A Team Effort

As I wrote before, the local eco stove work is now in the post-construction phase and I'm now trying to get around as many of the 54 beneficiary families as possible for the follow-up monitoring. "What are we actually monitoring?" I hear you ask. Several things: are the eco stoves being used and if so, are the beneficiaries using it as per the technical manual's recommendations?! How are the eco stoves physically holding up - any sign of heat damage of the bricks, for example? Is the chimney working properly to extract the smoke? Have the beneficiaries noticed something in the design that would make the eco stove easier or even more beneficial for them? And the big question: has the eco stove reduced their consumption of firewood and by how much? We've so far completed about 75% of the monitoring visits and I'm pleased to report that the majority of the eco stoves are being used almost daily, the eco stoves are in good condition and generally functioning as they should be and beneficiaries are reporting a reduction in fuel use between 25% and 50%, which is fantastic.

In a few cases, when I asked about their firewood consumption with the new eco stove I was initially disappointed to be told that they hadn't seen a difference, but then it invariably transpired that the difference was seen in their use of LPG gas - some had stopped using LPG completely when the new stove was installed or their gas bottles were lasting them 50-100% longer than before but for the same consumption of firewood. This represents a significant financial saving for the family and still equates to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions even if the local dry forests aren't feeling the benefit! Next time, amongst other learning points, it would be good to complement the eco stove implementation with tree planting - as my colleagues in Uganda have been doing.

Just before heading off on holiday I was pleased to host our first webinar as part of the Eco-Crisis and the Gospel Program with the International Baptist Theological Study Centre (IBTS). The webinar was led by Aline Nussbaumer, a conservationist with A Rocha and theology student, on her topic of choice: 'Woven in Green: clothing as a place of reconciliation with creation'. The event was a long time coming! I had originally tried to set this webinar up last year but for various reasons I decided to cancel it and Aline graciously agreed to be available again this year. It was worth it, with many more people signing up than the year before.

Aline really helped us to reflect deeply on what it means to return to Biblical principles of wisdom, as applied to our clothing choices but also applicable to every aspect of our lives and also what it means to value ourselves and our neighbour (who may be making the clothes in a factory or trying to do something constructive with our mountains of discarded clothing which we ship to other countries as if we were blessing them...) through the value we place on the clothes with which we clothe ourselves. You can also participate now by answering the following question which Aline also put to us: what's your most valued item of clothing and why? I hope that we can add at least one webinar to the Eco-crisis and the Gospel program each year now, to augment the 10-week course we run in the Autumn. I would have liked to be able to organise a second webinar this year but my capacity to do this in addition to moving back to the UK and doing Home Assignment is limited!

So, as hopefully you will know by now, I will be coming to End of Service as a mission worker in Peru on completion of this upcoming UK Home Assignment. The good news is that I have been accepted to continue the role of UK-based Creation Stewardship Co-ordinator. This brings me much joy as amongst many other things, I can continue developing the program with IBTS and the other training activities which I do with different BMS partners, as well as channelling more support to more partner projects through the Eco Challenge Fund, including, hopefully, some more eco stoves in Peru through my local connections here with the Regional Baptist Association. The role is part-time but I will have the benefit of being able to stay with my parents in South Wales, working remotely most of the time but travelling into the office in Didcot with far more ease than before. I'm grateful for your prayers as I navigate this time of transition - especially the leaving behind of great friends and precious people (like Pr. Luis and Noemi from Iquitos pictured above, who are still going strong for the Lord and their mission to the Jungle).

If I don't have the chance to visit you during this Home Assignment, please let me thank you profoundly for all your support for me and for BMS over the last 13 years. From teaching rural lay pastors and providing clean water through the Integral Mission Training Centre in Nauta to working with church youths on recycling and litter-picking as both Christian service and witness and building eco stoves in rural church communities to show how God cares about his people and his creation here in Piura - none of this (and everything else there isn't space to mention here again) would have been possible without your prayers and giving, this has definitely been a team effort! Thank you!

Que Dios les bendiga grandemente.

Love Laura x