Research and the Library
For months we have been preparing for a group of researchers from Harding, led by Bill and Holly Richardson, to assist us with a research project in our target area. The first half of this month we were able to execute the project we had planned and everything went excellently. The group was with us for two weeks with a trip to Bolivia in between. Aside from eating at all of our favorite places while they were here, we enjoyed the times of fellowship and worship we were able to experience.
Micro-Loans
Given the nature of poverty in Arequipa, we have long been considering whether a micro-loan project modeled on kiva.org would be a wise ministry. There is a large number of people living in true poverty here, but the great majority of the poor--and thus of the whole population--are the working poor. This means subsistence living, a precarious balance of minimal resources. Sickness, unordinary expenses, or even short-term loss of work are the kinds of situations that can quickly spiral a family into destitution. Many of you have yourselves experienced the uncertainty that accompanies job loss or a medical bill too big for savings to cover. We all live in economic systems that allow us to imagine the worst. I believe, therefore, that magnifying those situations tenfold gives us a glimpse of the reality in places like Arequipa. Rather than the loss of savings or the downsizing of a home, it is daily bread that is at risk for so many thousands here when something goes wrong.
Library News: Paperwork and Partnership
Well, another month has gone by and we find ourselves stuck in a holding pattern with our first library. We have sent our documents in to the government and have been approved for a book loan, yet we still await their arrival. The good news is that our waiting should be coming to an end soon. The books are in Arequipa going through a process of their own and we should be able to pick them up this week. This works out wonderfully for us because we have scheduled the inauguration for July 3rd. July’s newsletter will have full coverage of this hopefully awesome event. We’re very excited and welcome your prayers for us as we publicly announce ICDU and the library to the neighborhood.
First Ever (Library)
Another month has passed and we find ourselves on the brink of launching the first library. As I reported last month the ladies in Pampas de Polanco have been very supportive and enthusiastic about this project. We were quickly offered a location and two ladies offered to take responsibility for the books that the government will loan the community. We are anticipating the launch of the library Señor de Huanca in June so make sure to read next month’s newsletter for details of the launch.
ICDU Update: Kitchens, Libraries, and Nicknames
If frequency of mention in newsletters is an indication of importance, then you should be understanding how important to our work Alfredo has been and will continue to be. April has been a huge month for ICDU (www.icduperu.org) and most of the progress has been made thanks to Alfredo’s knowledge and expertise. For those who may not know, we have contracted Alfredo to help us launch our first development project. In reality he is doing much more than that. He is teaching us gringos how to enter into poor communities and communicate effectively and serve humbly.
An Update to Prayers
Our strategy contains a period of time devoted to felt-needs research, in order to let Arequipeños tell us what would best serve them. Based on this data, we plan to formulate an initial developmental program that attempts to meet one of those needs in a sustainable way. This means that we have to learn how to do legitimate urban research, which has its own learning curve. All in all, we have a very slow ramp up to a large-scale, labor-intensive project before we ever get to the actual first developmental project, which we will also have to learn to do as we go.
"Divine Contacts" Revisited
After our team’s first research trip to Arequipa I wrote an article about ‘Divine Contacts’ that had been made. So much has happened that I think this concept needs revisiting. Entering the “mission field” of Arequipa we felt very confident that we were supposed to be here. We had signs point to a ripening field for harvest in the city and we experienced God’s love and provision through our supporters in the states. Even still I think there has always been a few questions about how things would get started. We have our five year plan mapped out with reachable goals (with God’s help), so you can say we came prepared. A few signs of affirmation never hurt though.