As you all know, the Hastie family came to Peru for more than just a vacation. The girls are enrolled in school and participate in community gatherings with the other kids here. Cathy teaches English and ceramics at the 80-student, K-12 school in Pisac that focuses on Andean culture. Matt volunteers at DESEA, an NGO working at the barest-of-bones, grass-roots level to bring safe drinking water and health information to high Andes communities. DESEA focuses on maternal and infant health with bio-sand water filters and health clinics, and has already significantly reduced infant and maternal deaths in these areas. The DESEA web site tells more: http://www.deseaperu.org/.
Now we are investing ourselves in one more endeavor: helping a teenager from Pisac participate in a high school exchange program in the US called ISE. In fact, we have invited him to come live with us for a year.
If you have ever participated in an exchange program, you may know how complicated and expensive it is for the student. Cathy has been coordinating the documents for the student and hopes to have him accepted at Cleveland High School this month. The most difficult part is raising money to pay the program fee. The US host family and the in-Peru volunteer (Cathy and Matt are filling both of these roles) get nothing. The $3,200 the student needs to raise goes toward insurance, document fees, background checks, and the student visa.
If you would like to support our endeavors – DESEA and ISE - please send Cathy an email letting us know how much money you would like to donate and to which pursuit (cathyhastie@comcast.net). We are in the process of setting up a scholarship account for the exxchange student; DESEA donations can be made through their sponsoring organization, Capitol City Medical Teams in Salem (4950 Chauncey Court, Salem, OR 97302), or through Paypal at www.deseaperu.org/6.html.
The Hastie family thanks you all for your support and your well-wishes. We look forward to seeing you all in the Fall!
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