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 Greetings
from Libano, Colombia, South America
This is a journal on the help a few
dedicated souls are giving to
very poor and needy people in a remote town in the
Andes Mountains in Colombia, South America named Libano . It is a story of the hungry and homeless who through no
fault of there own have been devastated by natural disasters such as an
earthquake, flooding and coffee worms. Our mission is especially
dedicated to helping the children. Your assistance will be appreciated.
Important Message from
Father Brian, CSV
March 2008
We Had a dream, too, and thanks to the Rotary Club of Mission Viejo, and
you,
our dream has come true!
Our dream was to build a community
of homes for poor coffee farmer families living in squalid
conditions. The coffee worm destroyed their crops and forced these farm
families to move to the
outskirts of Libano, Colombia in a barrio of shacks with no plumbing or
electricity.
The Rotary Club of Mission Viejo led the way in the drive for funds to
create a community of 30
homes to house deserving families. Other compassionate human beings came
on board with
donations to make our dream come true.
The Rotary Club of Mission Viejo went a step further by earning a
Matching Grant from District 5320,
the Rotary Club of Yorba Linda Sunrise, the Rotary Club of Libano and
Rotary International. This
grant provided funds for a Colombian non-profit Foundation* to purchase
coffee roasting, processing
and packaging equipment. The coffee is now being marketed with the
profits being used to help build
these homes.
I will be leaving Libano, shortly now that our dream has come a reality.
I have been assigned to
Belize and will start my new assignment in June 2008. Meanwhile I will
continue to remain as
President of the non-profit foundation and then as a director when I
move. I also have the option of
revisiting Libano if the need arises. I have appointed a young local
man( Alexander Garces) with a
BS in Business Administration to operate both the coffee company and the
foundation. He is doing an
excellent job. I have known him and his family for a number of years. He
is a man of integrity. I am
pleased to be leaving it in his hands.
Thank you Rotarians, and to all who have donated, for all you have done
to help these poor unfortunate people to help themselves.
Father Brian Cooper, CSV
*Fundacion Centro Viatorian
was established by Father Brian as a non-profit Colombian foundation
and, as reported, he
will continue to function as a director.
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| Click here to see
photos showing the building of the homes as well as the families. |
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Thank you for your help in
reaching this stage of our development to provide homes for 30 needy families. It has been a
long hard road and we do appreciate your donations and prayers. Thanks to
the Rotary Club of Mission Viejo, CA, The Clerics of St Viator and
individual donors including family and friends and strangers, too!. God
bless you. Father Brian Cooper, CSV |
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Donations may be mailed to:
North America Address:
Father Brian Cooper,CSV
Helping the Children Program
390 W Mahogony Court #206
Palatine, IL 60067
Please make checks payable to: Clerics of St Viators
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BENDIGA
JOURNAL Journey of a Missionary
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