Our investment within the country of Peru has been focused on a Bible School for the Shipibo people at Junin Pablo. Al Lotz visits regularly to provide theological training. It bears out the truth of this quote:
“A burden shared is half the burden and a joy shared is twice the joy.” Swindol
Montaña Esperanza
Julio, a missionary with Youth Missions International (YMI) has developed a Bible School for the Shipibo people at Junin Pablo. They hold classes four times a year for those wanting to share the Gospel in their communities. YMI Peru already has two bases of operation, one at 10,000 feet in the mountains and the other in the Amazonas department of northern Peru. The base called “Hope Mountain” on the bank Marañón River is strategically located to reach the 170,000 Aguarunas that live in 600 communities in the Condorcanqui province near the border with Ecuador. Among other things, the base includes the Evangelical Bible Seminary Awajun that offers 4 courses in 4 weeks annually with a curriculum of 16 courses that cycle over a 4 year period. Training lay pastors through discipleship is a key step in process of planting a church in each community. Already 13 churches have been successfully planted.
What part does Surge play? Julio has welcomed us to participate in the work with a double focus for the immediate future. Firstly, we will help host a youth camp at Hope Mountain for as many as 100 youth with the idea of training a future generation of church leaders. Soccer will be used as a draw, but the camp will include discipleship and Bible study. Secondly, we are mobilizing Bible teachers to participate in mission trips to assist the development of lay pastors through pastoral instruction (homiletics, and hermeneutics) and marriage seminars.
In the process of reaching these goals, Surge VP, Al traveled with Julio to Pucallpa to help a church “Iglesia Misionera Divino Redentor” develop a soccer outreach. Pastor has requested another trip to promote this effort with soccer matches, local tournament and soccer camp with an emphasis on providing a model for doing soccer ministry and sustaining the program.
We need your help! Would you PRAY, GO or GIVE to see this happen?
