Building bridges to the whole family

PERU Focus

In the settlement called San Genaro we meet Pastor Roger Araujo Solano, the minister who is in charge of the centre called Puentes de Vida (‘Bridges of Life’). The MISIUR organisation started work here 16 years ago, distributing food to children. Now, thanks to churches and other sponsors in Europe and the United States, they have built a three-storey centre whose facilities provide families with a broad mixture of education classes, life skills training and free health checks.

Children working hard on their homework at an after-school class at the Puentes de Vida (`Bridges of Life`) Centre in Lima`s San Genaro settlement. About 30 children and 22 young people from poor families go to the centre each afternoon, where they receive educational support, computer training and the opportunity to attend Bible classes and play sport. The centre also provides an evening meal. Peru. Photo: UBS/Stein Mydske (PER03DJ-19.JPG)

Each day at 1.30pm, when school finishes, a total of 22 young people and 30 children aged from eight to 16 come and spend their afternoons here until 6.30pm. They receive educational support in subjects such as mathematics, they have computer classes and Bible classes and are given dinner. On one afternoon a week they play football and volleyball on a nearby sports field. Their enthusiasm is huge and they all play – even if they don’t all follow the rules.

The educational benefits are easily quantifiable. State schools in Peru struggle with low pay for teachers, a factor that often leads to poor standards in education. (At the time of our visit, the teachers were among a number of groups of public employees striking for higher salaries.)

“Yet so far,” says Pastor Roger, “none of our children has had to repeat a year in school, something which is very common in public schools in Lima.”

There are benefits in the spiritual realm, too. The children are taught to recognise that they have been created by God and that, to a degree, he has entrusted to them the stewardship of their environment. In 2002, 30 per cent of these youngsters were confessing Christians.

The work of ‘Bridges of Life’ doesn’t stop with the children. One Saturday afternoon every month the parents are invited to attend a seminar where a range of  topics – family planning, health care, sewing, cookery, food hygiene and child care – are discussed. Most mothers come.

“We find it important to ‘think integrated’ and work with the whole family,” says Pastor Roger. “Our aim is to help them grow spiritually and physically and to develop their knowledge and social attitudes in a way that encourages them to care for their own future. We want to develop attitudes that encourage them to care for their neighbours, defend human rights, show respect for life, and work to promote social justice and lasting peace.” (WR 388/6 - 10/11.04)