Here We Go!

     Well welcome to my blog! This is the first post of many, I promise. But just to start off the blog I'll fill you all in on why I am actually here and what I am doing! I came down to Bolivia for four months with my mom and very close family friends to work for a program called Foundation Arco Iris. It was started by a German priest, Padre Jose, who came to Bolivia because he knew about the 30,000 street children in Bolivia and decided to come with a heart to serve and help these children. He created the Foundation Arco Iris in 1994 in hopes to give these children their basic necessities. Padre Jose gives these children a roof, food, shelter, and most importantly the love they have never seen. FAI now has a well-known hospital that gives free care for children 18 and under and provides affordable care for those above that age. In addition to the hospital, FAI has eight social projects; Home of Girls at Obrajes, Hope House, Student and Worker House, Refuge House, Betana Center, Pass Through House, "Mutual la Primera" House, and Productive Units. 

     Recently, FAI has collaborated with Hope Worldwide, an international charity that works all around the world to provide help to the helpless and give hope to the hopeless. Hope is now working with FAI to bring in income for the foundation to help continue the social programs and also provide more volunteers. This is why our group is able to come! My family has worked a lot with Hope for many years going on different mission trips through Hope Worldwide. When FAI collaborated with Hope, we were given a chance to come to Bolivia to help FAI! 

     The group that has come down is being led by Dr. Kevin Broyles and his wife Noelle along with their daughter Brie, who happens to be my best friend. The Broyles are from Triangle North Carolina and Kevin and Noelle moved here indefinitely while Brie will be here for at least one year. Along with the Broyles, my mom and I came from Atlanta, Georgia and are staying until the end of this year. Four singles have also come down to help the project. Gwen Ellis and Matt Walker from North Carolina and Ivelisse Cardona and Ashley Perry from Atlanta have all given their hearts and came down to serve these children. Gwen will be in Bolivia for two years, Ivelisse and Ashley two months, and Matt will be here one year. 

     Our team is incredible and we are so excited to begin our work! I started this blog a few days into our adventure so the next few posts with be recaps of the past few days in Bolivia and also a prior trip; Brie and I had the opportunity to go to Argentina a few days before Bolivia. But I hope this post gave a little background information on what we are doing and I will make sure to post all the exciting adventures of La Paz! Also Brie also will be blogging while she is here. Make sure to check out her blog! www.briebroyles.blogspot.com

HopeWorldwide Team