August 2003

Igreet you fromChimbote andbless you for

your interest in andcontinued support ofthe Diocese ofPittsburgh’s missioneffort in Peru. Iwould like to sharewith you where weare, the challengeswe face and wherewe want to go.

You can turn topage four of thisnewsletter whichlists our overall sta-tistics from last year.As you may beaware, the Center forSocial Works dedi-cates a good deal of its efforts to care forpregnant mothers, babies and children inthis impoverished area. I am happy toreport that our clinic birthrate has slowlyrecovered from the disastrous conse-quences of a state-imposed campaign offorced tubal ligations for the poor as asolution to Peru’s poverty problem.

Unfortunately, we now are experienc-ing a steady stream of newborns admittedto our neonatal intensive care unitbecause of their very precarious birthingcircumstances. Through our care all but afew are returned to good health. We alsoreceive newborns who are born at homein slum shacks where mothers and new-borns are exposed to incredibly infectiousconditions.

One of the principal goals of ourmaternity/child care program is to educatemothers about the need for adequate pre-

natal care and professional attention atthe time of birth. Through our educa-tion efforts we hope to eliminate thosepractices and customs which con-tribute to infant mortality.

One of our greatest challenges is toget people to respond to preventivehealth measures such as Well BabyClinics, immunization and programsthat address major realities such asmalnutrition tuberculosis. The poor ofChimbote are so accustomed to diseaseand death that preventive medicine isan unknown concept. Simple daily sur-vival so preoccupies parents that theythemselves create the most dangerousthreats to their babies by their unin-tended indifference to good health carepractices.

As we administer to more and

Handle with God’s Loving Care In this issue...

Help for Special Children......... 2

New website.............................. 3

Medical Students Visit............... 3

Annual Peru Mission Dinner.... 4

www.chimbotefoundation.orgdevelopment@diopitt.org

412.456.3085

COMFORTING A CHILD: Monsignor Roos attends to oneof Chimbote’s children who was born with Down Syndrome.

Continued on page 3

“The ChimboteFoundation

is a response to the call of Jesus

to make His kingdomcome to be,

to manifest throughour works of faithand love the power

of His love.”– Bishop Donald W.Wuerl

Pablo Yerson Quinones Age: 4Pablo lives with her parents, four siblings and twograndparents in a two-room thatched straw housewith a dirt floor and no electricity. The family sleepson beds with no mattresses. Pablo’s mother andfather work meager jobs. The grandparents suffer

from tuberculosis andreceive treatment atthe Center. From theCenter the familyreceives free medicalcare, used clothingand food supplementssuch as oatmeal, riceand milk.

Italo Vasquez Saldana Age: 11

Italo lives with hismother, father andsix brothers andsisters in athatched strawhouse. The familyshares two bedsamong all of them.Italo’s motherearns moneycleaning fish and washing clothes. The Center pro-vides the family with free medical care. Italo’smother recently recovered from a bout of tubercu-losis. His father suffers from severe arthritis andcannot work.

Mariana Age: 2

Mariana has been cared forby the Center’s staff for thepast 11 months. She wasabandoned shortly after herbirth and put in theCenter’s care by FamilyCourt. Mariana’s chancesof adoption are slim. Sinceit is very difficult to identi-fy a facility that will takein a child with DownSyndrome, Mariana faces alife in various state institu-tions.

Daniel and Kimberly Kresh of Butler, PA, becamethe proud parents of their fourth child on October 31,2000. Their new son, Jacob, was diagnosed withDown Syndrome the day after his birth. OnNovember 15, 2002, after living just two short years,Jacob passed away unexpectedly.

The Kresh family received an overwhelmingresponse from the community to their young son’sdeath.

“Jake touched so many people that the church wasfull at his funeral,” said Kimberly Kresh. “The smallcemetery at his burial could not hold all the cars thatwere in his procession.”

This response prompted Daniel and Kimberly toset up a fund in Jacob’s name that would benefitother children with Down Syndrome.

It is little known that the Social Works Center inChimbote serves more than 20 children with DownSyndrome. These special needs children presentmedical, social and psychological challenges overand above those everyday needs of the poor alreadybeing addressed at the Center. Several of theChimbote children with Down Syndrome have beenabandoned by their parents.

In an effort to serve these special children ofChimbote, Daniel and Kimberly created the “JacobKresh Fund” with an initial family gift of $1,300.This fund has been established under the umbrella ofthe Chimbote Foundation.

Students from Butler Catholic Elementary Schoolcontributed to the fund through their “Jacob’sBridge” project. For every 50 cents a student donat-ed they would get a popsicle stick with their name onit that contributed to make a bridge. A total of 3,310popsicle sticks made the bridge. It is through theseinitial gifts and those from others that help will begiven to children with Down Syndrome living inChimbote.

“Jake’s legacy of love and joy continues and it isthe desire of his family to reach other children withDown Syndrome through the Chimbote Foundation–The Jacob Kresh Fund,” said Kimberly. “If our giftand the gifts of others to this fund can help these chil-dren, in any way, then the legacy of Jake’s love willlive on.”

If you would like to make a contribution to the“Jacob Kresh Fund” contact the Office forStewardship and Development at 412.456.3085.

Meet Some of Chimbote’s ChildrenDeath of a Special ChildBrings Help for Other Children

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The Diocese of Pittsburgh recentlylaunched a website dedicated to pro-moting its mission work in Peru.The attractive new site features factsabout the Chimbote area, informa-tion about the history of the missioneffort and more.

Visit the new site at www.chimbotefoundation.org

Medical StudentsVisit Peru CenterThis past April, a team of physiciansand interns from West VirginiaUniversity spent time at the SocialWorks Center in Chimbote learning,contributing and applying their skills tothe needs of the poor. The doctors whovisited the Center were West VirginiaUniversity Medical School professorDr. Luis Teba, and interns Drs. WilliamTarry, Travis McCoy and Hassan Mir.

This program was started by an ini-tial correspondence in December 2002between Monsignor Roos and Dr.James Shiel, who is also a deacon. WestVirginia University Medical Schoolasked the staff of the Social WorksCenter if they were willing to accept alimited number of medical studentswho were in the final month of theirinternships. The purpose of the visitwould be for the medical students toobtain a familiarity with medicine prac-ticed in third world countries; toexchange ideas with medical staff; andto work alongside the Chimbote staff.

The West Virginia University physi-cians and interns went on home visits,assisted with deliveries, clinic visita-tions and had extensive dialog withclinic staff. The program is being eval-uated from both sides to ascertain itsvalue and the nature and extent offuture interaction.

When Mark Roos was in third grade, his uncle Father Jules Roosdeparted on what he thought would be a short assignment helping thepoor in the village of Chimbote, Peru. Some 30 years later, Mark’suncle is still working in Chimbote and Mark himself is serving on theboard for the Chimbote Foundation. Working to help the poor in thisSouth American village has certainly become a family affair for theRoos’.

Mark recalls communicating with his uncle in Peru using a shortwave radio that was connected to a telephone. From their home inBellevue, PA, Mark’s grandfather organized his own humanitarianeffort and gathered materials and supplies to ship to Chimbote.

Mark’s other uncle, Ken Roos, designed many of the buildings ini-tially constructed to house the Social Works Center. Unfortunatelymost of these buildings were destroyed in the mid 1960s during a dev-astating earthquake that hit the region.

Recognizing Mark’s talent and enthusiasm, Bishop Donald Wuerlinvited him to join the Chimbote Foundation Board. Mark bringsextensive experience in business management to the board and to thepeople in Chimbote.

Chimbote Mission a Family Affair�� VOLUNTEERS

Diocese Unveils New Websitefor Chimbote Foundation

more of the poor, our need to provide the technical and medical serv-ices demanded also increases.

We are elated and excited about the initiatives undertaken by acouple in Butler, PA, to help our children with Down Syndrome. Weare grateful for their efforts and those of the children attending ButlerCatholic Elementary School to raise funds for our efforts. We are fur-ther grateful to Deacon James Sheil from West Virginia Universityand the medical students who spent several weeks in Chimbote assist-ing us in our mission.

Lastly, I would like to thank you on behalf of the people we servefor your continued financial support and prayers as we face the con-stantly changing challenges in meeting the needs of the poor inChimbote.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers. May Godbless you.

Continued from page 1

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Social Works Center (Centro de Obras Sociales)Patient Treatment StatisticsJanuary - December 2002

MATERNITY 98,251Deliveries 1,501Pre-Natal Clinic 20,214Post-Partum Clinic 2,195Medical Consultations 3,531Emergency Treatments 2,350Emergency Hospitalizations 1,051Pap Smears 4,172Ultrasounds 5,577Electronic Fetal Monitoring 461D&C 35Amniocentesis 93Prenatal/Lamaze Preparation 7,008Physical Therapy 2,155Well Baby Clinic 16,536Neonatal Special Care

Prematures 115Phototherapy 116High Risk Newborns 628X-Rays/Special Care Unit 148

Orphans 123High Risk Newborn Clinic 1,247Vaccinations 23,754Home Visits 2,710STD Counseling 2,531

OUTPATIENT CLINIC 44,270Medical Consultations 30,473

Minor Surgery 193First Aid Treatment 2,990Injections 3,637TB Clinic 955Asthma Program 282Special Treatment Unit 1,096Malnutrition Clinic 2,198Home Visits 2,446

CLINICAL LABORATORY 42,925Patient Number - Clinical 37,969Number of Analyses 196,623Average Number of Tests 1.08

TOTAL CASES 2002 185,446

How You Can Help...You can provide basic and critical medical care for the poor in Chimbote with a donation through theFoundation. The following list offers a glimpse of how your generosity translates into care for God’s children.

operates the Medical Clinic for one weekoperates the Well Baby Clinic for one monthunderwrites the cost of vaccinations administered during an average weekoperates the Outpatient First Aid Treatment Unit for one monthprovides a month’s worth of medical treatment for high-risk newbornsunderwrites the cost of ultrasound tests administered during an average weekunderwrites the cost of Electronic Fetal Monitoring tests given throughout one monthunderwrites the cost of medicine, supplies and labor used in the Clinic for one hourunderwrites the cost of medical treatment for approximately 10 people during an average day

$14,000$6,000$3,000$1,500

$750$300$150$75$40

Please use the envelope provided with this newsletter to make your donation. Thank you.

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38th Annual Peru Mission Dinner

On October 23, 2003, the Annual Peru Mission Dinnerwill be held at the Sheraton Hotel at Station Squarein Pittsburgh. Last year’s dinner was attended by

nearly 600 people who believe that serving the poor is theapostolate of all the people of God.

Mr. Mike Clark of WTAE-TV will once again be the mas-ter of ceremonies for the dinner.

It is our desire this year to fill the ballroom of the Sheratonto its capacity of 800. We can do it with your help and com-mitment and through your asking a friend to join you. In themeantime, mark your calendar for October 23, call a friendand/or call 412.456.3085 for more information or to reserve atable or seat.

Remember, in addition to enjoying an evening withfriends, you will be responding to Christ’s command to helpHis poorest children. Formal invitations will be mailed inSeptember.

October 23, 2003Sheraton Station Square

Reception begins at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m.For information call 412.456.3085 or email development@diopitt.org

DINNER MUSIC:St. Sebastian Parish

Youth Ministry performsongs from their annual

musical.The groupdonates all proceeds

from the musical to theChimbote Foundation.

A SHEPHERD SPEAKS:Bishop Wuerl shares

the spirit of mission workwith dinner attendees.

THE MISSION MESSENGER:Monsignor Jules Roos sharesa story about the good work accomplished onbehalf of the Diocesein Chimbote.

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NON-PROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE

PAIDPITTSBURGH, PAPERMIT NO. 334

The Chimbote FoundationDiocese of Pittsburgh111 Boulevard of the AlliesPittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222www.chimbotefoundation.orgdevelopment@diopitt.org

38th Annual Peru Mission Dinner

October 23, 2003Sheraton Station Square

Tickets $125 each/$1,250 a tableReception begins at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m.

“A bridge of concern, care and love spans the distance between Pittsburgh and Peru.”

– Bishop Donald W.Wuerl

412.456.3085 or development@diopitt.orgFormal invitations will be mailed in September.