He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

The last wee while has been challenging for various reasons. With Christmas around the corner, we´ve felt pretty far from people back home and are reminded that it´s literally like a different world over here. It´s also been challenging to observe the lives of those we´re spending time with - the other night we were at the Casa Hogar and the children were asked to write down what they´d like for Christmas. One nine year old boy answered "I´d like parents to adopt me" (at that point I would have adopted him on the spot!).

The wealth disparity between places like here and in the U.K. seems so unjust - that people don´t have their most basic needs met all because of where they happen to have been born. Seeing the needs out here has been pretty overwhelming at times and really makes you question the materialism that consumes so much of society everywhere in the West, including those in the Church. If we all looked honestly at what we put our money into I think many of us would be challenged, putting more into the best clothes, technology, sport equipment, cars, home decor than helping people in real need (For where your treasure is there your heart will be also - Matt 6:21). We´ve felt more challenged than ever about how, if we lived with a bit less, others could have a basic meal, access to water or some form of support that can bring relief and hope - a pretty small but worthwhile sacrifice.

Here´s an excerpt from a pretty direct and challenging book we´ve been reading recently (Global: Vision, Passion, Action by L.E Maxwell)... "[Our money is] God´s money which man in his unrighteousness misappropriates as his own...by nature we covet it, worship it, horde it, squander it, or misspend it on ourselves... It was D.L. Moody who once said: "Life is simply a stewardship, and not an ownership; a trust and not a gift. With a gift you may do as you please, but with a trust you must give an account." God has enabled us to have the money and resources we do in the Western world and we´ll be held accountable for what we´ve done with them (Luke 12:48); something that has really hit us afresh during our time here.

Some may feel this is a bit of a rant, but it´s also the reality of the world we live in: a world where the top 20% of the people (all of us) have access to 80% of the wealth. And really if you´re from middle class N.I. you´re more likely going to be in the top 4% if not less (to calculate the exact percentage for you, see: http://www.givingwhatwecan.org/why-give/how-rich-am-i). A world where we could make a big difference if we could just hold our money and desires for comfort a little less tightly. Any thoughts?!

Anyway...as well as despairing about the injustice in the world (!), we´ve also been doing some work. With so many projects and needs in Arco Iris it has been difficult trying to work out where we can be of most use in the limited time we have here. But, after thinking and praying we have now formed our preliminary timetables. Preliminary because, as we´re slowly learning, things here have a habit of changing! So, at the moment, it looks like we´ll be spreading our time between a number of projects.

One of the biggest areas of need at the moment is the financial needs of the Casa Hogar. Cafe Turmanyé was set up with the intention of helping to fund the Casa Hogar. However, at the moment it´s struggling to cover its own costs. Therefore, we have decided to dedicate some of our time to the cafe each week to see if we can help in any way to increase their income - through publicity, marketing and the general running of the cafe. In some ways this is quite hilarious because we have very little knowledge and experience in this area (other than spending a lot of time in coffee shops!) But it´s become apparent to us that this is a really important area of need at the moment and there are no spare people or resources to help with this currently. So, we´re going to give it a shot! If it isn´t working out too well we´ll spend more time in other projects but for now we´re going to take a step of faith and trust that God will equip us and use us, if He wishes. Bring it on!

Casa Hogar - We will visit the home a few times a week for planned activities with the children. Those working at the home are busy enough trying to meet the children´s practical needs and therefore, the children don´t often have opportunities to do activities that can encourage their social, emotional and physical development. We´re hoping to do some sports, art, English teaching and social work to help encourage their development and self-esteem.

Street Work - Mark will be the one mainly helping in this area as nearly all the kids the team work with are guys, and therefore really need a male role model. He will be meeting them on the street and in the drop-in centre to build relationships, provide support and advice and to share his faith. He hopes to run a football tournament and might also help to organise a camp for the guys.

Comedor - Karen will mainly be helping with this on a Saturday afternoon. Food is provided at this during the week but on Saturdays the children attend for a Children´s Bible club. During this time they play games, sing songs, listen to a story and enjoy a snack. The kids on Saturdays are from a range of different backgrounds, but many have a very difficult family life and the Comedor offers them a safe place where they can just be kids for a while.

We will also try to fit in preparation time, Spanish learning, and a tour around the various churches in Huaraz to help raise the profile of Arco Iris and encourage local support. Hopefully we´ll be able to take Mondays as our day off!

So thankful for this opportunity, God´s ongoing goodness to us here, rooftop breakfasts and the glimpses of 20 degree sunshine we get to see most days!