Latter-Day Saint Charities and Life in Peru during the World Cup of Soccer

24 June 2018

We are now approaching the completion of this humanitarian mission - we will be home in less than 4 weeks. We are now focused on closing projects that have been completed, including:

• Donations of school equipment to impoverished jungle schools in Nauta.
• Closing the course projects for Saving Mothers and Babies last year in Cajamarca and Huacho.
• Family food production projects in various cities.
• Donations of tools for the blind (canes and punch-card readers) now being disseminated throughout Peru.

After closing these projects, there will still be about 40 on-going projects that our successors will have to keep them busy.

Latter-Day Saint Charities

The legal name of the non-governmental organization (NGO) that we work for is Latter-Day Saint Charities. We work as volunteers, paying our own expenses on this mission. The church pays for our plane tickets and lodging when they send us around the country. Aside from that, we pay everything else.

LDS Charities sponsors relief and development projects in 189 countries and gives assistance without regard to race, religious affiliation, or nationality.

Funds come from donations of both members and friends of the LDS Church. None of the funding comes from government grants or large corporate donations. One hundred percent of donations go towards projects dedicated to humanitarian aid efforts, and all overhead costs are paid fully by the Church.

We, like other volunteers in over 100 countries around the world, count this service opportunity as one of the most significant events of our lives. Serving this mission had been one of our goals for many years. And even though it has been a sacrifice, we count ourselves truly blessed for this chance we have had to serve.

Life in Peru - World Cup of Soccer

When we are not working, we are immersed in life here in Peru. Lately we have been caught up in the soccer craze. For the first time in 36 years, Peru made it to the World Cup of Soccer (currently taking place in Russia).

Soccer-mania has taken the country by a storm, and everywhere we go, we see the national colors and people (and animals) dressed in Peruvian outfits.

Groups of crazed Peruvians in the streets - this is a common scene throughout the country.

Giant Peruvian team shirt on the San Ignacio de Loyola University near our apartment.

Presidential Palace in Lima, all dressed up this past weekend.

Work came to a screeching halt in our Area Office this week when Peru played France. Everyone in the office was given time off to watch the game in the auditorium (and they even gave us refreshments).

We joined in the festivities in our Area Office watching the game between Peru and France. Wearing our own Peruvian team shirts makes us feel half-Peruvian!

On game day, almost everyone in our office wears their Peruvian soccer shirts.

Unfortunately, Peru has lost their first two games in the World Cup, so we only get to play one more game this week. But national spirit still runs high around the country just for making it into the World Cup.

Every billboard around the country seems to have Peruvian team connections . . .

. . . including ads for American companies like Kentucky Fried Chicken.

But our favorite get-ups are when people get their pets into the soccer craze.

This little doggie may not be a soccer fan, but that doesn't seem to diminish his excitement.

And so we march on with our humanitarian work and hope to finish several more projects in the time we have left before going home. 

Our days may be numbered, but we are still focused on going out with a final burst of energy!