Current Needs

Before	After

April 2005

Dear Friends,

In January several directors of Amigos de Honduras joined members of John Knox Presbyterian Church
and traveled to Honduras to celebrate their 20th Anniversary in partnership with the community of Flor del Campo.

And there was so much to celebrate! Houses built. Roads paved. Micro-businesses started. Cherished
personal friendships deepened.

Mostly, we celebrated the youth of the community – the hope and future of Honduras. During a special graduation ceremony, we applauded seven scholarship students who graduated from secondary school; and we encouraged those who are following in their footsteps. Thanks to support from generous friends such as you, 158 students are currently benefiting from the
Scholarship Program.

THE NEXT STEP:

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Twenty years ago, the goal was simply to get the kids into school. Who could have predicted there would be so many ready and willing for further studies at the university level. So far, several Flor del Campo youth have graduated from the university and are working in the community as counselors, lawyers, and teachers.

As you can see, the long-term benefits of educating Honduran youth are huge as they strive to break the cycle of poverty that has bound their families for generations. Our concern is that potential leaders will fall through the cracks for lack of tuition, which averages about $1,200 per year, depending on the institution.
Won’t you consider helping a Honduran youth “take it to a newer, higher level?”

HELP BUILD A COMMUNITY LIBRARY,REFERENCE RESOURCE AND QUIET RETREAT

While visiting families in Flor del Campo, it became startlingly clear that many students don’t have a quiet place in which to study. The hustle-bustle of family life in a two-room house wreaks havoc on
concentration.

The solution: a community library and study hall constructed as a second story to the existing community center. Once completed, a generous foundation waits in the wings to equip the library with tables, chairs, reference books, computers, a large-screen TV with DVD/VHS, and more.

The Amigos de Honduras Board of Directors and friends have already pledged $5,000 of the needed $60,000. May we count on you to help fund this valuable community resource?

Bendiciones (blessings) for a joyous spring.

Joe Peritore
President

OTHER WORTHY PROJECTS YOU CAN HELP WITH:

• School houses for kids in the country. Many rural children receive instruction in
  lean-to shelters made of plastic and used feed bags. A gift of $4,500 builds a sturdy,
  cement-block facility.
• Loans for micro-businesses. As little as $100 can set up a small business for
  struggling single mothers.
• Concrete floors for healthier homes. Local health workers tell us that a washable
  concrete floor reduces infant mortality by 40% - $200 well spent!

October 2004

Dear Friends,

Did you know that 2004 marks the 20th year of service to the poor in Honduras by our friends at Proyecto Aldea Global (PAG)?

In a recent letter to us, PAG’s Executive Director Chet Thomas states, “We are amazed at the journey on which God has led us. It is truly incredible to see how God’s hand works in all things, and, despite sometimes unbelievable difficulties, we are stronger in His work here today than ever before.”

For those of you who have faithfully supported PAG from the beginning you know the great things God has done:

A unique microbusiness program is providing hope and a source of income for over 450 families headed by single mothers.

More and more subsistance rural farmers are emerging as pro. table commercial farmers.

The community health system is now self-suf. cient and providing excellent basic health services to over 300 communities.

A scholarship program in one of the capital’s worst slums is growing at incredible rates. (Thanks to your generous gifts, last spring’s matching gift scholarship fundraising drive by Amigos de Honduras generated over $28,000 in tuition funds for students who wouldn’t otherwise have a prayer of attending school.)

And thanks to volunteer groups from around the world, PAG has recently been able to
build 25 new schools in the Department of Comayagua. (To learn more about these projects and the many others PAG administers in Honduras, visit www.paghonduras.org).

The Needs Are Still Great

Great economic and social strides have been made in Honduras over the past 20 years.
Yet, there is still so much more we can do as PAG seeks to expand existing programs.
Here are some of the more critical needs:

Schoolhouses for kids in the country. Many rural children receive instruction in leanto shelters made of scraps of plastic and used feed bags. A gift of $4,500 builds a sturdy, cement-block schoolhouse where the children can learn and community members can gather for special events and meetings. Desks and chairs and easels, oh my! Friends of PAG in Pennsylvania and North Carolina have collected a container load of good used school furniture, but funds are needed to ship the containers to Honduras. $2,000 will ship an entire container; $350 will furnish one complete classroom.

Drip irrigation systems for farmers in Belen Gualcho. These systems will give farmers the capacity to produce vegetables year-round, providing them with a steady annual income for their families. A small system of drip irrigation covering a ½ acre plot can be provided for $300, and can help a farmer double his yearly income.

The Next 20 Years
As PAG ramps up for the next 20 years of service to the poor in Honduras, your support and prayers are going to mean more to them than ever before. Won’t you consider designating a monthly, quarterly or a special 20th Anniversary Gift? Whatever or however you give, you can be assured that your gift will go far in creating a better life for the poor in Honduras.

With a thankful heart for all God has provided,

Joe Peritore
President Amigos de Honduras