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Fivos and his 'children' in Peru
To see the first part of the interview and how Fivos ended up in Peru, click here.
Fivos serves the people of Alto Peru in every possible way. At first, he started cooking for the homeless and drug addicts, but now he also takes care of their children. He still remembers the first child who clung to him. He was the son of a woman who used drugs. This child stayed at Fivos' house for about 5 years, but unfortunately followed in his mother's footsteps. After this case, other children started coming to stay with him and this is still happening today. All these children have experienced difficult situations. Usually, they do not have a father, their parents are drug addicts or they just do not care about them, - something very common in the area. Fivos currently has three children in his home. Oliver, Raoul, who is 14 years old and has lived with him for almost 6 years and Edward.
God works in the hearts of children. Fivos had a problem with Oliver, due to some learning difficulties he faced because he is deaf. At the same time, no matter how much he talked about God, he did not understand who He was nor what the gospel is, and when others prayed, he simply looked at them. One day, however, as Fivos was worshiping with his guitar, Oliver began to pray on his own, weeping and said a wonderful prayer. This was great for Fivos because he knew that the Holy Spirit had touched him. Now, every time Oliver is asked to pray, he responds willingly and slowly begins to understand things about God.
Fivos, however, is not only interested in the boys who live in his house, but also in the children of the whole neighborhood, which is why he cooks for them and visits them. Also, many of the children who grew up next to him and left, come to visit him, so every day 3-4 more people gather at his house.
Many women are also in great need, who are raising their children alone, because their husbands have abandoned them for a younger one, completely forgetting their family. To support them, Fivos, together with people who help him, coordinates once a week a group of women in which there is time for biblical study, but also sweets courses, in order for the participants to sell them and thus increase their income.
Fivos receives financial support from Greece, Germany and America, as he devotes all his time to serving others. This money is enough to cover his rent. Although rents in Peru are very high, they have never been deprived of anything. God always provides in various ways all that is necessary for him and the children he serves.
There may be difficulties, but the driving force for Fivos always remains his love for the children he serves - either the ones that are still with him as well as the ones that have left. Unfortunately, many of the teens he works with, use or sell drugs, steal or leave their girlfriends pregnant. However, he has managed to build a very good relationship with them and speaks openly to them about God. In difficult times they remember what he has told them and what they have been taught. He sees a difference in many. Not everyone has decided to follow God, but they are trying to do something better in their lives, leaving evil behind.
It is characteristic that in the past when they gathered for common prayer, everyone 'suddenly' had something to do and had to leave. Now, they sit and pray! This is something that makes Fivos happily declare that "for these 10-12 people it's worth being in Alto Peru. My passion is my children! I call them my children because that's how I feel about them. They are mine!".