Hello Everyone,
As you all know, July is winter in Peru, making it a fantastic time to visit, especially for those of us enduring the 100+ degree heat in the South. Last month seemed to fly by, so I wanted to give everyone an update. This will be a longer update than normal.
In June, we reached out with a need for a couple of our family members who required glasses. Amazingly, within an hour of sending that message, all the glasses were paid for. The very happy recipients of those glasses are Elizabeth (top left), Gael (middle left), and Jose Manuel (bottom left). They are thrilled to be able to see clearly for reading and writing.
Watching the video of Gael before he got his glasses was heart wrenching; he had to hold the paper right up to his face and could only read with one eye. Now, he can read normally with both eyes. He was in tears the day the doctor put the glasses on him because he had only known what it was like to struggle to see and read before. Now, he sees everything very clearly.
In the other pictures, you can see little Melanie (middle) growing up so fast. I was blessed to be there as she left for dance in her traditional Peruvian outfit. We also have Gabby (top right) and Ruth (bottom right) getting ready to eat pancakes. Anyone who has been on a trip with me knows that we always have a morning where we cook pancakes for the families. When it came time to pray over breakfast, Ruth was ready to go. It is a blessing to listen to them pray over their meals. They are very thankful for everything that has been provided to them. Their prayers are not short either, unlike most kids who want to say something quick and then get to eating.
Amor Real on Mission:
We were blessed to have three teams at Pat’s Place this summer. Below are some pictures from our July team with The Vine Community Church. I was fortunate to have both of my daughters, Elianna (center bottom, age 12) and Gracie (top right, age 14), with me on this trip. Elianna actually spent six weeks in Peru helping Laura at Pat’s Place, which was a significant step in her life.
During this trip, we built three houses, worked with Hope House in Jicamarca, collaborated with Isaac Newton school in Paraiso, and spent a lot of time with our Pat’s Place families. The Vine organized an entire spa day for our mothers, who felt so loved by the women of The Vine as they spent hours with them. We were also blessed by our friend Yury, who came over with her staff to provide some spa services as well.
Lastly, we dedicated our missions floor to Aiden Curcio. Holly and I have been blessed to know the Curcio family for the past 15 years. Since 2018, there has been a Curcio on a trip with Amor Real. Last year, we were fortunate to have Aiden with us. When considering how to spend the last year of your life, I feel blessed that he chose to spend it with us. It was a great honor for Holly and me to dedicate the fourth floor to Aiden. He truly understood the meaning of living a life on missions. I have posted the dedication below if you would like to watch the live stream.
**Exciting News! 2024 Amor Real Youth Camp**
We are thrilled to announce the 2024 Amor Real Youth Camp! This year, we are taking our teenagers to the beautiful Sulluschocha Adventure Lodge in Cajamarca, Peru. The cost for each participant is $400, and we are aiming to raise $8,000 to support a team of 20 teenagers.
We are honored to have several pastors from North America joining us to guide and teach our students throughout this incredible journey. In addition to spiritual growth, our teenagers will enjoy a variety of activities including horseback riding, zip-lining, swimming, canoeing, and much more.
This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our youth. We invite you to consider sponsoring a teenager for this transformative trip.
Thank you for your support!
We would love your support for our day to day needs as well. If you are interested in supporting what we do, below are some great ways to help.
Through your partnership, families find “P” (“paz”=peace), “A” (“amor”=love) and “T” (“transformacion”=transformation) at P.A.T.’s Place.
We invite you to partner with us in the following ways…
1. $10 - Feeds 5 kids for a day.
2. $50 - Feeds all 30 women and kids for a day.
3. $100 - Supports a person for a month or all 30 women and kids for food for 2 days. (Sponsorship covers housing, food, medical needs, counseling/therapy, and everyday supplies that families need).
4. $400 - Supports 1 Student for our Biannual Amor Real Youth Camp. We have 20 going to camp this year.
5. $500 - Supports 5 people which could be 2 families or 1 family of 5 for a month.
6. $3200 - Supports the entire house for a month which covers food, medical supplies, housing, schooling, counseling, and therapy.