Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-wb) -- Dennis and Blanca Mackler, long-time members of our LivinginPeru.com community. Recently the couple sent us the following information asking our readership for their help:

It hasn’t been finalized yet but Star Peru, a local airline carrier, I believe will fly home this little boy and his father complimentary to Iquitos, otherwise the trek by bus and boat takes days under extreme poor conditions. My wife and I will pay the departure tax.

Being in Lima I am certain you have noticed many kids 2 and 3 years old, begging, juggling and doing tricks in the streets, sometimes without their mother around. It is just heartbreaking and, needless to say, extremely dangerous.

As Americans we have unemployment, welfare, SSI, disability, food stamps, and many other social programs to help the poor. Most American’s back in the USA have no idea how difficult it is here in Peru.

Now, can you image being destitute and for some dealing with incurable cancer?

 The cancer patients live mostly in remote locations and urgently need your help.

They stay in a donated small cramped house near (INEN) the cancer hospital. This house is funded by donations and raffles. They have no assets whatsoever, nothing.

If you would like to help these poor people in any way, please visit the website ALDIMI.org for more information. The English version is still under construction but will be up and running very soon.

Whatever you can do to help is greatly appreciated. Just by you visiting will bring smiles to their faces. These kids will love you.

Thank you,

Dennis and Blanca

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UPDATE In my above article I mentioned that Star Peru, a local airline company might donate two complimentary tickets to a very sick boy and his father so they would not have to endure maybe a two week trek to Iquitos by boat and bus. I am happy to annouce that Star Peru authorized the tickets and they left today. As one hand usually washes the other I urge readers and your friends if they are flying locally to patronize Star Peru. Three cheers for Star Peru. Our hats are off for them. You can visit their web-site at STARPERU.com Today Ronald Mcdonald visited the house. Everyone had a great time. We wish you were there. I will post some pictures tomorrow. In closing, again I like to say at this time year please contribute whatever you can. Your support is greatly appreciated by all. Thank you Blanca and Dennis Mackler

UPDATE: KIDS WITH CANCER. We are thrilled to annouce that the local TV show, Trampolin Latino, on Channel 2 today at 5:00pm will help make one of the kids lifetime dream come true. Trampolin Latino contacted the little girl's favorite famous Peruvian singer, Dina Paucar, and she agreed to sing with 9 year old Yesenia on today's live show. The show and it's sponsors are going to shower her with many gifts and donate many new products including a freezer, two gas stoves, a refrigerator and put a roof on the house. The show will be delivering the appliances and other surprises this coming Thursday. They will be filming this and will televise it next Saturday. Although the show is in Spanish hopefully you will tune-in at 5:00pm. We are anticipating, after the show, that many people will contribute or help which is the norm from updates of previous shows. The kids of ALDIMI need LIP readers help. Come on it is the season of giving. Happy Holidays to all Dennis y Blanca

UPDATE #3 I hope everyone watched Trampolin Latino on Channel 2 yesterday. WOW What an incredible experience to make a little girl's dream come true, although we thought Yesenia favorite singer Dina Paucar was to appear, the show was beyond her wildest dreams. Trampolin Latino in my opinion is the zaniest TV show in Peru, but once they did this human interest report there wasn't a dry eye in the audience. From the beautiful co-host of the show to the camera people to myself, we were all crying. Can you believe that? I do not understand or speak Spanish but I was crying like a baby. Blanca and I would like to personally thank the host Carlos Alvarez and the whole staff at Trampolin Latino and Channel 2 for all they have done. We are anxiously awaiting till Thursay when they are going to film and deliver many appliances to the house. This portion will be aired on next Saturday. If you missed yesterday's show we hope you will not miss this Saturday's show. Since we haven't heard from any of Living In Peru readers we urge you again to please help in any way that you see fit. Muchas Gracias and Happy Holidays Dennis y Blanca

I dont know any other way to say this other then to say im proud of you mackler. You look happy and by the impact of your words it strikes me clean that you are very inspired and moved by the struggles of those less fortuneate and ill. I always knew you had a huge heart. Im happy that you allowed me to be a part of your doings and would like to visit peru someday of my own accord and help out no problem. Im traveling the country since I graduated college to see the world but also to specifically experience the world. I dont mean party in italy or chase women in france. I am motivated to change any part of the world positively no matter how miniscule or grand. It only takes one person to pick a flower or write a speech or donate 5$. I look forward in the future to hearing about how everything is going with the children. Being from Colombia im very crystal about the levels of poverty that can be accrued by humanity. Its a heart-tearing, earth shattering experience to know that as americans we live in a great country and we are in a position to create soo much value in whatever we seem fit. I see ample value in your cause and rest easier knowing that there are successful americans out there who realize that other countries allow for greater wealth and its in our interest not only as americans but as humans to realize that every rock influences the streams and every ocean dictates our skies. When we all realize were all warming under the same fleece we will see more moving and inspirational stories and people like my good and honest friend... Dennis Mackler... Love ya Mack and good luck.

We have been friends and neighbors of Dennis and Blanca Mackler in the USA for many years. They are a great,giving,and loving couple. We are so proud of their good works.They are truly what the spirt of the holidays are all about. Dennis, we love you and Blanca. You guys are the best. Mark and Marianne

I have known Dennis Mackler for almost 8 years and I am actually speechless this morning yet very happy. Let me explain Dennis Mackler started with nothing, he is personally one of the greatest, street smart people I have ever met. He has seen all sides of life. The reason that I am so happy about that he is helping these kids is because he can make things happen. I support anything Dennis does, and these kids are blessed to have people like Dennis, and Blanca helping them.. Dennis I will help anyway I can... Love K

UPDATE: Today the entire crew from Channel 2 Trampolin Latino arrived at ALDIMI with a truck load of gifts, appliances and other goodies. They did not stop there. Yesenia's life time dream was completed when her favorite singer arrived unannouced to sing with her. We cannot believe it but Trampolin Latino had one more huge surprise. They introduced the president of Aero Condor and he donated five airline tickets to Iquitos. Trampolin Latino will aire their visit on Saturday's live telecast at 5pm. Unlike last week's show featuring just Yesenia most all of the kids will be in the studio this week. Blanca and I truly hope you might tune in on this zany show. At this time we would like to congratulate Channel 2 and the whole crew especially Allan and Carlos Alvarez for making Yesenia's dream come true. I want them to know and all the readers Yesenia hasn't stopped smiling since the show. It is really incredible her transformation. Thank you again Allan and Carlos. Don't forget to watch Trampolin Latino on Channel 2 at 5PM Happy Holidays to all. Dennis and Blanca

UPDATE: Last Saturday was another incredible day for all the kids from ALDIMI.org who were able to attend Trampolin Latino. They were all acknowledged and called on stage. An additional twenty more mattresses were donated. This day almost didn't happen because the tour bus that was hired to bring everyone to the show and back had an accident. The bus never arrived. Luckily at the last minute we were able to flag down one of those small 30 year old commercial buses. All the customers volunteered to get off the bus. Can you believe that? The same driver came back after the show. It is amazing what a few side soles will do. Blanca and I from the bottom of our hearts would like to again congratulate and thank all the people of Trampolin Latino and Channel 2 who made this happen.

Hard to believe, I've known Dennis for 50 years. We grew up together in Philadelphia. As long as I've known him, he has always been a caring, giving person. Blanca is the best thing to ever happen to him. I recently retired from 40 years of public service, here in Philly. I'm hoping to get to Lima one day soon, now that I have some leisure time. I'm hoping to get to see a tape of the TV show, It really sounds fun...Keep up the fine work, Dennis & Blanca.

I'm a Harvard College student working in the shelter right now, just for the summer. First of all, I'd like to give my sincerest thanks to Dennis and Blanca for their noble efforts. The children are very precious, and it's hard to imagine how they cope with their conditions.
Right now, the shelter is trying to expand to accomodate more patients, but as Dennis mentioned, the organization has no assets on its own. We need all the help we can get. If you could, please visit the shelter's website at http://aldimi.smdpi.com/ and make a donation to make these kids's lives better.