Press Release....Glory to God!!!

“Family extreme” tells of extraordinary journey• Humanitarian work in Peru, family style
By Drew HilsabeckHomer Tribune
November 12, 2008

Photo provided
Jordan Hess stands in one of the many prefab homes he and his family built for the needy in Peru.Jennie and Jordan Hess have been visiting Peru with their five kids for the last four years to do humanitarian and relief work for their organization, Halo International. "There is such a social need there," said Jordan Hess, who co-directs the organization with his wife Jennie. "There's lots of challenges, but it's really fulfilling." Some of the projects Halo has taken on are building shelters, providing medicine for children, feeding the needy, and most recently, helping establish a free trade handicraft co-op that will help train locals to make use of their skills in hope of helping break the poverty cycle.FamilyThough Halo International also provides assistance to orphanages in Uganda and India, they are focusing on bringing their family to Peru to perform most of their humanitarian work. The Hess family chose Peru because they feel it is an “entry level Third World country,” which makes it easier on the family. Hess stresses that, "We want people to know that they can do this kind of thing even if they have kids. “We’re not sleeping on dirt floors or anything. We rent an apartment. This way we can still have some semblance of a family life.”It's not a traditional vacation, however, the children are able to gain a rich experience by being immersed in another culture. Though their relief work takes up most of their journey, they manage to set aside a week for exploring the vastness of Peru.Not too many children have had the opportunity to play hide and seek in Machu Picchu, “The Lost City of the Incas,” or to swim in the Amazon River.The children are also able to enjoy a variety of interesting animals such as sloths, piranhas, caymans, Amazon river dolphins, various rain forrest frogs and a very distinct hairless dog. Traveling to this culture also provides an opportunity for the children to experience the food and drink of another culture. Inca Kola and “cuy” (roasted guinea pig) are just a couple of examples of the local fare the children were able to partake in while in Peru.Besides animals, the children are able to interact with humans, as well, and this helps create relationships that they will take with them forever. “When we go to the orphanage,” Hess told the Homer Tribune, “they instantly make about 25 friends.”ProgramsOver the years, the Hess family has been visiting the same community and Hess feels that this is necessary to their strategy because it will help them to establish connections with the locals. “We're hoping to build some trust,” he said. By already knowing people in the region it makes it easier to make progress in their outreach programs. The programs Halo International works on vary, but are equally important. Hess estimates they've fed about 8,000 people in the last four years.Another huge need in Peru is medicine for children. According to Hess, about 90 percent of the children in Peru have intestinal parasites. The issue of intestinal problems also coincides with a program where clean water can be provided to the community by installing water purifiers at orphanages. Also integral to their Peruvian outreach program is the building of shelters. Last year, their region was devastated by an earthquake which left many dead and consequently displaced a lot of people. Hess said many people were living in cardboard boxes.Hess cites an example of an old grandma who was reduced to living in an animal pen for five months. She was seeking out government assistance on a daily basis to assist in rebuilding her house to no avail. EducationHess says they are looking for ways to teach the Peruvians to provide for themselves instead of merely relying on assistance. To this end, they are working on establishing handicraft coops, a program that will teach women how to make paper and hats which Hess hopes will help break a cycle of poverty in a culture where the average wage is about $1.50 per day.He says they are working on a marketing plan that will see to that the locals can get a storefront where these crafts (and coffee perhaps) can be sold to tourists visiting Lima. He is also considering making the crafts available in Homer, as well. In his five year plan, Hess hopes to create a small factory where children can get off the street and get to work. Most street kids get kicked out of the orphanages when they are 12 or 13 years old. And street kids will do street things, like steal and beg. Hess hopes to provide an alternative where kids can make the decision if they want to learn a craft and try a different approach to life. “We'll put them up. We'll teach them English. And we'll teach them a craft,” he said.Family extremeA Peru Documentary was held over the weekend at the Homer Theatre. The production, “Family Extreme” is merely a side note of the whole experience. “We would do it anyway,” he said, “The film is more about just seeing Peru.”By sharing their adventures and experiences, the Hess' are looking to reach out to the community so they can better understand the essence of what they do. “We just want to promote volunteerism.”The Hess' hope to inspire families to take vacations to third world countries as an alternative to seemingly 'normal' vacations. “Instead of going to Disneyland,” Hess said, “Consider bringing presents to kids and playing in the jungle.”