Your Support Reaches Maria
July 2026
Greetings from the cold mountains of Peru, where the winter months have now begun and the temperatures drop into the thirties at night. As summer is in full swing in the United States, hopefully many of you are enjoying a time of relaxation and celebration for America’s 250th birthday! To God be the thanks. By the end of this month, I will have had the blessing of seeing three of my sons, a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter who are coming with Rosa to visit. It is a joyful thing to share first-hand with my family the beautiful and amazing work transpiring here.
As we highlight a recipient of your giving this month, I’d like to turn your attention to María Condori, who was born on August 26, 1941. When she was about two years old, her father died in the district of Paccarectambo. His death left María, her mother, and her three siblings facing extreme poverty.
From her earliest years, María knew hunger and the uncertainty that accompanies loss. Her childhood was shaped by hardship. At age twelve, because of the family’s difficult situation, her mother suggested that María marry an older man who was more than twenty years her senior and owned more land. María married him and later became the mother of eight children.
Four of her children died, many after being born prematurely. The four who survived grew up, formed families of their own, and now live far away from Maria. María spent much of her life working in agriculture. She also wove blankets by hand to help provide food and support for her family. Her life required daily strength. She worked, endured, and kept going through conditions many of us can barely imagine.
About fifteen years ago, María’s husband died from complications related to a ruptured appendix. Since then, María has lived as a widow. Today, at 83 years old, she does not own a home. She lives in a house provided by the community, but the house does not have basic services. She also suffers from hearing loss, which makes communication challenging and increases her isolation.
María’s story is difficult, but it also shows resilience. She has survived childhood poverty, the loss of her father, the death of four children, years of hard labor, widowhood, and old age without the security many people enjoy. There are losses in her life that cannot be replaced.
Her story reminds us of the words of Psalm 68:5, which describes God as “a father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows.” That verse does not erase María’s suffering, but it does show us something important about God’s heart. He sees people who are overlooked or forgotten.
This is why your support for Home of Refuge matters. Because of you, our supporters, María has received food, care, and support through the teaching of God’s Word. These simple acts are not small to someone living alone, without basic services, and with limited ability to communicate. A meal can mean strength for another day. A visit can remind someone they are still seen, they are still valuable. A word from Scripture can give courage and comfort to a person who has carried pain for many years.
Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.” Those who, like yourself, support this ministry are the backbone of this work. Your giving makes it possible to reach María and many others who are facing poverty, isolation, hunger, and loss. Without faithful supporters, stories like María’s are never written, because her needs go unmet.
But because you stand with Home of Refuge, help reaches her in real and practical ways. Behind every meal provided, every visit made, and every word of encouragement shared, there are faithful supporters like you making the work possible. María’s story is one life among many. Because of your involvement, people like her are seen, served, and reminded that they are not alone.
Galatians 6:9 encourages us, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Your continued support is part of that steady work. It helps Home of Refuge keep showing up for people who have endured more than most will ever know.
Thank you for being part of the reason this ministry can continue reaching people with practical help and the lasting hope only Christ provides.
Grace and peace,
Tony and Rosa Rivera
Home of Refuge International, Inc.
