June 2008. That’s the last time I can remember us, as a team, having to purposefully raise funds for our mission work. I do not share this to boast or brag as we have many friends who have struggled to raise funds for the work they have been called to do all over the world. No, I share with you only in thanks for what the Lord has done for our team by setting us on firm ground financially. We have not had to worry about our salaries and have been blown away by the generosity of our friends, families, and churches in providing our working fund up to this point. Before moving on to what you must know is coming, let me again say thank you to all of our financial supporters. Your generosity has enabled us to go as we have felt led, to dream big and to dare. Your faith in what God is doing in Arequipa is humbling and we hope to honor your continued sup- port with faithful action.
Three years is a long time to go between fundraising campaigns. So long that I almost don’t know where to begin. In October, Greg and I will make a two week trip back to the US with Alfredo in order to promote our NGO (or development organization) at a missions conference as well as at Harding University and Abilene Christian University. We will mainly be promoting our micro-loan program but the other aspects of our development work will also be high- lighted. Our hope, and prayer, is that God will bless our trip, providing individuals and organizations interested in our work that will want to partner with us for the years to come. It is an exciting time to be in Arequipa. We are partnering with a new organization to open a free library in a poor community outside of the city. Naranjal, Manuela’s young community, will soon receive the titles to their land and become the true owners of their property, which opens up new opportunities for us to carry out projects in their neighborhood. Over the next month, we will more than double our micro-loan portfolio and the potential for continued exponential growth exists. Just as exciting is the opportunity we have to bring Alfredo, Paty, and Abraham onboard officially as Peruvian Directors of the NGO. Their expertise and knowledge is a huge asset to each project, and their desire to help their fellow Peruvians is genuine. Adding them as full-time employees is something we would like to do as soon as possible.
I won’t burden you with fundraising numbers now. Instead I would ask you to prayerfully consider becoming a financial supporter of our NGO, The Christian Urban Development Association. Before our trip (we leave Oct 17!) our new website will launch and along with it new and easier ways for you to become a monthly, yearly, or one-time donor. You will be able to help fund micro-loans with as little as $25, donate money to a specific library for the purchase of books, help build a latrine or solar power unit and more. So please pray. Pray about how you or your church might join together to aide the work in Peru. Pray that God would raise up the needed funds for this work to continue to grow. Pray that our trip in October would be fruitful and that many new contacts and supporters would be found. Ask for new workers and interns to be called to Arequipa. Above all ask that His will would continue to be done, and that the Kingdom of God would continue to expand in Arequipa.