Last month was full of new, exciting activities and one big gift for the Talita Cumi children’s home. To begin with, I’d like to thank all of you who took part in the minibus campaign for Talita Cumi. We needed to raise $39,900, and thanks to your prayers and donations, we exceeded that goal! The children love their new vehicle. Thank you!

We celebrated Talita Cumi’s 21st anniversary and Father’s Day on the same night. The children hosted the entire evening by emceeing, dancing, sharing words of encouragement and thanks, reading Scripture, and a couple of girls played a duet on their recorders. The children made cards for all of the men at the home for Father’s Day.

A local church is offering a nine-week program based on material developed by Alpha, an international ministry that utilizes a film series and group-based discussions to help new believers and potential believers to learn about Jesus and/or grow in their faith. It asks questions like “Who is Jesus?” “What is Faith?” and “How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?” 

I’ve been taking the four oldest children at the home (Lider, Juan Pablo, Ana and Helen) to these sessions and they love them! It’s a thrill to see them embrace these questions and the discussions with such enthusiasm. Each one of them is at a different stage in their faith, so please keep them in your prayers.

It is a tradition in Bolivia for children to bring their fathers breakfast on Father’s Day, and while I wasn’t expecting anything, Nicol kindly thought of me. She and Raquel, her guardian, swung by my house to bring me breakfast.

Please continue to keep Nicol in your prayers. She has been progressing nicely in some areas of her life, but also struggling in others. Praise God she is healthy, making new friends at school and at her institute for her computer class, and she is participating in a new youth group at her church. On the other hand, learning how to effectively manage her own schedule with all of its new liberties and responsibilities has been quite the challenge for her. Furthermore, while Nicol is passing her classes at school (seeking to obtain the Bolivian equivalent of a GED), we would like to see her grades improve. Please keep these things in your prayers. Thank you again for your prayers and support. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)