Adelante!!!

My name is Christopher Williams, call me Chris. As the new intern at Stewardship Sinergia, my charge is to empower the organization to better reach the women of La Esperanza though its microfinance products, and through the relationships built through that medium, with the ultimate end to share the Gospel.

If you have read this blog, or are familiar with Peru Mission’s ministry of Sinergia, you would be familiar with Sinergia’s purpose. If not, please read this page: www.sinergia-mfi.com.

There are many changes happening at Sinergia; at this moment Sinergia has already changed its name to Stewardship Sinergia. Eduardo, Sinergia's director, has less than two months left with us, so we will be busy implementing changes into an already needy organization. Pray that the Lord would continue through us to make the changes needed at Sinergia to most effectively touch the lives of the women of La Esperanza.

Reflecting on my four weeks in Trujillo so far sheds so much light on how blessed I am, and how paradoxical it is that Christ is my savior. When I look around and see children playing in piles of trash, or wives who are abandoned by their husbands or boyfriends and their children who are abandoned by their fathers, it makes me think, did I deserve to have parents who were with me at each step, loving, caring for me and having what’s best for me in mind? Do I deserve the love of Christ that never will abandon me, in spite of not deserving any of it? What love, what grace God has given me; may I give just a bit of that to these people who are far more needy and far more deserving than me.

What a charge I had when I finally woke up to the realization of the work ahead of me. Pray that I might find that energy, grace, patience, and humility to strive towards my finite goals at Sinergia, so the infinite plans of God can take root. 

Taking Out the Trash

A couple of Saturdays ago, several of us had a unique opportunity to spend time with a gentleman named Francisco.  Don “Panchito” is a 79-year-old patient at the clinic who collects recycling for a living and lives in a 4.5 m2 adobe brick squatter house in Wichanzao.  But more than that, he’s a sweet guy who works hard, cracks jokes, and always expresses his genuine appreciation.  Which is one reason why, when we found out that his roof (one layer plastic, one layer woven straw material) had collapsed, we wanted to help. 

So, after consulting with Pastor Juan from Wichanzao church, collecting some money and volunteer interest, and checking out materials, we headed to don Panchito’s house to give the project a shot.  We ended up having a good group of 15 or 20 people, consisting of several people from the clinic, the Wichanzao church, SUSA and Cristo Rey, and a couple of his neighbors. 

We thought the primary job would be replacing the remains of his old roof with sheets of tin, or calamina.  Of course, that was the main task, and the more experienced guys did a great job with its construction.  However, I found myself in an interesting role:  emptying shovelfuls of debris from don Panchito’s house.  You see, the house was full to the top of everything you can possibly imagine, and this man had literally been living in a trash dump.  Some things he had piled to the ceiling to keep his roof from falling completely, some things he was saving to recycle or sell, and some things I think he just didn’t know what to do with.  It was definitely intimidating to see the house so full and to think about beginning to make it more livable.

At first, don Panchito didn’t even want us to take anything out.  “I’ll take care of it.  Don’t trouble yourself.  There are probably rats and fleas.  I can take things out little by little.”  But we eventually coaxed him into letting us clean a little bit of it.  Although we left a lot in there, the room has much more space now, and there’s at least clear path to his bed.  It was hard finding the balance between respecting his dignity and right to make decisions and convincing him that he didn’t deserve to be living in such conditions.  Plus, a lot of what looked like junk to our eyes was a valuable piece of plastic, glass, or iron to be sold, or even a meaningful memoir or possession to treasure.  So we had to be careful, to respect, to receive his guidance, to look through his eyes.  And I’m sure, at the end of the day, it was hard – probably even embarrassing – to see so much that had been filling his house piled on the road for all to see.

The entire experience actually convicted several of us, and we realized how much we are like don Panchito.  We get accustomed to seeing the messy realities of those around us and, especially, to living in our own trash dumps:  bad habits, broken relationships, resentment, bitterness, mistakes, regret, addictions, complacency.  It’s too hard to fix, we’re too far down that road, it’s really not that bad, I’m doing alright like I am, I’m working on improving it.  “I’ll take care of it.  Really, I don’t need the help.  It’s ugly in there.  I can do it, little by little.”  We’re ashamed to let the world see it.  We don’t want help.  What’s more, we don’t want to let go of the trash we’ve come to treasure.  Surely we can do something good with it.  Or at least it reminds us of something we once loved.

But the reality is, we can’t clean it up by ourselves. And we forget that no one should have to live in these circumstances.  Jesus longs to take us out of this junk we’ve become so attached to.  We don’t dare to imagine how much better things can be, the marvelous alternative that is possible, but God wants to work beside us and make it a reality.  To redeem us from our rubbish, to make something beautiful out of it.  To give us a community to love us and to help clean things up. 

It’s hard to give it up.  I think it was for don Panchito.  But we need an extreme makeover just as much as he did.  And, if we can humble ourselves to receive the help, it’s scarily exciting to think about what God can do in our lives and in His kingdom.  And, with what Jesus has planned, I think it’ll be a heck of a lot better than one afternoon’s work of putting on a new tin roof.

  

In a Dry and Weary Land

Every Tuesday the Mission Fellows eat lunch together. This is a great time of fellowship and encouragement. While enjoying the food, we have a conversation surrounding a book we all are reading. Last month we discussed “A Praying Life” by Paul Miller.

I have really appreciated this book so far. The book goes beyond explaining why prayer is vital in our lives to uncover some of the doubts and uncertainties that hinder us from praying. Deep, abiding hope and trust in the Lord form the basis of a strong prayer life.

One of the items discussed in the book strongly goes against an American mentality. In the US, we tend to always favor that which is most efficient and we embrace visible, tangible results from our work. These are what our culture has valued and these have guided our definition of “success.” The author points out that prayer requires time and necessitates our lack of independence.

He eloquently writes, “Those who pray don’t have less busy lives, they have less busy hearts.” While living in the bustling city, we interns always see one more thing we could do. There are countless moments when we make sacrifices so we will have the time to be building relationships with the Peruvians. Skipping our quiet times cannot be one of the forgone items, though. Skipping prayer silently implies we can walk this road alone. Continually crying out to the Lord helps us remember our place, one that is forever in need of Jesus.

Prayer also helps our minds to focus appropriately. The author explains the difference between a person looking to the Father and one turning away: “Both the child and the cynic walk through the valley of the shadow of death. The cynic focuses on the darkness, the child focuses on the shepherd.” What a comfort it is to know, regardless of time or space, the Good Shepherd will never leave our side. Through good times and bad, He is always faithful.

As we learn about prayer and ever seek to steward the time the Lord has given each of us, your prayers are greatly appreciated. We all rejoice to be serving here in Peru – and continually seek-out how the Lord wills us to steward the time He gives us each day.

February Update

I hope this message finds you doing well and enjoying the second month of 2011. Just as the new year has arrived, I too have experienced a beginning of sorts here in Peru following a trip back to the U.S. over the Christmas Holidays. I have been back for a little over a month now, yet I am already feeling at home.

The search for a true sense of community in Trujillo has really come to fruition over the past few weeks. The Mission has received two more families over the last couple of months, and I already feel like I know them quite well. My relationships with those who have been here are continuing to grow, and friendships with the other fellows have especially strengthened. A few of them are even becoming what I perceive to be life-long friends. While I have seen some of my closest Peruvian friends come and go in pursuit of new stages of their lives, several are still here in Trujillo. In fact, finding time to spend with one another despite everyone’s busy schedule has been more possible lately than ever before. It’s SUMMER TIME in Peru, and Saturdays have turned into beach days with friends…what more could I ask for?

Before Christmas, I was teaching English and working around four or five hours a day out at Sinergia, the microfinance institute. However, I have been able to reorganize my schedule in a way that allows me to spend all day working at Sinergia during the week now. I feel incredibly blessed to have finally received the opportunity to engage myself wholeheartedly with my work at the microfinance institute, and I can  already see how much of a difference this change has made.

While many areas of my life here in Peru have recently experienced new beginnings, my involvement with Sinergia has ironically felt ‘caught in the past’ lately because the last month has been dedicated to completing Sinergia’s annual report. Although tedious and a bit taxing on the eyes, compiling the annual report has allowed me to learn more about the Institute. Needless to say, I am glad to have finished it, and I am looking forward to the ensuing weeks.

Following some recent discoveries, my work plan has shifted a bit at the Institute. The plan was to spend much of February preparing for the next series of business training classes and then begin the Impact Analysis study designed last October. However, we realized in the past few weeks that the Institute is in considerable need of funds to be able to continue working with current clients and to expand the client base. So, the next few weeks will be spent formulating then carrying out a fundraising strategy for Sinergia.

Aside from a whole lot about microfinance and the realities of microeconomies, one thing that I have learned here in Peru is that life will always be busy—regardless of what corner of the world you may be located. Sometimes, it gets exhausting. Days are full and nights are short, yet the way of life here has a unique way of slowing you down when you least expect. This may come in the form of a long line, a traffic jam or even a two hour late afternoon lunch. I think such times, though frustrating, are times when God is telling me to slow down and soak up the life around me. If you know me well, you know that slowing down is not something that is easy for me to do. In the four months that remain, I know that this is going to be a challenge. For this reason, I ask that your prayers for me would focus on this challenge.

Thank you for slowing down your life long enough to read this update. I would like to encourage you to continue to slow down and see life’s little interruptions as opportunities to reflect and be thankful for the many ways that we have been blessed.

As always, thank you so very much for your prayers and support. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to know more about my experience (patrick.woodyard@gmail.com). To learn more about Sinergia, please visit the website at www.sinergia-mfi.com.

God Bless,

Patrick



Learning to See with God's Eyes

These past few weeks I have really been asking God who He has for me to reach out to. God has blessed me richly with 10 violin students. I am delighted to be working with them. However, at the same time I had thought to use my gifts to also reach out to non-Christians. Most of of my dear students are Christians and attending church. I am so grateful for this as it will hopefully improve the music in the churches here.

I am in a new phase in ministry here with my Spanish and with a significant schedule change. So, one of my goals for 2011 is to weekly invite someone whom I don't know well to coffee to try to reach out and to them and become involved in their lives. I have been struggling because I really want to reach out to non-Christian ladies. God is showing me that I am putting Him in a box. He is opening my eyes that service to Him includes anyone and in the tiniest details. He is opening my eyes to see the world through His eyes. We are here to glorify and enjoy GOD. That might involve a restful weekend, or it might involve listening to someone who really needs it, it might involve encouraging someone with a smile and a kind word. Service to God, including missionary work, doesn't have to fit into a box of ministering just to those who are not yet saved. 

Sometimes, I get so caught up in my idea of how I think things should work that I don't listen to what God is telling me that He wants me to do. I am so thankful for God's Word, His Holy Spirit and the Body of Christ!