Well Hola Canada:
Just wanted to bring everyone up to speed as to what is happening. We are now at the ½ way mark of my Mission trip. The Canadian team headed home on Friday. It is very quiet around here now. They are missed already by everyone here.
Well it sure was a very busy 2 weeks with lots of progress and many accomplishments by all. I have mostly been working with the children and of course not enjoying that at all. Just kidding all that know me know I am in my glory working and teaching the children.
They are so very friendly and happy most of the time. There are so many individual stories for each child and they just break my heart each time I hear another or see the child knowing their situation.
Many of us set some goals and I think we all achieved them and many others that God saw we needed to reach and achieve as well.
As many of you know I was able to go and help with Hurricane Katrina after hit in Biloxi Mississippi. Well my heart is for helping frontline after a disaster to help restore lives. Ever sine the Earthquake here in Peru I have wanted to go and help. With the help from our team Leader Dana Jones, teachers from the care centre and missionaries here with Kidsalive, and myself taking on the project as the person heading it up, this going to be possible next Saturday. Through Dana’s contribution on behalf of ICF, I will go and purchase $300 dollars of food and make up food bags to take with us. The teachers will gather what they can and come and help us distribute the food and clothing we have. Kidsalive and Darcy will arrange the transportation and clothing or other donations that we can take with us to distribute. We also will be taking tracks, bears, coloring books for the children caring the message God Loves you to the people. We plan on doing a lot of ministry work while we are there.
We will be working with a couple named Jeff and Carol Morgan next weekend who work along side of an organization called food for the hungry.
The next few weeks will be very busy for me, please pray for me that I will be able to hear Gods direction and to do his will. Please pray that our team will be safe going in and out of Pisco next weekend. Please pray that over the next few weeks I will be guided and directed as to Gods will for me to stay longer or to return to Canada on the 8th of September.
Thank you in advance for all your support and prayers.
God Bless
Love
Alexis
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Dear _________________________________,
Hi! As many of you know that on August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina happened and God then open the doors through the Salvation Army for me to go to Biloxi Mississippi to help out with the after math of this disaster. Ever since then God has laid it heavy upon my heart to explore the opportunities to go on a mission trips to a 3rd world country. It is my belief that every thing happens in Gods world in his time if we get out of his way and allow him to do his work. He will open doors for us when he feels the time is right.
Well I am excited to tell you that God answer pray and has presented a way for me to participate on a short-term mission’s team to Lima, Peru. Cedar Creek Community Church in Cambridge, International Care Facilitators (ICF, a non-denominational care giving agency), and Kids Alive have teamed together to provide this missions opportunity. We will be involved at the Lima Children’s Home, a group home for 40 children and the Manchay Care Center that is expanding their facilities to accommodate many more than their current 70 children into their day care program.
Please feel free to check out my personal blog site for information about the project at the following website www
As the project for this year progresses I will blog to keep everyone up to date as to what is happening.
Our scheduled departure is on August 10, 2007. During the 2 weeks in Lima we will have time to minister in a variety of ways with the children and the staff at both centers. Much of our time will be spent in assisting with the construction work at the Manchay Care Center. We are praying there will also be opportunities for me to use many of my other skills as well. Manchay is a very poor community on the outskirts of Lima. This will be a wonderful opportunity to get practical hands-on experience and exposure to the global mission field.
As a short-term missionary with ICF Ministries for this project, I have committed to help raise prayer and financial support for this work. $1,250 is needed for airfare by April 15th, and the remainder, $1750, by July 1st. If you are able to help out financially, please complete the form at the bottom of this letter and send to the address shown. The $3000.00 we raise helps to pay for our airfare, accommodations, food and for the ministry while we are there.
Specifically I am asking for your support of a $50.00 to $100.00 donation but any amount is truly appreciated. For the past few years I have asked your support towards the Relay for Life for the Canadian Cancer Society and this year instead I am asking for your support in helping to support this mission trip for me.
Most of all, I need your prayer support. If you can pray for me, please pray that:
1. I will be able to raise the $3000.00 to go on this mission trip
2. I will be a blessing to the members of my team and to others I contact.
3. I will learn what God has to teach me through this mission’s project.
4. God will grant me good health and safety as I travel
5. God will provide for all my needs.
God Bless you! And thank you for your support. Feel free to contact me via email at
peru2007@sympatico.ca
Alexis C. Bennett
You will receive a receipt for income tax purposes for your donation.
(Please detach this form and submit with your donation for tax receipt)
Alexis Bennett
28 Blenheim Rd
Cambridge, Ontario
N1S 1E6
Your Name:
Address:
Postal Code:
Telephone #:
Donation Amt $:
(If donating by cheque or money order, please make payable to: “ICF Ministries Inc.”)
Fundraiser Name: Alexis Bennett
News from the Lima Children’s Home & Manchay care center
These next few articles are from the Lima Reporter News Letter. This will help to inform more of some things happening in these childrens lives.
PROMISE RING CEREMONY
The young people at the Home have completed an eight week course on sexual education. The course was taught by a Christian psychologist. The content of the course focused on how the male and female body works, sexually transmitted diseases, the emotional and physical results of having sex before marriage and of course what God’s Word says about sex.
After the youth completed the eight week course they had a Promise Ring Ceremony. The Ceremony consisted of a semi-formal dinner, signing a Purity Pledge and receiving a promise ring. The youth dressed up in their Sunday best clothes and had dinner at Mike and Diane Fietje’s house.
The room and tables were all decorated elegantly. The youth were all excited about dressing up and going out for dinner. Some were even nervous about what the evening would entail. The dinner consisted of roast chicken, rice and a vegetable salad with cake for dessert. After the dinner the Ceremony started. Mike spoke and high- lighted some key points that the youth learned in the course. Mike read the purity pledge and then the youth came up front when their name was called. They signed the pledge and had someone witness it for them. The youth then read the pledge with their name inserted out loud to everyone. Mike then gave them their promise ring. Once all the youth signed the purity pledge and received their rings we prayed for them and that their decision to stay pure before God and their future spouse would remain strong. The youth who were part of the course were Janeth, Flora, Kenny, Adrian, Pepe, Josue, Yessica, Fiorella, Marlon, Shirley, Karina, Steffany, Gaby and Julio.
Showing off their promise rings
“You’re Leaving?” by Karen Bartels
I have lived in Lima, Peru for a total of about nine years. I was privileged to be there when my parents founded the Lima Children’s Home in 1992, and I have loved welcoming each child into the home. Recently I was taking a walk to a nearby pond with some of the children. As we walked along and I listened to the children tell stories, I realized they did not know some of the stories from the home’s past. They did not know why one of the four palm trees in front of the house looked different than the others. They did not know why our jungle gym was called jungle Joe. They did not know that our food storage shed once sported gorgeous purple flowers growing on the roof. I interrupted their happy chatter and told them some stories. “Did you know my brother Jim and his friend Joe started a tree on fire on Christmas Eve?” I had their attention. “My sister came in screaming and told us to call the fire department, which we did. All the children who were there at the time stared wide-eyed at a blazing tree due to a bottle rocket that had missed its target. It reminded us of Moses and the burning bush. That was the most exciting Christmas Eve we ever had.” “Did you know that our jungle gym is called jungle Joe since the children decided that since Jim didn’t build it and Joe did, it should have Joe’s name!” “Did you know there were beautiful purple flowers on our food shed? But, we learned that rats were making nests in the flowers. So, we tore down the flowers while the children stood around with bats and other objects to kill as many fleeing rats as they could. The children each received a bit of money for every rat they killed.” The children and I continued on our walk enjoying a fine afternoon together exchanging stories and laughter. In the back of my mind I wrestled with sadness as I knew this was one of my last walks with the children. God has led me to leave Peru. I return to the United States with my heart and mind full of love for the children and many special memories. I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to know the children. I will miss them and wish I were not another “good-bye” in their lives. However, I find much comfort in the knowledge that God loves the children more deeply than I do and that He has a wonderful plan for their lives.
PROMISE RING CEREMONY
The young people at the Home have completed an eight week course on sexual education. The course was taught by a Christian psychologist. The content of the course focused on how the male and female body works, sexually transmitted diseases, the emotional and physical results of having sex before marriage and of course what God’s Word says about sex.
After the youth completed the eight week course they had a Promise Ring Ceremony. The Ceremony consisted of a semi-formal dinner, signing a Purity Pledge and receiving a promise ring. The youth dressed up in their Sunday best clothes and had dinner at Mike and Diane Fietje’s house.
The room and tables were all decorated elegantly. The youth were all excited about dressing up and going out for dinner. Some were even nervous about what the evening would entail. The dinner consisted of roast chicken, rice and a vegetable salad with cake for dessert. After the dinner the Ceremony started. Mike spoke and high- lighted some key points that the youth learned in the course. Mike read the purity pledge and then the youth came up front when their name was called. They signed the pledge and had someone witness it for them. The youth then read the pledge with their name inserted out loud to everyone. Mike then gave them their promise ring. Once all the youth signed the purity pledge and received their rings we prayed for them and that their decision to stay pure before God and their future spouse would remain strong. The youth who were part of the course were Janeth, Flora, Kenny, Adrian, Pepe, Josue, Yessica, Fiorella, Marlon, Shirley, Karina, Steffany, Gaby and Julio.
Showing off their promise rings
“You’re Leaving?” by Karen Bartels
I have lived in Lima, Peru for a total of about nine years. I was privileged to be there when my parents founded the Lima Children’s Home in 1992, and I have loved welcoming each child into the home. Recently I was taking a walk to a nearby pond with some of the children. As we walked along and I listened to the children tell stories, I realized they did not know some of the stories from the home’s past. They did not know why one of the four palm trees in front of the house looked different than the others. They did not know why our jungle gym was called jungle Joe. They did not know that our food storage shed once sported gorgeous purple flowers growing on the roof. I interrupted their happy chatter and told them some stories. “Did you know my brother Jim and his friend Joe started a tree on fire on Christmas Eve?” I had their attention. “My sister came in screaming and told us to call the fire department, which we did. All the children who were there at the time stared wide-eyed at a blazing tree due to a bottle rocket that had missed its target. It reminded us of Moses and the burning bush. That was the most exciting Christmas Eve we ever had.” “Did you know that our jungle gym is called jungle Joe since the children decided that since Jim didn’t build it and Joe did, it should have Joe’s name!” “Did you know there were beautiful purple flowers on our food shed? But, we learned that rats were making nests in the flowers. So, we tore down the flowers while the children stood around with bats and other objects to kill as many fleeing rats as they could. The children each received a bit of money for every rat they killed.” The children and I continued on our walk enjoying a fine afternoon together exchanging stories and laughter. In the back of my mind I wrestled with sadness as I knew this was one of my last walks with the children. God has led me to leave Peru. I return to the United States with my heart and mind full of love for the children and many special memories. I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to know the children. I will miss them and wish I were not another “good-bye” in their lives. However, I find much comfort in the knowledge that God loves the children more deeply than I do and that He has a wonderful plan for their lives.
More information about the work being done in Peru
Manchay Care Centre
Manchay, Peru is a mountainous area in the coastal desert just outside the capital city of Lima. It is an area of extreme poverty with no running water, no sewage system, and little electricity.
The Manchay Care Centre opened in May 2003 in response to the needs of mothers requiring a safe place to leave their children while working, so as not to put them in a children's home.
Over 30,000 people live in the town of Manchay. Plywood and cardboard make up the materials used to construct these small (usually 12 feet square or less) houses. Most of the community literally exists hand to mouth.
The care centre is a work in progress. Presently there are two classrooms and a kitchen. These buildings have been funded through the generous donations of supporters. The construction has been carried out by several different work teams from both Canada and the United States. The care centre will continue to develop such buildings as a dining hall, as donor funding becomes available.
Currently the care centre serves children from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday through Saturday. Care for the children includes basic hygiene needs, clothing, nutritious meals, health care, educational preparation and spiritual development. Twice a month the mothers join their children for a family-style meal. After the meal they receive training and parenting skills.
The present facility can accommodate 20-25 children. Additional children will be taken into our care as the centre is developed.
Our goal is to add an after-school program for four-year-olds when they reach Kindergarten age. This program would include a safe place for tutoring, a nutritious meal and Bible study.
Boy's Home
Christian and Dalila Albujar are the house parents for our older boys who are generally in high school or getting ready to go out on their own. Like any parents they give the boys love and discipline, teach them important skills like how to cook, clean and respect others. They seek to give the boys a spiritual base and an emotional support to confront the tough issues which any teen faces but which often are compounded in children at risk. Currently the Albujars and their own 2 biological sons live with our 8 oldest boys in a rented facility 10 minutes from our main site.
Manchay, Peru is a mountainous area in the coastal desert just outside the capital city of Lima. It is an area of extreme poverty with no running water, no sewage system, and little electricity.
The Manchay Care Centre opened in May 2003 in response to the needs of mothers requiring a safe place to leave their children while working, so as not to put them in a children's home.
Over 30,000 people live in the town of Manchay. Plywood and cardboard make up the materials used to construct these small (usually 12 feet square or less) houses. Most of the community literally exists hand to mouth.
The care centre is a work in progress. Presently there are two classrooms and a kitchen. These buildings have been funded through the generous donations of supporters. The construction has been carried out by several different work teams from both Canada and the United States. The care centre will continue to develop such buildings as a dining hall, as donor funding becomes available.
Currently the care centre serves children from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday through Saturday. Care for the children includes basic hygiene needs, clothing, nutritious meals, health care, educational preparation and spiritual development. Twice a month the mothers join their children for a family-style meal. After the meal they receive training and parenting skills.
The present facility can accommodate 20-25 children. Additional children will be taken into our care as the centre is developed.
Our goal is to add an after-school program for four-year-olds when they reach Kindergarten age. This program would include a safe place for tutoring, a nutritious meal and Bible study.
Boy's Home
Christian and Dalila Albujar are the house parents for our older boys who are generally in high school or getting ready to go out on their own. Like any parents they give the boys love and discipline, teach them important skills like how to cook, clean and respect others. They seek to give the boys a spiritual base and an emotional support to confront the tough issues which any teen faces but which often are compounded in children at risk. Currently the Albujars and their own 2 biological sons live with our 8 oldest boys in a rented facility 10 minutes from our main site.
Who me doing missionary work!!!
A while ago some of you may have remembered I traveled with the Salvation Army to Biloxi Mississippi to help darning the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Since then I have been praying for another opportunity to come my way to do another mission trip of any sort but especial a third world country mission. Well a few years back friends of mine went on Missions to Guatemala and then went I think for three or four years in a row. Then other friends of mine went to Peru with Kids alive. In talking to them further I think God lead me to them to hear about these missions and to see their pictures.
They willingly volunteered their contact name to me and thus the process for my application to go on a mission’s trip this year began. Cedar Creek Community church of Cambridge has been taking groups to Peru for a few years now under the organization Kidsalive International.
I put in my application sometime before Christmas met with the two main people who put the team together and then was told to wait and see where it goes from there. Well this Sunday evening I decided since my back was still sore from my car accident to stay home and rest, the phone rang and it was on of those two leaders calling me.
He told me that I would be welcome on the team and that there would be a meeting this Thursday evening to discuss it further and what the next process would be.
Here is a little more information of the kidsalive website for you to hear a little more of what I am going to be a part of this summer.
Peru
In Peru over 6 million children under the age of 18 live in poverty and 10,000
Street and under-privileged kids die in the capital city every year. In addition,
A 50% poverty rate coupled with widespread underemployment has prevented any social service infrastructure from being effective in dealing with the growing number of children-at-risk.
Kids Alive has been providing quality care to children in Peru for many years through the establishment of an orphanage for abandoned, neglected and orphaned kids in Lima, Peru. More recently, Kids Alive has opened a Care Centre for the children of destitute single mothers in Manchay, Peru.
We recognize that there are many children that need our help and we will continue to
reach out a hand of love to them, one at a time.
Lima Home
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is located on the Pacific Coast. Peru, nearly twice the size of Texas, and is a country of contrasts. The rich and the poor, the beautiful and the ugly, the historic and the modern, the mountains and jungle all add to the mystique of this Latin nation.
Located in the coastal desert region, Lima receives less than one inch of rainfall per year. Moving 30 to 50 miles inland one encounters the majestic Andes Mountains
and highlands, which separate the coast from the vast Amazon jungle. These three distinct geographical regions each have their own culture and people groups, making Peru a fascinating place to visit and live.
The Lima Home was founded by Larry and Betty Bartels in 1993 in a rented facility in the suburbs of Lima with 10 boys who were released from a government home that was closing. The number grew to 16 children in July of 1994 when the site of just over half an acre was purchased. In 1999 an additional parcel of land was purchased about a mile from the first parcel. Mike & Diane Fietje became the Directors of this home in the beginning of 2000 when the Bartels returned to the United States.
The Lima home has experienced God's blessing time and time again in its relatively short history. We are thankful to Him for each physical blessing as well as each of the children to whom we have been able to minister. The present facilities on the main property, besides the essentials (i.e. - bedrooms for kids, and staff), include a playroom an activity room containing a library, homework and craft area, and missionary apartments. Also on the property are a basketball/soccer court, a huge multi-level jungle gym, a sand box, and a swimming pool that can be used nearly year round. Extensive remodeling and construction, including the addition of a second floor on the main house, has improved the property. Much of the work has been done by service teams. There is one main building on the new property. The older boys live at this location along with their house parents. They enjoy the use of a weight room, trampoline and ping-pong table. There is also a halfway house for the older boys that have graduated from high school and are not yet ready to live on their own.
The home has approximately 40 children. They range in age from pre-school to 18.
Dave and Connie Rhodes, as well as a number of talented short term missionaries,
Assist Mike and Diane Fietje. The Peruvian house parents are mature Christians,
dedicated to attaining the goals of the home. These goals include not only providing for the physical, educational and emotional needs of the children, but also meeting their spiritual needs, preparing them for adulthood as Christians and as upstanding citizens in their community. As a result, a lot of emphasis is placed on devotions, discipleship, Bible memorization, and church attendance. The children attend 4 different schools in the area depending on their age and abilities. In the home there we also emphases on learning English, which will help them, get better jobs in the future. In the summers the children attend camp, go on trips, and learn different crafts and life skills. The older kids get jobs or work at Christian camps. Future plans include getting a new large piece of land in order to build apartments for each family group (house parents with their kids). This will enable us to house more children in a more family-type atmosphere while having space to make workshops so that the kids can leave with the knowledge of different trades, such as carpentry, welding and auto mechanics.
For tonight this is all I am going to share on this right now. I just wanted to plant the seed that I am going on this mission trip, that I need lots of prayer for this and so does the team, we need prayer that the funds will be provided through our fundraising methods and that if this is where God needs me and wants me he will make it happen.
I am totally turning this over to him. I believe he will provide the money and what ever else is needed in order for me to be able to go as well for all the other team members.
All I can say is Thank God For the Lighthouse, for he is my light and my strength, He gives me the courage the Hope, Faith and Trust that with Gods help all things are possible.
They willingly volunteered their contact name to me and thus the process for my application to go on a mission’s trip this year began. Cedar Creek Community church of Cambridge has been taking groups to Peru for a few years now under the organization Kidsalive International.
I put in my application sometime before Christmas met with the two main people who put the team together and then was told to wait and see where it goes from there. Well this Sunday evening I decided since my back was still sore from my car accident to stay home and rest, the phone rang and it was on of those two leaders calling me.
He told me that I would be welcome on the team and that there would be a meeting this Thursday evening to discuss it further and what the next process would be.
Here is a little more information of the kidsalive website for you to hear a little more of what I am going to be a part of this summer.
Peru
In Peru over 6 million children under the age of 18 live in poverty and 10,000
Street and under-privileged kids die in the capital city every year. In addition,
A 50% poverty rate coupled with widespread underemployment has prevented any social service infrastructure from being effective in dealing with the growing number of children-at-risk.
Kids Alive has been providing quality care to children in Peru for many years through the establishment of an orphanage for abandoned, neglected and orphaned kids in Lima, Peru. More recently, Kids Alive has opened a Care Centre for the children of destitute single mothers in Manchay, Peru.
We recognize that there are many children that need our help and we will continue to
reach out a hand of love to them, one at a time.
Lima Home
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is located on the Pacific Coast. Peru, nearly twice the size of Texas, and is a country of contrasts. The rich and the poor, the beautiful and the ugly, the historic and the modern, the mountains and jungle all add to the mystique of this Latin nation.
Located in the coastal desert region, Lima receives less than one inch of rainfall per year. Moving 30 to 50 miles inland one encounters the majestic Andes Mountains
and highlands, which separate the coast from the vast Amazon jungle. These three distinct geographical regions each have their own culture and people groups, making Peru a fascinating place to visit and live.
The Lima Home was founded by Larry and Betty Bartels in 1993 in a rented facility in the suburbs of Lima with 10 boys who were released from a government home that was closing. The number grew to 16 children in July of 1994 when the site of just over half an acre was purchased. In 1999 an additional parcel of land was purchased about a mile from the first parcel. Mike & Diane Fietje became the Directors of this home in the beginning of 2000 when the Bartels returned to the United States.
The Lima home has experienced God's blessing time and time again in its relatively short history. We are thankful to Him for each physical blessing as well as each of the children to whom we have been able to minister. The present facilities on the main property, besides the essentials (i.e. - bedrooms for kids, and staff), include a playroom an activity room containing a library, homework and craft area, and missionary apartments. Also on the property are a basketball/soccer court, a huge multi-level jungle gym, a sand box, and a swimming pool that can be used nearly year round. Extensive remodeling and construction, including the addition of a second floor on the main house, has improved the property. Much of the work has been done by service teams. There is one main building on the new property. The older boys live at this location along with their house parents. They enjoy the use of a weight room, trampoline and ping-pong table. There is also a halfway house for the older boys that have graduated from high school and are not yet ready to live on their own.
The home has approximately 40 children. They range in age from pre-school to 18.
Dave and Connie Rhodes, as well as a number of talented short term missionaries,
Assist Mike and Diane Fietje. The Peruvian house parents are mature Christians,
dedicated to attaining the goals of the home. These goals include not only providing for the physical, educational and emotional needs of the children, but also meeting their spiritual needs, preparing them for adulthood as Christians and as upstanding citizens in their community. As a result, a lot of emphasis is placed on devotions, discipleship, Bible memorization, and church attendance. The children attend 4 different schools in the area depending on their age and abilities. In the home there we also emphases on learning English, which will help them, get better jobs in the future. In the summers the children attend camp, go on trips, and learn different crafts and life skills. The older kids get jobs or work at Christian camps. Future plans include getting a new large piece of land in order to build apartments for each family group (house parents with their kids). This will enable us to house more children in a more family-type atmosphere while having space to make workshops so that the kids can leave with the knowledge of different trades, such as carpentry, welding and auto mechanics.
For tonight this is all I am going to share on this right now. I just wanted to plant the seed that I am going on this mission trip, that I need lots of prayer for this and so does the team, we need prayer that the funds will be provided through our fundraising methods and that if this is where God needs me and wants me he will make it happen.
I am totally turning this over to him. I believe he will provide the money and what ever else is needed in order for me to be able to go as well for all the other team members.
All I can say is Thank God For the Lighthouse, for he is my light and my strength, He gives me the courage the Hope, Faith and Trust that with Gods help all things are possible.
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