July 2006
Hello!
Dear Friends.Some of you know the history of our children’s home and others do not, so I would briefly like to tell you how it started.
Back in 1995, the state asked us to take over a couple of their homes that were very badly run. We tried it for a time and realized that they did not want to give us the control that we needed to do the job that we felt needed to be done. That contract was terminated. Missionary Howard Nutt and my self, Ana Colque, felt that God was speaking to us about opening our own home independent of the state.
Since there were a lot of kids just living on the street, I started working with them. At first we tried leaving them on the street and just helping them with clothing and schooling. I did not work because even though we bathed them and put on clean clothes to go to school, the next day after sleeping on the street, they were dirty and their school supplies stolen. We had some unfinished rooms at the seminary at the time so we started putting them up there on provisional bedding etc. In 1998, Susie Fike from Oakland, MD. started backing the effort with supporters for the children.
In 2000, were able to get land to build the home from the City of Sucre. Here again Carl and Susie promoted the construction and the home in Maryland and the surrounding areas and states. They did a great job of promoting and bring teams of people to build and support the home.
The home has six four bedroom homes that house a dozen children each. Besides there is a long two story building that is mainly bedrooms and baths to house the bigger children. There is an office building and on its second floor a director’s house. Of course there is a nice kitchen, dining room, bakery and libraries, computer labs and shops.
The home at the present is housing 80 children and the personal to maintain them. In all we are a big family of 100 people.
Since most of the children have never lived in a regular home it is important that they learn about that part of life. Each home has a couple living with them and they are their parents. The children learn to cook, clean, wash their own clothes by hand and iron them. We want them to learn orderliness, cleanliness and those habits that will help them be successful in life. This last year we had a couple of Norwegian graduate students doing practical training come to Shalom. They come for a couple of months and study with the kids and help with their education and the administration. The last two girls we had were Ana and Marte. They speak English and teach the kids English and help them with their studies.
This year we decided to run blood tests on the kids to find out if they have any serious diseases. We discovered that 15 of the kids have a disease that affects the heart and it is called Chagas. It is spread by a bug called Vinchuca. It is about the size of a small roach but has a needle like nose that can draw out blood while one sleeps. If it last drew blood from someone with the disease it becomes diseases and passes the disease to anyone that it bites. The disease is not really curable but if it is caught soon enough, it can be halted and the person’s life can be extended. What it does is attack the heart muscles and when it goes into affect, the muscles become soft and the heart just start stretching and becomes a soft bag. Well we are glad to have discovered in time those infected and they have started treatment. Only one of the boys is in the advanced stages of Chagas and may be untreatable. Please pray with us for his healing as he is a great boy. His name is Daniel Jesus and he is 18 years old.
On the anniversary of Sucre, four of the children from Shalom were selected as the four best students in their school and were invited to participate in a parade with the best students from other schools. These students are an encouragement to us.
This year a number of the children were able to attend a school with a better rating. We hope that in the future, we can send even more and maybe all. The school is more expensive is the mail reason we haven’t sent more. It cost $20 per child per month. Maybe some of the sponsors o anyone would like to help with this project.
Answer to Prayer.
We thank God for healing Ruben, the sixteen year old boy who had a wall fell on top of him, causing damage to his back. After several weeks in bed and unable to walk, his condition has changed and he now walks around the home and is back in school.
Please pray for Alejandro and Hernán, two young men below from Shalom who are studying in our university to be missionaries. Pray that God will direct them regarding their future and keep them motivated and enthused about their studies.
Continue to pray for the health and safety of the children, parents, and staff at Shalom. Also we depend on God to continue providing financial support for both the children, and the administration of the home.
Thank You!
We would like to say thank you for your prayers and financial support. Some are very thoughtful to send packages for the children and we return as many letters as possible. We are short of English translators. Since there are 80 children it is hard to keep up with correspondence. Remember that these are God’s children and you are given to Him for his family. I have no doubt that He will bless you.
Very truly yours,Ana Colque
Director of the home
acolque@hotmail.comHogar Shalom Es Mi Casa
Casilla 502Sucre,
Bolivia
Takk for at dere kom og hjalp oss pa Shalom i to maneder. Alle barna og alle de ansatte her pa Shalom satte veldig stor pris pa dere. 
I slutten av desember hadde vi besok fra USA. Det satte vi stor pris pa.
