WHAT WE'VE
ACHIEVED WITH YOUR HELP
Since
my wife and I started this project in 1999, we have accomplished,
we think, a great number of things to make life a little better
for the children of these two orphanages (albergues)
Here,
in no particular chronological order, are our accomplishments
to date.
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December
28th, 2007
Letter
from Gui giving us an update and accounting of expenditures:
HOLA BARRY:
I WENT TO THE BANK LAST SATURDAY AND I HAVE NOT GET
ALREADY THE MONEY YOU SENT 500 DLS. MAYBE TODAY WILL BE IN THE
BANK.
UNTIL NOW WE HAVE EXPENT (IN BOTH, GIRLS AND BOYS),THE FOLLOWING:
MEDICINES...............................
969.00 PESOS
BOILER AND INSTALATION(GIRLS) 2,615.00
BIG BLANKETS..........................
3,390.00
SWETERS CHILDREN................ 5,113.00
SWETERS NUNS.......................
1,575.00
TOYS AND GIFTS......................
3,150.00
TOTAL:
16,812.00
FIXING TWO BATHROOMS (SAN MARTIN DE PORRES):
MATERIALS (CEMENTO, AZULEJO, PINTURA ETC.).....6,169.00
ALBAÑIL (THE MAN WHO IS REPARING).................... 5,800.00
TOTAL.......................................................................
11,969.00
GRAND
TOTAL......................................................................$
28,781.00
YOU SENT........................................
31,000.00
WE STILL
HAVE....................................................................
2,219.00
IT IS IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU THE NEXT:
NEXT SATURDAY THE ALBAÑIL IS FINISHING THE BATHROOMS, AND WE HAVE
STILL $ 2,219.00 PESOS IF HE NEEDS MORE MATERIALS, SO I THINK THAT
IT WILL BE MORE THAN ENOUGH.
WITH THE 500.00 DLS YOU SENT, I WILL BUY SOME SHOES, BACAUSE MANY
PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ALREADY TO THE CHILDREN MANY TOYS AND GIFTS
IN DECEMBER.
LAST SATURDAY WE EXPENT TIME WITH THEM, AND SANTA CLAUS ARRIVED IN
CASA HOGAR DON BOSCO Y SAN MARTIN. THE CHILDREN WERE JUST SO
HAPPY, RECIVING TOYS AND GIFT. WE TOOK SOME PICTURES, THE NUNS
WILL SENT TO YOU SOON.
SO, WE WERE THINKING WITH MY MOTHER THAT THE BEST THINK TO DO WITH
THE MONEY WE STILL HAVE IS TO BUY SHOES FOR THEM.
I WILL BE TELLING YOU ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE EXPEND.
FELIZ NAVIDAD Y PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO A M I G O S
WITH TOO MUCH LOVE
GUI
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December
27th, 2007
Letter
from Raffa, letting us know how the Christmas money is being spent
and some photos of the finished kitchen and the work being done on
the showers and bathrooms and pictures of the new water heaters:
HELLO DEAR FAMILY
I SEND YOU THE PICTURES OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS. GUI IS DOING
EVERYTHING FOR THEM THANKS TO YOU. WITH THE MONEY TOU SENT WE BOUGHT
SOME SWETERS FOR EVERYONE AND ALSO FOR THE NUNS. THE BOYS ALREADY
HAVE THEM BUT THE GIRLS THE NUN WANTS TO GIVE THEM FOR BOXING DAY.
GUI ALSO BOUGHT SOME CANDIES AND TOYS, DOLLS FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS,
THEY WERE SO HAPPY THANKS FOR YOU EMILIANO PLAYED WITH THEM
EVERYTHING WAS SPECIAL AND FULL OF LOVE. WE ALSO GAVE TO THE NUNS
SWETERS. SOME DAYS BEFORE GUI WAS WORKING FOR THE REPAIR OF THE
BATHROOMS, THAY ALREADY HAVE HITTERS SO THEY CAN NOW TAKE THEIR
SHOWER WITH WARM WATTER. YOU CANS SEE IN THE PICTURES HOW IS THE
BATHROOMS GOING, WHEN THEY ARE READY I WILL SEND YOU THE
PICTURES...THE CEILIG ALSO WAS FIXED AND WE TOOK PICTURES OF
THE BEDS BECAUSE YOU ALSO SENT THAT MONEY.
GUI TOLD ME THAT HE WENT ON FRIDAY TO THE BANK FOR THE MONEY EXTRA
THAT YOU SENT BUT HE COULDNT TAKE IT, SO HE WILL TRY ON MONDAY
MORNING ANYWAY HE IS GOING TO MAIL YOU TOMORROW.
WHEN THE BATHROOMS ARE READY GUI IS GOING TO DO A LIST OF ALL THE
SPENDS AND SEND YOU SO YOU CAN KNOW HOW WAS ADMINISTRATED ALL THE
MONEY THAT TOU SEND WITH ALL YOUR WORK AND LOVE, WE KNOW IT.
 
November
28th, 2007
The
girls dormitory now has a new roof and ceiling. They have gotten rid
of the rats, bats and insects and have gotten some kittens to keep
the rats at bay. Here are the pictures and the E-mail from Sr. Lidia:
Dear Barry, by means of the present him shipment a warm
greeting and that Christ La Paz maintains them either so that
can continue doing or the possible one. I communicate to them
that or temino the work of the ceilings, thanks to good God
and I reach to give us a pintadita to the dormitories, luckyly
then or have hido the rats, because now we have kittens and to
drive away them. The children are in favor contented of the
one of their ceilings and no longer to have but rats. At the
moment the children estan well because they are 35 and they
will etarán aqui for Christmas, de´pués will aldrán of
vacations, with please the God and with the aid of generous
people we are leaving ahead, I thank for much to them by
everything and digales to the collaborators who the children
pray by them. Good immediately you receive a hug of each one
of the children and who young and religious God blesses much
with affection of house home gift bosco.
 
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May
27th, 2007
We
received some pictures of the improvements done to the girls
Albergue with the Easter donation. Here they are, before and
after:
 
The girls now have their new tables in the
dining room.
The building have now received a new paint
job.
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July
10th, 2006
We
received an E-mail from our friends in Comitan, letting us
know how the money was spent from the Easter donation;
The
Nuns at Casa Hogar Don Bosco were able to totally renovate the
girls' showers and bathrooms, complete the kitchen renovation,
and save $6000 pesos towards 'Rosys' cancer operation.
The
Nuns at San Martin De Porres were able to get all of the
windows in the chapel fitted with metal grids, to prevent the
boys from kicking soccer balls through them, they were able to
get the roofs repaired to stop the leaks, they were able to
buy a FAX machine for use in the variety store (provide a FAX
service, for a fee)to coincide with their photocopy business,
and to buy a supply of copy paper for the photocopier.
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March
14th, 2006
Well,
the kitchen renovations are completed at the girls Albergue,
Casa Hogar Don Bosco. Below are photos of the completed
kitchen. A VAST difference from the original facility that the
girls were forced to cook in.
Feb
7, 2006
Here
are some pictures of the kitchen area BEFORE and a set pf
pictures of the improvements in progress:
During:
Our
financial contributions have provided to each child, every
year since 1999, a Christmas dinner, a Christmas present (toy),
a new shirt, pants, dress, shoes, etc.
We
have provided funds for a young girl to have chemotherapy
for cancer of the esophagus, which, unfortunately, is terminal,
but has given the dear child an extra 5 years+ of life.
We
have provided the funds for a young boy to have chest surgery
and who has made a complete recovery.
We
have bought numerous pairs of glasses for those children who
needed eye care, and tried to provide funds for one young
girl who had eye damage from parental abuse. Unfortunately,
the eye was permanently damaged but she was very grateful
for her new quality eye-patch.
On
our most recent visit in October of 2005, we were introduced
to one young girl who had a terrible orthodontic problem.
She was so embarrassed by her appearance, that she would only
allow my wife to actually see her. We made sure that arrangements
were to be made for a dental surgeon to see and treat the
girl and provided cash to pay for the surgery. The surgery
has taken place and the problem has been corrected.
On
the brighter side of things, over the years, our donations
have bought a television, a VCR player, 16-18 new mattresses,
the construction of two new bathrooms, complete with showers.
New batteries and tires for the orphanages old vehicles. The
children now have a playground, complete with equipment, a
basketball court, a booth at the local market (mercado) used
to sell various crafts to make money. We have even provided
enough money for the boys' orphanage to build a store on the
property, from which they sell pop, chips, candy, variety
store type groceries, religious items and photo-copies. While
we were there in October, we saw the store and were told that
the photo-copier had broken down and was not repairable. (They
make a fair amount of sales from copies) We arranged for funds
to purchase a brand-new copier and they received it in early
December.
Playground we
financed
Our new mattresses
Basketball/Soccer
court
Basketball/Soccer court
Variety Store at Boys Albergue
Shelter/Booth at local
Mercado Store again at boys'
Nuns and children receiving the new mattresses
Our
money has been used to repair parts of the buildings which
were in disrepair, to give both orphanages a fresh coat of
paint, to enable the nuns to acquire second-hand computers
so that now the kids have access to the internet.
Here you can see the computers
On
our most recent visit, we were shown the kitchen of the girls
orphanage, which was very archaic, to say the least. The nuns
were unable to cook meals for the kids if it rained because
of the leaks in the roof and walls. Again, funds were provided
for a total renovation of the kitchen facilities, including
cupboards, plumbing, electrical, etc. The repairs are underway.
Barry
Puskas Jan.19/2006
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