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HUAYCAN –The church has a part-time, untrained pastor and about 50 members, the majority from a highland, Quechua speaking area. Only two members have regular employment. Building on our experience we formed a committee of those interested and between us constructed our ‘Helping Lima’s Children’ project. It was necessary to improve the church building, which we helped them do through donations from the UK, by providing materials for them to lay a concrete floor to the kitchen and side rooms, put in wooden walls instead of cane-work, and corrugated roofs instead of collapsing polythene ones. We also enabled them to put in an internal and external sink, with water being provided to their tank by daily lorry deliveries. There is still no toilet. (The ground is very rocky, which makes a ‘pit’ toilet difficult and there is no drainage system available). 

Huaycan Church

We helped the church buy more tables and benches and those things needed to cook and serve food.

Feeding Programme

  We also helped with Sunday school materials and Christmas presents for the children. Since September 1998 the project has provided lunch and homework for about 45 children aged between 5 and 13, twice a week. Miriam, a Peruvian teacher, (one of the two in regular employment), is the director and is assisted by volunteers from the church. None of the staff are paid, but meals are free for the workers and their children. We have attended twice a week in order to establish routines and train so that the project may function without us, which it was able to do whilst we were away. Funding is not guaranteed, but comes in as donations are sent. (Once the church has its full land title they will also have the possibility of joining Compassion).

Huaycan Sports Day

 

PERSONAL - We took some time deciding on local church affiliation. We found travelling to shanty towns tiring and decided we needed a church nearer that would also provide spiritual refreshment and some social life. We therefore attend a Spanish church with a morning American English speaking service. This gives us the best of both worlds. In June 1999 we moved to a ground floor apartment owned by SIM. Hannah, a new Korean missionary is on the third floor. Fortunately we will be able to return to this in February 2001.

HEALTH - On the whole we have survived the various Peruvian ailments that occur when eating regularly in shanty town situations. Jean had some problems in October 1998, which had a mixture of causes, (mainly women’s) but were resolved with medication. During our last two months we were both very tired and Jean had been plagued by a cough, possibly connected to the amount of car fumes and dust we breathe. However inhalers and medication have dealt with that.

CONFERENCES – SIM holds a Spiritual Life Conference each year for all the missionaries in the country. We benefited much from these times in January 1999 and again in 2000. On this last occasion Bill was responsible for co-ordinating the conference and Jean for co-ordinating the children’s programme.

COMPUTER – It seems impossible for missionaries now to manage without modern technology. The few computer skills we had on arrival have improved, but there is more to learn! Until now we have had the use of computers of missionaries on home leave but now need to purchase our own. All SIM communications are computerized including the new project we wrote and all the finances Bill has to submit. We have produced 8 prayer letters and an innumerable number of personal letters and e.mails, (probably well over a thousand).

FUTURE THOUGHTS – As we became more aware of life in Peru and its problems we considered other ways of helping the poor, such as giving loans, helping with medical needs and training. Giving gifts of money often causes dependency and lowers self-esteem, thereby being counter-productive. Our main desire is to equip the people to help themselves so that even if we left or could not supply money they could carry on improving their lives. We talked these things over with other missionaries and Peruvians and made some small experiments in giving loans, paying for training and offering other help so that we could decide the best way forward. Out of these experiences we have decided to continue with the work we have already started above but also have four new ideas in mind. Below is a brief resume. We have a publicity leaflet available to any who request it that explains more clearly what these are.

A new project, ‘Reaching Lima’s Families’ project no. PE 91268 which aims to train and equip mothers and their 0-6 year old pre-school children.

Reaching Lima's Families

A Training Grant Fund to help those with no job prospects to gain necessary skills.

A Small Loans Fund, working in conjunction with already existing agencies, to enable to unemployed to earn a more productive living.

A Health Fund, to assist needy cases.

DEPENDENCY ON THE LORD – God has wonderfully supplied all our needs, both personal, (practically, emotionally and spiritually), and for our ministry. The SIM team in Britain, Lima and Peru has been a joy to work with. Our home church and prayer partners have continued to be very supportive and to play an essential part in our being here. We continue to look to God. He alone is the One we wish to serve and on whom we depend. We give thanks to Him for all His absolute faithfulness in more ways than we could ever report.

Bill & Jean Williamson, January 2001.

 

 

‘Oh the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable His judgments and His paths beyond tracing out!

Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been his counsellor?

Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.

To Him be the glory for ever! Amen.’

Romans 11:33-36

 

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