Alejandro and Doris Mesco

Background information from SAMS web-site

San Lucas School Building Project

San Lucas is an Anglican primary school run by the Diocese of Peru. Parents contribute towards the cost of their children’s education.

Its growth in recent years has necessitated the purchase of a new site. New classrooms need to be built; as well as a new secondary school, so this is a big and existing venture. There will be 3 classrooms in early years, 12 for primary and 10 for secondary – a total of 25.

The pastor in charge of the Arequipa region, Rev Alejandro Mesco, a SAMS Latin partner, says, “We have 220 pupils in the primary school and the secondary school has opened with 10. We would like to have 18 in secondary but do not have sufficient classroom space. But our priority is to build more classrooms.

“Each new classroom will cost around £8,550. This includes toilet facilities and flights of stairs. Earthquake-proof, materials will be used. The additional cost of furniture is estimated at £60 per pupil, which includes desk, chair, blackboard, shelves and teacher’s desks.

“We also need to buy some computers. These cost £320 each.”

Casa Hogar San Jose

Is a home in Arequipa for 20 orphaned and abandoned children between the ages of 3 and 12, under the directorship of Maria Perez de Flores and her staff. All the children attend San Lucas School.

New Mission at Cabanconde

Ever since 1998 when a natural disaster hit some villages in the Andes, Rev Alejandro Mesco and the churches of Arequipa in southern Peru have had the upward vision to take the Gospel high into the Colca Canyon and to establish an Anglican mission in Cabanconde.

Alejandro has made a number of visits to this remote area of the Andes, a great part of the 8-12 hour journey being on mule or donkey. It is a desert region with little vegetation and the people are extremely poor. Alejandro has now gone to stay in the area to establish the work. The plan is to buy a plot of land with a donation from a church in the USA then build a hostel in which up to 12 people can stay and make visits to surrounding village (A church will later be added).

At this stage around £11,000 is needed for building. Another requirement is to have a resident missionary couple or two individuals (Alejandro is at present fulfilling this role) which would require a stipend of £110 per month.

Alejandro says, “There is so much need in these areas, both spiritually and morally, as well as the need to improve the quality of life. We do not want the children to continue with the popular religion their parents have followed, but rather come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. We pray our loving God will provide all we need to be able to work for his glory in that area.”