Sucre, Bolivia, is a beautiful city with colonial era Spanish, red tile rooftops, manicured parks, statues, and white churches with bell towers. It is the judicial capital of Bolivia, and its Xavier University predates Yale and Harvard.
But beneath the red tile rooftops of the city lurks a trans-generational curse of a poverty cycle that is perpetuated in its victims. Prostitution is legal here. Some women see that route as their only alternative for survival. Consequently, there are many unwanted children also trapped in poverty. Some of these children are actually abandoned to the streets to fend for themselves by selling small items, by stealing, or by following their mothers’ trade. It is easy to abandon a child; the parent simply sends the child somewhere on an errand. When he returns home, he finds that his family no longer lives there.
There is one resident of Sucre who decided to do something about the plight of these children. Her name is Ana Colque. Just as God touched the heart of George Mueller to help street orphans of his day and he became known as “the robber of the cruel streets” of Bristol, England, God has given to Ana a charge to provide shelter for the saddest and most defenseless of Sucre’s citizens, the street kids. (See YouTube movie of Mueller, Robber of the Cruel Streets.)
Ana understands survival on the streets. Her father died in her early teens, and her mother had to be hospitalized. There was nowhere to turn for help. During her desperate situation, someone invited her to a Christian gathering where she found Christ. Later she attended the Unidad Universidad (Unity University) for Bible training, directed by the Texan missionary, Howard Nutt.
When Ana became acquainted with some young abandoned boys who had no home, she appealed to Nutt for just a spare room somewhere at his school for night time lodging. At 9,000 feet above sea level, Sucre’s night time temperatures descend to low forties. The only thing that Nutt had available was one room without windows, which he offered freely.
That room was only the beginning of the shelter that God raised up for His little children in Sucre. When an American friend treated Ana to a free vacation in Oakland, Maryland, she carried along some photos of “her children,” other homeless boys and girls whom Ana couldn’t stop talking about. Her dream of helping them was infectious. Soon sponsors around Oakland from several church backgrounds pledged to stand behind Ana’s hope of starting an orphanage.
The city of Sucre donated land on one of the hillsides that form a rim around the bowl-shaped city on one condition: the proposed orphanage buildings had to be erected within two years. God already had that problem solved. One of the men in Oakland was experienced with MAPS trips to do church construction. Thus began over twenty years of construction trips to Sucre, usually during January, Sucre’s summertime. Several group homes now stand on that hillside. Ana prayed for house parents for each home, couples to love and instruct the children in the ways of God.
Ana keeps several large photo albums in her office. She proudly displays pictures of her children as they first came to her and then their current shots. Some of the children do not know their real birthdays, so they use the date they came to the orphanage as their DOB. Newcomers always want to know, “You mean, I can stay here? I don’t have to leave?” It seems too good to be true. She tells them, “Now Shalom is your home.” That’s why her orphanage is called “Shalom Es Mi Casa.” (Shalom is my home!!!)
A second home is now up and running in another location. It is called “Esperanza” in honor of a very special young woman, Esperanza, which means “hope” in Spanish
Today former residents of Shalom have attended Bible school, returned to be house parents, or moved on in productive employment or missionary service abroad. They all love Ana.
An interesting twist in this story occurred in recent years. Howard Nutt’s first wife, Jerri, began to experience rapid decline in her health in the early years of this century. After her death, Ana married Howard Nutt. Together they continue the work started over forty years ago by the Nutts. Since Howard came to Bolivia, he has seen over thirty churches, a drug rehab center, Bible college, a radio station, and two orphanages established for the advancement of God’s kingdom. One of the best parts of these triumphs is that the little children were not excluded.
Links for contact:
https://www.facebook.com/shalomandseeds
Facebook: Ana Colque Nutt