From Vision to Reality: A Safe Haven for Orphaned Girls in Pucallpa, Peru
Refuge of Life celebrates its 2-year anniversary with a special fundraising gala on July 11, 2025. This evening honors the remarkable journey of the girls and the home that has become their sanctuary. Proceeds will support Refuge of Life’s mission to rescue, restore, and equip girls through education, healthcare, trauma-informed care, and life planning.
Refuge of Life Orphanage, Pucallpa, Peru (24 + Children)
Meet Director Pastora Lilly
Pastora Lilly San Martin Cardenas, a former attorney and judge, has spent the last decade discipling and feeding orphaned children in her community. Many of these children lived in unsafe and unstable conditions—some with families in extreme poverty, others in crumbling shacks, without protection from predators or the elements.
Her vision was clear: to build a safe and loving refuge for the abandoned children of Pucallpa, specifically in La Florida. A place where they would receive a strong Christian education, good nutrition, and, most importantly, love. For years, it remained just a dream—until 2023 when the doors opened, and her dream became reality.
Refuge of Life – Built with Love and Purpose
The journey to make Pastora Lilly’s vision a reality was one of faith, persistence, and partnership. In 2019, Haven of Hope International (HOHI) presented her dream at a Men and Women of Action Rally. A dedicated team from Indiana answered the call and committed to helping build the home.
Construction began with plans for three family-style homes—but the global pandemic halted progress. In 2021, a visitor from Fort Myers, Florida, joined Alice Sweet in Pucallpa and recognized the urgent need for security—his donation funded a protective wall and security cameras.
In May 2022, CMR committed funding to complete the three homes and build a commercial kitchen. Thanks to the determination and unity of many hearts, the homes were finished in 2023. In July, the community gathered for a heartfelt dedication ceremony.
More Than Shelter: A Place to Heal, Grow, and Thrive
Located in a rural area just outside Pucallpa, Refuge of Life features three family-style homes provides a nurturing environment for up to eight children. Each home includes four bedrooms, a kitchen, two bathrooms, and a living room—creating a true family setting under the care of a live-in Christian couple. The campus also includes a cafeteria, commercial kitchen, and office space and land for sustainability projects.
Pastora Lilly’s family remains closely involved. Her sister, Toti, helps oversee daily operations, while her daughter-in-law, Graciela, leads the onsite psychology department—ensuring that trauma-informed care is central to every child's healing.
These girls receive more than food and shelter—they receive individualized care, quality education, medical support, and emotional healing.
The Power of Sponsorship—Why Your Support Matters
The girls of Refuge of Life are not just hoping for better futures—they are now living them. They engage in embroidery, music, soccer, bracelet-making, reading, crocheting, and volleyball. They laugh, play, and grow in safety.
Through child sponsorship, lives are transformed. Your support provides therapy, school supplies, daily meals, and so much more. You’re not just giving a gift—you’re giving hope and opportunity. Their transformation is only possible through the support of people like you.
The story is still unfolding. With your help, we can expand programs, build a vocational training center, and prepare these girls to become leaders in their communities.
Will you be part of their story?
How You Can Help
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Updates from Pucallpa, Peru
Michael Alton is leading a group of men and women in Pucallpa, Peru to build a dorm for 8 children.
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About the Republic of Peru
The Republic of Peru is a country in western South America bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pacific Ocean. It is the 19th largest country in the world and third largest in South America.
Peru is diverse in habitat—arid plains, the Andes mountains, the Amazon Basin and River. With approximately 31 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous country in South America with approximately 80% living in urban areas. Pucallpa is a city on the Ucayali River in the Amazonian rainforest section of eastern Peru. The economy of Pucallpa is based on trade, the timber industry and tourism.
Education is important in Peru, with a literacy rate estimated at 92.9%. Primary and secondary education are compulsory and free in public schools.
In Peru, it is estimated that 550,000 children grow up without parental care. They are either orphans or come from dysfunctional families who neglected or abused them at an early age. Many children in Peruvian orphanage homes are considered “social orphans”. Unlike orphans whose parents are both deceased, they have been given up by families who are either unable or unwilling to care for them.