Alex is...

Alex is the oldest son of a single mother living two blocks from the church. He is eight years old and his little brother is two. After his mother was abandoned pregnant with Alex's little brother Alex also began to struggle more with school. It doesn't help that she is illiterate, a single mother, and can't find a steady job. Alex has to repeat this year in school again.

Our hope and prayer is that we can find a sponsor for Alex and his little brother. If anyone would like to support Alex and his family by fully or partially adopting them please send your donation to the address above with an attached note saying "Ridenour Project - Tacna, Peru (Alex)".

Let us know if you need any more information. The cost per child per month is $14. Per child per year is $140. If you would like to sponsor the family it is double the donation, $28 a month and $280 for the year.

Ruben is...

Ruben is 8 years old and lives with his sister and recently single mom. He is very loving and grown on the hearts of many of the tio's here. His mom spoke with me a couple weeks ago about the possibility of lowering the costs of Nuestras Semillas to make it possible for both her children to attend. She loves the idea of the program helping her and her children out, but now she is alone and even though the $14 a month per child is very cheap, it is also very difficult without a regular income.

If anyone would like to support Ruben's family or any other family by fully or partially adopting them for a month(s) or year please send your donation to the address above with an attached not saying "Ridenour Project - Tacna, Peru (Ruben)".

Let us know if you would want anymore information. The cost per child per month is $14. per child per year is $140. If you would like to sponsor the family it is double the donation, $28 a month and $280 for the year.

Nuestras Semillas

Our children's program is almost here! For those of you who don't know much about it, we will be opening up a children's learning program joined with the feeding program to help families in the neighborhood. Children will come for lunch and stay all afternoon doing their homework, learning different crafts and trades, playing sports, etc until 7pm while their parents can be at work all day and not worry about their children. Then when they get home they can spend quality time with their children and not just help them with their homework and then everyone goes to bed.

So many families have told us how much they want and need this in order to work and not have to take care of their children all day. We are praying that many will come to know Christ through the program and that their children can flourish with the hours a day of investment in their lives.

Please pray with us for Tacna. Thank you all who have helped make this possible.

Time to give!!!

Its that time of year again when we want all your money...but it's for a great cause, God's!!!

The reality in Tacna is that "free" public education is a joke. The education is low quality; the teachers are not very interested in their students; at the end of the day if the students don't pass many can pay their corrupt teachers for passing grades. It is a sad cycle of corruption which seems impossible to defeat, impossible to overcome. At the beginning of each school year the teachers send out a list of approximately $50 in school supplies that each student must purchase in order to begin classes. For many families that only make $150, $200 or $300 a month, having a few kids studying can take up a month or two of salary.

Last year we were blessed to receive donations from six people which allowed us to give out 30 scholarships of $50 each. To see photos click here.

Our hope and prayer is that we will reach over 50 this year so please pass the word along. If anyone would like to give please send all tax-deductible donations to:

Iberoamerican Ministries

PO Box 1493

Monroe, Wa 98272

**Write in the note of the check "Brian Ridenour - Tacna Scholarships"**

We love you all and hope you are enjoying God's goodness. Without your support and prayers all we do wouldn't be possible.

Micro-business Success

I am happy to share with you all what God has done through the micro-business.

We were able to pay out over $2300 in salaries, electricity bill, and internet costs.

Also, God provided the School Supply Store with over $4300 in profits which will allow us to give out over 40 school supply scholarships.

So the church has been able to provide jobs, lower the costs of running the church, and help over 40 families give their children an education to help give them an opportunity to get out of poverty with a donation of $7000 by one family. We have been given two smaller donations and we are looking to expand the micro-businesses this year so we can bless more and God's love can be known.

The final product!

A look from afar.

New Years Eve a little different this year.

We started building the house for the temple guards in Ciudad Nueva. It has been on hold for over five years since we haven't received much financial support for construction, but God provided enough to build the walls and the roof. Thank you Hope Christian and the Rische family for their long time support.