The 2012 delegation spent the first week of January with children of the Major Robert Lindenau Tutoring Program. This program helps children who are in danger of dropping out school. The Mary Bloom Center employed a social worker to identify the children in most difficult situations. Although the school year ended in December, the Mary Bloom Center offered a "summer school" during the month of January. The delegation inaugurated the summer school with four days of intensive activity. The pictures below give some idea of the interaction of the delegates and the Bob Lindenau children.
The delegation was blessed to have two college students, Lauren Hance and Marianne "Nonna" Cruz. The prepared lessons that involved mosaics of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Claire. The mosaics were chosen to correspond to the themes of Prayer and Creation. They also gave an overview of the seven sacraments. Children who could recite the sacraments from memory received a small prize. On the first two days the children learned how to make a personal rosary and we recited the prayers of the rosary in both English and Spanish.
Each session began with a meal. For most of the Bob Lindenau children, this is the most nourishing meal they receive. The pictures below show Vanh Pham helping to prepare the lunch for the children and delegates.
I was proud of how the "American Lindenau's" (my great nieces and nephew) interacted with the Peruvian children. The pictures show Rachael, Gabriel, Sarah and Hannah participating in the lesson and taking their part in handing out the packets at the end of the course.
We concluded with a Mass concelebrated by Fr. Robert Hoffmann, M.M., a Maryknoll missionary who has worked in Peru over the course of the past five decades. Fr. Hoffmann serves a spiritual advisor and financial oversight of the Mary Bloom Center. Fr. Hoffmann is pastor of the new parish in Salcedo, which is one of the poorest sectors of Puno and is the area where most of the Bob Lindenau children come from.
With this great start, the summer school continued through the month of January. This course, along with the entire Bob Lindenau tutoring progam, has helped these children greatly improve the school work and make amazing advances in their studies. Below the pictures you will find links to studies done by social workers that document the effectiveness of this program.
The following pictures are mainly by Andy Getavesky (my niece Tonya's fiance) and Nonna Cruz.
Mosaics of Blessed Virgin Mary & Child Jesus (Melisa Margot)
Gerard
Yoselin
Melisa Margot, Sarah, Wiliam, Julio Cesar, Janine
Yessica, Mariela
Making Rosaries (Paola y Lauren)
Andy, Sarah, Janine, Julio
Nataly Danitza
Gerard
Yoselin
Luz
Sharing meal with Lindenau children (Vanh preparing sandwiches)
Hayde & Nataly
Sebastian
Nataly
Robert, Alexander, Lauren, Paola,
Nataly
Rachael with drawings of Sacraments
P. Felipe, Andy, Julio Cesar - reciting seven sacraments
Playing catch with soccer ball in MBC patio (Gerard & Andre w/ Gabe, Sarah & Hannah in background)
Bob Lindenau Choral
Aurelio
Marisol, Ines, Jaquelin, Karen y Yessica
Roxana y Yesica
Paola
Melisa Margot
Max y Robert
Top row: Jonathan, Aurelio, Andre, Gerald, Boris, Jesus, Mariela, Marisol & Roxana Middle row: Graciela, Julio Cesar, Brayan, Hector, ?, Karen, Maria Elena, Hayde Sonia & Ines, Dr. Anita Bottom row: Alex, Max, Diego, Paola, Yoselin, Luz Marina & Melisa
Farewell to Vanh (she returned to U.S. on January 6)
Bob Lindenau Coral performing at Puno Cathedral (they took first prize)
Packets with drawings, Guardian Angel prayers, bracelets, dental supplies, etc.
Nonna with Aurelio
Sarah w/ Melisa
Tonya, Hector, Nonna
Rachael & Hayde
Lauren & Boris
Robert
Paola
Max
Gerard
Brayan
Jesus
Karen
Hannah & Melisa
Wiliam
Gilmer
Hector
Tonya, Sarah, Hannah, Maria Elena, Nonna
Marisol, Gabe, Lauren
Ines
Bob Lindenau Children - some individual portraits (Hayde)
(Photo by Lucrecia Perez)
