The final day in Pucallpa is an emotional one as various members of theCAST team visit families touched by the foundation initiatives. Bessie takes time to out with her two boys that she has supports through the One School For All Program and in spending time with them learns that they move from home to home for shelter in the community as they have no home of their own. Charlotte visits with an elderly woman confined to a wheel chair and living in a Pure Art home  built earlier through CAST, and provides her a beautiful blanket she had made herself and brought from Canada.
A return visit to our friend Victor provides a chance to learn more about this special man that has tugged at the heart strings of so many Pure Art followers. takingVictor to town was a highlight of the day, and rare occasion for Victor who was all smiles as he picked up much needed medication, food supplies and even some reading glasses that he tried out immediately on the spot! A very grateful man returned to his Pure Art home and from a day he would not soon forget, nor would we.
It’s off to the airport for the 2013 CAST members and various routes onward and home, leaving behind a community touched by the unconditional kindness of Canadian strangers, who themselves will never quite be the same.
We are very grateful to the people of Pucallpa who welcomed us into their daily lives and offered us countless opportunities to make a sustainable difference in their struggling community.  there is much to do, and we will be back!
In the meantime a very big Thank You goes out to each and every volunteer this year who gave generously of their time to visit Peru with Pure  Art.
It is thanks to you that our objective for March 2013 was met.
Today, two families in Pucallpa are sleeping in two brand new Pure Art homes and life for them has changed forever.

Day #4 is mid point for the Pure Art volunteers where two groups work simultaneously on two important tasks. Team A prepares for the Children Contribution Program (CCP) enrollment evening with the school children and team B returns to the CAST site to complete the construction of the walls. Here the day begins with a trip to market to pick up supplies and candies for the children!

Traveling back to the mission with  motocarts packed with boxes to prepare small gift bags to be presented to over 180 students who will register with their guardians this evening for the start of school year!
Hard at work back on the site, team B is busy building the walls while the  concrete is poured by wheel-barrow for completion of the cement foundation. the cement foundation is being poured. The CAST team is now half way to their objective!

As the team members work side by side the two new homes are taking shape! The curiosity of the local community begins to grow as these structures emerge on their landscape.

The children of the neighborhood now spend their days on the site, helping where they can or simply energizing the the Pure Art team with their incredible smiles! The whole team feels empowered by their presence and forges on!

Meanwhile, team A is busy hanging the Canadian flag and finalizing all details for the big evening with the school children. Pure Art volunteers are constantly engaged with the children or helping prepare the lunch!

An exciting evening begins ! Right on time, the first groups of anxious student arrive with their teachers dressed in new uniforms and Pure Art identification number. Every single student enrolled is registered in the One School Program database linking them to their sponsors back home in Canada with report cards and communication that will track their progress. Holding the Pure Art holiday cards that helped support this initiative, wave after wave of grateful smiles fill the room throughout the evening as over 180 children are photographed and enrolled!
It was a special surprise visit and emotional moment for  Leslie to see the 5 children who will live in one of the new homes being constructed this week! The community of Hudson has worked hard to raise the funds for this family to fine shelter in the newest Casa Hudson!
The dedicated Pure Art team does not miss a beat as each and every student is registered in the One School For All database, with everything they need for a successful year ahead.
The evening ends on a sweet note as we have met our objectives and are ready for another year! The children proudly say good night and depart as the evening draws to a beautiful close.

Day 3 in Pucallpa – With 24 Pure Art volunteers on the CAST site great progress is made in the challenge to build two homes this year!  Busy constructing house #15 and #16 in the sweltering heat of this Amazon basin frontier town the team is off to an amazing start today. The CAST
(Construct A Structure Today) initiative began a only four short years ago, and growing strong.

Everybody is busy early morning before the torching midday sun. Anxious to accomplish as much as possible the teams work closely side by side and see immediate and encouraging results!

The morning rhythm is up tempo! All smiles and close knit teamwork make the for setting a good foundation as we have much to do!

Board are measured, cut and a wall goes up! Knowing that a mother and her five children will soon be protected from the elements here, keeps the team moving a steady pace.

Holding hammers like pros, walls go up one nail, one board at a  time! Volunteer mother and daughter team keep the pace moving forward without hesitation through to the afternoon.

The midday sun does little to slow the team as each member has a job in hand, working with heart! Preparation for more concrete, while walls go up and window frames cut, keep all moving through out the day!

The teams are proud of the fruits of their labour and keep spirits high as the hours evaporate like never imagined.

Stopping momentarily for a quick team photo, this wall team makes building look easy!

There is no stopping for this trio!  Shoveling the famed red earth of Pucallpa is an arduous task for anyone, but not for these girls with countless shovel fulls and heavy wheel barrow loads!

This dynamic duo makes the hard work look easy and navigate through the day with style!

There is always time to encourage each other with a special hug on the site!
Brothers in arms! The boys pause for a family photo with Ruben, our Peruvian friend.
The day is not over before a tour of some of the existing Pure Art homes. On the way back towards town a visit is made to three homes. During the week, inspections will be made on the 14 existing CAST projects to determine what repairs may be needed for basic maintenance and potential new improvements where needed. Notes are taken and check list completed for review and action items for each family in the Pure Art program.
A special visit to the very first CAST home…Clarita’s Casa, that started it all some four years ago,has had a fresh coat of yellow paint! The grateful smiles and hugs from Clarita, her sister and mother says it all! Several homes are inspected and families greeted as we make our back.

A generous donation from Cowan’s International in Hudson brought hope for this mother, who lives with a handicapped son. Pauline who works at Cowan seen here with her daughter in front of a the newly completed home that also serves to shelter the struggling mothers small sewing business. Its a beautifully inspiring example of sustainable change that has allowed her life to be transformed and filled with hope for her future and that of her son. Thank you to all our sponsors who make this kind of powerful change a reality for these families in Pucallpa!

Chronicling every moment for the Pure Art videos, Ben takes time to introduce his techniques to a budding  young  videographer boy and the world of Five Knights Productions, before jumping on the back of a moto-cart to the ride back home. The end of another perfect Pure Art day!

Day #2 begins with introductions to our on-site team of Peruvian construction experts and our work companions for the week! The first phase of constructing CAST house #1 is well underway with the build team on location.
Another team meets with the Pure Art volunteers who manage the Children Contribution Program – One School For All, to prepare for the opening of classes and the Pure Art sponsored children this week.

Suzie discusses the details of school uniforms, supplies of supported children with the dedicated Peruvian volunteers who manage program for Pure Art during the year.

On route back from the construction site the team visits a newly completed Pure Art house  where hope and dignity has been cast over the life of Victor, a truly grateful man,and his extended family. At the entrance of his home, the photo says it all.

Surrounding Victor, we are committed more than ever to continue working, one house, one family, one community at a time. We will not stop!

A new adventure is about to begin as 24 volunteers make their way to Lima, Peru! Our challenge this year is to build 2 homes in ONE week! Follow us as we begin our jungle adventure!
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