StPaul

Truth lasts; lies are here today and gone tomorrow.  Proverbs 12:19  (MSG)

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The Jimenez-Cueva family and the Collaguazo-Peralta family will get new homes.  Ten St. Paul members join ten Illinois South Conference people to work together in mission and start these families on the road to decent housing and home ownership.

The Links

Slide shows and Reports
The July 2008 Ecuador Habitat Mission.

Read the Letters from the Mission Team

They are in portable document format (pdf)
and can be read with the free Acrobat Reader

July 16th Letter (first half with photos of site 1)
July 16th letter last half (photos of site 2)

Slide Shows
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The Jimenez-Cueva family
Alba (15), Gonzalo, Marcia, and Edison (13).
Gonzalo makes $426 a month as a chauffer for the water company.  Alba and Edison are students.		 image004.jpg
The Collaguazo-Peralta family
Karina (13), Maria del Cisne, and Santiago (11).
Maria is a single mom who takes in laundry for a livelihood and provides first aid for neighbors.

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The Jimenez –Cueva family at the entrance to their small apartment for which they pay $150 per month.		 image005.jpg
Maria’s daughter Natalia (17) also lives with the family (Three other children are grown and on their own.) in this house, which is owned by her aunt who presently works and lives in Spain.
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Marcia and Gonzalo standing in their recently purchased lot.  It is about 33’ by 50’ and located to the north of Santo Domingo de los Colorados in a subdivision known as the “Dream of Bolivar.”  Marcia writes, “We purchased the land by paying little by little over two years.  Now that we have the deed we can build our little house with the help of Habitat Santo Domingo.  What Gonzalo earns as a chauffer is hardly enough to give an education to our children, provide food, pay the rent and utilities, or provide health care for the family.  That doesn’t leave enough to have a decent home for our kids.”		 image006.jpg
Maria’s property is also located in the “Dream of Bolivar” subdivision and about 33’ by 50’.  She tells us, “The lot I managed to purchase with the help of my oldest son who works in Spain.  Now that the government is encouraging home ownership and with the help of Habitat for Humanity Santo Domingo, I am going to build a house that will give my children a safe and dignified place to live.” 

Both houses we will be building with be about 390 square feet and include two bedrooms, a combination living/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, laundry area, a concrete floor and a metal roof.  Our team will dig trenches, lay footings, construct vertical support post, and build walls.  In addition to a week’s work, we will provide $6,300 for construction materials.  Your help will be greatly appreciated.  We have to buy bricks, rebar, cement, sand and gravel, wood for rafters, door and window frames, plumbing and electrical fixtures.
Want to be a part of it?  Make your check out to St. Paul United Church of Christ, put it in the offering plate on Sunday morning or mail it to St. Paul UCC, 115 West “B” Street, Belleville, IL 62221.  When we return, we will tell you all about it on Sunday August 17 and in this space on August 18.

Peace,  Pastor Kuether