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Registration as a charity both in UK and Paraguay enabled us to own our own property. Our first purchase was 1.3 hectares (3.2 acres) of fertile land on the outskirts of Quyquyhó, a small township some 180 Miles from the capital city, Asuncion. It came complete with house and outbuilding suitable for conversion to a purpose-built Comedor (Dining facility), a large grove of mature mango trees and plenty of space for expansion and to grow fruit, vegetables and keep a few animals to subsidise the food bills.

We also own a small piece of land at Nemby, on the outskirts of Asuncion. This was purchased with a view to building accommodation for students from El Puente attending university courses but has yet to be developed.

This was originally established at the home of our Director, a short distance from the OSA base in Quyquyhó. The Recaldes originally gave shelter to a number of young girls, many of whom had suffered poverty, abuse and deprivation. They opened their hearts and their home in order to provide a safe and loving environment and the results, years later, are remarkable. From its inception OSA pledged to support this important initiative.

El Puente sets out to provide the bridge that the girls need in order to become mature, confident and valuable members of society with a sound education and basic skills, supported by a secure and loving family. We have used our funds to maintain and improve the property and our childcare skills and are registered with the national government. They are working alongside us as we work to adapt to the recent initiative for children’s care in Paraguay.

Many girls are directed to us by the courts, through an organisation called CODENI. Demand is high and we try to help whenever we can but, for practical and financial reasons, we have to limit numbers.

The new regulations demand that children in registered homes are accommodated in small “family” units of eight with a house mother or house parents, supported by a professional team comprising social worker and psychologist plus medics. This is with a view to initial acclimatisation and eventual reintegration into a family, either the natural or extended biological family or a new foster or adoptive one. Research has shown that children in institutions fare less well than those in families and the movement towards deinstitutionalisation is now international.

As a Christian organisation we are committed to outreach in the local community and beyond, to demonstrate Christian principles in practical ways. To this end we may organise events locally or in outlying towns and villages. We usually celebrate with music, dancing, food and games.

The older girls at El Puente are keen to demonstrate their dancing skills in public and have developed a repertoire of traditional and modern dance which they perform in traditional dress and contemporary outfits. Another popular provision is a puppet show, often illustrating Bible stories, with the girls working the puppets.

In June of 2012, a group of friends from Calvary Chapel Mountain View travelled to Paraguay to visit the El Puente Girls Home.

The girls shared about how they got to El Puente, and our hearts broke. We heard stories of abuse, neglect, rejection, pain and hardship. However, their stories also included incredible examples of resilience, joy, perseverance, redemption and, above all, a boundless hope for their future. Our hearts have been bound to these girls ever since.

OUR ORIGINS

We contacted Operation South America, the British charity that established the home and supports it to this day. We soon discovered that we shared the same passion to care for vulnerable children in Paraguay. We became friends and partners with them, and decided to work alongside them and support the work they had started.

We continued to make yearly trips to Paraguay. Our support base grew, donations increased and more and more people became interested in El Puente Home. Initially, we were raising a modest amount by selling baked goods at our church and doing several garage sales in our neighbourhoods. In time, through people's generosity, that amount grew exponentially and it became obvious that we needed to establish formal procedures in order to wisely steward these gifts. We also felt it was time to affirm our commitment to the Home. Out of this desire, the organisation Friends of El Puente was born.

OUR MISSION

Our goal and prayer is that all the girls that come to El Puente Home successfully transition to an environment where they can continue to flourish and thrive. We do this by partnering with a qualified, committed team of professionals that oversee each girl’s transitional process.

OUR FAITH

We are a Christian charity. We love Jesus and desire for everyone to experience the joy of knowing Him, including the girls at El Puente. We believe that the best environment for a child to thrive in is a family. This is supported by scientific evidence and, most importantly, it mirrors what Scripture teaches about God being our Father who adopts us and includes us in His family.

At the same time, we have worked, and are currently working, with amazing friends of different faiths and worldviews. We seek to partner with anyone who cares about vulnerable children. This shared goal allows for a unified, concerted effort within a team that is diverse and inclusive.

We have undertaken a significant amount of building work on our land since the establishment of OSA in 2007. Our property now comprises a Main House (recently extended and redecorated), Caretaker’s house and Dental Surgery, Comedor (Kitchen and Dining facility), Children’s Playground (recently refurbished), Irrigated Garden with Pig Sties & Chicken Runs and Multi-Use Education Centre equipped with 2 classrooms, IT facilities plus vehicle bay.

The Comedor, which now has provision for both indoor and outdoor cooking, toilets for the children and washing-up facilities, was originally built to provide nutritious meals for local poor children. This was often the only meal of the day for many. However, over time, demand has fallen drastically and the main users now are the girls from El Puente.

In another area we have added a small building suitable to house a caretaker. One room is currently being used as a dental surgery, providing dental care for all our girls and some people from the local community.

We have added a multi-purpose building which enables us to offer educational support and teach skills needed to improve employability. This also includes a computer suite for teaching information technology.

The main house has gone through various modifications and we now have accommodation for our director and his family, an office, and we can comfortably cater for small groups of visiting volunteers.

Our latest project involves the construction of two new purpose built children’s homes designed to comply with the new Paraguayan regulations. Each self-contained unit will house 8 girls with houseparent(s), supported by a team of professionals. For the duration of their stay the girls will attend the local school.

Where possible we use local tradesmen and thus contribute to the local economy.

As you can imagine the food bills for the home are significant so we set about reducing costs by producing as much food as possible on-site. The soil is quite fertile and will support a variety of fruit and vegetables, although the extremes of temperature can cause problems, as can the deluge or complete absence of rain.

A significant part of our land is now devoted to growing crops. The high temperatures are ameliorated by the use of “media sombra”, a manufactured textile which is draped over more tender crops to provide shade. Previous periods of drought which resulted in spoiled crops have also been alleviated by the introduction of an irrigation system using water from an on-site well which is pumped to a raised water tank and then gravity-fed to the nearby plants.

Our purpose-built pig sties and chicken runs now help to supplement the Comedor menu, providing valuable meat and eggs.

In short we do the following:

• Run El Puente, a home for 20 girls aged 3-17, registered with the Paraguayan Ministry for Children.
• Provide accommodation, assessment and support for a secure future, based in a family environment, whether natural, foster or adoptive.
• Own a property with a purpose built Comedor (Canteen), Learning Centre and Playground.
• Grow fruit/vegetables and keep pigs and chickens to supplement food bills.
• Provide accommodation for volunteers.
• Offer learning support to ensure the girls from the home do well at school.
• Teach basic skills in English, IT and needlework.
• Outreach into local towns and villages.

Most of our efforts focus on the girls accepted into El Puente plus some support for the young people of Quyquyhó and the surrounding areas. Here, as in many Paraguayan settlements, wealth and poverty exist side by side and the more remote the location the more likely the latter.

Those directed to us, usually by the courts, frequently come from poor or abusive backgrounds. Trained professionals assess their needs and help them make plans for the future. .This may include working with their natural or extended family, or finding them a suitable foster or adoptive family.

At all times our main priorities are the well-being and futures of the girls in our care.

Initially our vision is to make a positive difference to the lives of the young people with whom we come into contact. We hope to:

• Provide a caring environment for our children whilst we work towards supporting them to find happiness and a secure future in their own or new families
• Impart skills which will help to make them more employable in the future
• Continue supporting the young people of Quyquyhó and the surrounding area

Our optimistic title reflects the hope that a successful model based in Paraguay may one day provide the basis for expansion into other parts of the country and beyond. For that to happen, we need to attract more people from the UK, USA, Paraguay and South America to get involved in making a difference, using whatever skills, time or money they have to offer. OSA provides an opportunity for the right people, regardless of age, gender or denomination. It grew from a desire to experience a new culture and meet a need, and became a labour of love.

I want you to come to my village and meet these children, see their needs, feel their pain, cry with them and laugh with them. These children need to know the love of Jesus in their lives. What better way than to see brothers and sisters in Christ showing love to one another.

Our values reflect our Christian principles but also a human response to need wherever it is encountered. Much of our work focuses on the welfare of the girls who live and are cared for in our project but extends out into the local community as a natural progression.

Shelter for the homeless: We offer a home for up to 20 girls aged 3-17 at El Puente (The Bridge). Here they are fed, clothed, respected and loved. In return they take on the typical chores expected of family members and attend the local school.

Alleviating suffering: Many have suffered hardship or abuse. The Home provides a safe haven. In addition we provide occasional support and medicines for members of the local community in particular need.

Education for employment: Our Volunteers bring many skills to the young people to broaden their education and experience. It is our aim to develop this area so that we can help to equip the local youth for employment in an area which has few opportunities.

Encouraging moral values: Our outreach programme takes our Toy Library and Puppet Show to surrounding towns and villages and the girls use traditional and modern dance to reach out to other youth.

Nurturing young people: Our young people are encouraged in their studies, both religious and secular. Support is given for the weaker students and the majority are blossoming as a result.

Operation South America is kindly backed by the following people & organisations:

Friends of El Puente

Aldridge Parish Church

Stony Stratford Community Church

Rupert & Sam Parsons

We can’t thank you enough for your on-going support.