Update (not a very exciting title I know)

January is generally a month of planning here in the Peruvian churches hence the lack of postings. Planning is not that interesting to write about. After carefully consideration we felt that we were being led to put our ministry under the authority of our local church ‘Vision Vida’.
This has meant we have had a slight change of direction. We are still working with Alfredo and in Pucallpa, which is now under the mission ministry of our church and labelled as support of different ministries.

Our main focus now is increasing the amount of mission being done in the church. We are doing this in several ways; firstly, we are starting a new work in a shanty town called Pacifico de Villa in an area called Chorillos.

Some of the mums and children that we hope to work with.

This is the area where we did the kids event in December. Secondly we are visiting the cell groups of our church, and encouraging them to do more mission related things, as well as supporting them. A view of Pacifico de Villa.

Also we are planning to support those doing mission, in whatever form and help those who have ideas on what they want to do in mission but don’t have the next steps.
We are very excited about all this. More to follow in the next few days and weeks.

Retreat

Welcome Coffee

Last Thursday we had the priviledge to have a retreat for the people who work in Ventanilla in our house. We had an amazing time, with food, fun, teaching, worship,

Daniel leading worship?!

and times of just hanging out together. It was a real blessing to be able to serve them, and to be able to pray and share with them. Everyone enjoyed the food, beautifully prepared by Joey (who was staying with us) and Anna. In addition everyone felt they benefitted from my teaching on 'Leadership, who I am in Christ, and the Holy Spirit'.

Teaching times and praying for the teachers.

Joey, Tassanda and her daughter, and Alfredo.

We also this week went to Ventanilla to show it to Joey. As the kids were on holiday we visited the school, before visiting 3 families, and taking them a love offering of food. The woman in the picture above can hardly walk, and has a crooked hand. She was nearly dying a few years ago but she asked God to heal her for the sake of her daughter. When she got the illness several years ago her husband abandoned her, and left her with nothing, but her 2 daughters. She tries to make ends meat by making Picarones (like Peruvian doughnuts, well sort of), but her oven has died. This is another of the people we would love to help with our social action projects. She was so blessed by having foreigners in her 'humble' as she calls it house. They have 1 bed for them both, a toilet next to the bed, and a kitchen. The thirteen year old daughter wishes to work, but we are persuading her to stay until she at least finishes school. This is unfortuantely just one example of many similar situations for the poor in Peru.