Update on the 2011 Christmas Outreach

This morning was the follow up meeting with the president of 18 little districts in San Genaro Dos.  (If you don’t know what I am talking about “click here.”)  We arrived, and parked our car on a dirt soccer field in which the right side of the field drops off on a steep decline.  We then called the president of the area and said “Hey!  We are here!!!”

“I’m so sorry! I got called into an emergency meeting with the mayor.  We are talking about getting running water!!!  I’m sorry.  But don’t worry, my wife knows everything, she can give all the details.”

So we walked to his house and discovered his wife was not there, so we walked up the rest of the 380 stairs and began to look around.  


Mark, Ronald, Angela and I talked, thought, planned, and then we prayed.  As we prayed, asking the Lord to give us vision, direction, provision, and hope, we saw three beautiful butterflies flying around.  Then, as I typed “butterfly” into my online Bible, knowing there was no such reference, the following verse came up.  It was the only verse that came up.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17

Wow, what encouragement!  This is exactly what we felt God was putting on our hearts for San Genaro Dos.  

So we went down the mountain and began speaking with the president’s daughter, his wife, and their assistant.  They began explaining to us about the area and the needs.  They wanted to know our intentions, and our heart behind our words.  (They had been burnt in the past by people that wanted to come and “help.”)

We started out slow, and explained our hearts and intentions.  We understood their reservations.  It was so good that Angela was there because they saw we aren’t three crazy guys.  (Angela is such a lover of people, you could literally see them forming bonds in a couple of minutes.  To the point of Angela referring to a lady by a nickname that is common in Peru which means “belly.”)

These lovely ladies just opened right up.

Since God was showing us that they really were people of peace, we continued our conversation because there is a ton of planning involved.  To bless 800 children we were going to need to do a ton of work to make the event happen.  We have been asking for miracles over all of this because to Westerners, this is last minute preparation for something that is huge.

Well, today we saw God work.

Today, three woman who didn’t know us at all, are so comfortable with us that they are asking to be involved.

They want to team up with the people from Pacifico and make the hot chocolate.  They want to help pass it out.  They want to make sure the kids are in order.  They want people to know about God.  They want to show us their little work spaces that we might be able to hold celebration services in the future.  

I can’t explain to you how different this experience is, in comparison to anything I have done in a non-Christian context here in Peru.  Very often, when you give something that people want, they want it all.  They are not interested in helping or giving, they are interested in receiving.  And honestly, based off of what we have seen here in Peru the past two years, it’s not a surprise.  “Get what you can get, while you can get it.”  

Not today.

After this meeting it appears we now have a place to hold the outreach, a place to cook the hot chocolate, people to cook the hot chocolate, leaders to help organize the children, a sound system, clean up crew, and fencing to keep the area secure.  Amazing right?

What do we still need?

Your support.

How can you support us?

Through prayer, and if you feel led, financial partnership.

At a minimum, it will cost approximately 9,000 soles ($3,400) to get 800 children a gift, hot chocolate, and bread.  They will hear the gospel this day, and they will laugh, and have their stomachs full of holiday food.  We know that.  God keeps showing us His plan.

What we are asking you, is if you feel like you can help be a part of that!!!  Can you help make an investment with the people of Pacifico, and Oikos Church?

If you are interesting in donating, click here, and then follow the links.  (Type in “Christmas” under the reference form.)  We know it takes a little bit of time, but it will be so completely worth it.

Thank you!