A charity of last resort - whose aim is that the forgotten children of Colombia may have life; life in all its fullness.
 
(There will be retiring collections at each church to support this work)

Let The Children Live! is a charity that works in Colombia with children from the streets and shantytowns of the city of Medellín. These children were once called ‘the disposable ones’ and they are at high social risk from the violence that they experience in the streets and shantytowns of cities such as Medellín.  Most of the danger in the shantytowns comes from the many gangs (or bandas) that control them.  Let The Children Live! is at present working with 500 very vulnerable boys and girls in this city. For most of them it is their last hope. Their ages range from six-year-olds to teenagers and they are often unloved and unwanted; even beaten, robbed, raped and sometimes murdered. By the rest of the world they are either unknown or forgotten. The charity aims to safeguard the lives of these children from the poverty and violence of the streets and shantytowns, and to make their lives worth living by giving them love, education and a future.
 
The charity was founded in 1992 by Fr. Peter Walters, an Anglican priest. He first became involved with the street-children in 1982 when they helped him after he became temporarily stranded in Colombia. It is a charitable (not-for-profit) organisation and does not engage in political activity. “We recognise that the phenomenon of the street-children is the product of complex social problems to which there are no easy answers. Our aim is to support the Colombian people as they take the initiative in caring for the most disadvantaged of their children,” says Fr. Peter. “They are making the most of their limited resources, but they need support from abroad for this work to continue and grow. Because the children have no one, they really belong to us all. Unless we help them, these children will remain ‘disposable ones’: throwaway kids with no future at all.”
 
Let The Children Live! is a Christian charity. We believe that no human being is ‘disposable’ and that every person is precious to God. We are concerned to ensure that each child is cared for as an individual, with his or her own special needs and can experience life ‘in all its fullness’. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the lives of many children have already been preserved and made worth living through the provision of love, care, education and training.
 
Let The Children Live! does not run its own projects directly, but uses most of the funds it raises to support Fundación ¡Vivan Los Niños!, which is known as Funvini, for short. Based in Medellín, Funvini was set up in 1994 to be the main partner of Let The Children Live! in Colombia and to enable it to finance new initiatives for the children there. It has been granted legal recognition as a charity by the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar. Funvini is currently helping some 550 children through its various programmes.
 
For many people the name Colombia conjures up only negative images but that is unfair to this beautiful country and its people. Geographically the country is very diverse. Bordered by the Caribbean Sea on its Northern coast and by the Pacific Ocean on its Western coast, it also has the Andes mountains running down its western side, the llanos (plains) to the east and the Amazon jungle to the south. Its people are warm and friendly, with many skills and talents, and the country can boast the best emeralds in the world. Tragically, more than 40 years of guerilla warfare and the violent drugs wars have brought huge suffering to many of its people and their resilience can only be admired. A democracy, Colombia is struggling to overcome its considerable problems and to present a more positive face to the rest of the world. 
 
Ways you can help:
Please be generous in your donation on Sunday – or using the Just Donate Button on our website…
Support us with your prayers! This, after all, is God’s work and first and foremost we need His help, so your prayers are extremely important.
Pray for all the staff and pray for the children and all the children in the streets and shantytowns.
 
For a copy of their latest Newsletter go to:   https://letthechildrenlive.org