Our team.
Osmar Olivar Tuanama Fasanando
Founder and Director
Osmar was born in the city of Iquitos, Peru – the second of four children and the second Christian in his family. He accepted Jesus as his personal savior at age 16 and was baptized at age 17. He studied at Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in Iquitos- Peru enrolling in its Discipleship Training School (DTS) and graduated in 2007. Before finishing his DTS, WYAM asked Osmar to join their volunteer staff where he worked with multiple mission teams, organizations and churches for the next 4 years continuing to learn new skills and grow spiritually.
He met Nicole a beautiful YWAM intern in June of 2008 and would later marry her in October 2010. In 2009, during their courtship Osmar felt called to work with children from his home neighborhood, La Union. Many children in this area have only a single parent and all live in extreme poverty. On February 2nd Osmar began showing the love of Jesus and sharing what little he had opening the doors of his humble home to receive these children, feeding them, and sharing bible stories. This began the Sunshine Kid’s Club. The Sunshine Kid’s Club offers a variety of Christian principled activities to its 120 members throughout the week for children who need the love of Christ every day. To date, Osmar and his wife continue to build this ministry in an effort to expand His kingdom.
Nicole Dawn Finehout
Assistant Director & Mini Explorers Teacher
Nicole is child 6 out of 7 and was raised in Mormonism. At the age of 16 she stopped attending church of any kind until in 2007 at the age of 21 her faith was rekindled after she read the book “Boy meets Girl” by Joshua Harris. This led her into a romance with her Savior leading her to a church where God showed her a vision that changed her life. She was born again and baptized.
Immediately after her baptism, she felt prompted by The Holy Spirit to go on a mission in Peru. It took a year of spiritual preparation and saving and in June of 2008 she landed in Iquitos, Peru where she interned through YWAM (Youth with a Mission). She worked for 2 months in inner city witnessing, river ministry and youth ministry. To date she has served in missions in Mexico, Guatemala and Peru working with a wide variety of church, mission, educational & humanitarian groups including Youth with a mission, All for Him, Hearts in motion, El Faro, Living waters medical missions, UNAP & many others.
Upon completing her 2008 internship in Iquitos, Peru Nicole returned home to the US. The next year (2009), she returned to Iquitos for 6 months and worked at the Peruvian University (UNAP) teaching English. Between English classes, she volunteered with fellow missionary & fiancé Osmar, a native Peruvian, in his growing children’s ministry The Sunshine Kid’s Club. Nicole & Osmar married in 2010 and continue to grow their ministry.
In the ministry Nicole is responsible for teaching the Mini Explorers (children between the ages 1-5) Saturday school class, hosting a home cell group, publishing the Sunshine Kid’s Club newsletters, organizing events, programs, classes, making church presentations among other secretarial duties.
In addition to working in their primary focus, the children’s ministry, they continue working side by side assisting a wide variety of mission organizations and church mission teams.
Vania Arroyo Lacca
Belen Club Director and Mini Explorers Teacher’s Assistant
Vania is a 19 year old Peruvian native and is the older of two children in her single-parent household. She was the only family member actively living by her faith participating in and leading the youth group at the largest Catholic Church in Iquitos.
She studied English in 2009 at UNAP (National Peruvian Amazon University) language center where she met Nicole, The Sunshine Kid's Club asst. director. One day Vania shared with Nicole that she would like to be a professional clown so Nicole invited Vania to come see the kid's club. She continues to attend the Saturday programs and assist in the Mini Explorers class as Nicole's translator.
After a year of volunteering at the SKC Vania is now attending Nicole's church Code of Change with her mother and brother. In 2010 she was asked to direct another children's ministry located in Belen called Children in Victory where she has 60 attendees and developed a team of her own volunteer staff. She has volunteered all these years while studying French, Portuguess, English and attending college on a rigorous pursuit of obtaining a degree in international business and tourism while working part-time jobs.
Vania has a drive for learning new things and spreading the love of Jesus and in 2014 her hard work and dedication earned her a full scholarship through The Sunshine Kid's Club provided by New Life Fellowship to go on a missions training school in Lima put on by Youth With A Mission. Vania would like nothing more to continue serving in missions and one day see her kid club members do the same.
Edwin Lopez Sahuarico
Worship Leader & Conquistador Class Teacher
Edwin is married to July (Julie) and they have 2 beautiful boys with a 3rd on the way. In 2012 Edwin was telling the Lord in his prayers that he wanted to do God's will because working for God was the only thing he know how to do. In the month of July God answered his prayers and he met brother Osmar at a soccer game and there they became acquaintances but he did not know that Osmar was the director of the Sunshine Kid’s Club (SKC).
One day Osmar was walking by Edwins house and he asked Osmar, “What are you going to do during the next few days?” and Osmar said that he was going up river with a missionary group and Edwin told him “Take me with you.” and Osmar said “I don’t have money to pay you.” and Edwin answered him “I don’t want money I just want to do the will of God.” So on that river trip is where they grew their good friendship and it is where he also met Nicole, Osmar’s wife.
Later in the month of August that same year Edwin informed brother Osmar that he was interested in becoming a teacher at the SKC and after seeing his heart for youth and adolescents he was taken on as volunteer staff and asked to teach and work with club members called "Conquistadors" from ages 13+.
Two years later Edwin is still teaching adolescence and also with his many musical gifts has been leading club worship. Not only does he give freely of his time but he also invited his equally passionate wife and sister-in-law, Katy, to join as volunteer staff.
Julie Santos Santoval
Julie is married to volunteer staff, Edwin and mother of 2 beautiful boys, Matias and Ryan with a 3rd baby on the way. In August of 2012 she joined the Sunshine Kids Club (SKC) as volunteer staff by following in her husband footsteps and started to dedicate her Saturday mornings at the club house accepting the role of teaching our 7-8 year olds class called Patrulleros or Backpackers in English.
Julie works hard and uses her creativity to enhance her classes and get the children’s participation and undivided attention. She's had great success in getting her students as young as they are to receive memory verses just as well as the older club members.
Katty Santos de Manuyama
Katty is married to Ronald Manayuma and they have 2 wonderful boys Jesse, and Shane with a third on the way. Katty started volunteering at the club in 2012 the same time her sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Edwin did. She is responsible for our "Caminantes" (Hikers) class ages 6-7. She is also an active member in her church MEPI where she volunteers to help clean and cook. She has a servant’s heart, and motherly compassion. She says...
"I am super happy to work with the kids at the Sunshine Kid's Club. I came to the SKC through my brother-in-law, Edwin Lopes. He invited me to come and see the work he had been doing with the kids and I fell in love from that moment on. My desire as a teacher at the SKC is that the children can grow in the ways of God. What I love is to them it doesn’t matter if it is difficult to read they are willing to learn and for that I rejoice. I’m a volunteer. I don’t receive any financial support; I do all these things because I love God and the kids and really like what I do for the Lord.
I want to say thank you to Osmar and Nicole for the opportunity they gave me to work with them in the ministry. For me it has been a great blessing to meet Osmar and Nicole because they are excellent people that love God.
May the Lord bless you and the wonderful work you do."
Jessica Fasanando Sahuarico
Club Cook
"Tia Jessica" is the proud mother of three children, Lery, Axel, and Sharnessa. She too has been working alongside her sister, Mirna since the beginning as one of our very needed club cooks. This woman is such a dedicated volunteer that she continued cooking for us even after she broke her leg in a motorcar accident. She has no cast on her leg and crosses the rickity foot bridge with her crutches just to prepare the club meals. What determination. What a blessing. What a warrior!
Mirna Fasanando de Tuanama
Club Head Cook
"Mama Mirna" is married to Jorge Tuanama and is the proud mother of four children, Jon, Osmar, Gray and Yaely. She has been The Sunshine Kid's Club head cook since the beginning in 2009. Her Saturday mornings start earlier than most as preparing hot meals for 120 hungry tummies over a fire pit can take a long time. She is viewed as the clubs’ mom and works hard because she has such a loving heart for our kiddos.