Andean Aid Advocate

Ana Cleotilde Rangel de Carrillo was born in Merida, Venezuela. She completed her primary and bachelor studies at 18 years old and entered the Ministry of Education as a classroom teacher.  The light of evangelism reached her home when she was four years old and grew under the the teaching of the evangelical church “Belen” where she served as teacher of children, president of youth ministries and superintendent of the church school.  She studied courses in the Universidad Pedagogica Experimental Liberatador where she graduated as Educationist and went to the Universidad de Pamplona – Colombia where she obtained the specialty for teaching language and literature.

Later, she joined her husband Rodolfo Carrillo attending three years in the Seminario Bautista de Preparacion Ministerial a Distencia and graduated in Christian Education.  Ana and Rodolfo pastor the Christian church La Familia de Dios in Rubio in Tachira state and have two beautiful children Angel Rodolfo 9 and Annie Rebecca 8.

She produced and executed two radio programs on the community radio station Tropical in the last year and a half – “Esperanza Viva” (Living Hope) focusing on the spiritual edification of the church, and “Aprendiendo a Ser Familia” (Learning to be Family) for social evangelism.

This past September Ana went to work in rural and urban schools and completed the time requirements for the Ministry of Education. In reality she collaborates with a Christian association of educators bringing to the public schools evangelical teaching under the program “Sembrando Valores para un Tachira Mejor” (Spreading Values for a Better Tachira.

Ana assisted in setting up the Help and Hope Center facility and helps with teaching duties there. She is currently evaluating the Center documents to ensure that we are complying fully with Venezuelan law. She is currently filling a role in establishing a Venezuelan foundation to provide oversight for operations of the Center and other Andean Aid ministries.

 Change for Changes

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed ~ Proverbs 11:25

(What you donations are doing)

 A computer has been installed in the Help and Hope Center.  Already students have put it to use researching assignments and completing homework.  For some students the opportunity to use the computer is a great motivation to complete assignments.

This computer is equipped with a web cam.  Our hope is that we can have meetings in real time with the staff at the Center.  This will allow us to address needs quickly and we can provide video reports on the Center’s progress.  Another use for the camera is to enhance the upcoming sponsorship program.  As new students come to the Center we can quickly obtain photographs and video.  Sponsors can see the child they support not only in photographs but in video as well.

To accomplish this we need Internet access.  Andean Aid is looking for someone to provide the $45.00 per month to make this great opportunity a reality.  Won’t you consider this as your way to support the work of Andean Aid?

Featured Friend

Maryury Gineth Durán Cala is a sweet seven-year old girl.  She lives with her mother, two brothers and two sisters in Villa Bahareque.  Both of Maryury’s parents are Colombian.  Their home is approximately nine feet by nine feet with walls of barro (mud) and an earth floor.  There is no electricity, running water or bathroom.

Maryury is bright and loves to laugh.  Though a little shy at first she quickly warms up and has a terrific smile.  She loves to spend time at the Center and is loved greatly by all the staff.  Maryury is fascinated by the running water at the Center and takes several breaks each visit to cool of by drenching her face and hair.

Regretably, Maryury is behind grade level in reading and writing.  The problem is that she cannot see the blackboard and needs to hold books extremely close to read.  Andean Aid has a mandate to overcome barriers to learning and this is a classic example.  The staff of the Help and Hope Center have been instructed to obtain permission from Maryury’s mother to have her vision tested and to obtain the needed glasses.

 Hands On Opportunities

James 1:27 – Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

 The  “Block by Block Expedition” is scheduled for early February 2007.  We will be practicing the pure religion of James 1:27.  During his recent stay in Rubio, Wayne Cramer was made aware of many women in need.  One example is a woman with no husband raising her eleven children in a home that is nine feet by twelve feet.  There is no running water, electricity or bathroom.  Plans include expanding her living area and adding a bathroom. We need twelve Brave hearts to join us in making a difference in the Venezuelan frontier.  It will also make a difference in their lives.  Men on this expedition will stay in homes with Venezuelan families so this is a terrific cross-cultural opportunity.  The Mayor of Rubio has asked that we work alongside men in his organization that are supposed to provide similar services.  What a great witness opportunity.

Men will need to raise $1,800.00 (Chicago departure), obtain a passport and necessary inoculations.  Four men have expressed an interest in this adventure for Christ already.  Won’t you join us?  An intensive preparation program will begin in August.

"Help and Hope Center" - Meeting Community Needs 

The Help and Hope Center (El Centro de Ayuda y Esperanza) is only three months old and already 120 children are registered to use this wonderful facility.  Each day three or four parents stop by to inquire about their children utilizing this terrific service.  Many people that have a nice home are requesting that their children use the Center.  Right now they are being turned away because we do not have the room or staff to accommodate them.  The purpose of the Center is to serve children such as Maryury– those that have no adequate place to do homework or special assignments.  This interest from the wealthy does show that we are offering a high quality service to the poor.

The mayor of Rubio would like to see the service at the Center expanded.  So would we, but we will not stretch our staff and resources at the expense of the quality of the program.    These children deserve the best program possible to enhance their education.

This April a computer was added to the educational resources available at the Center.   It is already assisting these children with homework assignments and reports for class.  This computer is equipped with a web camera to enable Andean Aid and the Help and Hope Center to use video conferencing to quickly identify needs and to introduce new students.

Children are finding new skills and talents.  Eleven year old Deisy has discovered that she has artistic talent.  She has never had paper and art supplies to experiment with drawing and painting at home.  The materials available at the Center have opened the door to this budding artist.  Eleven year old Carmen Alicia has decided that she may pursue a career as a reporter after being videotaped at the Center.  This may be a great career choice for her.

Prayer Points

This is a new segment that will appear in each issue of Frontier Flyer.  We will be asking you to pray for specific needs in our ministry.

We are growing and will soon need larger facilities to handle the additional children we will serve.

Additional staff will be required soon.

That hearts will be touched when we kick off our sponsorship program.

Sufficient funding to provide excellent service to more children.

We will also identify key areas of praise where we feel particularly blessed.

Church in Rubio providing dental care.

Sufficient help to provide for our current level of students.

Safety in travel.

Send Frontier Flyer to a Friend

Please pass this newsletter along to friends or family members who might like to read more about Andean Aid’s work in Venezuela.  If you are a friend who has received this newsletter, email us at andeanaid@sbcglobal.net to start receiving your own updates.

 We value your interest and your feedback.  You may contact us electronically at www.andeanaid.org

Or, contact us by phone at 847-489-8703 or 847-201-8311.

Or, by mail at Andean Aid, P.O. Box 190, Antioch, Illinois 60002

Speaking Engagements

Venezuela is a hot spot in world events.  Also, with the advent of New Tribes departure, it’s a country of deep concern to us in the Christian church.  Wayne Cramer is currently accepting speaking engagements to tell the Andean Aid story and to share his experiences and perspective on the situation in Venezuela.  This presentation is particularly suitable for missions’ conferences and retiree ministries where Wayne can demonstrate that you can find a place in mission ministry at any age.

Contributions

Contributions may be mailed to Andean Aid, P.O. Box 190, Antioch, Il.  60002 or www.andeanaid.org (click on the JustGive.org button.)

 Words from Wayne  (Message from the President)

 I’ve just returned from a three-week visit to Rubio, Venezuela.  The purpose of this trip was to evaluate the Help and Hope Center, discuss Andean Aid’s ministry with local pastors and community leaders, search for properties for possible expansion of the Center and meet with families of students to determine how we can best serve and to complete a database for a soon to be announced sponsorship program.  I believe the trip was successful on all counts.

The Help and Hope Center (el Centro de Ayuda y Esperanza) is a wonderful place where children have a bright and pleasant place to do homework and school assignments.  Members of the staff are attentive and truly love the kids.  Resources abound and children are discovering talents that might otherwise go dormant.  Every day I was there people would come to the door inquiring about the Center and expressing a desire for their children to attend.

My meeting with the mayor went very well.  He is excited about the upcoming “Block by Block” trip and would like some of his people to accompany us during our work.  He also would like to see the services of the Help and Hope Center expanded. A concern in Rubio is that almost all youth attending college are aiming for a teaching degree, but there are not enough teaching jobs.  The Mayor wanted to know if we could develop a program to guide youth into professions and careers where jobs were available. 

Local Pastors were very encouraging.  Ana (see article above) and Rodolfo Carrillo assisted greatly in meeting with Pastors.  They will be presenting a Vacation Bible School at Villa Bahareque this August and asked Andean aid for assistance.  The children’s Sunday School at Chain of Lakes Community Bible Church has generously agreed to raise the funds to support this VBS.  One Pastor, Anderson Cáceres, returned to his congregation with news of the work at the Center and this church has agreed to provide all dental care for the children at the Help and Hope Center.  A lady in this congregation is a dentist and will provide the work.  The congregation will purchase the materials.  At a midweek service in Bramón the Pastor encouraged his congregation to get involved in their community and to support the Center.

Visiting families is always one of the best parts of the trip.  Most of the children at the Center live in Villa Bahareque, a very poor settlement a few miles in the mountains outside of Rubio.   They are always very gracious and welcoming.  The photographs and video obtained there will greatly enhance the sponsorship database.