[Power]House Church

[Power]House Church

The world is moving to the city and we believe in a God who is already at work in the city for the sake of life. Evangelism is bearing witness to what God has done (and continues to do) in Jesus of Nazareth. Evangelism encompasses Kingdom proclamation—talking to people about faith, hope, and love because of Jesus—and Kingdom participation—joining in the types of things we believe happen when the kingdom of God is breaking in. In the book of Acts, the Spirit of God tends to lead the followers of Jesus into shared life with the people they least expected or desired to be with. God’s Spirit creates joining.

Megan McKinzie - Arequipa Trip Reflection 2024

Megan McKinzie - Arequipa Trip Reflection 2024

Fifteen years ago (this summer), a research team led by Bill and Holly Richardson came to help us collect data around our neighborhood of Miraflores in Arequipa, Peru. Our little family moved to Peru in 2008 with the Smith Family. We moved with our almost 2-year-olds. We were coming up on one year of living in Arequipa, and I was about to pop with our first little Peruvian-born baby. It was a joy to host this eager group of possible missionaries. Do you recognize anyone in the research team photo?

Ana McKinzie - A Reflection on 3 Weeks in Arequipa

Ana McKinzie - A Reflection on 3 Weeks in Arequipa

Given everything else you could be doing right now, I’d like to make this time with you meaningful. I’d like to be raw with you. But first, let’s start with an introduction! To those of you who don’t know me: Hi, My name is Ana McKinzie. I’m a former missionary kid, a rising senior, and a girl in awe of how much God revealed to her through this trip. “This trip” was a three-week time span stretching from the end of June to mid July. To those who do know me, you already know that this was not my first time in Peru. 

A Team Arequipa Collab: August 2024 Newsletter

A Team Arequipa Collab: August 2024 Newsletter

We’re the Daggetts and for the last ten years (!!) we have lived and worked in a city of a million people in southern Peru. Katie and I share faith and hope with small house churches as we work to unite love of God and love of neighbor in the city of Arequipa. We work with a small non-profit doing sustainable community development focusing on education and sharing life with Arequipa’s marginalized communities. We direct Harding University Latin America, a residential study abroad program where we invite 20-30 students every spring into the process of intercultural spiritual formation.

“We pray for our cities, and the cities we are”

“We pray for our cities, and the cities we are”

Buenos días from Hunter Hill! I love to get above the city, and this is one of my favorite spots to see the city from a different perspective. I didn’t get the chance to take HULA 2024 up here, so I decided to document it with pictures and words for them, and also for you. Some of you have been up here with me before, so for you I hope this is a helpful reminder of our shared prayer in Arequipa. 

Mother’s Day, Our Kids, and Prayer Requests

Mother’s Day, Our Kids, and Prayer Requests

My first Mother’s Day in Peru (as a mother, see the picture below), our neighbors, Pedro and Frecia, invited us to spend the day with them because they knew we didn’t have family here and wanted to share that with us. Because of the generosity we were shown that day, I wanted to pass it on. So, this Mother’s Day I wanted to have a full table and I knew if I cooked food, they would come. So I cooked a meal and we invited anyone that was a part of our church meeting to stay and eat with us. Those who don’t have a mother living or who don’t live near family ended up staying and eating and we shared the afternoon around the table.

A Reflection on Harding University Latin America 2024

A Reflection on Harding University Latin America 2024

Since 2019, a significant part of our lives and work in Arequipa has revolved around our role as directors of Harding University Latin America. Once a year, we receive 15-30 students to live and learn with us for three months. As HULA 2024 drew closer to the end, a lot of our “top moments” came to mind—and there’s a lot of those! A first tour where our eyes are open to tragic history at Espacio Memoria in Buenos Aires. Hiking one of the world’s most beautiful trails—Fitz-Roy to Laguna de los Tres in El Chalten. Walking on the Perito Moreno glacier or navigating the Beagle Channel and hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park at the world’s southernmost tip until you see some penguins. There’s sandboarding on the dunes of Paracas and watching the sun set in the desert. There’s waking up in the Colca Valley and realizing you’re in one of the most beautiful places on earth. There’s fishing for piranhas in the vast Amazon rainforest in all its breathtaking diversity. There’s walking an ancient path all the way to Machu Picchu’s original entrance so that the Inca sanctuary becomes your classroom. And there's HULA's final trip, traveling to the most remote inhabited landmass on earth, Rapa Nui, and learning what it means to be human through the lens of that incredible history and culture. 

Changes to CUDA’s Leadership

Changes to CUDA’s Leadership

The CUDA board has asked Paty to step into the role of executive director in an interim capacity (for now), and she has graciously accepted. Paty is a strong, dedicated follower of Jesus, a leader in the church, a servant and mentor in Arequipa, and a very capable leader with the CUDA team who holds her in high esteem. Paty brings her own 12 years of full-time employment with CUDA to the table. She directs our holistic development program and now steps into a leadership role helping also to oversee the Living Libraries program alongside our education director Lucía Marquez. In 2024 we’re working with five elementary schools, 40 teachers and school principals, and 1200+ kids and their families. We implemented 17 new libraries this year, 2 bigger libraries for the entire school, and 15 mini-libraries inside of classrooms. 

The Nicest People I've Met in Peru I met in Prison

The Nicest People I've Met in Peru I met in Prison

This fall I met with a good friend of mine who has connections to everyone in the city (it seems like) and she said, “Katie, I think we should do a Bible study at the women’s prison.” She also has a way of dragging me into all her plans…or God has a way of using her to push me out of my comfort zone.I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect but I agreed to do it. We went together to the prison to meet with the director of the prison and got things set up so that in November we began a six-week study with a group of 48 women. 

Our Last Three Months of Ministry and Upcoming Time in the US

Our Last Three Months of Ministry and Upcoming Time in the US

The last three months have been intense. In particular, Katie has been doing really special work. In October she went to the Connections conference in Brazil, visited our house church’s missionary in a mountain community of Apurimac, and worked in a medical campaign in Cusco. Between those things we hosted an alumni group as part of Harding’s celebration of 100 years. All of that led into an incredible November. She got to go to two of four sessions of a personal finance course that Paty did with a group called Féminas, a group of women with tough lives, most of whom are sex workers. Katie and Paty have been building relationships with them over the last couple years, and at the end of the personal finance class the women suggested a Bible study as a next step. See more below in the article about CUDA and please pray for that opportunity!