Background & Context
HISTORY
The vision for this Project came about after having read the verses in the New Testament book of John 2: 13 – 22. Jesus shows His sadness at the fact that the original purpose of the temple wasn’t being fulfilled. It had become full of barriers and restrictions and seemed to be more concerned with making money at any cost when Jesus cried out, “Don’t turn my Father’s house into a marketplace!” Jesus wants so much for us to know that we can be sons and daughters of His Father too and really understanding this has the potential to fill us with so much hope, love and freedom to live the lives He has designed for us. So this is where the name ‘La Casa de mi Padre’, My Father’s House comes from! Our vision is to extend this love and hope as much as we can to each individual person as well as to the community as a whole. The name for the project could in fact just as well be ‘Our Father’s House’ seeing as God’s desire is that we all feel included and valued in His family and incorporated into a real and personal relationship with Him.
La Casa de mi Padre, is a project that has been born out of the Anticipando Foundation here in La Paz, Bolivia. Part of Anticipando’s vision is to reach out to needy people and share the good news Jesus offers us, and as such La Casa de mi Padre is accountable to and works alongside and out of Anticipando.
CONTEXT
After realising that Chasquipampa and Ovejuyo are known for high rates of violence and sexual abuse, as a community at the Anticipando House of Prayer we wanted to do something to help the children and women who are effectively living on our doorstep.
The idea of having a house that could be a place of recreation and refuge as well as a safe space to learn and be creative came about; a place where children and women, and one day whole families, can come to know Jesus’ love in practical, tangible ways through English classes, cooking and baking classes, crafting and eventually sports and music classes too.
Our aim is that we could one day own our own place and have a communal house where people who need to escape violent or abusive relationships could come and stay for a while before being able to rebuild their lives.
SUSTAINABILITY
La Casa de mi Padre first began with the idea of one day becoming a self sustainable project, and this can only be possible through the creation of a micro-enterprise selling the various products produced by the women and children at the centre and in this way we would also be able to provide alternative employment for some of the women from the areas of Chasquipampa and Ovejuyo.
The profits gained from this micro-enterprise would be directed towards covering the costs of rent, electricity, water, gas, the Internet and a fixed telephone line in the centre, as well as the materials used for the crafts.
In the medium term, La Casa de mi Padre hopes to be able to generate enough resources to be able to keep on supporting young people and women in at risk situations through the classes and workshops on offer.
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
— Corrie Ten Boom