More hope for getting ahead in life

BuildingHope
No. 14
September 2015
Cristian Morales’ mother from the EC299 in Guaranda:
“More hope for getting ahead in life”
Abandoned by her partner and left alone with a son who has disabilities, Alexandra is now
a member of a family that cares for them both and is mindful of their needs.
Just judging from his engaging facial
expression, anyone would think that cute, smiling
6-year-old Cristian is a boy with no problems.
But that is not so. The consequences of lack
of proper attention when he was born resulted
in asphyxia, so lack of oxygen caused serious
damage to his body. The diagnosis was spastic
cerebral palsy with neuromotor retardation.
Consequently, Cristian has required constant
medical care. His mother, Alexandra, has to make
frequent trips to Quito for the boy’s therapy sessions,
medical checkups and treatments with specialists
that include a neurologist, an ophthalmologist, a
physical therapist, a traumatologist and a dentist.
A common early-morning sight in Alejandra’s
neighborhood used to be seeing her carrying the
boy to the bus station to get a bus to Quito. The
30-minute walk carrying the heavy child would leave
her totally exhausted. These trips were exhausting
to her financial situation as well, because she had no
one who could help her with the expenses.
Alexandra is single and lives with her mother
and her three sisters who help her as much as
they can. She lived with Cristian’s father nearly
two years, but he left her soon after he realized
that she was pregnant. At first he seemed happy
with the idea, but then he changed his mind and
repeatedly asked Alexandra to interrupt the
pregnancy. However, she decided to go ahead
and have the baby anyway.
When she was four months pregnant, this
young 24-year-old woman’s partner abandoned
her. The last time she heard from him was a year
ago when she went to Quito for a DNA exam for the
boy. Even after learning the results that confirmed
he was the father, the man simply did not care.
Ready to leave
for the project.
Cristian loves to draw
and paint.
Cristian and his
ever-present smile.
The outlook for this little
family has improved
because of project EC299.
Alexandra always
accompanies Cristian
when he goes to the
project.
Alexandra
teaches her son
about God.
Alexandra’s situation is complicated, because
she cannot work since Cristian needs her help for
absolutely everything. When he was a baby, she
would leave him with her mother and she would
get jobs washing clothes or cleaning houses, but
that is not possible any more. Now the Government
helps her with a monthly benefit of $240, a modest
amount that helps her with part of the expenses, so
she has been able to buy a wheelchair for Cristian.
Nevertheless, caring for a special-needs child
is very demanding, and it became obvious that
Alexandra and Cristian needed all the help they
could get.
Fortunately, the outlook for this little
family has begun to improve quite noticeably
since project EC299 opened a year ago in the
neighborhood where they live.
1
Both of them have been receiving continual
financial help and accompaniment. When
Alexandra has to take Cristian to Quito, she
no longer has to carry the heavy boy to the bus
station in the early hours of the morning. Now the
project picks them up in a car, takes them to the
station and gives them money for the ticket and
for food.
Cristian’s tutor makes frequent visits to the
home and teaches him things that he enjoys,
including things about God. The little boy loves
to go to the project, because the children there
greet him, play with him, push him around in his
wheelchair and they all laugh a lot.
Alexandra sings for her son every morning
and she prays for them both. When she finishes,
Cristian says “Amen!” very loudly, because now
he is beginning to talk. Alexandra is at peace and
she is happy, because now she has the support of
the project. “Now there is more hope for getting
ahead in life with our children,” she says. “God
is there to help us. Thanks to Him, now we
have a light and we have hope.”
BuildingHope
Guaranda Church of the Nazarene
CDSP EC299
Guaranda Canton
Bolívar Province
Primero de Mayo District
BOLÍVAR
Guaranda
Caluma
The “Primero de Mayo”
District in Guaranda.
COLOMBIA
Time for fun and games.
OCÉANO
PACÍFICO
Quito
BOLÍVAR
Guayaquil
ECUADOR
Cuenca
PERÚ
Guaranda (urban perimeter)
Guaranda is a small city nestled at the foot
of Chimborazo, the highest snow peak volcano
in the central mountain range of Ecuador. It
is 240 km from Quito and has a population of
25,000 (2010 census). Approximately one-forth
of these inhabitants are indigenous people.
Since the city is so close to Chimborazo,
Guaranda’s climate is rather cold, oscillating
between 4°C and 18°C.
The city is a commercial center and the
products for sale there are diverse: blocks of
panela (brown sugar), aguardiente (sugar cane
liquor), wool, dairy products and weavings.
Poor people work mainly in construction
or agriculture and earn the basic salary of $350
a month. The most relevant social problems
here are alcoholism, psychological abuse and
dysfunctional families. There are many cases of
fathers abandoning their homes.
The project in the community
The “Manantial de Vida” EC299 project
functions in the Primero de Mayo District in
Guaranda. Marcia Paredes is the Director. The
The facility on loan where the project
is presently functioning.
Basic Services
Comments
Potable water
Yes.
Sewage
Yes.
Electricity
Yes.
Street lights
Yes.
Telephone
Cell and land phones.
Public transportation Yes.
The children have lunch at the
project before activities begin.
project started working in
January 2015, but registration
began in October 2014 with
the help of volunteers from
the Church of the Nazarene.
At present, the project assists
200 children. Of this number, 80% attend
regularly.
The EC299 holds meetings every Sunday,
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Mondays
and Tuesdays, the children come from their
schools and have lunch at the project. After
lunch, there are programmed activities in the
afternoon. On Wednesday afternoons there
are the so called “School for parents.” There is
a worship service as well as art classes for the
children every Sunday morning.
The project does not have its own
infrastructure and is temporarily functioning in
a building which the Primero de Mayo District
authorities have made available. This space
consists of one large room which has been
divided to make two classrooms plus a kitchen.
Land is very expensive in Guaranda and
in its outskirts, but a possible property has
been located for the project. God willing, it
will be possible to buy this land in October at
which time church leaders will make a final
decision.
2
The church in the community
The group that will become the new
Guaranda Church of the Nazarene in this
neighborhood has been led by
Pastor Jorge Casares since
the project started in January
2015.
There are many single
abandoned mothers in the
project. The pastor has detected a number
of problems related to this type of situation
such as children not going to school, children
deprived of love, lack of discipline and values
not being taught.
At present, pastor Jorge and his wife
Marcia are trying to establish and strengthen
family relationships as they visit the homes of
the registered children. After the Wednesday
classes, they have a Bible study with the
mothers who have attended.
Their work has now resulted in three groups
of project mothers that have regular meetings
in homes with a total of 30 persons attending.
These group meetings use a Biblical approach
to deal with family issues that include caring for
and educating children.
On the other hand, if it is possible to go
ahead with the purchase of the land for the
Church, the plan is to build as soon as possible
in order for the project to have its own facility
before the end of the year.
The pastor teaches a Bible
class for the children.
A group of mothers and
children meet with the pastor.
BuildingHope
Wendy’s father, Vicente, from project EC497:
“May God repay you for the help you’ve given us”
A father of three small children reorganizes his family with the help of the project and the
church.
Wendy does not have any good memories
of her mother. In fact, she barely remembers her,
because Gioconda Peña abandoned their home
nearly four years ago when Wendy was only
six. This little girl and her two siblings, 4-yearold Joel and 1-year-old Selena, and their father
(Gioconda’s husband) were left alone.
52-year old Vicente Tualombo, who works
as a casual farmhand and earns only $12 a day,
was very affected, perhaps even more than
his children who were so young. They were
not totally aware of what had happened. In an
effort to escape from his pain, he found solace
in drinking and would frequently get drunk and
spend all his money on liquor.
Vincent would come home and realize that
his wife was not there, so he would leave the
children with his sister and go to work or to a
bar to drink. This turned into a vicious circle of
unmet needs, abandonment and sadness which
engulfed the entire family.
As time passed, Vicente had to accept the
fact that the children’s mother was not ever
going to return and that they needed to find a
way to reorganize their lives. Wendy, who was a
little older than the others, began to take on the
responsibility of caring for her younger siblings in
spite of the fact that she herself was just a child.
The weight of this tremendous and premature
responsibility left its mark on Wendy’s spirit and she
became melancholic and too serious for her young
age. Cooking, cleaning the house and washing clothes
all became “normal” daily activities for this child.
A negligent father dependent on alcohol, a
chronic lack of money, and no one to guide them
with a firm but loving hand were factors that
were sure to sooner or later take their toll on
three new victims. Wendy would suffer first and
then Joel and Selena would follow.
Nevertheless, the grace of God changed that
dark future when project EC497 opened in Caluma
and these three young children were registered.
When pastor Geovanny Balderramos began
visiting the homes of registered children, he
learned about the Tualombo family and the church
immediately began to provide socioemotional
Vicente takes his children to the project.
motivated to help his children get ahead with the
support of the church and the project.
Wendy and her siblings, who are now 10, 8 and
5 years old respectively, are faithful participants
in the project and with their father, they have
reorganized their family life. Vicente gets up at
4 a.m., prepares breakfast for his little ones and
gets them ready for school. After school, they all
do their homework, clean the house and do a few
chores. Sometimes they wash their own clothes.
10-year-old Wendy
looks happy.
The pastor and his wife visit the Tualombo family
and talk with them.
All the members of the Tualombo
family carry out their assigned tasks.
The grace of God changed
a dark future when project
EC497 opened in Caluma
and three small children
were registered.
Wendy, Joel and Selena’s “extended” family in
the project.
The siblings eat
lunch together.
support for the children as well as food, clothing
and medical checkups. A prayer group was even
started in their house.
Vicente also began to receive emotional and
spiritual support, so now he attends church along
with his children and God has given him the
strength to stop drinking. He had several relapses,
but now he attends church regularly and cares
for his children, and furthermore, he has not had
a drink in a year. Vicente is experiencing peace
of mind and feels strong, and he is active and
3
Their aunt, Vicente’s sister, continues to help them.
Pastor Geovanny and his wife July continue
visiting and counseling the family and helping
the children. They visit the home frequently in
order to talk, pray and study the Bible with them.
Wendy has truly changed. Although she still
tends to be rather quiet, she is no longer sad.
Caring for her siblings taught her patience, but
this definitely left her with her own conflicts, but
now she is happier and more lively. She continues
caring for her siblings, but now she does not have
the full responsibility of their care because their
father and the project are present, and these two
children are much better off as well.
This family, which has been restored by the love
and sincere concern of the church and the project,
is making definite headway now that they also live
with the assurance that God is in charge of their
lives. “May God repay you for the help you’ve
given us and for all your efforts,” Vicente says.
BuildingHope
Caluma Church of the
Nazarene
CDSP EC497
Caluma Canton
Bolívar Province
Las Palmas Community
BOLÍVAR
Guaranda
Caluma
Entrance to the
small town of
Caluma.
COLOMBIA
OCÉANO
PACÍFICO
people in this area easier.
Jairo Chuñay, a young
missionary, is presently
helping and will be visiting
groups that meet in homes
and carrying out pastoral
work until the end of the year.
Mothers and children meet on Sunday
mornings. The mothers attend a class for
parents and the children have Sunday School.
There is also a worship service on Sunday
evenings.
Quito
BOLÍVAR
Guayaquil
ECUADOR
Cuenca
PERÚ
A classroom
of children at
work.
Town of Caluma
Caluma is the capital of the canton
which has the same name and is one of seven
cantons in the Province of Bolivar. This
small town 62 km from Guaranda borders
the coastal province of Los Rios so it has
the same flatland, exuberant subtropical
vegetation and a hot, humid climate. Famous
for its orange crops which are considered the
best in Ecuador, Caluma also produces cacao,
tangerines and other exotic fruits.
However, this canton also has important
needs. According to Ecuador’s Integrated
System of Social Indicators (SIISE), poverty
caused by the lack of basic needs affects 66%
of the total population of the canton of Caluma
and extreme poverty affects 23%.
The culture associated with the frequent
consumption of alcohol affects many
families and results in domestic violence,
the destruction of homes, and problems in
finding and keeping jobs. Drug addiction
is a social problem that is increasing on a
daily basis along with the number of teenage
pregnancies. It is very common to see an
adolescent mother with two or more children.
Several EC497 children come from this type
of home.
The project in the community
The project’s present facility.
Yuly Quinteros is the Director of
the EC497 project in the “Las Palmas”
neighborhood of Caluma. This project opened
Basic Services
Comments
Potable water
36% public piped water supply.
Sewage
40%. Cesspools for 60%.
Electricity
80% of the residents.
Street lights
No.
Telephone
18% land line service. Cell phones.
Public transportation Only taxis or on foot.
One of the
tutors gives each
child individual
attention.
Prayer before lunch.
in January 2014 and now has
200 registered children.
Meetings are held in
the project on Monday and
Tuesday afternoons after
school has finished for
the day. The project provides lunch for the
children before they start their programmed
activities. Attendance ranges between 70%
and 80%.
The project is in a rather isolated location,
but a good number of children attend, because
there is a lot of space ideal for recreational
activities. Three tutors and three volunteer
assistants work in the project.
The project has its own building, but it
is quite small. Two rooms have been turned
into a kitchen and a dining room. Once the
construction of a new building is finished, the
kitchen and dining room will be located on
the second floor of the existing building.
The church in the community
Pastor Geovanny Balderramos has
been in charge of the Caluma Church of the
Nazarene since the project opened. Pastoral
work began when the pastor came with his
wife and children to live near the project in
order to be able to visit and evangelize the
4
The pastor teaches the
Bible to the mothers.
During the week, the pastor, his wife Yuly,
and Jairo visit the homes in order to establish
friendly relationships with the families. At
present, three groups are now meeting in
homes.
Since the project does not have a
sanctuary, the new Church meets in a small
rented apartment in the same building where
the project has its office and where the
pastor and his family live. This building is a
10-minute walking distance from the project.
The Sunday worship service is held in
the evening with about 25 persons attending.
The attendance on Sunday morning is much
better with about 70 children and 15 mothers
attending the classes.
BuildingHope
Church Growth Report - September 2015
Mother
child
units
People
attending
church
People
baptized
Candidates
for
baptism
No.
Project
CSP
Church
Place
CDSP
Children
registered
1
EC 153
-
Alianza Horeb Church
Tejar, Ibarra Canton, Province of Imbabura
200
-
45
8
6
2
EC 160
ECC55
Belén de Oyacoto Baptist Evangelical
Church
Oyacoto, Calderon, Province of Pichincha
248
40
62
13
8
3
EC299
-
Guranda Church of Nazarene
Guaranda City, Province of Bolívar
184
-
35
-
1
4
EC 488
ECC71
Chillanes Church of Nazarene
Chillanes Canton, Province of Bolívar
244
40
50
5
5
5
EC 496
-
San Miguel Church of Nazarene
San Miguel Canton, Province of Bolívar
200
42
55
2
1
6
EC 497
-
Caluma Church of Nazarene
Caluma Canton, Province of Bolívar
200
-
60
5
2
7
EC 498
-
Cumandá Church of Nazarene
Cumandá Canton, Province of Chimborazo
203
-
70
10
5
8
EC499
-
Echandia Church of Nazarene
Echandía Canton, Province of Bolívar
201
-
40
-
3
9
EC 229
ECC72
Emanuel Church of Nazarene
Chinimpe, Palora Canton,
Province of Morona Santiago
214
40
70
21
5
10
EC 230
-
Presencia de Dios Church of Nazarene
Santa Clara Canton, Province of Pastaza
200
-
95
30
40
11
EC 500
-
La Gloria de Dios Family Center
Punta de Piedra, 24 de Mayo Canton,
Province of Manabí
200
-
100
-
-
12
EC 507
ECC47
Monte Horeb Family Center
Los Bajos de la Palma, Montecristi Canton,
Province of Manabí
238
40
140
35
-
13
EC 508
ECC48
El Faro Family Center
Las Lagunas Recinct, Montecristi Canton,
Province of Manabí
233
41
120
10
-
14
EC 509
ECC49
Jerusalem Family Center
Costa Mar Community,
Jaramijo Canton, Province of Manabí
218
40
130
85
-
15
EC 510
ECC50
Betania Family Center
Las Brisas, Jaramijó Canton,
Province of Manabí
208
40
160
35
-
16
EC 513
ECC54
Jerico Family Center
Colinas de San José, Rocafuerte Canton,
Province of Manabí
222
40
120
0
20
17
EC 514
ECC58
Monte Sion Family Center
Nuevo Portoviejo Community,
Portoviejo Canton, Province of Manabí
269
40
180
126
2
18
EC 515
ECC63
Monte Olivo Family Center
Habitat Sector, Tosagua Canton,
Province of Manabí
217
40
120
15
20
19
EC 516
ECC64
Nuevo Amanecer Family
Center
Elva Gonzalez Sector, Tosagua Canton,
Province of Manabí
224
40
160
28
18
20
EC 517
ECC65
Nueva Vida Family Center
Pueblo Nuevo, Portoviejo Canton,
Province of Manabí
208
40
100
2
6
21
EC 518
-
Alfa y Omega Family Center
Canuto, Chone Canton,
Province of Manabí
195
-
120
11
2
22
EC 519
-
Efeso Family Center
El Milagro Neighbordhood, Portoviejo
Canton, Province of Manabí
205
-
110
0
7
23
EC 526
-
Bethel Family Center
San Juan del Toro Community, Junin Canton,
Province of Manabí
200
-
130
8
3
24
EC 530
ECC53
Misericordia de Dios Church
Grelia Reyes, Santa Elena Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
230
40
110
65
10
25
EC 531
ECC57
Gracia de Dios Church
Las Minas Community, La Libertad Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
301
40
45
27
5
26
EC 532
ECC61
Bondad de Dios Church
San Vicente Community, La Libertad Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
246
40
70
16
3
27
EC 533
ECC62
Verdad de Dios Church
Los Ficus, La Libertad Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
290
40
40
10
6
5
BuildingHope
28
EC 534
ECC67
Paz de Dios Church
Vinicio Yagual, Salinas Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
255
40
40
2
5
29
EC 535
ECC68
Fe en Dios Church
Gonzalo Chavez, Salinas Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
236
40
18
1
3
30
EC 536
-
Gozo de Dios Church
Monteverde Community,
Province of Santa Elena
194
-
30
7
7
31
EC 537
-
Poder de Dios Church
Velas ibarra Community, La Libertad Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
198
-
25
-
-
32
EC 538
-
Amor de Dios Chruch
11 de Diciembre Community, La Libertad
Canton, Province of Santa Elena
200
-
40
-
-
33
EC 539
-
Favor de Dios Church
Velasco Ibarra, La Libertad Canton,
Province of Santa Elena
in procces
-
18
-
-
34
EC570
-
Cristiana Plenitud de Dios Playas
25 de Julio, Villamil Playas Canton,
Province of Guayas
183
-
50
-
-
35
EC 598
ECC56
Roca de la Eternidad de Tululbí
Las Brisas Tululbi Community,
San Lorenzo Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
288
40
20*
13
2
36
EC 599
ECC66
Roca de la Eternidad del Pampanal
Pampanal de Bolívar, Eloy Alfaro Canton,
Province of Esmeraldas
340
42
35
12
3
37
EC 600
ECC69
Roca de la Eternidad de Luis Cevallos
Luis Cevallos Community, San Lorenzo
Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
288
39
75
-
-
38
EC 601
ECC70
Roca de la Eternidad de Nuevo San
Lorenzo
Nuevo San Lorenzo Community,
San Lorenzo Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
370
40
11
-
-
39
EC 602
-
Roca de la Eternidad de Palestina
Palestina Neighborhood, San Lorenzo
Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
311
-
17
1
-
40
EC 603
-
Roca de la Eternidad de Carondelet
Carondelet Community , San Lorenzo
Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
205
-
20*
-
-
41
EC 604
-
Roca de la Eternidad de Concepción
Concepción Community, San Lorenzo
Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
114
-
18
1
-
42
EC 605
-
Roca de la Eternidad de Selva Alegre
Selva Alegre Community, San Lorenzo
Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
238
-
27
-
-
43
EC 606
-
Roca de la Eternidad de Limones
Limones Community, San Lorenzo Canton,
Province of Esmeraldas
331
-
30
-
-
44
EC 607
-
Roca de la Eternindad de Borbon
Borbón Community, Eloy Alfaro Canton,
Province of Esmeraldas
200
-
25*
25
-
45
EC 608
-
Centro Cristiano Bíblico Rio Onzole
Chachi del Capulí Community,
Province of Esmeraldas
200
-
20
-
-
46
EC 609
-
Roca de la Eternidad San Francisco
de Bogotá
San Francisco de Bogotá Community,
Eloy Alfaro Canton, Province of Esmeraldas
198
-
29
-
-
47
EC 610
-
Roca de la Eternidad Tamillo
Tambillo, San Lorenzo Canton,
Province of Esmeraldas
188
-
20
-
-
48
EC 611
-
Roca de la Eternidad Palma Real
Palma Real, San Lorenzo Canton,
Province of Esmeraldas
200
-
In proccess
49
EC 614
-
Roca de la Eternidad 12 de Octubre
12 de Octubre, San Lorenzo Canton,
Province of Esmeraldas
200
-
In proccess
50
EC 615
-
Iglesia Jerusalen de la Santidad
Camal, San Lorenzo Canton,
Province of Esmeraldas
200
-
In proccess
* Attendance in the churches in these communities is highly irregular because there is so much migration in this region.
Highlands Region
Coast Region
Amazon Region
Building Hope is Compassion
International-Ecuador’s quarterly
newsletter published to inform the
Country Director
Fernando Puga
progress and impact on different
communities where Stadia-sponsored
churches are serving.
Editorial Coordination
Cecilia Yépez
Jenny Balcázar
Spanish Stories Edition
& Design
Iván Balarezo Pérez
Quito, Ecuador, 2015
6