"Hope is the greatest gift that the church can give to the world."
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| Little Carmensita is four |
After what seems like two very hectic months...May taking on a second congregation...and part of June on holidays, I'm back to blogging! There is no shortage of stories, adventures, challenges, and joys to share. But I would, rather, like to begin with something that I read recently that inspired me greatly. It is from Kenyan theologican Dr. Musimti Kanyoro, who wrote: "Hope is the greatest gift that the church can give to the world." Her words about the mission and hope of the church are incredibly empowering and motivating. It is Christ who gives us love, grace and hope and we as members of the body of Christ share that message of the Gospel in what we do, what we say, where we focus our energies and priorities, with whom we choose to spend our time, and in exactly where we are in any given moment of our lives. As Christians, in other words, we can give the gift of hope.
In Peru, as in many parts of the world, so many live without much hope of their situation, the education, health-care, government corruption, etc, changing. But as part of our work with children and youth, and with the support of our companion synod in Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast, ILEP has just launched a new program for children and families called Sembrando para el Futuro. It is a pilot project that will add depth to the ministries we had already begun in recent years. It is an exciting project and it is a very hope-filled time!
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| ILEP (Lutheran Church in Peru) in Convention, mid-March, deciding on the hope and future of the church |
At the congregation of San Juan Camino de Esperanza we will reach out in new ways to the children and families in the hillsides close to the church, offering not only help with homework and a bible lesson, but will also provide a meal, psychological assistance, field trips to museums and libraries, as well as establish a fund for medical assistance. It is a growing program and one we are very excited about, because it is one way we can witness and live out the hope, love, and resurrection that we have in Christ Jesus.
Our youth have been meeting regularly, an exciting change this year. There are between 9-15 youth, young men and women participating and our continuing theme for the year is identity.
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| First, Marissa, Diana and Gina exploring and naming the things we like to do |
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| Next...Angie and Gracie discovering our talents and gifts... |
Many of these youth are caring for younger siblings, some come from single parent homes, all live in very simple conditions with only the most basic of needs being provided. With the help of a psychologist friend, we are focusing on identity issues as children of God: self-worth, self-esteem, self-love, and self-understanding.
Going deeper seems to be the focus this year, my third year as Long-Term missionary and into my third year in Peru. We are deepening relationships and cultural understandings, interpretation of Scripture and contextually how that looks here, we are strengthening partnerships with companion congregations both in the US and with Grace Lutheran in Victoria, British Columbia, and we are deepening the care and support of the children and youth of the congregation and in the surrounding community. In other words, children and youth will have help with their homework and can advance in their education, there will be a psychological presence for the youth as they struggle with self-identity and negotiate the changing relationship with their parents, it means sharing a meal each week as well as supplementing nutritional needs, and this deepening means a more stable and consistent presence by way of visiting and community support. This is hope in action.
Giving hope, sharing the Gospel, being present in the challenges and difficulties, sharing God's love is our witness at San Juan Camino de Esperanza, St. John Way of Hope, for ours is a way of hope. It is what we share in word and deed, it is what we share in the meal. Hope is a way of life.
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| Our Sanctuary on Easter Sunday Morning |
"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts trough the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Romans 5:5
May the peace, grace, love and hope of Jesus Christ be with you all,
Pastora Fran
