Updated Plans

Our original “Special Edition” Newsletter stated “The plan” (beginning in early 2009) to be as follows:

“Settling in and beginning to work (volunteer) in a foreign land, will be a challenge. Maintaining family relationships and friendships via internet or skype will be another challenge. The plan is assist the Peruvian Christians in their AWANA/OANSA clubs, research ways they can support themselves, and to help the women of the shelter find ways to earn a living and become self-sufficient and move back into their own community.”

Our prayer and financial partners have asked that we share in more detail where this plan came from, how we will be working it, and the timeframe we are considering.

First, when we were considering full-time ministry, we found the Lord continually showed us ways He was already using us in Peru. We recognized the spiritual gifts of administration, encouragement, helps and discernment were acknowledged by the Peruvian Christians and by the leadership and co-workers in New Covenant Creation Ministries. Why in Peru rather than Duluth? We are in the season of life where our attention to family needs has changed. We were individually drawn, on separate occasions, by the Holy Spirit, to serve in this part of the world. It became clear that this was the time to make ourselves available to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Peru. Although the main focus of NCCM is evangelism and that is not our gift, we believe that we are all called to go and tell our story to those who will listen.

Originally we thought we would be working in areas of NCC Ministry. Joy planned to work in the Peru NCCM Office with Alex Compton and help in the ESOL classes led by his wife Holly. With the recent need for NCCM to restructure the leadership, the depletion of financial support for the Comptons, and the loss of confidence many partners have with the ministry, we recognized the area of ministry would need to change. The Comptons are returning to the states so there will be no NCCM Peru Office and no ESOL classes. Don initially planned to finish a work we began. This is still our personal desire, and feel it is what the Lord would have us spend our time and efforts doing.

The work that Don began is purchasing churches and starting AWANA clubs in the sectors. This has been accomplished through prayer and sharing the needs with the Christians here in the USA. However, if we can teach them to fish, they will never be hungry. So, our challenge is to research opportunities for the little churches to become self-sufficient in their communities and outreach programs.

We will be focusing on language school beginning February 16, 2009 for four months. Upon completion of that goal, we plan to find an apartment and start up a home office for the purpose of doing research in the area of small businesses for the Peruvian Christians to begin with the goal of financing their outreach (AWANA) programs, and in some individual cases, to finance life outside the shelter or orphanage.

NCCM has an orphanage that cannot legally retain residents who reach the age of 18. However, the children are not ready to be on their own, some many not even have a high school education. College is a dream, for those who live in the orphanage. NCCM also has a battered women’s shelter for mothers and children. Unemployment is about __% and those who do work, face 12 hour days, 6 days a week as a standard work week. Therefore, for a young adult, or woman to move back into their own community from the safe environment offered by NCCM, it would be detrimental to their well being. They need to have a source of income to maintain life without turning to the streets, or worse still, to the men in their lives who abused them initially. To date, there is no matriculation plan for these women. It has not been researched and addressed. We see this as a definite need. Beginning a cottage industry or researching job-share opportunities for the young adult to work 6 hour days and go to school 6 hours a day or for the mother to work 6 hours a day and still have time at home with her children would prove beneficial for all. It would help break the cycle of life they experience outside the safety of the living environment NCCM provides. It would also provide more room in the orphanage and shelter to take in new residents.

Our desire is to give hope to these Peruvian Christians, by assisting them in obtaining a quality of life beyond what they presently expect. Finding employment opportunities will greatly enhance them individually, as family units, and their little congregations and church outreach programs. If we can participate in advancing their expectations, then they will become a brighter light for the Lord in their own communities.

Please see our attached “statement of faith” for serving in Peru.