Our Orphanage Evangelina Booth

This is where it all began. Evangelina Booth was the first orphanage in the Bolivia family. In 1981, they had been waiting for months for their support from another Norwegian organization. It never came. Instead, one day this rather rough looking cowboy from Norway knocked on the door. Help had arrived. Under the gritty surface, the cowboy had a heart of gold.

Today, we have 40 sponsored girls here (only one sponsor missing). In addition, sponsors are helping us with the wages for additional help. And, as you will see from some rather pale complexions below, we often have volunteer helpers working here.

These photos were taken during our trip in the fall of 2008. True to tradition, after visiting the orphanage we filled two buses and headed up to the Taquiña park in the hills overlooking Cochabamba. The girls performed dances and various numbers, we all played in the park, and of course there were multiple servings of ice and lemonade. The girls all seemed to have a nice day. We, on the other hand, had a terrific time.



(Click for larger photos)

Our new orphanage in Potosi

This is our largest project for 2009. As close to heaven as you can get, more than 4.000 meters above sea level, in the highest city in the world, that is where we will provide a new home for 48 children. Here is the sketch from the architect (click for a bigger image):

The work is now in progress. Our volunteer Marita helped instigate the project and laid down the first stone in the foundation, followed by the Fanebust brothers...


The budget is 100.000 dollars. After many kind donations - including a very unexpected Christmas gift of 15.000 dollars from one of our sponsors! - we have currently come half the way towards this amount. If we do our job, the builders will do their, and this new orphanage will be ready this fall. Imagine that!

As is our normal practice, the Bolivia Family will provide the financing for building the orphanage as well as the sponsors for running expenses, while the Salvation Army will staff it and be responsible for the daily operation.

If you would like to help us help the orphans of Potosi, please make a donation.