribute to the ministries here in Iquitos and to those who contribute to our personal support, it allows us to be here and do what we do. Albert & Jose's support has not changed, it still goes through Calvary Murrieta.
Support for the Ministries (like the children, Special Projects, Bibles, etc..) and support for Pastor Javier & Pastor Raul are now going through Harvest Alliance, (see below for more details).
Something new this year, was that the youth from all of our church's joined together to do the children's program at each site. This was fruit from our Youth Retreats where they have gotten to know each other and are being encouraged to serve. Not only the youth got together but all of the leaders from the differnt churches as usual visited and helped at each site.
 Raul & his boys - on the way to Centro Fuerte |
 Our youth leading the children in worship |
 A couple of silly songs with the children |
 Luana & the youth leading the worship |
 The youths leading the program |
 Luz-mila & Karina serving the hot chocolate |
 Some of the children walking home
|
 The New walkway to Panguana |
 The children waiting for us |
 The children lineing up |
 Lidia & the moms serving the children
|
 The children of Ucayali St. |
 The girls grab bag |
 The girls grab bag
|
 Rocio serving the children |
 The workers |
 Rosa very happy with her beanie baby
|
Rocio & Yvone prepared the hot chocolate, Sarita supervised, Oscar handed out the paneton & Rocio also served the children.
 Katy |
As most of you know there are many needs here in Iquitos and I have been encouraged by others to let the needs be known. There are needs for the people here, for the ministries and for us who are working in the ministry. So this year I am putting out this Wish List to let people know what we are praying for and what we could use in 2015.
The land on this side of the creek has been given to the church that Pastor Javier is pastoring. So they know feel more ownership and more secure and they are settling in for the long haul.
Raul & Luzmila have moved to a new house, where there is a lot more business for their store
Estrella's living condition: We are coming along side certain families, this is one family who's living condition needs help. We put in the front and back walls to their house, it cost more than expected ($560), because of labor, 2 of our youth's who also need work were paid for working on this project.
 Life in a shanty town |
We helped them to get onto that lot of land, and helped them put a roof on it about a year ago but that is all we could do, at that time, since then we have put up a front and back wall, to help keep out the rain and wind.
They still need to pay off the land and to make it more livable. They were living in a flood area in much worse conditions, but every winter their home would flood and they would have to live elsewhere in emergency tent housing, you can still see the tent they brought with them to this lot. Now with the front and back walls they could take down the tent, but they still have a dirt floor.
The house they came from was quite a distance from the road, about a 30 minute walk on a dirt road with no lighting. I always worried about Estrella when she had to walk home at night. That is why this new lot of land is a blessing for them, it is in a lot better area then where they lived before and is about a 10 minute walk to our church.
Prayer Requests:
If you would like to contribute to any of the following ministries\expenses:
Harvest Alliance International P.O. Box 4550 Oceanside, CA 92052 Memo: "62414 - XXX"
(Where XXX = General Fund, Children's Ministry, etc...)
*Note: The dollar is currently 3.08 or 380 soles for every $100 (U.S.).
Thank you all for your prayers and financial support.
and God Bless you
Albert Smith
Calvary Chapel Murrieta
24225 Monroe Avenue
Murrieta, CA 92562
Memo = Peru, Albert Smith
Or for Jose
Memo - Peru, Jose Garate
Pastor Javier & Raul's offerings go through Harvest Alliance International (above).