God has provided tremendously for CUDA, and I’m so, so thankful. The Bobbie Solley Foundation, the Tulsa Christian Foundation, the Bell Trust are all contributing financially in an incredible way. Add that to the contributions that individual families make, some stretching to give $25/month, some stretching to give $500/month—and we’ve been able to continue on, and even grow! I, as CUDA Board treasurer, can breathe, at peace with God’s providence, and continue to work toward the future of our work in sustainable development toward justice, wellbeing, and joy in the city. If you have $25 or $50/month to spare and want to be a part of this sort of work in the name of Jesus, would you commit to supporting CUDA for a year? If you can’t do that, but you shop at Kroger or Amazon, would you consider linking your account to our non-profit? All the details for supporting us in any way are right here.
Living Libraries is in good hands, with Lucia, Nancy, and Alfredo training teachers virtually, week in week out, even as those teachers are facing another year of virtual school. We are working with two first-year schools and two second-year schools. Last week we even got to teach kids! It was virtual, but so special. For our work to be sustainable, we focus on teacher development, so that those teachers can invest each day in the kids. But one of the ways we model our strategies is by teaching kids! It was awesome for Lucia and Nancy to get to read again with the kids.
Some of you know about the resurrection of our micro-loans program. It has been amazing! The pandemic opened our eyes to a very vulnerable, underserved population here in Arequipa. There are women who have been abused, discriminated against, trafficked, and for a number of reasons they don’t have a way out. They don’t have access to capital. They don’t have any sort of support system. Their families have abandoned them. While we’re still getting up and running, we’ve had the opportunity of extending a small, no interest loan and starting a relationship with ten women. Paty has been *amazing* with this. For some of these women, Paty has been the first person to believe in them, to take interest in their small business, to dream with them about future possibilities, to share faith and support with no strings attached. And God is working through her in the lives of these women toward a deeper sense of wellbeing, toward joy, because of the justice of God.
Please please please pray for Paty, her health, her heart, and her ability to connect with these women on a personal, emotional ,and academic level, to make sustained improvements in their business management, bless their sense of worth, and cultivate a deep spirituality.
