| News and Happenings at Operación San Andrés - Collique, Lima, Perú |
July 2019 |
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Dear Friends of OSA,
This newsletter highlights some unusual activities at the Operación San Andrés mission site in Collique, LIma, Peru during the past several weeks. You will read an interview with a young woman named Sandy who is one of seven college students supported by OSA. There are also stories about the Jazz Band from Baylor University that was invited to Peru by OSA, baking classes for mothers of OSA kids, and a special leadership development program attended by two children from OSA's Educational Enrichment Program. As always, we appreciate your continued interest in and support of OSA.
Grace and peace,
Operación San Andrés (OSA)
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Our Educational Enrichment Program takes a mid-term break:
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The children enrolled in our Educational Enrichment Program are finishing the first semester of the school year and are going on mid-term vacation at the end of July. As part of closing activities for the period we arranged for their parents to come to OSA house and see all the projects and classwork they have been doing during the last four months. Mothers and fathers were very glad to see all the wonderful presentations their children made for them.
At the beginning of July, we took our kids to the theater to watch a wonderful educational presentation. It was the first time many of them had attended this kind of activity and were significantly surprised and happy when actors came to them to take pictures together. A couple of our kids shared their impressions with us:
"I loved the presentation as there were songs and acting at the same time. I was also extremely happy because it was my birthday and all of the actors and people sang happy birthday to me." Dane, age 7.
"I loved to see how a puppet is used to tell such a wonderful message. I would like to have another visit like this as I learn so much." Daniela, age 11.
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Leadership development activities with our children:
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Two of our children, Daniela and Leonel, were invited to participate in a local government leadership development activity with one hundred other children of the district. They were gathered under the organization of the Comas municipality to contribute their proposals to improve social, educational, and security problems in the district. They participated in two workshops where they could develop important plans to address multiple issues that affect their wellbeing, such as violence, pollution, and substandard public education, among others. Our Educational Enrichment Program continues to develop activities that promote children's participation and the development of their leadership abilities to impact their families and communities.
"I had a different and great time sharing with other kids about the problems of our community. I developed proposals to improve our district and positively impact my generation." Leonel, age 10.
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Interview with Sandy Gaona, a college student supported by OSA:
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Sandy is a 21-year-old youth, who studies Psychology, thanks to a scholarship provided by OSA and the RIEI foundation. She is currently in the 6th semester out of ten at Universidad Privada del Norte. She shares with us about this new enriching experience in her life:
Why did you chose to major in psychology?
I always wanted to understand people's behavior and the reasons we think and feel the way we do. I also grew up struggling with some family issues that I did not fully understand, so I am very interested to help other adults and children go through their difficulties, understand themselves and their life struggles.
How is your experience as a college student?
It is the best time of my life. I believe everyone should go through college experience. Not only does it gives you a better knowledge of the world around you, but you also have the opportunity to discover yourself and your vocation in life. Everything you do there will leave a deep mark on you as you discover your gifts, talents and dreams for your future in the career you love.
I would like to thank God, OSA and RIEI for giving me the opportunity to make my dream true. I always wanted to study psychology and be sure that I will help people in need when I finally accomplish my dream of become a psychologist.
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Teaching new job skills to our mothers:
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Our Talita Cumi projects works very hard to protect women and children from domestic violence in Collique. As part of pursuing the goal of financial independence of our mothers, our project is teaching baking classes for 15 women so they can open their own business in the near term. They are also learning the financial principles that will be useful to improve their personal finances and future companies. They are part of a "saving money group" where they are saving money to invest in their future business venture.
15 mothers come twice a week to OSA house to be trained in those topics. Their incomes will be used to improve their living conditions for themselves and their children, as many of these women are single mothers.
"I would like to thank God and OSA for all their support and the chance to have this important training. Through selling bakery products, I am generating financial incomes to take care of my family. It is a very helpful way to have a business as I can work even at home preparing the products and care of my children at the same time." Emma Arias.
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Baylor University Jazz Ensemble visit:
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 Twenty-three youth from the Jazz Ensemble of Baylor School of Music came to Peru through arrangements of OSA to perform concerts and clinics for the benefit of people that do not have the opportunity to hear and be in close contact with such wonderful music. Under the direction of Mr. Alex Parker, they made presentations in a Christian school, two evangelical churches, the Comas Municipal Auditorium, and on a stage prepared at pre-Colombian ruins in La Victoria district in Lima.
During the third week of July, about 800 people had the opportunity to hear, enjoy and even dance to popular and wonderful masterpieces of jazz that left them greatly motivated to continue learning about this American music style. It was also a significant opportunity to share about the love of God through music as the group performed classic Christian songs and hymns such as "How Great Thou Art", and "When the Saints Come Marching In". We are looking forward to continuing the collaboration with Baylor University in our mutual desire to share the love of God in practical ways all over the world. We are very thankful for this partnership with Baylor University.
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- The beginning of last term of the school year in August
- Retreat for OSA Team training in August
- The start of construction of an OSA technical school for post-secondary education
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Excited after reading this newsletter?
Please contact Ruth Campos for
additional information about future
OSA mission trips.
Please contact Ruth Campos for information
(+1) 713-464-8525 or [email protected]
Also contact Ruth for additional
information about
Operación San
Andrés and its mission in Peru
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We appreciate your prayer support which is so vital for the work of OSA in Collique. In addition, you can support our work financially by making tax exempt donations online through our PayPal account.
You can also support OSA by using Amazon Smile for your on-line shopping needs and choosing OSA as your designated non-profit. If you do this, Amazon will send a small percentage of every purchase to support the work of OSA. To get started, just click on this link:
smile.amazon.com
We encourage you to bookmark this link and use it each time you shop with Amazon.
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Operación San Andrés | 11918 Taylorcrest Rd.| HOUSTON, TX 77024
Phone (713) 464-8525| Fax (713) 464-2730
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