I will be heading to Venezuela and Colombia soon. The itinerary includes three days of hanging (quite literally in a hammock) with five hundred people from more than twenty Indigenous Tribes of Venezuela, a grand opening of our new school and a meeting with the board of directors of our new NGO in Colombia. I will be also meeting new friends in a new city in Colombia to see if Andean Aid can be a help to children and churches in small communities there. Over thirty communities are currently waiting for a Help and Hope Center so I will be encouraging them to remain patient as we find the contributors necessary to make their Centers a reality. Perhaps you would like to be part of this exciting opportunity.
Sep 262011
Jul 272011
A new website is on the way! A generous supporter is providing Andean Aid with a much needed website makeover. What great timing since we have added a communications specialist to our staff. Our goal is a site that tells our story in a compelling and interesting way. And… the new site will available in both English and Spanish! Stayed tuned for news on this exciting project.
May 232011
Charles is a little boy with a big heart. He is seven and loves missions ministry. This didn’t happen by accident. He caught it from his parents who are supporters of Andean Aid. Charles loves our work in Venezuela and Colombia. He sat patiently and listened when I gave an update of our activities. This weekend Charles held a sale and sold many of his toys. He didn’t rush out to buy more toys. He donated the proceeds of $115.00 to Andean Aid. Thank you Charles! Hopefully you will be an inspiration to many others. We need an army of kids (and adults) just like you to accomplish our work.
Apr 042011
I’m in Kansas City attending the Head Start Association National Convention. My hope is that I can make some valuable contacts to expand our network. I also plan to make progress on my book.
Apr 042011
Yes. One thousand poor children and thirty community churches await a Help and Hope Center. Andean Aid must dramatically increase our network of support. Please tell friends, family and acquaintences about this vital ministry to Venezuela and Colombia. Wayne Cramer is ready to tell our incredible story to any church, group, organizatin or individual.
Feb 142011
Last Thursday Andean Aid President Wayne Cramer, Una Sonrisa Para Todos Director Gaby Andrade and Professor Aliro Gregorio Ruiz Castillo paid a visit to the Chancellor of UPEL University in Rubio. We outlined the success of our Reading and Writing Program which utilizes student teachers from the university. These students have an array of projects they can select to meet the community service requirement for their degree. The Chancellor stated that reading and writing are the building blocks for a child’s success in school – a stance that we surely agree with. He also said that our program was the very best project a student teacher could select and he would like us to expand the project to more poor communities. Professor Aliro expressed concern that teaching reading and writing was viewed as too basic and unglamorous for many students. The Chancellor then asked if Andean Aid could provide photographs, video and ideas to present the importance of the project. We left friends and like minded.
After our time with the Chancellor we visited Janett in the information office where we were interviewed for an upcoming article in the university magazine coming out next month. This magazine will be distributed to all nine UPEL University sites throughout Venezuela. So, the journey continues. Step by step God is laying the foundation of Andean Aid’s ministry in Venezuela and Colombia.
Villa Bahareque with its’ homes of mud, dirt and sticks and pressing poverty is a world apart from the spotlessly clean studio of a modern radio station. But Carmen Alicia Rojas has bridged these two worlds with grace and style. Carmen Alicia came to Help and Hope Center as an energetic seven year old. Her family sells garlic cloves in the market and this was to be her destiny had she not made a fateful decision to seek help with her school work at the Center. The staff not only helped her with school but also gave her the opportunity to develop her communication gift. Today she is a confident young woman who is an accomplished radio talent. Soon Carmen Alicia will begin university majoring in social communication. You may not understand Spanish but Carmen Alicia’s talent and personality come through in the following video. Enjoy!
Feb 062011
In this photo Wayne Cramer is being handed the official document to operate a private Christian school in the state of Tachira, Venezuela. Then name of the school is Collegio Privado Juan Christiansen (The John Christian School) which will be operated in Rubio, Venezuela. This document also gives us the exclusive right to use the name John Christiansen who was an early missionary to this area and who is highly esteemed here. It has been requested of us for some time to operate a school where parents could pay for the same educational services we provide for the poor. Proceeds from the school will help defray the cost of our other programs to those in need and allow us to expand our reach with new help and Hope Centers. This is a big step for us. The quick processing of this document reflects our good reputation in Tachira.
Feb 052011
Yes! I finally made it to Rubio, Venezuela on Monday, January 31st. The staff of Una Sonrisa Para Todos and I have been on the go ever since. Our first chore was to orient the new crop of college students for the Reading and Writing Program. This program is a combined effort of Andean Aid and the UPEL university in Rubio. Students take on the project to teach young children in poor communities these important building blocks to success in school. The projects are a necessary part to complete their college degree. There are many projects to choose from but the head of the university stated at their orientation that this is the best project and they were embarking on a historic occasion to be part of it. The students will present the program in the communities of Villa Bahareque, Santa Rita, La Victoria and Palmita. I am thrilled that the university holds our program in such high regard. In the photo below Gaby Andrade and Professor Aliro review the documentation required for the project.
The photo gallery below shows the student orientation, the students at their project location and photos to give you a feel for the locations where they will serve.
Stay tuned for the next post “A New School”.
Feb 032011
Seven days into the trip and this is my first update. Sorry. Medellin had no convenient way to communicate and I have been very busy. Busy is good.
I arrived in Medellin in a terrific thunderstorm on Wednesday, January 26th and met Venezuelan colleagues Rubén Garcia and Ana Carrillo. The time there was very informative and productive. We were able to present the Help and Hope Center concept to a local church and they are currently considering hosting a Center there. A visit to a Compassion project, far in the mountainside, gave us a better understanding of that ministry and how we might team with them in the future. We were concerned that a visit to a second Compassion project would make us late for a critical meeting.
Our host suggested that we might like to look at another ministry in the heart of the city called Open Arms (Brazos Abiertos). This ministry has three separate ministries in separate locations; teen pregnancy, homeless street boys and homeless abused girls. We visited the teen pregnancy center and all of us were absolutely floored by this ministry. These people represent Christ to these kids around the clock. It’s led by a energetic Brazilian named Christina. We got to visit the girls and see all the aspects of the center.
We were invited to worship with them at their combined service on Sunday and were richly blessed. The worship team was comprised of young men who were brought into the ministry as homeless young boys. Absolutely stirring! I told one young girl who is having her baby in February that she must have the baby on my birthday which is February 19th. I plan to meet a friend in Medellin on my return trip to visit this girl and see the baby.
I arrived in Rubio, Venezuela on Monday via Bucaramanga and Cúcuta Colombia. The flight was very nice and it was great to return to Rubio. Many terrific things have happened so far – but that’s for my next post. Until then - Chao!
