Helping the Children of Colombia

Father Kelvin Tam started the Espiritus Sanctus (Holy Spirit) orphanage in Cali, Colombia in the mid 1990's to rescue young girls in Colombia from the abject poverty and suffering that they face every day. Today the orphange is home to over 110 girls between the ages of 4 and 18. In addition to providing the very basic needs of food, shelter and clothing, the orphanage also provides primary and high school education and religious instruction to all of the girls. Father Tam is a Catholic priest from Trinidad and a member of the Spiritans (Holy Ghost Fathers).

It is estimated that 90% of the hard core illegal drugs (Heroin and Cocaine) imported illegally into the United States each year come directly from Colombia. The violence associated with this disreputable trade and a marked increase in guerilla activity have left over 40,000 Colombians dead and more than two million Colombians displaced and homeless. Thousands and thousands of families and their small children have had to flee their homes each year just to save their lives.

Without the Espiritus Sanctus Orphanage, the young girls who reside there would have had a very bleak future. Instead, there are many great success stories with many more to come! One of the residents now attends Medical School and several other girls are now in Nursing School.

According to Father Tam "Ninety percent of the children in our homes are children of unwed mothers. Nearly always the father disappears and leaves the mother with the child. Our mothers are abandoned. The work that we do is not just here and now to give food and clothes to these children, but to prepare them for later in life, so they won't have the same fate as their mothers".

Recently, a second orphanage, the Hogar Infantil de la Madre de Dios (The Mother of God Home for Infants) has also opened with support from the Fund. Sister Elsa Marie who formerly was associated with the Espiritus Sanctus orphanage has opened the home for abandoned babies and now has over 80 infants residing in her care.

We need your help! Please pray for the girls of Cali and for Father Tam, Sister Elsa and their staff. We also ask you to consider making a monetary contribution to the Cali Orphanage Charitable Fund. 100% of the monies raised go directly to the Orphanage. There are no administrative costs or fees!!

Those wishing to contribute may send their tax deductible donations to:

Cali Orphanage Fund c/o Richard Spear

Athletic Department Duquense University

Pittsburgh, PA 15282

Feel free to email us with questions at spear2@duq.edu

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