Friday, March 9, 2007

WHO ME DOING MISSION WORK!!!!!!

WHO WOULD EVER THINK THIS WAS POSSIBLE?

A while ago some of you may have remembered I traveled with the Salvation Army to Biloxi Mississippi to help darning the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Since then I have been praying for another opportunity to come my way to do another mission trip of any sort but especial a third world country mission. Well a few years back friends of mine went on Missions to Guatemala and then went I think for three or four years in a row. Then other friends of mine went to Peru with Kids alive. In talking to them further I think God lead me to them to hear about these missions and to see their pictures.

They willingly volunteered their contact name to me and thus the process for my application to go on a mission’s trip this year began. Cedar Creek Community church of Cambridge has been taking groups to Peru for a few years now under the organization Kidsalive International. I put in my application sometime before Christmas met with the two main people who put the team together and then was told to wait and see where it goes from there. Well this Sunday evening I decided since my back was still sore from my car accident to stay home and rest, the phone rang and it was on of those two leaders calling me. He told me that I would be welcome on the team and that there would be a meeting this Thursday evening to discuss it further and what the next process would be.

Here is a little more information of the kidsalive website for you to hear a little more of what I am going to be a part of this summer.

Peru

In Peru over 6 million children under the age of 18 live in poverty and 10,000 . Street and under-privileged kids die in the capital city every year. In addition, A 50% poverty rate coupled with widespread underemployment has prevented any social service infrastructure from being effective in dealing with the growing number of children-at-risk Kids Alive has been providing quality care to children in Peru for many years through the establishment of an orphanage for abandoned, neglected and orphaned kids in Lima, Peru. More recently, Kids Alive has opened a Care Centre for the children of destitute single mothers in Manchay, Peru.We recognize that there are many children that need our help and we will continue to
reach out a hand of love to them, one at a time.

Lima Home

Lima, the capital city of Peru, is located on the Pacific Coast. Peru, nearly twice the size of Texas, and is a country of contrasts. The rich and the poor, the beautiful and the ugly, the historic and the modern, the mountains and jungle all add to the mystique of this Latin nation.

Located in the coastal desert region, Lima receives less than one inch of rainfall per year. Moving 30 to 50 miles inland one encounters the majestic Andes Mountains
and highlands, which separate the coast from the vast Amazon jungle. These three distinct geographical regions each have their own culture and people groups, making Peru a fascinating place to visit and live.The Lima Home was founded by Larry and Betty Bartels in 1993 in a rented facility in the suburbs of Lima with 10 boys who were released from a government home that was closing. The number grew to 16 children in July of 1994 when the site of just over half an acre was purchased. In 1999 an additional parcel of land was purchased about a mile from the first parcel. Mike & Diane Fietje became the Directors of this home in the beginning of 2000 when the Bartels returned to the United States.

The Lima home has experienced God's blessing time and time again in its relatively short history. We are thankful to Him for each physical blessing as well as each of the children to whom we have been able to minister. The present facilities on the
main property, besides the essentials (i.e. - bedrooms for kids, and staff), include a playroom an activity room containing a library, homework and craft area, and missionary apartments. Also on the property are a basketball/soccer court, a huge multi-level jungle gym, a sand box, and a swimming pool that can be used nearly year round.
Extensive remodeling and construction, including the addition of a second floor on the main house, has improved the property. Much of the work has been done by service teams. There is one main building on the new property. The older boys live at this location along with their house parents. They enjoy the use of a weight room, trampoline and ping-pong table. There is also a halfway house for the older boys that have graduated from high school and are not yet ready to live on their own.

The home has approximately 40 children. They range in age from pre-school to 18.
Dave and Connie Rhodes, as well as a number of talented short term missionaries,
Assist Mike and Diane Fietje. The Peruvian house parents are mature Christians,
dedicated to attaining the goals of the home. These goals include not only providing for the physical, educational and emotional needs of the children, but also meeting their spiritual needs, preparing them for adulthood as Christians and as upstanding citizens in their community. As a result, a lot of emphasis is placed on devotions, discipleship, Bible memorization, and church attendance. The children attend 4 different schools in the area depending on their age and abilities. In the home there we also emphases on learning English, which will help them, get better jobs in the future. In the summers the children attend camp, go on trips, and learn different crafts and life skills. The older kids get jobs or work at Christian camps. Future plans include getting a new large piece of land in order to build apartments for each family group (house parents with their kids). This will enable us to house more children in a more family-type atmosphere while having space to make workshops so that the kids can leave with the knowledge of different trades, such as carpentry, welding and auto mechanics.

For tonight this is all I am going to share on this right now. I just wanted to plant the seed that I am going on this mission trip, that I need lots of prayer for this and so does the team, we need prayer that the funds will be provided through our fundraising methods and that if this is where God needs me and wants me he will make it happen.

I am totally turning this over to him. I believe he will provide the money and what ever else is needed in order for me to be able to go as well for all the other team members.

All I can say is Thank God For the Lighthouse, for he is my light and my strength, He gives me the courage the Hope, Faith and Trust that with Gods help all things are possible.

Keep coming back often cause as I get the information I will post often. Please Prayer for the teams to come together and for each of us as we work to raise the funds in order for our trip to happen. Pray for this mission and the many other missions around the World.

Thank you in advance for all your prayers. May God Bless you all.

No comments: