World Services Report

South America East Territory

BY MAJOR RAY COOPER, TERRITORIAL OVERSEAS PROJECTS

Officer

The territorial Office of Overseas Projects exists to process such requests and to give financial assistance to these projects. A portion of our annual territorial campaign is reserved to support these ventures.

As we begin a new year, and on behalf of those around the world who benefit from your kindness and generosity, we thank you for your support—both financially and prayerfully.

South America East Territory

Little Warriors Kid’s Club

Resistencia Corps Outreach – $6,037.73

Three programs for children and adolescents are currently operating in the Resistancia Corps: The Kids Club (Sports), The Music School (Music & Art) and The Bible School (Christian Spirituality). The families of the community live in very precarious conditions suffering from low income and in many cases, there is not enough to cover basic needs. They live daily with complex social problems, the most prevalent being drug addiction.

The Salvation Army wants them to have another perspective on life, and to know that there are other ways to achieve their dreams. They need to have a space where they can interact with positive leadership and forging trusting relationships. Resistencia offers these children and adolescents integral care, a space where they can discover and develop their abilities, learn and practice values and acquire tools that will allow them to exist on equal terms with other children and adolescents of their age and thus excel in life.

How has the community been involved in the development of this project?

Surveys were conducted with open and closed questions to 20 parents of children attending the different programs, resulting in the following issues: 1) The lack of attention and care on the part of the parents towards the children, as “common currency” in the community. 2) The existence of drugs within the reach of everyone and everywhere.

Children and adolescents in the community grow up seeing this as something normal, either because their relatives’ drug use or because they see it sold.

Most of the parents said they were happy with the programs carried out at The Salvation Army since there are no other places around for recreation for the children. They couldn’t learn music because of the cost of the classes. They also pointed out the added value of learning other ways, values and above all about God. They also made suggestions such as other sports, activities, refreshments, among others.

We brainstormed with the children and teenagers who are assisting or volunteering in the different programs and we were able to talk about their dreams. Most of them said they would like to travel, get to know other places where The Salvation Army is also present, become good musicians, singers and become part of the worship team.

The older ones said that they dreamed of having a bigger church, that they would like to have building repairs and one mentioned the desire to have a bigger field, even though we don’t have the physical space to do it.

How are you going to measure any changes that occur within the community as a result of the project and the work of The Salvation Army?

Many of the children and adolescents who attend have something in common; staff notices a certain sadness or concern on their faces because of the different types of problems they struggle with at home. The children and adolescents look exhausted. It is unfortunate to hear a 5-year-old child say that he is sad because his father does not love him and abandoned him; to hear a 12-yearold girl say that she is worried because the money in her house is not enough, and the reason is because her father has serious addiction problems; or to hear a teenager say that her mother cursed the day she was born, because she is useless and good for nothing.

On the other hand, one can rejoice in the Lord when hearing them say that when they come to do the different activities they can forget their problems for a moment. Others say that they can let off steam, since they can tell what is happening to them and feel listened to, valued, and at the same time there are those who say that they can realize that they are capable of doing many things well. All this fills their hearts and reaffirms the conviction that they can achieve what they set out to do with God’s help, with effort and determination, and thus have a better future.

Whether they are playing an instrument or learning from the Lord, their faces are filled with joy and light and radiate happiness. But the leadership team is not satisfied with it being just for a moment—they want the achievements they reach, be it in sports competitions, artistic presentations and advances in the spiritual life, to forge in them the “good practices” that will allow them to face adult life with responsibility and hope.