The news from For His ChildrenA Christian ministry to children in Ecuador

March 2009

We moved into the new FHC-Latacunga home on Sunday, March 8th, and it’s wonderful! The kids have two big playrooms, a spacious dining room, the kitchen is big

with a pantry and a six-burner commercial stove and oven. The five bedrooms are big, each with a brightly tiled full bath. The hallways are wide and the floor plan is “logical” and comfortable. Our laundry room is large enough to accommodate our soon-to-arrive commercial washers and dryers. We have two offices and a conference room … we could go on and on! But first, enjoy some photos taken on moving day!

The first to walk through the doors were the big kids, wide-eyed and speechless!

Big bedrooms mean plenty of play space! Tía Elizabeth and her group check it out!

With a little improvising, the Tías lined the kitchen shelves with newspaper and voilá!

Lunchtime in the new dining room was an exciting experience. The children were so quiet you could have heard a pin drop!

Tías Paty, Lourdes and Melinda serve lunch to the moving crew.

Thanks to our supporters everywhere and our on-site team in Latacunga, it's MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

It’s such an amazing experience to view a drawing of a home on paper, adjust, erase and re-draw it, and then to see it progress to being built. It’s a dream come true! As you see in the photos, we still need to install the ceiling panels, doors need to be hung, and there are a zillion details to tend to, especially getting some landscaping soon as the grounds around the house are (volcanic) dirt (i.e. lots of dust!) But we’re so happy. The kids are really enjoying the new home. The day after we made the move, 3-year old Marco was overheard talking to one of his roommates, “Be good or Tía Melinda will take us back to the old house!” All the children visited the construction site various times so they would feel familiar with their new home, and the most exciting visit was one just days before moving.

On Sunday, thanks to a crew of 25, the move was done in a few hours. The entire FHC-Latacunga staff showed up “off the clock” with husbands, sons, brothers and daughters. Tía Ana’s husband drives a 15-ft. enclosed truck and moved everything in three trips. Cribs and furniture were labeled as to which room they were to go in at the new house. It was amazing how well the move went. Last to come from the old house to the new were the children, just in time for lunch and naps in their new rooms.

FHC served lunch to all the crew, and afterward we posed for a group photo and gathered in prayer to thank God for this new facility and all who made it possible. Each of YOU, our supporters, in prayer and in your financial giving have made this home a reality. How we would love to magically transport to Latacunga every one of you who contributed to the purchase of the property and the building of the home, so you could walk through it with us and marvel. So as they say in Latin America, “Nuestra casa es su casa. - Our home is your home! Come visit!

And another miracle – FHC’s level of financial support received in the month of February was a little above normal. We shake our heads in amazement at this news, knowing that the global crisis has affected everyone, everywhere. Thank you, thank you, to you, our supporters and partners in this ministry, for how you continue to support and encourage this ministry.

New arrivals: The children’s hospital in Quito requested the admittance of Aissato, (pronounced “Aisha”), born January 9, 2009, explaining that her mother is indigent and struggling with substance abuse. Aissato’s mother (Djalo) voluntarily brought her baby to FHC (at left) when the hospital social worker told her she needed to enroll in a detox-rehabilitation program. Aissato’s mother is a native of Guinea Binau, Africa, and is illegally residing in Ecuador. She has visited her daughter at FHC only once, and has not checked into a rehab program. Despite FHC’s social worker’s best efforts, Djalo has “disappeared”. Please keep mother and her daughter in your prayers.

Moisés was born February 12, 2009 in Quito, and brought to the children’s hospital after he was found by students near the Central University. Paramedics took the baby to the hospital, where he was kept for observation for a few days, and then brought to FHC when he was just eight days old. He is healthy and well. At right Tía Marcia Mera takes Moises’ prints shortly after his arrival at FHC.

Mateo Ricardo (at left) was born on or about December 15, 2008, in Quito, and was admitted to FHC on January 21, 2009, when he was five weeks old. Mateo was found at the door of a Community Center in a Quito neighborhood, and then taken to the children’s hospital. Mateo is healthy, and has adapted well to his new home at FHC.

Members of The Village Church in Wellesley, MA, made their annual visit to FHC in February, with team leader Paula Speers. (State-side coordinator is Viola Morse.) Clark and Melinda kept them busy painting the big rooms at the new Latacunga home as well as lending a hand with childcare at FHC-Quito. Paula and team members painted large murals on canvases to be hung in the bedrooms at FHC-Latacunga and they are great! Thank you to all the team members (at right) for blessing FHC with all the goodies you brought as well as your diligent painting in the new home!

Professors/Team leaders Annie Charrette and Lorna Hayward brought a motivated and energetic group of fifth year physical therapy students from Northeastern University in Boston in late February (at left). This team focused on assessing the physical therapy and developmental needs of the children at FHC-Quito, and worked along side FHC’s physical therapist, Silvia, and language therapist, Lily. They were a busy, creative and caring group. Thank you to all who made up the Northeastern 2009 team, and please know that we appreciate the ideas and suggestions you bring to FHC.

FHC welcomed Cristina González, our new social worker, in early February. Cristina comes to FHC after six years as social worker at St. Vincent of Paul children’s home in Quito. Cristina “hit the ground running”, as we say, and has meshed with FHC’s staff, Tías and our organization’s mission and vision. She’s bringing our children’s cases up to date and is a fresh addition to our staff. Please keep Cristina in your prayers that she would have God’s heart and His wisdom as she guides our children’s cases.

In January, FHC welcomed Cara Beale, (at left) from western North Carolina, and a graduate of Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Cara first traveled to Ecuador in the summer of 2005 as a junior in college where she volunteered at a children’s home in the city of Ambato. This experience made her want to return to Ecuador to serve again with a children’s ministry. Cara has made a generous commitment as a one-year intern at FHC. She’s become an expert with the infants in the Vaughn Home. Welcome, Cara!

“Visiting volunteers with a vision” – that’s how we’d describe Modesta and William Harper of Crestview, Florida and their recent three week stay at FHC. The Harpers have always felt God tugging at their hearts to serve overseas in a ministry. It so happened that the Vaughn’s son, Phillip, and his wife, Daniela, and the Harper’s daughter, Kathy and her husband, Andy, are good friends (both guys are USAF pilots) – and that’s how the connection was made. We thank Modesta and William for blessing this ministry and for their friendship and encouragement. (The Harpers are in the Wellesley photo, top of page, at far right – William in black cap and Modesta in pink shirt.)

FHC was invited to participate in The Memory Project, a U.S. non-profit organization that pairs up children’s programs and schools in developing countries with U.S. high school art classes. Photos of the children are sent to the high school students who draw or paint a portrait based on the photograph. The results are very good and are a precious keepsake for our children. Many children who come from institutional settings don’t have a single photograph of themselves of their childhood (not so with FHC’s children, whose photographic files number in the thousands!). For many children in parts of the world, as well as for FHC’s children, these portraits are a very special memento. Thank you to The Memory Project and its founders/directors, Ben and Aba Schumaker. (At left, Fabián

shows off his portraits.)

In late January, 2-year old Javier (FHC-Latacunga) met his forever family,�Tom Leeders and Sara Leisdovich. The couple is working in Ecuador with a Belgian community development program and has lived in Ecuador for several years. They are thrilled with their new son, and Javier melted in their arms – there was genuine “magic” between them. Congratulations to this new family.

In February, a group of children made an outing to the new Quito Children’s Science Museum, which was a lot of fun! Below left, Tía María with Fabián, Jairo, Juan José, Marina, Marianela, and front row: Daniela Nicole, Andrea, María Antonia and Yahaira. Middle photo: Marina, María Antonia, and Juan José have great fun at the farming exhibit. In the background are Marianela and Fabián (green and white shirt). And at far right, Marina plays “farmer” as she feeds the animals at the museum.

It has been an amazing last couple of months, as we have seen and felt God’s guidance and direction at FHC. He continues to bring us just enough challenges to make life interesting and to promote our growth and maturity, yet He has not lifted His hand of protection and grace from His ministry. Thank you for being a vital part of what FHC is doing in Ecuador.

Clark and Melinda Vaughn, Directors Verónica Rodríguez, Administrator

For His Children - Clark and Melinda Vaughn, Directors Tax-deductible donations may be sent to:Casilla 17-08-8545, Quito Ecuador For His Children Telephone/Fax: 593 2 247 0832, 280 8424 9455 Elk Ridge South, Divide, CO 80814 USA Email: info@forhischildren-ecuador.org Telephone: 719 686 0132 Website: www.forhischildren-ecuador.org (English and Spanish) Brent Bourdeau, FHC Ministry AssistantThank you to the Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Red Bluff, CA for printing and mailing this newsletter for ten years! Please advise FHC of address changes. If you are able to receive this newsletter via e-mail, it will reduce the cost of printing and mailing. Let us know! Thank you.