The Luz Fund: MISSION COMPLETE

Friday, November 19, 2010

MISSION COMPLETE

By now everyone is back home from our incredible adventure in Peru. A safe trip was had by all with only a few illnesses during two weeks in the jungle.

There is a link to my photos, which I have combined with 76 from the January scout mission, the rest of the 210 are from October. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed being there to take them. See the link at the right for October 2010 Medical Mission.

The mission was a great success, in spite of the changes of schedule for the two weeks we were there. The workload increased dramatically over what we expected. The members of the team took the the extra workload in stride and performed extraordinarily well. Instead of the three villages originally planned, we visited eight rural river villages and also worked two full days at Juanjui Institute where we saw 350 patients in two days. We saw a total of over 850 patients during the two weeks. Many just wanted to talk about their daily back and leg pains and other minor ailments.

Many others had significant health problems and were referred to specialists or hospitals or treated on the spot. Many will never followup because of the difficulty of transportation and the expense. However, a few could possibly be seen by surgeons travelling to Peru in January or with our medical team next Spring.

We found many problems that The Luz Fund will seek to address in future visits. One is water quality and the presence of parasites in the population. First Aid, CPR and other education forums were held in each village we visited. Participation of the villagers gave us hope that the information will be retained.

There are many people and organizations to thank for our success. Of particular note is the Catholic Medical Mission Board in New York City, and Brother's Brother Foundation in Pittsburg, PA. Although hard pressed because of so many crises around the world this year, both combined with over $70,000.00 in meds and supplies, carried in by our team members, to restock many shelves in the clinics with anti-biotics and other needed meds. For this we are truly thankful to both organizations.

Enjoy the photos. Signup for the next mission, hopefully in the Spring, is already underway. See the mission page at: http://juanjuiproject.blogspot.com for the positions we need.

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Our Friends

American Airlines has been a benefactor of The Luz Fund since shortly after our organization became a registered charity. When we fly to Peru there is never any question which airline will take us there. For the past few years they have also supported Luz and Veronica with travel assistance during their annual visits to Shriners Hospital in Tampa. We are grateful to them.

Childrens Flight of Hope WWW.childrensflightofhope.org
Is a non-profit charity located in Morrisville, NC. They have been extremely kind and compassionate to our needs for the past two years. Please visit their website.

PNC Bank in Brandon, Florida, enables The Luz Fund to keep track of our very limited banking services, at a very minimum expense. We thank all at PNC for their friendliness and advice.

Sandrita

(The following is from a friend, Dimas Jack Soria Monsin, from Peru. We need to help)

SANDRA CRIES FOR A MIRACLE. SHE HAS NO FEET AND WALKS WITH BLOODY KNEES - SHE LIVES IN THE RAIN FOREST OF TINGO MARIA

Girl with disability asks for help and wants to know the sea

A 7 year old girl with disability asks for help. Her name is Sandra and lives with her father who is called Ernesto. According to his statement, his daughter was abandoned by her mother and since she was a few months old he takes care of her with much love in spite of his very poor economic situation trying to face the situation and makes known his situation so that the authorities or some institution hear him. His drama started when the girl was born in a rural place called Pueblo Nuevo (new town) in Tingo Maria. Her mother abandoned her, and he cannot explain why, and he has assumed the responsibility of her care and the girl wants to study and have a doll. She spent Christmas the same as thousands of children at the farm amidst the whistle of the birds and in total darkness of the night with no special cakes nor a gift as they are living in extreme poverty conditions.

Her father says that they would be so happy if some institution learns about their problem and can help her since she is an intelligent girl that dreams of travelling some day to know the sea and have a bed and a Barbie doll. The girl has to “walk” without feet through mud and canes for more than half an hour to study, Her father helps her to reach the school but some times he is delayed by his work and she knows she has to go back by herself and one time she came to my home with her legs full of blood because of the protruding stones and sticks that are part of the farms.

Ernesto tells about a day they had to cross the Huallaga River when it was very high and he was very scared when he slipped into the river with the girl they went under and he says that they were saved because of the strength of the girl which was hanging from his neck and gave him courage to fight against the current. All this is why he wants to obtain a decent work to be able to be near his daughter and not leave her alone all day long.

The girl needs a wheel chair or some prosthesis to be able to have a normal live if some State institution or some company wants to communicate to give her any type of help.

Dimas Jack Soria Monsin

HOGAR SAN FRANCISCO DE ASIS

In the small town of Chaclacayo, Peru, there is a small house where 50+ children live. The children are from various locations in and around the metropolis of Lima. All the children suffer from some health issue that places a burden on their families. Healthcare in Peru is very expensive, if available at all, and only the wealthy can afford. Many children and babies are abandoned and will eventually live on the streets or will live abused lives in service to others.

The lucky ones are found by a mild mannered and humble gentleman from the USA, Dr Tony Lazzara. A third level Franciscan, from Tampa, Florida, and formerly head of the Neo-Nate Department of Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Over thirty years ago, Dr Tony, a Pediatrician, visited Lima, Peru, at the invitation of a Franciscan Friar for, what was supposed to be a short two week visit. He never returned.

He sold his possessions in Tampa and Atlanta and purchased the small house in Chaclacayo which became known as Hogar San Francisco de Asis. Tony relocated to Peru, with no knowledge of Spanish language skills and started to donate his time and talents to help some of the most vulnerable of God’s children, the sick and destitute from the streets and barrios of Lima and its environs.

There are children suffering from Cystic Fibrosis, Leukemia, Muscular Dystrophy, Tuberculosis, many with various birth deformaties and amputations. The children have no other place to turn. Some of them have families, but the families can not afford to care for their special needs, such as they receive from Dr Tony and his small volunteer staff at Hogar San Francisco de Asis. You would expect that the home would be a place of sadness and depression, but the exact opposite is true. The children are happy to live in such a large family with so many brothers and sisters, babies and teens. And they all have one thing in common, they know that someone cares, that someone loves them.

There is a daily regular routine at the home. 5:30 AM starts the day with wake-ups and preparations for school. Babies to feed, breakfasts to prepare and consume prior to leaving for school. All the children attend regular classes at local schools, unless they are scheduled for a visit to a clinic or hospital for treatment. Most of the children maintain above average grades.
After school hours are filled with assigned household chores and homework assignments and preparation for the evening meals. The children and staff attend weekly Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Chaclacayo.

Their life is full of love and affection from each other and from the staff and volunteers at the home.

Hogar San Francisco de Asis can continue caring for these children only through the donations of time and talent of people like you, who care enough to help.
Please see the attached flyer for information about how you can, personally, put your faith to work at Hogar San Francisco de Asis.