From Surviving to Thriving – A Progress Report on Refugio de Esperanza (Haven of Hope Bolivia), Santa Cruz, Bolivia

REFUGIO DE ESPERANZA (HAVEN OF HOPE BOLIVIA) – Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Haven of Hope International (HOHI) is proud to announce the completion of several projects aimed at improving the living conditions and futures of the children at our flagship orphanage, Haven of Hope Bolivia (HOHB). Our dedicated team of volunteers, donors, and staff have worked tirelessly to make these projects a reality.

Here are some of the highlights of projects that have been underway:

• Purchase of Adjoining Property for Boys Campus/ Dorm/Vocational Center: HOHI purchased the property adjoining the main HOHB campus. This has allowed us to expand the main campus and update the site plan to include the new areas of the campus for the older boys, allowing many of them to be raised with their siblings. The boys will now have more space to live, study, and play. See Boy’s Dream Center below.

 

• New 15-Passenger Van: In January, we were able to purchase a new 15-passenger van, which has greatly assisted in the transportation of the children. The van allows for smaller groups to be transported, which is more convenient and safer than the larger bus.

• Dry Storage Container: Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to purchase a large container for dry storage. This opened space in several buildings that had been used for storage and has allowed us to use that space for more important purposes.
• Internship Center Addition and Girls Dormitory: Construction of the Internship Center addition was completed in 2022. Included in the renovation, the original girl’s dormitory which was decorated by the Riverside Church Youth Group.  Final touches to the internship floor are being made and a Ribbon Cutting is scheduled for March 19.

• Off-Campus Transition Program: HOHI colleague, AJ White, and his ministry “Grains of Grace”, are finalizing an off-campus transition program for girls who have aged out but need vocational and educational assistance. The program is based on a bread sustainability model to fund the housing and store front. AJ’s pastor has committed to helping fund the transition housing.
•  Vinnie’s Garden has been very productive and continues to provide fresh vegetables for the kitchen. The kids are actively involved in the care of the garden and are learning important life skills as well.

• YWEA Missions Project: We were excited to learn that HOHB was selected as one of the sites for the 2033 YWEA Missions Projects. This will be a great boost toward the Hope Center for counseling, which is slated to begin construction in 2024.
• Trauma Care Certification Training: Angela Bryan and John Sweet launched the Trauma Care Certification training in August 2021. Angela diligently poured into the staff every month with lectures, projects, and homework. The students completed a final thesis. We are proud of the graduates who completed the program and graduated in August.

• Boys Dream Center Construction: The boys dream center construction was launched in August 2022 and is projected to be completed in May 2023. The top floor will house the boys’ rooms, and the ground floor will be a vocational training center. Alice and John traveled to Oklahoma for the Heartland Regions Camp meeting which raised $139,000 toward the Rhonda Jarvis Dream Center. A Ribbon Cutting is scheduled for early July with the Jarvis family scheduled to attend.

We are thrilled to see the progress made in improving the lives of the children at HOHB. We are grateful for the support of our donors, volunteers, and supporters who have made these projects possible. We look forward to continued growth and success in the future.