Well, the Mission Peru team has been back for about a week, so I wanted to tell you a little bit about the trip. One thing that weighed heavy on me throughout this mission was how honoring it was for our team of 6 to partner with Kairos Ministries in Iquitos, Peru. As a team we met a couple times, prayed for a few months, exchanged emails, did a couple fundraisers, and traveled 30 hours. Yet we walked into 15 years of Pastor Noe and Mercedes Malpartida serving and loving their city. Because of their obedience and sacrifice we were able to do what we did. It has challenged me to think: What am I building today? What am I spending my life on this week?
Three weeks before our arrival the Malpartida family suffered a tremendous loss in Noe’s passing from lung cancer. They lost a husband, a dad…their hero. Our time was marked with several moments of a grieving family. Our team experienced the wake of his influence in Iquitos. How humbling it was to walk into this. We had done so little to be blessed so much. So we lived in the grace of God for 8 days in Iquitos. Here is what happened:
We Launched Welding School: This had been Noe’s vision for years. In five days Scott
Dahlstrom, Norman Meyer, Mark Bomar, and Mitch Ingram labored to launch The Kairos Welding School. There is no Home Depot one stop shopping in Iquitos. The first 2 days were spent buying/pricing material and tools to build a security cage for the welding equipment. The final day was spent buying 4 welding machines and all the equipment for their first class. That’s right, last Saturday an instructor, 10 students, and our team had their first welding class. The welding school will continue to function with two purposes: (1) Equip students in the highly demanded trade of welding. (2) Create income for the school by selling metal products. Excellent work team!
Kairos School Sponsorships/Equipping: Only about 15% of the students can afford to
pay tuition at the school. About 35% of the students come from Belen, which is the poorest area in Iquitos. We took pictures of and interviewed 40 children. During one of the interviews I asked a sharp nine year old what her favorite Bible verse was and She said, “Psalmos 11” then went on to quote the whole Psalm. We will be working through ANC Kids and Restore San Marcos to sponsor these 40 kids over the next few months. A huge need for teachers at Kairos is a simple yet effective disciplinary plan for each classroom. Mitch Ingram was able to equip 40 Kairos teachers in disciplinary management. After this Mitch was able to take the group of teachers to lunch and answer further questions.
Next Generation Leadership: Noe’s sons, Daniel and Willie Malpartida have taken
leadership of the church and school. It was clear that they have strong pastoring gifts and work ethic like their father. The dynamic is different now. Noe was the clear leader but now we have more of a team with Mercedes, Willie, and Daniel. They are currently in the midst of defining roles. Willie will be the lead pastor. He is getting married in January 2012 and will spend 3 weeks in America. Please be in prayer for this team as they continue to grieve loss and take on new roles.
3 Things ANC will continue to do in Peru
- Peru Kids: Seek to sponsor 40 kids, $300 a year per student.
- Support Kairos Welding School: Ensure instructors are in place and that it is producing income for the school.
- Create a Partnership with Not for Sale in Iquitos: Kairos Ministries desires to fight the huge human trafficking issue in their city. Many kids especially young girls are trafficked into the Lima, the capital of Peru. Awareness is a huge need right now.
Thanks ANC for your covering and support in this. Thanks to all who seeded financially into this initiative.
John Church

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