Over the next few months I’ll be spending my newsletter slot on our entrepreneurs who have taken advantage of our no-interest loan program. I want to spend each month highlighting a borrower and their business. Recently, over on ICDU’s website, I put out an update on the four loans we have made and the two other possible loans to be made. While this program has advanced as we had hoped, it would be even more amazing to break expectations and make another loan or two in 2010.
ICDU View: The Real Value
Every month come newsletter time I struggle with what information pass along to you, our readers. Too often I lean towards updating you on our projects in terms of progress or numbers knowing how much everyone, myself included, likes to know how far along a project has progressed or how many new contacts or loans we have made. Completed latrines, new loans, successful library events, new projects. All of these things make for good article fodder and I enjoy giving you that because I want you to be keeping ICDU and the ongoing projects in your prayers. In the past few weeks however ,I have been struck time and again by the fact that the work we do here is not for numbers.
ICDU View: July Recap
July has been a good month for ICDU. The latrine project was kicked off the last weekend of June and each Sunday this month we’ve gone out to work on the holes. The digging goes rather slowly, even with a jackhammer, because after the first foot or two the ground is basically solid rock, but our increased presence in Naranjal has already had noticeable benefits.
CUDA View: Friendship
Have you given much thought lately to the reason missions is important? How do we view those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus? In our churches there exist many answers to these questions. Lost, seeking, potential new brother/sister, another number on the roll, or fallen? Sometimes it seems like those are the only options available to us. As if people were unworthy of our time or friendship unless they are interested in a Bible study or coming to church with us.
Going to School
A few weeks ago Abraham approached me and asked if I was willing to volunteer a few hours a week at one of the national schools in Porvenir. I was excited about the prospect of doing something with my limited Spanish and that would allow me to create and build new relationships and opportunities for sharing the gospel. I met with Abraham over lunch to discuss the details of working with the school, and then we visited the school, met with the director, spoke with the English professor, and agreed on times that I was available to come and lend my English expertise to the students.
CUDA View: Summer Preview
This summer will see the beginning of a number of new projects for ICDU and I want to take a moment to let you know about them. While the natural flow of events has pushed the start of these to the summer it couldn’t come at a better time. Not only are we ready to start involving church members in projects but this summer we have three interns to help with the work! Last year Aaron was with us as we began getting to know the people of El Naranjal and this year our interns will help us continue the work we’ve begun there.
ICDU View: Redefined
Before we ever left the states, we knew one thing about our development work: We had no clue what we were doing. What we have accomplished so far has been a testament to the power of God and to what good people can do with good intentions. However, the fact has not been lost on us that we could do much more and do it better, if we were only more in- formed. Alfredo has been our source of much information and a great networker here in Arequipa, but the issue of knowing how to plan a project from beginning to end through multiple stages is still a problem. As a team we have been praying over this and have recently decided to take a new approach.
ICDU View: Project Planning
During the planning process of our ministry here we decided early on that any project we would implement would be two things reproducible and sustainable. You might say those are the ‘core values’ of our development projects here in Arequipa. Of course our reasons for doing this type of ministry are based in our beliefs on the ministry of Jesus and our duties as his followers, but when seeking to start a new project we always check the project against those core values; reproducibility and sustainability. Our simple definition of these two points is that we do not want to execute any project that can- not be sustained/continued/maintained by Peruvians or reproduced/copied/multiplied by those same Peruvians. Oversimplified? Yes. Important? Absolutely.
CUDA View: The ICDU Team
Since the words ‘holistic ministry’ first left our mouths we’ve been explaining, and sometimes defending, our position on the work here in Arequipa. Taking our cues from Jesus’ own ministry we seek to reach those around us in a holistic way. We can no more just preach the news to people than only provide clean water to a new community.
Chocolatadas
In our first full year in Arequipa we have tried hard to integrate ourselves in the communities of Alto Selva Alegre and Miraflores. Through ICDU we have opened libraries and taught seminars on urban gardening. For Christmas we decided to take the advice of our Peruvian friends and throw two parties, one at our library in A.S.A and one close to a new library up in Miraflores. These traditional holiday parties, called chocolatadas, were mainly for the kids, but it gave us a great opportunity to meet more of our neighbors and spread the word of what ICDU is about here in Arequipa.