The Juniper Tree's Newest Family Members

Last Monday two new children entered the home. Brother and sister Mario* and Maria* have adjusted extremely well over the past week and are thrilled to be living with their new family. It's always great to bring new children into the home to have a fresh reminder of what our ministry is all about. We have been able to rescue two more children from a dire situation and given a loving family, a stable home, and an opportunity to personally know Christ as their Savior.

If you would consider sponsoring either of these children, please send an email with "Maria and Mario" in the subject line to:

Tracy at the Kids Alive US office - traci@kidsalive.org

Margaret at the Kids Alive CA office - marchristy@rogers.com.


Mario* with his new house mom Mimi.



Maria* checking out a book.





*Names changed to protect privacy

A Visit to Pucallpa

Last weekend Mike Fietje (Peru Field Director), Ken Cristy (Canadian Director), and Jeff Vandermolen (US Vice President of Operations) were able to visit the future site of a children's home in Pucallpa, Peru.



Pucallpa is Peru's second largest jungle city.



The land for the Home was donated by John Hocking, a local, retiring missionary who has also built the first family unit on the property.

The housing units themselves will have a similar layout to the ones at the Juniper Tree,







but like the one in our Andahuaylas home they will have roof made to withstand lots of rain.

City of Manchay Featured in Oscar Nominated Film

Anyone that has visited Manchay needs no more than to watch a few seconds of "Milk of Sorrows" to say, "Yup, that's Manchay." There's something about the way the dust, the mountains, and the poverty blend together to make Manchay so recognizable. (Note that the images included in this post are not movie stills)

Manchay is home to our Oasis Care Center. The Care Center is designed to exist in the midst of extreme poverty and provide education education, homework help, and a meal each week day. As opposed to our Children's Homes which remove children from extreme conditions, at the Oasis we seek to meet people where they are and help them to improve their lives and the lives of their families and then their community around them.



The film is about a poor girl, living in Manchay, that must overcome fears that stem from folklore. She is a girls that believers herself to be tainted because she nursed from a terrified mother. It is a film that will give you a look into the everyday life of people of Manchay and the beauty that can exist in the midst of such conditions.

***The film has some themes that aren't appropriate for children***



For more information about the movie and about the history of the city of Manchay visit the following pages.
http://www.livinginperu.com/blogs/features/1199
http://www.livinginperu.com/blogs/features/698

Shirley's Quinceañera

A quinceañera (translated 15 years) is celebrated throughout Latin America when a girl turns 15.



It's similar to sweet 16, but looks much more like a wedding . . .



complete with being walked down the aisle . . .



attendants . . .



and often even a male friend standing in the groom's place. At the children's home we forgo the "groom"



but it is a time to celebrate a girl's entering into womanhood: reflecting on her current virtues and imparting wisdom for the next stage of her life.