I was recently going through some old files on my desk. I found a folder with newspaper articles and clippings related to my mother. My mother, Lynn, is a fantastic person. She is a true humanitarian . . . and, in my digging through old articles, I found documented proof. She was named a Thousand Points of Light by President George H. Bush. She received a Jefferson Leadership Award – a national award given to outstanding community volunteers. She was named the Florida State University Humanitarian of the Year in 1993 and . . . well, the list of accolades goes on and on. I am so proud of her. Perhaps more than pride, I am genuinely appreciative of her guiding light. She taught me that we could all make a difference. She taught me we can all be points of light. We just need to try.

Speaking of trying, a couple of exciting things happened over the past few weeks. Nothing profoundly earth-shattering per se – but vital to the work of HBI. One thing – our team of leaders in the Comunidad Girasoles Program (the name of all our work with formerly abandoned children – from the Casa Girasoles homes to the mentorship program to help young adults living outside of parental care) had a retreat in Lima. The directors of the Casa Girasoles in Ica and Urubamba, our team from Arequipa, and our administrative team came to Lima and met for two days. It was awesome. What made it even more remarkable was that our local leaders led the retreat. I only attended over Zoom. Why is this so important? It is a significant movement for HBI away from programs led by a North American team – and truly into programs directed and administered by the Peruvian staff. We’ve been building towards such a formative transition for over a decade.

I heard from one of our supporters this week. Mike Colbach is a prestigious Portland lawyer who has made an enormous difference by representing bicyclists injured in motor vehicle accidents. He is a passionate supporter of the Girasoles Sanos Cycling Team. Mike and a fantastic friend of HBI, Hugh Givens, committed this week to support HBI’s Casa Girasoles boys with a new bike or a donation every time he wins a case. We have received four new bikes already! Mike and Hugh are genuine points of light.

Also, this week, I learned that one of HBI’s first international interns, an amazingly gifted young person named Liz, matched with the family medicine residency program of her dreams. Not only was Liz instrumental in helping HBI restructure our school-based outreach program, but she has also been helping with the Center of Excellence Research Study throughout her busy time in medical school. What is so crucial about Liz matching for a residency program? Aside from the evident impact of such a move on her professional career, it is a massive endorsement of HBI. Liz gave so much of herself to helping HBI – and now, her efforts are paying back in some small ways. All the volunteer effort she put into our little NGO has given her the knowledge, skills, and courage to be a true leader and game changer.

Talking of game changers, Dr. Bob, HBI’s Medical Director and leader of the Newborn Resuscitation Program, is visiting for a few days. Bob has been a part of HBI from the very beginning. His leadership and mentorship have helped to shape HBI into the organization we are today. Over the next couple of days, we will meet with Karen, HBI’s Director of Operations (she’ll join over Zoom), to brainstorm and strategize about the next chapter of our organization and our impact. We’ll talk about programs – but we will also speak about vision and mission. We’ve known one another for many years. We’ve grown up professionally together. We have shared each other’s light and helped to shape one another. We are a family.

I feel that way about the work of HBI. We are a movement more than a not-for-profit. We are a big family. One thing we have always focused on is the people that are a part of the HBI family. We invest in people more than we develop programs or projects. That mindset has led us to become a lighthouse.

Our work is about sparking a light in others and uniting our actions to create a better world. Sure, HBIs efforts are very narrow in their focus and have not had a world-changing impact, but that isn’t what is important in many ways. It is essential to bring more light to the world and encourage more people to shine.

The Girasoles Sanos Cycling Team competed in their first race of the season today!

Thanks for all the messages. Many of you have expressed concern about what is happening in Peru. You have also been incredibly generous with your contributions. Thank you.

It is hard to name the current political and social climate in Peru. The unrest and civil dissent have settled into an almost routine. While much of the country’s roadways are clear of blockades, protestors still disrupt daily life in the southern regions, and the impact of the COVID pandemic, rising inflation, and political unrest are pushing thousands of people deeper into poverty. Peru is now the most “food insecure” country in Latin America – with more than half the population finding themselves “without regular access to enough safe and nutritious food.”

Things are far from “business as usual” – as the economic forecast continues to look grim and the country enters yet another month of record inflation with no end in sight. Many believe the only way forward for Peru is a radical change in the lagging social gap most of the country experiences. But how? 

How can Peru – a country that nearly went bankrupt during the economic stagnation of the Shinning Path 1980s – close the profound social and economic fissures that fracture the country? The real work is settling in and taking a long-range approach to change, which is what we are doing. 

The work of Health Bridges is a long game. It is always more critical than short-term challenges. Since we started this journey nearly 30 years ago, we’ve known that we would work for future generations of change. That is not to say we have lost focus on the here and now. No – we are still very committed to helping bring health, hope, home, and purpose to children, youth, young adults, and families who have lived through trauma and adverse experiences. 

We are committed to settling in – for Diego, who lives in the Casa Girasoles of today, and Juan, for whom we can help prevent ever living in a residential care facility by working with his family before he is abandoned. We are committed to developing best practices and evidence-supported training that help health professionals save babies’ lives at birth. Our commitment – our work – is for all the children of Peru, and we are settled in for the long haul. 

Stay connected! #BetheBridge

If you joined Health Bridges for a Team Perú outreach trip anytime between the late 1990s and early 2010s – you had the pleasure of meeting one of our longest-serving and most dedicated volunteers, Mrs. Augusta Shipsey. It is with a sad heart that we learned today that Mrs. Shipsey passed away recently.

Augusta – or the Rebar Queen as she was known on the Team Perú construction projects – was a dear friend, a constant mentor, and a true champion for the work of HBI. She was always willing to help raise money for the Casa Girasoles, put up a “Giving Tree” over the Holidays to procure donations and supplies, and lend her hand at any task or activity. Augusta was one of the first HBI Team Perú trip members – having completed too many trips to count.

The Team Perú trips for several years involved construction projects at the Casa Girasoles properties. Augusta, a grade school teacher, was not shy with a hammer or shovel. She came by her nickname Rebar Queen through honest hard work. Augusta equally matched long days on the construction sites with her penchant for teaching – and she provided many a health talk in the Peruvian Ministry of Education schools of Mala, Asia, Bujama, Ica, and Cañete, teaching oral hygiene during the Team Perú outreach clinics.

HBI is an organization that helps hundreds of children and families every day. We are able to do this important work in great part because of the kindness, support, and mentoring of Augusta Shipsey. The world was made a much better place because of Augusta Shipsey. Her kind smile will be dearly missed and remembered forever.

Thank you, dear friend. We will miss you.

I just read an online magazine Foreign Policy article titled “The Real Reason Behind Peru’s Political Crisis.” Succinct and well-written, the piece captures many conventionally held beliefs about what is happening with the current political and social crisis in Perú.

The funny thing about any article that proclaims to have “real” insight is that it is ultimately a subjective opinion. If you ask ten Peruvians what they think is the underlying force, angst, issue, or challenge behind the current situation, you will get 11 different reasons. On top of the diverse range of opinions, the responses will more than likely contradict one another. No one agrees.

The challenges facing Perú are deeply complex. They are even more complicated depending on where you approach or view the issues. Rural vs. urban. Wealthy vs. poor. Formal education trained vs. apprenticeship formed. It is the classic parable of the blind men and the elephant. Everyone has a different opinion of what they are touching and feeling based on where they interact with the elephant. The discrepancy of view isn’t based on inaccurate information, as much as it is focused on a vantage point and perspective.

In “real” terms – the crisis in Perú is disproportionately impacting the poorest members of the country. With nearly one out of every three people living in poverty, and with the rural areas of the country representing a much higher percentage of the overall poverty experience, the road blockades, supply chain disruptions, and impact on the service economy are pushing people living on the edge . . . over the edge.

However, we choose to view the current situation in Perú. Whatever mechanism we use to discern the complexity, one thing is unquestionable . . . lives are being disrupted, and futures are getting sabotaged. We remain committed to championing children and the communities that care for them in Perú. We will continue tour dedication to envisioning a world where every child has access to health, hope, home, and purpose.

Please keep the people of Perú in your thoughts, prayers, meditations, and offerings. Thanks for all the ongoing generosity and support. Stay connected.

Miguel is registered to race in the Rally Tortoritas on 18 February

Beneficence is the act of doing good through charitable kindness or gifts. Beneficence is a central component of medical practice and critical to caring for others. More is needed.

Miguel (not his real name) is an incredibly talented cyclist. He is always the ride leader for the Girasoles Sanos Team. Miguel is brilliant, kind, and blessed with a balance of keen intellect and profound emotional intelligence. He is an amazing young man, and he has unlimited potential. He dreams of one day becoming an engineer.

Miguel comes from a biological family marked by violence, neglect, and substance abuse. He came to live at the Casa Girasoles after spending time in a state-run orphanage and living on the streets. Miguel has had contact with his family throughout his time in the child welfare system. The pain of knowing his family could not take care of him – and having frequent contact with them, has been very hard on him.

At 18, Miguel is ready to leave the Casa Girasoles Program. His family has been contacting him more and more. They want him to come and live at their home in Lima. They want him to work and support their aging mother. This is a typical scenario. At the time of emancipation from child-welfare services, families like Miguel’s seek to reunite with their sons – often not to heal wounds or build new relationships. Time and time again, the young men who exit orphanages, state-run homes or residential care facilities find themselves living as indentured servants . . . caught in a dysfunctional web as their futures become hostage to the same trauma that trapped them in their childhood.

Perú is going through a tremendous time of challenge. The social and political unrest is quickly pushing the country into an economic spiral. The events that led to the current situation are not unprecedented. In fact, the struggles of Perú are deep seated and multifactorial. One thing is, however, ever present – people living in the experience of extreme poverty are disproportionately impacted in times of economic, political, and social upheaval. Families like Miguel’s, who were previously teetering on the edge – are now falling into the abyss.

Miguel has gained so much from his time at the Casa Girasoles. He is, however, facing a future with many challenges. We can change that. We can be the bridge!

Now, more than ever – your support is helping us to build futures. Thank you.