Peace and Hope. That’s what their name means and that is what they strive to bring those whom they serve.
From the website:
“Paz y Esperanza is a Christian human rights organization dedicated to defending and promoting justice for people and communities living in poverty or affected by various forms of injustice.”
We were put in contact with Paz Y Esparanza by our Spanish teacher in Huanuco, Peru. It was God totally setting everything up.
One of the big ways Paz y Esparanza is working here in Guayaquil is in the domestic/sexual violence arena. They are passionate about getting information and education out there and empowering those who are victims to step forward. They help to give the women and children that come to them a voice.
They also have teamed up with 25 other organizations who share a common goal to reach out to the hurting and oppressed and lift them up.
Two of their outreaches include a shelter for the elderly- this is not like the assisted living homes as we think of them. This shelter is a place for the elderly that have been abandoned by their families because they can’t or won’t help care for them.
And an HIV shelter where they administer a test and educate the people.
They have teamed up with Compassion International, Habitat for Humanity, and International Justice Mission. And want to reach more.
Every need of every person is a mission field.
This something that was repeated each time met with them.
We were also invited to one of their meetings which turned out to be a Christmas party, where we were able to meet and learn more about REDI, the network they are a part of. It was a blessing in many ways!
If you’d be interested in knowing more about Paz y Esparanza please visit their site: http://www.pazyesperanza.org.
