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ACAF Exective Director

Jorge Villar

Recently, our hearts were filled with emotion and hope as we
witnessed the election of the new Pope, the first of American origin.
A humble, compassionate man, deeply committed to the poor, who,
in his very first words, expressed his love for Latin America, and
especially for Peru. His message was more than symbolic—it felt like a
spiritual embrace that, from Rome, reached all the way to the sandy,
sunlit streets of the community of Cambio Puente.
We felt he was speaking to us. Not just to our organization, but to
every mother who rises at five in the morning to prepare food for
her neighbors, to every young person who collects bottles to pay for
school, to every child who draws a house with a garden because they
dream of more than mere survival. These are the people the Pope
loves. And they are the people who inspire us every day to continue
serving with humility, faith, and determination.
Today, more than ever, we feel that something powerful connects us to our brothers and sisters in the United States. It’s not
just the support we receive or the projects we build together. It is a shared heartbeat, driven by justice, compassion, and a
living faith. In this invisible yet deeply real bond, not only are homes and programs built; the entire community is built.
And when I think of Cambio Puente flourishing, I can’t help but think
of María Leyva, a mother from this community who, not long ago, was
living with her children in extreme poverty. Today, thanks to the combined
efforts of her community, ACAF’s accompaniment, and the generosity
of our US visitors, Maria lives in a safe and dignified home. But her true
transformation runs deeper; today she leads neighborhood initiatives,
participates in local committees, and encourages other women to discover
their own strength.
When I asked her what changed, she replied with quiet
“I learned conviction: “I learned that I, too, can help change my
that I, too, community. I am not alone.” That is agency. That is true
can help community development. It’s moving from waiting
to leading. It’s realizing that what seemed broken
change my can bloom, if someone believes in you, if a network
community. surrounds you with trust and support. Today, that
network stretches from Chimbote to Minnesota, North
I am not Dakota and many other states; from the community of
alone.” Cambio Puente to every person who, without knowing
María, helped her rise with dignity and courage.
The new Pope reminds us that this union between peoples is sacred. When
two nations meet through faith, through love for the poor, and through a
deep desire for justice, there are no borders, only shared hope.
To those reading this from afar: thank you. Thank you for believing that a community can rise from within. In every child at
play, every student with a backpack, every woman stepping into leadership, you are present. You are part of this quiet miracle.
Let us move forward together. Because when a community blooms, so does the world. And here, in the community of Cambio
Puente, the future has already begun to blossom.
With love, faith, and deep gratitude. Jorge Villar

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