MISSION SANTA MARIA

For
the past 20 years a group of women (similar to Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s
sisters) have been caring for orphans and children from abusive family
situations. The women are the immediate care-givers for over 100 children. This
group of women call themselves “Santa Maria de Esperanza” in honor of Christ’s
mother, particularly in honor of the hope she brought to the world. These women
provide the same hope to these children through: daily meals, clothing, medical
attention, enrollment at the mission school, psychological attention and most
importantly a safe and loving environment.
We help this group
by purchasing items they need (washing machines and dryers, furniture),
scholarships, clothing and at times, food.

This
is a new program starting in the fall of 2012. The government of Ecuador has
made progress in educational reform the last few years. One of the changes has
been that the cost of attending a university is almost free. Students are not
charged tuition so they only need to pay for room and board, food and the cost
of using the internet. Unfortunately for many of the students graduating from
the mission school the cost of these items are prohibitively expensive.
Therefore most graduates of the mission high school get low paying jobs instead
of attending college.

Our scholarship
program will help graduates with the highest grades and who are most in need of
financial assistance. For roughly $250 a month, we will send students to
college. Once their degree is earned, students will enter the ranks of the
“professional” class and be able to get steady jobs with a salary, not
day-labor jobs as most of their parents. This means that through these
scholarships these young people will be able to break the continuation of
poverty that has affected their families for generations