Mission Center – Chile – Peru

Areas of Greatest Need

• Fundamor – Fundación Moreau, Santiago

  This ministry provides residential homes for 8-10 children per home in a working-class sector of Santiago. The children, all between the ages of 3 to 12 yrs, are all victims of abuse (physical or sexual) and/or abandonment by parents. They are usually placed with Fundamor by the Dept. of Social Services or by a Judge in Family Court and can stay, with full support, until they turn 18. There is a professional staff that supplements their academic and personal needs for these children to gain the skills and knowledge to be self-sufficient and balanced young men and women in society. If brothers and sisters are placed there, every attempt is made to keep families together in the same house. The goal is to give them realistic, family-style living, with household responsibilities and a caring and nurturing environment, along with the professional accompaniment each one receives according to her/his needs.

  Monies raised will go to the education fund, music program, and a sports program for the children. They will be equipped with what they need for academic success, the arts (music), and sports. Holy Cross tries to provide the best opportunities for these kids to develop their interests and talents through organized extra-curricular activities while meeting their academic and personal needs with professional staff. For the high school children, some of the funds are used to help pay for expenses they might have to participate in class events at school, so they will fit in with the rest of their classmates. Any donation helps and is used well.

  This is one of the most traditional and long-standing ministries of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Latin America, and it is extremely worthwhile to sponsor the needs of one or two of these children. Holy Cross and the staff try to ensure they have opportunities to learn their interests and talents in all aspects of life.

• La Fuente Project of San Roque,Santiago

  San Roque Parish in Santiago serves a low-income working-class neighborhood of Santiago. La Fuente, a parish ministry, serves homebound elderly living in extremely poor and isolated conditions. This ministry has a large team of parishioners, who prepare and deliver food to the elderly and spend time visiting with them. They also regularly bring them out of their homes to share in community with others from the program.

  • Colegio Fe y Alegria 25, Canto Grande, Lima

    This school in Canto Grande, Peru, serves the children and young people of the large urban Holy Cross parish. It is one of the primary Congregation of Holy Cross ministries in Peru. The school has a vocational-technical program for students to learn skills so they are prepared to join the workforce upon completion of their studies. There is a full bakery kitchen in the school where upper-level students learn baking skills; then, through a co-op, they sell their bread, rolls, pizza, etc. Many in this bakery program are disabled but very capable of participating. It is a most worthy project helping young people find a way to be able to support themselves throughout their lives.

    Supporting this project provides funds used for student scholarships. Without them, many would not be able to participate in the program.

  This is the second priority project for Chile. Any size donation will be used to cover the cost of food, especially as this project continues to grow.

• Yancana Huasy, Canto Grande, Lima

  This mission provides services for children / young people with disabilities in a highly impoverished area near Lima, Peru, called Canto Grande. The Congregation of Holy Cross has served in this area since 1975 in its commitment to the urban poor. This is the hallmark project of the District of Peru. This program is dedicated to children born into extreme poverty with significant physical or mental disabilities. The staff also works with the mothers or caregivers to teach them ways to care for their children. This allows the parents to realize that their child is a gift for them and their family, even with the challenges that the child brings.

  The child, perhaps born into poverty and with systemic disadvantages, has opportunities through Yancana Huasy to develop mentally, physically, and spiritually and achieve his/her maximum potential. Besides physical care, vocational classes and projects are established so the older children and young adults can learn trades and crafts or find ways to continue learning and developing. Through all of this, a great sense of community is gained.

  Funds raised for this project will allow the special activities for the children to continue. It will assist in the goals of Yancana Huasy to bring their staff and services to the furthest regions of this sector of the parish of 300,000 people to be able to reach out to all of those who might have babies or children with such needs. It will also help bring the children to the Center of Yancana Huasy for their treatments and therapy.