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Long before joining Kids Alive Peru, Karen Ponce dreamed of creating a place of safety for women who had experienced violence. As a teenager, she imagined an oasis where women could learn from the Bible, develop skills, and find supportive relationships. When the opportunity arose to serve with Kids Alive in 2020, she recognized it as God’s open door to the calling He had placed on her heart.
“I imagined a safe place, an oasis, where women could learn from the Bible, develop skills, and build supportive relationships,” Karen recalls. “When I learned about the opportunity at KAI, I felt that God was opening a door toward that calling.”
Today, as Director of the Lighthouse Hope Center in Pucallpa, Karen is helping families experience restoration and equipping women with skills to build new futures.
Walking by Faith
Karen’s role has not been without challenges. Limited resources often mean difficult decisions, especially in communities where needs are great. Staff turnover has also tested the team. Yet through each difficulty, Karen has seen God’s hand at work.
“Even in those moments, God has been faithful and has provided, especially during key moments like floods or Christmas campaigns,” she says. And when staff members move on, she trusts that God will bring others with willing hearts to continue the mission.
A Family Transformed
Among the many stories of transformation, one stands out to Karen: a mother named Amelia and her daughter, Isabel (pseudonyms). Amelia first joined Hope Center workshops after a neighbor invited her. Through devotionals, baking, and sewing classes, she began to rebuild her confidence and sense of community.
Later, Amelia confided in the team about violence her daughter had experienced. The Hope Center responded with an integrated approach—providing food and clothing, legal support through a partnership with IJM, and psychological care. Today, Amelia is part of a network of women survivors supporting one another, while Isabel and her siblings participate in children’s clubs and workshops.
For Karen, their story reflects the heart of the ministry: holistic care that restores dignity and creates lasting change.
Giving Her All
Karen often reminds those interested in nonprofit work to carefully consider their calling. “This work isn’t for someone only seeking financial stability,” she says. “You need to have a heart that’s ready to serve in very difficult situations and seek God’s guidance every day.”
She knows from experience that service sometimes requires more than professional skills. “Sometimes I’ve had to sing, decorate, lead workshops—whatever is needed to serve with love.”
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Living Out “Justice that Heals. Bonds that Mend.”
For Karen, Kids Alive’s tagline is not just words—it’s the heartbeat of her ministry. “We work for justice that goes beyond the legal system—it heals hearts. And that healing happens through relationships.”
Through her leadership, women and children in Pucallpa are experiencing exactly that: justice that heals, and bonds that mend.
Thank You!
We are deeply grateful to supporters like you. Your generosity makes it possible to bring dedicated staff like Karen to Kids Alive sites around the world. Your partnership equips faithful, skilled leaders and professionals to walk alongside vulnerable children and families—helping them experience healing, hope, and the chance to flourish in their community.
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