A small boy holding the bag containing his new shoes from delivered by team with Buckner International
God had begun preparing the way for the Christmas Store through the Conde-Sandoval family as they served at a small church, El Buen Pastor, located in a poor zone in Chorrillos, a southeastern district of Lima. For years members of the family taught Sunday School and grew to love the children and the families who lived there. Lou Conde-Sandoval went on a mission trip as a translator in July, 2005, and was assigned to my mission team. Several months after the trip, Lou mentioned to me in an email that he and the other teachers who taught Sunday School at El Buen Pastor bought gifts for the children. He sent me a foto of one of the children standing by a table of gifts, and I immediately realized I had found the location for the Peruvian Christmas Store.
In December 2006 the first Christmas Store in Peru was held for approximately 150 children who attended Sunday School in El Buen Pastor. Four years later 234 children received gifts and most importantly hear the news of God’s love for them and their families. In addition to the partnership with VRBC, Buckner International has a team in Peru at the same time, and they come on a separate day to provide a new pair of shoes for the kids. Families receive a Bible and spend some time with a church member praying about their needs. With the information obtained, home visits are made to the families in an effort to work with them through the church at El Buen Pastor, but also through the community development work that Lou and I now do through the founding of Common Hope, a community center located near El Buen Pastor, where we provide services for the families in conjunction with Buckner International.
George Mason from Buckner International putting shoes on the feet of a child
Team member with Buckner International with a child from El Buen Pastor
Children from El Buen Pastor as they finish their craft activity
Lou Conde Sandoval organizing gifts in his parents’ kitchen before transporting to the Christmas Store
El Buen Pastor youth loading truck with gifts to be taken to the local community center where the Christmas Store is held
Bibles stacked at the dining room table in the home of Lou’s parents with his dog, Nieves, looking on
Judith, El Buen Pastor youth
Assembling toys on the day of the Christmas Store
El Buen Pastor members setting up gifts
Jessica Leon, Sunday School teacher at El Buen Pastor
Moms waiting for their lunch before beginning their shopping for toys
Marcelina Leon, member of El Buen pastor, visiting with mom
El Buen Pastor members awaiting arrival of parents
Renzo Rojas gathering information from a parent
El Buen Pastor youth verifying family information
Gift wrappers
Delivering gifts for shoppers
2009 El Buen Pastor volunteer team
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