2024 Year in Review & Big News for 2025

The year seemed to fly by faster than I imagined it could. A lot of great things happened personally as well as for the families of Bridge the Gap Inc. Nothing happens here without support. 

Thank you from me and the families you impacted in small and big ways! 

I hope 2024 ends with a pleasant bang for you and your family. 

May 2025 be better than you could have imagined.

ANTHONY

2024 Recap and News

Personally

After a year of courtship, I was married to a great woman named Didiana in April of 2024.  She has two children 12 and 8. Mixing families usually has ups and downs. Glad to say we adjusted well and look forward to even better days ahead.

I had a desire a few years ago. To travel to Peru without major restrictions. What started in May of 24’finally concluded in November when I received a notification from Migracion that my Visa application here in Peru was approved. It was a big mess, required a lot of patience and persistence but all eventually worked out. I will forever be thankful to the people who helped me in this process.

Bridge the Gap

We helped a few new families this year with medical issues, travel and medicine. We also received the funds to provide them a new roof and replace the front area of a house that was washed away by rain.

With the money we received we also supplied several families with school supplies for their children. If your new to BTG that may seem like a small thing. However, these families do not have those funds. “IF” the child even attends school, then they would not have the resources to do their homework. So, this is a big deal.

We discovered in our network a family of four whose mother had passed away and father had turned to alcohol and was no longer in their lives. Their community was helping them.  A sponsor helped get them beds and much more. We can do a great work for these kids, to include getting them their own home.

Our Bebés Con Esperanza- Giving Babies Hope program was not able to get off the ground like it could have and as we had done in the past. Instead, we provided moms with new babies necessities for the families as funds were available.

The needs of families here are plentiful. One can find one here each day if they desired. We helped many more than mentioned in many ways. Jesus said that true religion was to feed orphans and widows. Helping the less fortunate with what we have until we no longer can is how we will operate.  All the while trusting that God will supply daily needs. Not every need however needs money. A little help to a homeless person can lead to a needed hug or smile. 

Everything matters.

As of to-date we have received a total of $10,000 of the $20,000 goal we had for 2024. However, $2300 of that was earmarked to help another organization. So we technically have received $9000 at this point. I am more than happy! I do hope that someone can step up and help us, because helping BTG means helping families in a big way to end the year a lot happier and make Christmas special.

We have a few donors giving from $10 a month to $150 a month equating to $460 per month or $5,520 per year. That amounted to over 25% of the budget ($20,000). We make plans and trust God will direct those plans to fruition if they are to be.

The results have been nothing short of a miracle.

Moms with New Babies

Expanding the current program, we are looking ways to add new moms. I received permission from the hospital in San Juan to bring gift bags with essentials to moms who just delivered their babies. They said there are about 45 per month. I have not committed to them yet, as I want to be sure I have the funds to move forward. Each bag will have an outfit, diapers, wipes, cream for rashes and a voucher for a free bag of food they can pick up at the BTG-Office that is close by the hospital. We can at that time have them apply for assistance and to enter the mom’s program. This program Bebés con Esperanza, operates during the school year months from April to December.

English Classes

This upcoming year I will be teaching conversational English a few days per week as well as looking to provide spiritual guidance to those who are open and seeking. We will eventually bring student missionaries to teach these things.

Mission Trips

Pack those bags! We are ready to bring small groups of seven (7) or less people to Iquitos. Here you can see the work, get involved with a project we have or one another organization is providing. I can also take you to visit Lima, Cusco or other famous destinations like Machu Picchu. We strongly suggest planning 10-12 months in advance.

School Feeding Program

We can make a big impact for families and kids by providing quality food to those who’s families do not have the means to provide their children a lunch. Some of these kids are getting one meal a day.

Communication and New Donors

This area has been my weakest area. It is not because I can’t. It is mainly because I chose to do different things with my time. BTG is not my full-time work. I volunteer here doing what I can with what I have. I also need to make money to live. It has been a crazy busy year with work.

I will be cutting back on things that are not paying off. Sometimes It’s been a lot of work and very little return. Lesson learned!

With all that said. I will start doing more live moments, and postings of things happening and especially as they happen.  My hope and big dream are to communicate to you more as well as the 150 followers on FB and that will multiply.

As you take a look at the proposed budget for 2025 know it, like every year is hypothetical. When we receive the funds, we will run these programs.

Those items marked with an ** are considered BIG WISH items and not part of the annual budget.

2025 Budget

Moms with new babies: