Trying to Break the Cycle

EDUCATION IS AN IMPORTANT PATH to get personal and family development and consequently of communities and countries. However teenagers living in very poor neighborhoods, like many here in Chimbote Perú, and want to continue studying after having finished high school have to face, together with their parents, the ever-present concern which is to get money to provide food for the entire family to be able to eat every single day. A majority of adults have no access job leaving families also with little access to medical care

On this context parents can't afford to send their teenagers to university nor technical school even though they would want to; others families will have to do great sacrifices beyond their expectations destabilizing them financially. But if people don't receive education, how could they ever break the cycle of poverty?

Considering this reality, the "Dollars for Scholars" and "Leaders for Tomorrow" programs of CHOI, are looking for 35 new young people, among all those in need that belong to poor neighborhoods surrounding "La Victoria", to offer them financial aid for each of them to be able to study a professional career until they will get their academic degrees.

That's why leaders of these educational program gathered young people and some family parents at the Corazón de Jesus parish located in "Ramal Playa" neighborhood to explain them on this posibility. They all have heard about requirements and conditions to be one of the recipients. So they will have to bring required documents for their correspondent evaluation until November 30, 2009.

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Peruvian Choir Visited the USA

FATHER JACK DAVIS is a catholic priest here in Chimbote whose parish called "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" ("Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro") is located among many poor neighborhoods. Born in 1942 in Devils Lake, North Dakota-USA, ordained as a priest in 1969 and since 1974 serves as a missionary priest in Chimbote (chim-boh-tay). He is concern for the poorest that's why he has dedicated his life efforts to serve them.

He has friends in the USA whom he writes letters sharing on extrem poverty in which most of families of neighborhoods surrounding his parish live (regardless of the many ones located beyond his parochial jurisdiction in Chimbote). He has also spent many hours traveling and speaking in the USA in order to share about need to assist the poorest parishioners.

In 1991 a group of enthusiastic young men and women from his parish formed JUPUSA in an united effort to create a parish choir. The goal was to "encourage the parish community to celebrate through songs dedicated exclusively to God". JUPUSA means in Spanish "Jóvenes Unidos Por Una Simple Amistad" (Young People United by a Single Friendship).

Fr. Jack has arranged for JUPUSA (about 20 young people) to accompany him to the United States (from April 19 to June 27, 2009 ) to show gratitude to the benefactors. They were visiting severals cities in the USA. Now they have returned Chimbote with good experiences to share.

Hunger Only For Food?

I wanted to share with you all this video which shows us the reality about hunger in many countries around the world. Perhaps some images are a little shocking but that is the truth and we can't deny it. As always children are the most vulnerable people in situations like this and whenever hunger is unbearable they feel satisfied by eating any kind of food no matter where it comes from,... even from the leftovers of others.

But there is another kind of hunger inside every human being and not only children. You can satisfy your hunger for food in many ways (children on the video do in an extreme way) but if you are not fed for love you still feel hungry very deep inside you, in your soul, even though you have eaten.

Perhaps not all of us have capacity to solve hunger for food wherever we go but the good news is that each of us has capacity to solve hunger for love of people wherever we go by giving affection to the others who are very hungry for being loved or just by listening to them with empathy. We can decide not to give only our love leftovers but to sow a good seed of love and this way becoming feeders for each other.

The Book of Proverbs says about: "He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet" I belive this Scripture is also applied for those who are emotionally hungry.

Running For Peace and Health

And the day came!!! June 20th at about 10:00 a.m. it was saw several people among young and adult gathered at public square of Chimbote to paticipate in the first INTEGRATON 2009 which consisted of a Charitable Marathon for Peace and Integration. Also members of public Security of Chimbote (SERENAZGO) were present to collaborate in that event together with police officers and an ambulance from a local hospital.

CHIMBOTE INTERACT CLUB (whose members are teenagers) set up this event which was sponsored by CHIMBOTE ROTARY CLUB and they all were checking and supervising the normal development of the activity. The notice was welcomed by residents since it was intended bring together people not necessarily athletes such as students, employees, workers, professionals, businessmen and housewives regardless of age, sex, belief or political symphaty so that through practicing a healthy sport we all are able to avoid a sedentary life and also helping out to deal with polio disease for in a close time we hope to eradicate this desease from the world thanks to collaboration of those willing.

So, college studients and workers, high school studients, young people, family parents among others were participating that day. Running started in Chimbote public square then following along the whole Pardo avenue (one of the two main avenues in Chimbote) to "Manuel Rivera Sánchez" centenary stadium. Runners were cheered by residents as they were running and the first ones who got the goal received nice t-shirts and participation certificates outside of stadium. That was a great initiative boys and girls from CHIMBOTE INTERACT CLUB!!! Let's keep working for well-being of people.

Medical Care

In Nuevo Chimbote distric (city located next to Chimbote city) which also belong to Del Santa province and to Ancash department; there is a poor neighborhood called El Satélite in which most of its residents are facing living conditions that are not easy for them. Medical care, together with food, studies, pollution etc, are important issues to think about and to take action specially by the Government of Peru, Regional Government or Local Mayoralty however they all do little, not enough or nothing at all in some cases to attend people's medical care need in this area.

In El Satélite neighborhood there is a Medical Center called "El Satélite" as well which offers the following medical specialties: General Medicine, Nursing, Gynecology and Obstetrics. The chief doctor of this center is Dr. Alan Palomino Cadillo who said that health professionals working there have no enough resources to work efficiently. For example they do not have enough medical instruments and consulting rooms. No store, stretchers, ramps for patients using wheelchair and there is only a bathroom which is shared by women, men and patients.

They are doing their best to attend patients but they think that they might do it better. As you can see, it is urgent for them to get what they need for the benefit of those people in need of medical care around El Satélite neighborhood. For that reason and knowing this hard situation, Chimbote Rotary Club headed by its president Mr. Julio Mariluz Regalado together with its members of the board of directors, associates and volunteers have been performing previously activities to raise funds to assist, one way or another, this medical center.

On this context Mr. Julio Morales Regalado in name of Chimbote Rotary Club has donated to El Satélite medical center the following medical instruments:

• 01 Scales (for weighing person)

• 01 Blood Glucose Monitoring System

• 01 Sphygmomanometer of Mercury (for measuring blood pressure)

Dr. Alan Palomino Cadillo was very grateful for all these donations as well as those working there. They must provide medical care for a population of 10078 residents in their area. Presently they are attending 50 patients per day in average. Previously Chimbote Rotary Club built a water tank in the medical center for them to be able to count on running water all the time.

Because the government is not fulfilling conveniently and efficiently its duties on this issue, the staff of the medical center are willing to receive donations and support from any charitable institution or people to keep bringing medical care for the residents of El Satélite neighborhood. If you are one of those who wants to support them, just do it !!!

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DAD, a Wonderful Word !

Today Sunday June 21 it is celebrated Father's Day all over Perú and I think that in other countries as well. It is very important every family has the presence of a father as the leader and protector of the whole family. I believe that the father's role is not only to provide money and material things but to provide the most important thing for his children,... LOVE.

It is so important the presence of the father at home that his absence is going to create an insecurity climate in the family and children will not have a model to follow. It is sad to know that a lot of fathers are not playing their roles very well and most of them left family. Even though many mothers try to do their best to compensate father's absence, by playing a father's rol, however fatherhood is a role that has to be played only for a FATHER.

When Jesus Christ was living on the earth he had an earthly father as well, that certainly shows us that God cares about paternity. We were created to live under cover of paternity. Some times I wonder why did God have to reveal Himself as a father? and an answer come into my mind: Perhaps God certainly knew that most of earthly fathers were going to fail in playing their roles as fathers that's why He revealed Himself as the heavenly father.

Although my father has died many years ago I would like to greet, through this post, in a very special way fathers from Chimbote and from all around the world. They all have a big responsability to accomplish and it is very just to take a time to recognize his important work. Despite of hard situation for many of them however they do not give up. May God bless all of the fathers and pour His fatherly love out into their hearts. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY !!!

Let's End Polio Now

Starting celebrations for Chimbote City' Jubilee, which is called "San Pedrito" Holiday, it will be performing the first INTEGRATON 2009 consisting of a Charity Marathon for PEACE and INTEGRATION (non-competitive) which will take place on Saturday, June 20th, 2009 at 9:00 am.

Participants will depart from public square of Chimbote to "Manuel Rivera Sánchez" centenary stadium going across José Pardo avenue. This event is organized by INTERACT CLUB CHIMBOTE a program of INTERNATIONAL ROTARY and here in this city of CHIMBOTE ROTARY CLUB. Rotarians Clubs organize and sponsor this service organization to young people from 14 to 18 years old. INTERACT works over 10900 clubs in 121 countries.

Members of INTERACT CLUB CHIMBOTE expect sensitize, raise awareness among citizens of Chimbote about the need to eradicate polio not only in our city but all around the world through their valuable collaboration for children living in extreme poverty. We hope residents of Chimbote respond to this admirable initiative.