July 2023 – WINTER IS HERE!

In the heart of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the winter months of July and August cast a chilling shadow over the lives of the girls we serve. Though the temperatures may not plunge as drastically as in the Northern Hemisphere, the cold pierces deep into the one-room houses that dot the landscape. These rudimentary dwellings, some with no glasses on the windows and only tin makeshift doors and walls, offer little protection against the biting winds that sweep through the region.

For these girls and their families, winter is not a season of cozy fires and warm blankets. It is a time of scarcity and struggle, where the basic necessities for surviving the harsh weather are often out of reach. Sweaters, jackets, and warm socks are rare luxuries, and the comforting embrace of a blanket is but a distant dream.

As the cold grips their homes the lack of resources strains their already meager budgets. The burden of this daily struggle weighs heavily on their hearts, knowing they must find a way to navigate the winter months with limited means.

Warming Hearts: Amparo’s Winter Garage Sale

Amidst these difficulties, Amparo seeks to continue bringing light and hope to these girls’ lives. With a deep understanding of the hardships they endure, we seek to provide not just material aid, but also a pathway to growth and development.

About two months ago we started tackling the question: How could we help the girls from our Prevention Program to get ready for winter? So many factors to consider…. We want to help but we don’t want to hurt in the process. How can we give without making them dependent on our material help long term? How can we support without bringing shame to them or their families? How can we make this an opportunity to care for their physical needs while we address the eternal needs?

So… we decided to do a big garage sale on the Amparo Club and it was a huge success!

We announced the garage sale with a month of anticipation, encouraging the girls to save some money and buy winter clothes before the coldest part of winter arrived.

The idea behind was to instill valuable life skills and work concepts of effort, planning, value of things, delayed gratification and saving. By offering the girls and their families the opportunity of buying second hand winter clothes in very good shape at a very affordable price. From different people and Churches we got 40 bags of donations, over 1.000 items.

The garage sale became more than just a place to purchase second-hand items; it became a symbol of effort, planning, and saving. The girls had the chance to exercise choices and enjoy the fruit of their effort as they select the clothes they need with dignity. The event served as a reminder that they are not alone in their journey, as Amparo’s caring presence offers support and guidance.

It was a very meaningful event. 98% of the girls attended, more than 40% with their moms. They arrived with their savings and were able to buy clothes for themselves and their families. They bought freely, happy to be able to choose and pay for their clothes. Matilde, the Prevention Program Coordinator, described it as ‘We saw the girls having a blast! Buying with dignity what they needed’.

Winter break!

Winter also means schools have winter break. Which typically lasts 2-3 weeks.

A goal we have is to invest more in the physical activity of the girls in both of our programs. Physical activity releases endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting chemicals in the brain. This can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and enhance their overall emotional resilience. Also providing a healthy outlet for the girls to express themselves, relieve tension, and manage their emotions. You can imagine how beneficial all these are for girls that suffered trauma and neglect most of their lives. Many of them just enjoy the skipping of nightmares because of simply being exhausted after the physical activity.

The vacation is providing a window of time to invest more in this goal. For which we are providing Taekwondo, Zumba* and Football classes.

*Zumba is an aerobic fitness program featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance and performed primarily to Latin American dance music.

Of course winter break is also an opportunity to sleep in late 😉

Our intention with every visit, activity, plan and program is to warm hearts, to grow stronger the bond with the girls and their families and ultimately to present Jesus and the gospel. Together, we navigate the challenges of life and winter, not just looking to survive but making a way to thrive in the face of adversity. Thank you for helping us to paint a picture of resilience and compassion, bringing hope to those who need it most in the coldest of seasons.

June 2023

In the heart of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the winter months of July and August cast a chilling shadow over the lives of the girls we serve. Though the temperatures may not plunge as drastically as in the Northern Hemisphere, the cold pierces deep into the one-room houses that dot the landscape. These rudimentary dwellings, some with no glasses on the windows and only tin makeshift doors and walls, offer little protection against the biting winds that sweep through the region.

For these girls and their families, winter is not a season of cozy fires and warm blankets. It is a time of scarcity and struggle, where the basic necessities for surviving the harsh weather are often out of reach. Sweaters, jackets, and warm socks are rare luxuries, and the comforting embrace of a blanket is but a distant dream.

As the cold grips their homes the lack of resources strains their already meager budgets. The burden of this daily struggle weighs heavily on their hearts, knowing they must find a way to navigate the winter months with limited means.