9-year-old Cristina* has lived in the Transformation House in Lima, Peru, for several months now. Her father had been hit by a car after a party three years ago and died. He left behind his family with six children, who only live on agriculture. A neighbor took Cristina away so that the mother would be ?relieved?. The neighbor promised she would bring the 7-year-old girl back soon.
But instead, Cristina, along with many other kids, was taken 1,000 km away to Lima. There she was held captive in a slum and was forced to work and to beg on the streets and on buses.

On Christmas Eve late at night she escaped from her ?work?. After some time at a police department and at the youth welfare office, she finally came into our home. Even though she appeared to be happy from the outside, she cried frequently and was longing to see her mom again. She prayed for that regularly.

It was not until her mother got help with the necessary documents (she does not know how to read nor write) that she finally made it to Lima to look for her lost daughter. When the two met again in our home after almost a year of separation, even those witnessing the scene could not help but cry. Until the legal process is completed, Cristina will continue to live in the home. She wants to use that time to finish first grade at school. Now she is all the more eager to study reading, writing and mathematics, so that she can teach it to her mother on returning home.

* name changed

Alexis* from Thessaloniki took drugs for many years, but a few months ago he got to know Jesus, and his life took a dramatic turn. He became free of drugs and smoking, and he began to get his life right with God. He reported how he met the father of a friend on the bus with whom he used to take drugs. Immediately, he remebered that he had stolen $200 from the father. On that day, he ?happened? to have the money in his pocket. With a beating heart, he got off the bus with him and told him how he had become a Christian, that he now prayed to God, and that he would like to return the stolen money to him. The man asked a few questions, was completely amazed, and took the money. As far as Alexis is concerned, he came to our team with a beaming face.
*name changed

Tomás* is about four years old now. He is a radiant little boy who absolutely loves Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. He beams up at his new mum and knows that he can trust her, that he is loved and accepted. This change in him is a true miracle, as he spent the first year of his life together with his teenage mother, who is a street child herself, in various locations on La Parada in Lima, Peru. When we met them, Tomás was still a toddler crawling through the garbage of the street and putting everything into his mouth that he could find.

His mother Andrea*, a prostitute, is suffering from Aids and is totally  incapable of looking after a child. Nobody knows how much longer she has to live.

When they started working on La Parada, she was regularly in touch with our team, and finally she asked them whether she could leave Tomás with them for a time, as she wasn't  able to look after him any more. The approach of another winter on the streets with its cold humidity was an additional threat to Tomás' life, who was already sick anyway.

What had initially begun as a temporal arrangement for three months, has  turned into more than 3 years by now. At the moment we are cooperating with the mother to find out the proper legal proceedure, as she doesn't know how much longer she has to live.

Initially, Tomás was very disturbed in his behaviour, he was equally  aggressive towards himself, others and objects around him. But through constant loving relationships and the transforming love of God he changed more and more and has turned into a cheerful little boy by now, capable of receiving and  giving love, who loves to play Bobby-Car with his new friend Manuela*.

*All names are changed for protection of privacy.