April 2008
Dear friends and family,
We hope that this letter finds you all well, trusting in God's providence and care for you. We are settling back into life here in Lima- we hesitate saying "normal life" because this adventure of following God's leading to work in community among the poor in Lima is anything but normal. It is nonetheless the most rewarding thing we have ever done. This October we will mark our 8th year in Lima. Thank you for walking with us faithfully with prayers, gifts, encouragement, visits, and all the other small and large ways that you care for us.
School has started up again in Lima, and we decided to change the school that Isabel, and in a couple year's time, Natalia, attend. Some of you know about the difficulties we experienced at the former school, San Andres, but we would rather share with you about the great things that we have found at this new school, the International Christian School of Lima. It is truly an international environment, with students from other countries in South America, as well as many Korean and N. American students. Classes are in English, and the school year is a mix between the N. American and the Peruvian calendar. The students have the holidays free, from the middle of December to the middle of February. Then they have the whole month of July off. This works out great for us, giving us more freedom to make visits to the US at different times of the year.
All of the teachers are accredited in their country of origin, and are from all over the world. Isabel's teacher is a young Canadian woman. The high school diploma is a US recognized diploma. We have felt well received at the school as a family, and the peculiarity of being a third culture kid is simply par for the course for ALL the students at the school. The parent teacher committee has a trained family therapist on staff who is leading a series of meetings called, "Global Nomads" which focuses specifically on the needs of third culture kids and how the school and parents should support them. How great! Isabel is extremely happy with her new school and seems to be a lot more relaxed this year in her relationships with her />
This school is more expensive than the previous one; we were able to obtain a missionary discount in exchange for volunteer work at the school. Rachel is helping out with swimming lessons, and Brian will speak a few times in their chapel service, along with a possible future role as a basketball coach (they don't have a team yet). The discount we received makes the tuition for Isabel only 45% of the school's normal rate. We pay $225 a month. Natalia will be less than that being a second child at the school, but these discounted costs are still 20% higher than what we paid at the other school. We ask that you prayerfully consider this change that we have made and to respond if God is leading you to give to this increased financial need.
Natalia, as you can see, is growing up nicely. She LOVES to brush her teeth, preferring to engage in this activity as often as possible throughout the day. When she is not getting into the cupboard looking for snacks, she is "reading" her books, giving us hugs, or trying to get into Isabel's room. She's our little sugar bear.
In the ministry, we are starting to map out what this year will look like. Our recent WMF Peru board meetings were a great time of fellowship, vision casting. The board reviewed all Peruvian staff contracts and the budget for the year. Below is a photo from the lunch, which finished out the board weekend.
This year we are concentrating our leadership efforts in the community around four areas: our personal communion with God; relational leadership in community; solidifying the relational, legal, and institutional foundations of the organization WMF Peru; and in the programs that the community organizes providing life skills through documentation, job creation, drug rehabilitation, and education.
Specifically regarding education, many of you have taken part in the back-to-school program. This year to date the community reached out to 35 students who are either teenagers who are making steps to leave street life, or children of former street youth who are off the street but still very poor and whose parents lack both education and stable work. Back-to-school helps them to start the school year with the entrance fees, books, uniforms, and school supplies. The average amount given per student is $60, and this represents for many of the families the difference between sending their children to school or keeping them at home working or doing nothing. The people who have been approved and received funds for this program obviously have to take initiative throughout the school year by going to parent teacher meetings, preparing lunches for their children, and covering the costs of special events that the school organizes. Thank you for supporting this effort, as it is a very effective and efficient way to encourage responsibility and celebrate growth in the lives of these precious children and young people.
May God bless all of you richly, increasing your faith, and giving you the strength to love each other in the same way that God loves us through Jesus Christ.
Love,
The langleys