A Year in Peru!
02 May 2012 Leave a Comment
We’ve been here for almost one year already! Our “anniversary” will be on May 8th, our first day living in Peru. We’re not sure yet how we’ll celebrate it, but it’s a real milestone for us. It seems to have flown by rather quickly.
The completion of a year also means a renewed rental agreement. Our landlord told us he would be raising the rent 25%, but we were told that it’s still a good deal for our apartment. But… when he gave us the lease agreement, the cost hadn’t changed. We did the honest thing, and brought him the lease he had already signed, and asked about the mistake. He told us that he had changed his mind, and our rent would remain the same! Praise God for that!
…especially since things are getting pretty 
tight, financially. This time last year, we had money in the bank and support coming in monthly. At this point, the only thing sustaining us is our monthly support. But we couldn’t see the needs of the girls and not help them when we had the money in our account. They all received much needed clothes, shoes, dental work, and general health care. We also had to setup house, and then there are the constant repairs at TF, as well.
We had asked our supporters to commit for one year. That year is now up. If you are able to continue supporting us in this work, that would be wonderful. We are very thankful for the way that you have helped us and these girls. If you haven’t given in the past and would like to begin, this would be a perfect time to start. You can easily start your support by following the Donate button at the top right of the blog, where you can give through PayPal.
Some BIG changes with the TF girls include those who have dedicated or rededicated their lives to Christ as their Savior, recently. Praise God for what He’s been doing in the lives of Gianela, Victoria, Carmen, Ester, and Vilma!
There have also been girls who have left to live with family, to live on their own, or have been placed in other homes. Included in these changes are: Carmen Rosa, Carmen, Tatiana, Annie, Leonor, Rosa Janet, Marisol, Luz Marina, and Monica. We are learning to deal with these changes and have come to realize that our time with each girl could be shorter than we think, so we need to be impacting their lives for Christ at all times.
Some staff changes that have taken place over the last year include two new dorm mothers. Hermana Elena, who was the dorm mother for the oldest group of girls, is now managing the Snack Shop due to her bad back. Hermana Doris is her replacement. Hermana Ana has moved to Chile and her replacement, for the youngest group of girls, is Hermana Sol. The rest of the staff has remained the same.
Another big change for us will be when 
Katie moves back to the States in the Spring of 2013 to pursue her studies in Criminal Forensics. Before she takes this big step, we’re hoping to afford an online course for her to finish her senior year of high school with a diploma for a smoother transition into college.
We are down to having only one bunny but hope to have a new puppy soon. Pastor Dario has given the girls a challenge: If all the girls get good grades for the 3rd trimester, we get a puppy! The girls are excited to meet this challenge. We’ll keep you posted!
One Big Family
01 May 2012 1 Comment
Having our son Josh and his girlfriend Jennie here to visit has helped me see how much the girls at Torre Fuerte accept us as family. There was an instant attachment as they played American football, Ninja, Go Fish, and even did homework together. Some of the girls asked why Daniel & Stephanie didn’t come with baby Michelle. They are anxious to meet them as well.
Having the girls meet our older kids bonds us all together as a bigger family. The girls admire the family we have. It is healthy for them to see what a “normal” family is like. Seeing that Josh & Jennie care for them helped to confirm that our family truly loves them. When it was time to leave, there were many hugs!
Connecting the dots….
30 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
It’s amazing to see how God networks people together to do His work. Since we’ve been here, we have seen God weaving people into the ministry of meeting the needs of the girls at Torre Fuerte. Just to mention a few:
The dentist & orthodontist we’ve been working with are giving discounted prices in order to help minister to the girls. After a dentist visit the other day, I was on the bus with three of the girls when I had a “God encounter”. Two of the girls were seated in front of me with a man standing next to their seat (when all the seats are full, people continue to cram onto the bus and stand in the aisles). The man’s backpack was right in Luz’s face and I was afraid it would bump her since everyone shifts back and forth as we travel over the rutted roads. I asked him to please be careful that his bag wouldn’t hit her face. He looked at me and said, “Thank you” and I smiled back at him.
He then struck up a friendly conversation with many questions as to why I was in Arequipa. Long story, short, he personally knows Pastor Dario from being in the church many years ago when he was a boy. He said that he hasn’t been to church in a long time. I told him, “You need to get back into church. Maybe that’s why God had us meet on the bus today”. He agreed and said he would be there on Sunday. He didn’t show up but I was encouraged that God used me (of all people) to draw this guy back to Him. I’m still hoping he will come.
Another amazing connection is Freddy. Freddy is the interpreter that Compassion International had arranged to help Jake meet with one of his sponsored children while he was here in Arequipa back in October 2011. Scott and Freddy have met several times and he wanted to help the girls in some way. He is an English professor at one of the universities here. He asked if he and some other professors could come to TF and meet with the girls. They have now been coming to TF on a WEEKLY basis to tutor the girls, visit with them, and give them hope for entering the university when they graduate from high school. Last week the girls filled out a questionnaire to help them discover where their interests lie and what possible careers would fit them.
Most recently, Scott bought some things at the Christian bookstore he frequents and the owner asked about the ministry at TF and gave Scott discounted prices and free tracts for the girls. The owner also asked if he could have his prayer group pray for TF, and then suggested the possibility of them visiting sometime. Scott walked away encouraged. He caught a taxi to return to TF. The taxi driver asked him why he was in Arequipa. For the next 20 minutes they talked about TF. Scott told him how we had moved here to help at a home for girls. He was intrigued at our willingness to move the whole family here to help these girls. He wanted to know all about the ministry, what we do there, the needs, the ages of the girls, etc. etc. etc. He later mentioned that he owns a clothing store and only drives taxi three days a week. Imagine that, God put them together with such tiny odds.
Today, I was online with a friend who was getting more and more excited as she thought of ways to get people involved with TF. We will both be jotting down our thoughts and then brainstorming some more together.
Many Happy Returns
12 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
Marisol returned to Torre Fuerte from Lima so that she can be with her sister Diana, 13, who had returned a couple of months earlier.
Marisol is 19 and wants to work to earn enough money to live on her own.
In the meantime, she is working to finish her last two years of high school. This will be a great help to her later job search.
Olinda, age 21, returned as a single mom seeking help and support to raise her daughter, Naladi. Olinda asked our former dorm mother Elena, and her husband David, to be godparents for her daughter. This is a picture from the dedication service. Olinda is not living at TF, but we are helping her with free child care so she can attend classes.
Shane & Steve, from Washington state, returned to TF again to visit with the girls. Shane and his wife, Kim, are “padrinos”, or Godparents, to Carmen Rosa and her daughter, Katia.
While the guys were with us, they bought and installed two brand new stainless steel water pumps, along with 
the gauges and various switches needed to modernize our water system.
Steve was asked by one of the girls if he would be her padrino, so maybe we’ll see Steve back again in the fall for the big quinceañero?
A big thanks to Steve and Shane, and hopes that you can return again soon!
We continue to return to the dentist office with more bad teeth to be repaired, making for happier smiles. In the first picture, Karen is in the chair, the center of attention. In the next, it’s Karen’s turn to watch…….but………. she’d rather sit with Katie 
God’s faithfulness “returns” EVERY day. He never leaves us or abandons us! Thanks for keeping up with our Peruzings.
Many blessings to you, Pastor Scott, Leslie, Micah, Katie, & Luke Hargrove
Fun in the Sun
07 Feb 2012 4 Comments
Why a vacation when there are basic needs to be met?
Three answers:
1) The money that was used for the vacation was given by an individual who wanted to do something special for the girls as a Christmas gift.
2) Children need fun times in their lives to help them become well-rounded individuals, especially children from shattered backgrounds.
3) This was a low budget vacation, traveling in the TF bus, staying in housing provided by a member of the Ilo Church, and eating at a home arranged by the same Church.
Torre Fuerte is not only a home for girls, but a family. These fun times together help bond the family together and make wonderful memories for them to look back on, someday. We are blessed to have been part of this memory with them.
There was time on the beach for swimming (and sunburn), seeing the town, a boat tour, searching tidal pools, souvenir shopping, and just lots of time to play.
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Thank you James and the Ilo Church for these wonderful memories!
Something “New”…
18 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
A new year of volleyball and softball! Luz Marina, Victoria, Diana, Ruth, Delia, and Gabriela are in volleyball. They are also playing softball along with Milagros, Mayra, Karen Luisa, Xiomara, Elena, and Mayra Estefani. We walk with the girls to the field/court on alternating days and watch as they hone their skills. It’s a lot of walking, but we are glad to follow their sports, as we did with our own kids. On the way home, we pick up the girls taking summer classes. 
We have a “new” ping pong table that Scott and Micah refurbished with money 
that was received at Christmas time. The girls are enjoying it, as are we Scott used the extra material for shelves in his office and now Micah is building shelves in Pastor Dario’s office from the rest.
The other part of the money received at Christmas time is being used for a week-long trip to a new place vacation spot at the end of January. Our family will be going along to help as chaperones for the girls. It will be a treat for us to be on the beach again. Photos will be coming!
We have an opportunity to buy a “new” Landcruiser! 
It costs $6,000 as is, but after some repair, it will be a little more. We would LOVE to have one again. It’s a 1972 and ours was a 1969 but they are very similar. The only problem is, the lack of funds… We used all of our money from selling the cars and furniture to make the move (and buy 30 new sets of clothing that were desperately needed for the girls). The Landcruiser isn’t available until the end of February at the earliest, so we’ll see if God supplies the money??? Maybe He’ll show us a better deal on a different one?? We would appreciate your prayers about this.
A Step of Faith
17 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
We had a visit last weekend from Pastor Isaac and his wife, Dora. While Pastor Dario Quintana is the lead pastor of both the Torre Fuerte church and girls home, Pastor Isaac has been the main preaching pastor at the church for the past six years.
They have recently announced to the church that they will be leaving this at the end of the month, and moving to the city of Cusco.
They visited us this morning to talk about their call, their positions in Cusco, and the uncertainties that await them. They thought maybe we could relate to their circumstances.
They have been praying for almost a year, feeling that God was telling them that they were finishing their time at the Torre Fuerte church. They have been uncertain where God was sending them next, but began to feel a tug toward the ancient city of Cusco, close to the famous ruins of Machu Picchu.
They have a pastor friend in Cusco, whom they contacted, to discover that his church in Cusco has been praying for a pastoral couple to come along and help them. From what I can understand, the church where they will be serving has had some problems, and their heart is to help restore and rebuild that church.
Of course, a move to a church that is struggling is a move into financial uncertainty. Pastor Isaac is moving his family, not knowing for certain where they will live, or how they will earn enough money to live. But… they feel certain that Cusco is where God wants them, and that God will provide.
So, maybe you who are reading this could be one of the channels God uses to help provide for this family? If you would like to help them in their work in Cusco, please contact us.
Help Our Girls
31 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
Well … November is here again. That means two especially challenging months in a row for Torre Fuerte. Gov’t. mandated costs cause our expenses to rise by nearly 50% in November, and nearly 100% in December.
Please consider helping us by donating at the link to the right (or below, if you’re seeing this in an email), and by spreading the word about the work of Torre Fuerte to your friends. Thanks!!
Donate
Love in Action
26 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
In this post I want to share a couple of pictures with you; pictures that tell the story of the kind of people we are working with here at the Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte in Arequipa.
This first picture was taken in the town of Pedregal, where I visited with my friend Jake Beaty from Chelan, along with a translator named Freddy, and Pastor Dario from Torre Fuerte.
Our purpose in Pedregal was to visit a young boy named Abel that Jake sponsors through Compassion International.
It was great to be a part of the first encounter between Abel and Jake. We saw the Compassion Intl. project, Abel’s school, and his house. What made the day all the more special was what happened in the background along the way.
In the picture you can see Freddy on the left, then Abel and Jake, with Pastor Dario between them in the background. Just behind Jake you can also see Abel’s father.
At the house, Pastor Dario let us know that he had some news. As we had walked from place to place, he had been talking with Abel’s dad … who was now ready to accept Jesus! We prayed together and celebrated the answer to that family’s prayers. What a great day this was for Abel.
This next picture tells another story about the people of Torre Fuerte.
While our team from Chelan was here, in the middle of a work day, I was called away from the work to carry some heavy bags of beans and rice.
The odd thing was that I was asked to put the bags outside, by the street, rather than carrying them to the kitchen, as usual.
As I put the bags down, and went back inside, I found the reason for the strange request. There is young man with Down’s syndrome who hangs around out front each morning. His elderly mother had recently injured her arm, and had it in a sling. Her husband has died, and now she had no way to support herself and her son.
Inside, a couple of the ladies from TF were gathered around her, sharing the Gospel and praying with her. They were taking some of the food that is so needed at TF, and passing it on to someone whose need was even more desperate. And they were seizing the opportunity both to tell and to show someone the love of Jesus.
God has called us to work alongside these people, and we count it a privilege.
With a Little Help From My Friends
12 Oct 2011 1 Comment
What a great Church family we have in Chelan! After only five months in Peru, we have a nine person work team here to help the home. Jake, the leader of the group, is accompanied by Lisa, Bonnie, Cheryl, Brittany, Mark, Dustin, Jessica, and Zack.
On their second day here, the team was treated to the cultural lesson of attending a Peruvian wedding and reception. It was a great time, and another event at which Leslie and I were called on to be “padrinos”. Micah and Katie were involved in the ceremony, as well.
On Sunday, we took everyone up to the restaurant on the roof, overlooking the Plaza de Armas, the historic center square of the city. The view is always fantastic, but the sunset that night made it all the more special. For another cultural stretch, several of the team ordered the alpaca steak, while a few really brave souls ordered the cuy … deep fried guinea pig, a delicacy here in Peru.
We’ve had three days of work now, and the team is proving to be very productive and hard-working. It may in fact be a little bit of a challenge to keep them busy the whole time they’re here, because they’re knocking out the projects faster than we had expected. Yeah, we’re pretty happy about that.
These friends have not only brought along a willingness to work, but also a great attitude that’s a pleasure to work with. We’re having a great time together!
