October Update:

The Kiddies Stories...

I didn't do a blog entry last month as I know my latest 'official' BMS prayer letter reached you during September and I didn't want to overload you with news!!!

This month I would like to share a few of the stories of the children from various PEPEs in Ecuador. As I advertise the PEPE project around churches here in the Quito region it is obvious how the personal stories of the children give the strongest inspiration to pastors and church members when they are considering adopting the project.

I am so used to UK internet confidentiality where children are concerned. Therefore where appropriate I have changed the names of the children or posted group photographs so that it isnt clear which child I am referring to.

Natali

This is Natali, she has just started attending a PEPE pre-school this September. Parents of children who receive my 'Children's Prayer Letter' written by Billy Bear will know all about Natali already as Billy Bear introduced his new friend to the English children last month.

Natali has gained so much confidence in her first two months in PEPE. She has only two fingers on each hand and also has problems with her feet and legs. I remember Natali's first few weeks in PEPE, she refused to try to use her hands to hold a crayon, or to use the playdough, and she would often sit at the side when the other children were running around during playtime. Now however, mainly due to the positive encouragement given to her by her Ecuadorian teachers, she participates fully in all classroom activities and runs as fast as any of the other children! Her confidence and hopefully self image are changing, as she has realised she can try and achieve the same things as her classmates.

Ariel

Ariel is one of the boys in the picture above. His story is sadly not uncommon in the lives of children here in South America. His mother left him as an eight month old baby in the care of a neighbour. Ariel is now five years old and his mother has never returned to collect him from the neighbour. They think she is living in Spain, where so many Ecuadorians go to find work. Ariel's behaviour is very challenging for the PEPE teachers, he is constantly running out of the classroom, jumping off tables and has hit the teachers several times. They are doing a superb job of constantly responding with firmness and love. The church is looking into ways that it can work alongside the parents, or those responsible for the children, to learn and apply new parenting skills. This is a slow process and needs much wisdom and your prayers for it to be effective.

Ricardo

Most children in PEPE are 4 or 5 years old, Ricardo however is 7 years old. He has never been given the chance to go to school before because although primary education in Ecuador is 'free' parents still have to pay a matriculation at the start of the academic year, buy a uniform and buy all the books, pencils, crayons etc that the schools require. This often means that when there is little money in a family, eduaction is seen as a luxury and isn't possible for all children. Ricardo is learning how to read and write for the first time in his PEPE class alongside his 4 and 5 year old classmates. He has a very gentle and loving personality and again, with the positive encouragement of his Ecuadorian teachers, he is making progress and rapidly gaining self confidence.

Jostin

Jostin lives in the middle of the Ecuadorian jungle. Until recently one could only access his community and home by travelling on bus, in canoe and then walking on foot through the jungle. Now the government has extended the road and the canoe ride can be omitted, this means that leaving the community is much cheaper and much more possible for Jostin and his family. It now only takes two hours walking through the jungle on foot and then three and a half hours in bus, to reach the nearest town.

Jostin has eight brothers and sisters. His diet is mainly a root vegetable called yucca, he drinks this in the form of 'chicha' at every meal and also eats the vegatable as a staple, like we in the UK would eat potatoes. Many of Jostin's friends have large stomachs, sure signs of malnourishment and an unbalancd diet. His parents are learning how to breed chickens and through this social action project Jostin occassionally gets to eat chicken and eggs, although the majority of the poultry are sold and the money spent to clothe the nine children.

We are currently planning a big Christmas Festival for Jostin's indigenous community PEPE and the town PEPE in Tena. This will provide the opportunity for all the children in Jostin's PEPE to make the journey from their jungle community into the town with one of their parents. For most of these children this will be their first time in a town. We hope to provide them with many experiences such as eating in a restaurant; having ice cream; and riding in a bus.

Melina

Melina lives with her mum and numerous brothers, sisters and cousins in a one room house in the city. Her mother works from 8am until 6pm in the local market and so much of Melina's day is spent alone in the house. When her brothers, sisters and cousins are at school, Melina passes the day on her own, she is five years old, in the house or in the street. Now that she attends the local PEPE she has somewhere to go where she is given attention and encouraged to learn.

A big part of the PEPE programme is visiting the homes of the children. In this PEPE visits are frequently made by the pastor, the teachers, and a doctor all from the local church. None of these people have ever met Melina's mother on their visits, they have only ever found Melina home alone or with older brothers, sisters and cousins. This is not unusual for children here in South America, the single mothers need to work to provide money for food and clothing for their children.

Jesica

Jesica was a child in PEPE last academic year. I remember visiting her PEPE and saw in her a child with so much anger inside. She was fighting with all the other children; shouting and screaming in the classroom during lessons; when removed she threw stones directly at the pastor's face. She had no boundaries or limits. However due to the constant affirmation and firmness of her PEPE teacher, Jesica began to learn how boundaries work. Her teacher would hug her and hold her close instead of the usual shouting that Jesica was used to (UK no-touching policies are not used here in Ecuador!) Throughout the year we saw changes in Jesica, and at the end of the year I could hardly believe she was the same child. She is now studying at the local primary school and is considered to be a 'good pupil'. The change in Jesica is all credit to her PEPE teacher's love and constant care.

Miguel

Not the most flattering photo of myself, but it is the only one I have of Miguel!! He has been attending PEPE for two months now. Like many timid children of this age, Miguel hardly speaks. In his PEPE there are twenty seven lively children many with very challenging behaviour. But his teacher has managed to find the time to encourage Miguel to build his confidence and he has just begun to talk. He had lost his toothbrush the day I was in his PEPE and his description to me of where he thought it was, was, according to his teacher, the most he had ever spoken in the PEPE!

For those of you who pray....

Thank God for the changed lives of these children recorded here in this blog entry, and for so many others, as a result of their time in their PEPE pre-school

Praise God for the PEPE teachers. They work day in day out, often facing challenging behavioural issues and trying to meet the needs of all the children in their classes. Pray for wisdom for the teachers, and encouragement in their work

For new churches considering adopting the project for the next academic year, that they would hear from God if it is right for them or not to be involved in this mission and socail project.