Last month, Andean Aid, along with staff and teachers at our private Christian school, the Juan Christiansen Academy, were faced with a difficult decision. They were to vote on a government proposal that would allow parents to pay lower tuition fees as long as the government could take over the school. As seen in this photo, the parents voted overwhelmingly to maintain the current tuition level so that the school can continue to operate independently.

Farming instruction continues at Juan Christiansen School, where the soil is very rich. Students till the dirt, plant organic crops, maintain the beds, then take the bounty home to their families and communities. Another way Andean Aid is helping build the child, the church and the community!

Ana Carrillo, who serves on the board of the Civil Association for Andean Aid, also works with the Mision Alianza Evangélica to deliver bags of food to those in need. Ana and the organization decided to allocate 60 bags of food to our Help & Hope Centers at La Palmita, Florida 2000, Villa Bahareque, and to the Juan Christiansen school.

My, how we have grown. Today we operate 11 Help and Hope Centers serving over 1,000 children. We offer skills training to the community at large. Our Christian school enrolls over 200 children in grades pre-K through 8th grade. In response to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, we serve hundreds of meals to the hungry each month.

You may wonder how a girl so lovely can be the victim of bullying, but it’s true. Daniela Solano, who is in 7th grade and attends our Help & Hope Center in Buenos Aires, Cucuta, participated in the spelling bee a few weeks ago, coming in 3rd place. Her outstanding finish sparked something in some of her classmates, who began bullying her at school. It got to the point where Daniela was exhausted from the stress.

Recently, Andean Aid teachers visited three children who attend our Florida 2000 Center in Rubio.Jose Enmanuel Contreras, 5, and his sister Yullie, 10, are excited because their mother is expecting a baby soon. We were joined by their grandparents and great-grandparents. It’s a kind and noble family. Enmanuel is intelligent and loving; Yullie, likes to draw. She told us the best birthday gift she’s ever had was hearing the news that she will have a little brother or sister.We also visited Juda,