Wholemeal Mission

The last time I wrote, I optimistically hoped that the first eco stove project, in Nuevo Eleuterio-km980, would have been implemented by the end of October. This did prove to be too optimistic, but on the positive side, I had not been optimistic enough about the project in Chapaira. This Friday (6th December), we will mark the official completion of the implementation phase in Nuevo Eleuterio with a Thanksgiving Service, meanwhile the Chapaira project, after really only getting started in October since I returned from my travels, is already 50% completed. The projects have been quite a learning curve for all of us involved, from the brothers who took on the construction responsibilities, the beneficiaries and the church leaders who have been far from passive recipients but essential project collaborators, to me, having to accept that a standardised approach was only going to get me so far implementing these projects in two vastly different local contexts. I'm satisfied that we haven't just rushed through the projects, but each beneficiary has received an eco stove that they have also invested in and throughout, we have built relationships, studied God's word together and not lost sight of the 'why' in the busyness of the 'how'. (Pictured below is one of the bible studies at one of the two small churches the project is working with in Chapaira.)

On a personal note, on returning to Peru at the start of October I felt it was time to move on from my church, 'Comunión, Gracia y Paz', which I had been attending since I first arrived here in Piura. Significantly, Pr. Carlos and the church were the main driver in my decision to move to Piura from Nauta when I took on the Creation Stewardship Co-ordinator role. They were an essential first stepping stone for me both in terms of orienting myself here in this totally unfamiliar region and also for starting the new role, working out what it would look like in practice and who I could really work with. I had been thinking and praying about the change for many months and my time away helped crystallise the reasons behind it. Pr. Carlos and I were able to have a positive conversation at the beginning of November and it was good to receive his blessing, especially as I will still be helping out at one of their daughter churches on Saturday afternoons and attending the women's meetings during the week from time-to-time. However, it now means I can focus more on the eco stove churches, particularly Nuevo Eleuterio-km980, where we are now planning to start a literacy project in January with the women from the church, most of whom can't or struggle to read and write.

Now back to work! Last weekend (30th November), the Piura Baptist Seminary organised a one-day conference for pastors and church leaders, open to all the churches of the Regional Baptist Association. As a one-time member of the teaching staff, the Seminary Director, Pr. Domingo (pictured below), very kindly invited me to be one of the speakers for the day. He didn't think 'creation stewardship' would be such an appropriate topic, so my fall-back option is usually 'integral mission'. We discussed ideas about different ways to interpret and apply the concept, which you might also know as 'holistic mission', although it might even be best translated from the original Spanish as 'wholemeal mission' (i.e. because none of the goodness of the seed is left out resulting in a more nutritious and sustaining bread, I think this is my favourite analogy of 'integral mission' to date). Thanks to that discussion, I settled on the title: 'Integral Mission: equipping the Church to live out their faith in the 'real' world', with a focus on the challenges faced by Peru's youth and young adults, many of whom leave the Church and the faith during those stages of their lives. I'm pleased to report that it all worked out really well, it stimulated both lively and humble discussion amongst the 80 or so participants and I could see that Pr. Domingo was also very satisfied at how I had incorporated his ideas. For my part, I could see the grace of God at work in the whole process, as the only woman and non-theology graduate speaking at the event, I know it is a privilege to be invited into these spaces and I continue to thank the Lord for these opportunities and His guiding hand for when I get them.

Finally, thank you for your continued prayers and support for the work here and for me personally. Hopefully the word will have gone out already that I will be on UK Home Assignment next year from mid-May through to early July, so if you would like a visit, please do let BMS know and I look forward to it!

And because this is my last newsletter before Christmas, may you have a blessed Christmas of peace and joy with loved ones and Emmanuel!

Love,

Laura x