Our Projects
As a ministry, it is our goal to empower local churches in Peru to spread the Gospel as we seek ways to help individuals and families permanently and effectively break the cycle of poverty. We believe that God calls us not only to assist the poor, but to empower them to rise out of poverty. We believe that education is a powerful tool that can accomplish this goal. Through education, an individual has a better opportunity to break the cycle of poverty for themselves, their family, and future generations. All of our ongoing projects that we run with our ministry partners throughout Peru are in line with our call to empower local churches to spread the Gospel and to use education as a tool to combat poverty for God’s glory.
We recognize that investing in education in these communities is a long-term commitment, especially since it involves altering ideas and attitudes that are commonly found in poor areas throughout Peru. Many times poor families do not see education as necessary or even beneficial. They are caught up in the daily struggle to survive and meet their family’s most immediate and basic needs. Education may not have been an option for them or for generations before theirs, so they do not deem it necessary for the next generation. Often times they may see it as more valuable to keep their child home to work for the family business than to go to school. They have not had the opportunity to see first-hand how education can be a healthy and sustainable way of lifting their family out of the cycle of poverty.
It is our hope and prayer that through these long-term projects with our partner ministries, the next generation of children and youth can use education to break the cycle of poverty for their families.
We recognize that investing in education in these communities is a long-term commitment, especially since it involves altering ideas and attitudes that are commonly found in poor areas throughout Peru. Many times poor families do not see education as necessary or even beneficial. They are caught up in the daily struggle to survive and meet their family’s most immediate and basic needs. Education may not have been an option for them or for generations before theirs, so they do not deem it necessary for the next generation. Often times they may see it as more valuable to keep their child home to work for the family business than to go to school. They have not had the opportunity to see first-hand how education can be a healthy and sustainable way of lifting their family out of the cycle of poverty.
It is our hope and prayer that through these long-term projects with our partner ministries, the next generation of children and youth can use education to break the cycle of poverty for their families.
Gamaliel Church
Pachacutec – Lima Gamaliel Elementary School Scholarship Program: This scholarship program provides incentives for elementary school students and their families through academic scholarships towards the cost of monthly tuition. At the end of each school year, partial scholarships are awarded (for the following school year) to the top three students in each class: a half scholarship to the top student, and quarter scholarships to both the 2nd and 3rd students in each class. Not only have these scholarships been a blessing for students and their families financially, but they are a valuable tool we can use to get parents involved in the education of their children. As many families are in a constant struggle to make ends meet, financial incentives are something they will pay attention to. We have also seen some healthy competition arise among students as they strive for the top three spots in their class. Gamaliel Educational Fund: The Gamaliel Educational Fund is providing need-based scholarships to students at the Gamaliel Christian Elementary School as well as scholarships to students and adults studying pre-university, university, and technical careers. The fund covers everything from books to bus fares to partial tuition, depending on the needs of each student. Many students and families have already benefited from this wonderful opportunity. One of the goals of the fund is to make it a "give back" model, where students and young adults who benefit from the fund contribute to the program in the future either by a small donation or by volunteer hours tutoring younger students. We hope that this model creates a culture of both individual hard work and camaraderie. We have already seen several participants of the GEF go on to graduate, find work, and begin to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families. We are so proud of our graduates – they have worked so hard and have overcome many barriers on their road to success. |
Center of Prayer Missionary Church
San Jeronimo, Cusco – Andes Mountains We work with our ministry partner in San Jeronimo to run Chulla Sonqo, an after-school program for children. (Chulla Sonqo means “one heart” in Quechua, the Inca indian language.) There are currently almost 70 children in the program, and they range from age 5 to age 14. The children attend the program four days a week for three hours a day. In addition to receiving help with their schoolwork, the children also spend time playing educational games, reading, and learning about Jesus. The program also provides the children with nutritional snacks. Many of the students in Chulla Sonqo have moved to the Cusco area from villages deep in the Andes mountains, where education was poor or absent altogether. Consequently, many of these children enter the school system in Cusco and are already far behind their classmates. Tutors and teachers at Chulla Sonqo provide the extra help that the children need and are not able to find at home, as many of their parents have little to no formal education themselves. We are also working with the parents of the Chulla Sonqo students, teaching them about the importance of education and the potential that education has to change their children’s lives for the better. |
The Refuge of Hope
Pucallpa – Amazon Jungle The Refuge of Hope ministry runs a private Christian High School that provides Christian education to youth with disabilities, youth at risk, and youth from low income families. We are running a multi-year program with The Refuge in order to help them expand the high school to the point that it is not only self-sustainable, but it can also support some of the other parts of The Refuge’s ministries (church pastors, boarding students, etc.) We are also working on various mini-projects—including a computer lab and an English program with native speakers—to help improve the quality of education offered at the high school. |