For Such A Time As This

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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 This verse has been shared with our students since the very beginning of EA. Knowing that there is a God that loves them, that is in control, and has a good plan for their lives, gives them the courage to walk through their current realities and sufferings.

 The reality of the crisis in Perú began to sink in a couple of weeks ago. The length of the quarantine, along with the ever-growing mortality rate, bred a new level of anxiousness in our staff. I did not understand their level of fear, nor had I ever seen that in someone's eyes, especially someone so grounded in the Lord. As I tried to place myself there, I began to see some of what they were seeing. Our families are living in tiny homes with many people in mixed families with nothing to do; boredom settles in. Often creativity is born; however, boredom also leads to unspeakable things in tight quarters. The inability to go out, the scarcity of food, and the threat of market being a breeding ground for the virus is unnerving. If I were to get sick, the reality of receiving medical care is slim to none. The fear was real and profound.

The truth of Jeremiah 29:11 stands on the reality of verse 12 "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." 

Through all of this, the Lord has been good to lead us to a place of repentance (2 Chronicles 7:14), seeking Him individually and as a staff. He also reminded us that His plans for us sometimes include suffering for Christ's sake (Phil 1:29) and that we will not always understand His plans (Pr. 20:24).

He then asked us how we will respond to our current realities; would we look through "Natural" glasses or put on our "Supernatural" glasses? Were we going to look at our current natural circumstances or see His supernatural plan unfolding? As in the days of Esther, there came a critical time in history. Mordecai said to her, “Esther 4:14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Never before in all of history has the entire world experienced the same fear all at once, it does not matter your age, gender, race, social or economic status, we are all confronted with the reality of COVID.  Like Esther, chosen for her time, God has chosen you and me to be here now! Let that sink in! How will we respond?

We love verse 11, most of us see the word "plans" as our dreams for ourselves, but when we go back a few verses in Jeremiah, we learn that the Israelites were in captivity, exiles, sojourners, they were not safe and in their homes and yet, this is what the Lord tells them. 29:7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

It is no accident that each of us is living at this time. God placed us here and now. We are surrounded by the lost; souls are passing into eternity at an alarming rate; others are suffering. Do I have a burden for the lost? Is it equal to the heart of Moses who was willing for the Lord to blot his name out of the book of life (EX 32), or Paul’s, willingness to be cut off from Christ (RO 9:3)? O Lord, break my heart, do not let up, until I have your heart for the lost.

This is not our home, we are sojourners, yes, we have great future promises ahead, but for now, He has put us here for His plans (2 Cor 5:17-20), and HE is asking us to seek the welfare of the lost by praying, interceding on their behalf.

"FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS"

The Lord is challenging me to “BE” in prayer, every day to press into

2 Chronicles 7:14 REPENTANCE and Jeremiah 29:7 INTERCESSION before I "DO" anything.

We have laughed a little about putting on our supernatural glasses, but we have also settled into an incredible place of peace and purpose. 

GOD IS SO GOOD TO US!

Jim Schutz

How to Lead?

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I was having trouble finding my voice. I knew the place from which I should lead, but I feared being seen as overly spiritual.

Fear won, and as the coronavirus realities began to set in, I moved into operations management mode, my flesh as my strength. I charged ahead at warp speed to control, protect, secure, direct, and coordinate. My words were walk in faith, by my actions communicated rise and conquer. It did not take long to see that my ways do not work. Things that I worried about losing captivated my mind. Where my ultimate trust laid was revealed (a Starbucks caramel frappuccino is a short-lived comfort.) My long-term faith was not shaken; I did not fear the outcome of this time grief or the pandemic. However, I did not want to walk through this season and face all the challenges.

God's word lifted my eyes off of the crises and on to his ways. The sweet, challenging reminder of Proverbs 16:9 struck me deeply.

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9.

Reading 1 Samuel 3:10-14 led me to a time of personal repentance.

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears." Then the Lord said to Samuel, "Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day, I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.

My trust was in my own ways. My idols were self-sufficiency, convenience, and pleasure. Just as Eli knew that his sons were not following God's ways, so I knew that I had chosen my own. My heart was divided. I needed to repent, turn, and go God’s way. I did not feel condemnation, but conviction as I realized the King of Kings, the Creator of the world, was loving me and grabbing my attention. He was calling me to walk in fellowship with Christ and join him in his work in his world.

He was also moving me to lead from that same place, a heart of repentance.

Father, forgive me, I have sinned. I entertained other gods. My heart wears sackcloth and ashes; I repent. I have betrayed my King. During this crisis, help me to resist the temptation to overcome in my own strength. I will not strive, protect, plan, escape, binge, start something without you, or finish something old of my own. Thank you for knocking me off of my track and driving me into fellowship with you. May I be about your will and your glory. Give me rest, purpose, and peace in you, and you alone. Raise me up in humility to lead in repentance, with a heart of mercy and speech of grace. Make me a reconciler. I will take my place in the kingdom of priests. I will come to you for my fellow man on my knees. Rescue us, I pray, send revival. In Jesus Name.

Let's practice social distancing out of love for others while we practice drawing near to the Father out of hearts of repentance. That may sound a little corny, but it is a valuable resolution in our reality.

~con todo tu corazón Mk 12:28-31~

Jim Schutz

Construction Update Week 26

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Drywall is almost finished in the classrooms. Two rooms have the ceiling tiles installed. Windows are being manufactured now.

View from 3rd floor multi-purpose space. Bamboo open roof structure to be added soon.

Gateway…Getting Dirty

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One of our partners, Gateway Church of Blue Springs (Missouri), recently requested that we take some time and answer a few questions. The first question was,

In what ways do you feel best supported by individuals and churches that partner with you?

We are so blessed by the many partners who walk alongside us, but “best supported” caused us to pause and think. We answered,

What brings our missionary team the greatest joy and encouragement is having at least a few individuals within the church body who come and serve regularly (pray and get dirty). They can fully identify with the work that God is doing and how it requires us to live. Through these personal relationships, we are affirmed and encouraged. Our work is validated and the burden is shared.

With humble gratefulness, we say thank you. The body of Christ has wrapped around us through several committed individuals who partner with us in multiple ways. We know that they are raised up by God and are obedient to him. We know that they represent the love and support we have from their greater church families. 

We experienced this strong support recently through a very special mission team from Gateway church this October. They were not afraid to jump into our work and get dirty! Most of the team had been to Esperanza de Ana several times before, bringing a sweet family-like quality to the trip. But even the ‘new guy’ (as he was called) surprised us by the quiet strength and leadership he brought to the team.

Many times people undervalue the service that they can do for us. Yes, visits (mission teams) help to form personal relationships in a unique way and help advance the work here. But there are other gifts that people give that are intangible and priceless. Words of encouragement stick with us, and we know that they are accompanied by prayer. 

He will surely do it! ~Peggy

…a cup of cold water to these little ones… ~Faith

God of wonders and miracles! ~Marsha

To those who are walking alongside us in all different capacities, your friendship and partnership lift us up and carry us. Gracias y Gloria a Dios!!

Captain Underpants— In Peru

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Juan Diego, our resident entrepreneur, recently started reading the Captain Underpants comic books. One day, he came to class excited to show Vanessa a copy of his very own Captain Underpants comic book that he wrote and illustrated himself. He was proud of his comics and decided to sell his work: S/.1 or 30 cents each.

After Juan Diego made his comic book and took the initiative to market and sell it, the rest of the class took notice. One by one the rest of his classmates started writing their own Captain Underpants stories and asking Juan Diego’s advice on storylines and how something could best be drawn.

Juan Diego’s talent and initiative has served him well, instead of getting distracted while doing his homework he is focused. He finishes quickly so he can get started working on more editions of Captain Underpants. The entire class reserves class time to work on their writing and illustrations, focusing on finishing their homework early so they have time to work on their comic books, too.

The class has united through this child initiated project, kids that didn’t get along before are now working together. They have all found a book that they enjoy reading and an endless stream of creativity has flowed out of it.


A Beautiful, Unforgettable Experience

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On the third weekend of September, thirty girls and women from the EA community attended a women’s conference at Camino de Vida church in Lima.

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Read how the conference impacted Paloma, Irma, and Nataly.

“My experience was beautiful, unforgettable, an experience that made me reflect on how Jesus insists to enter my heart. The word of God nourishes our souls. We have to live in His grace and mercy. Let Jesus take control of our lives and walk on the good path, leave our boat of failure and rejection. We as God’s children can show our love for Him. Tell Him how much we love him, worship him, speak with him. I loved the conference. What I learned I will put into practice, “Let Jesus come into my home,” into my heart. I also learned that what God promises, he does. His word has power. He is our Heavenly Father, our Creator.” -Paloma, 17

On Sunday morning, I woke up thinking about Revelation 3:20 crying, weeping because I understood the following: On December 5th, it will be 25 years since I recieved Jesus in my heart; but the sad thing is that I did not welcome him. I kept living according to my will, taking control of my own life…and I have suffered the consequences. I am thankful for this conference and it seems like it was designed to open my eyes. That same morning I was comforted by Jesus and I dried my tears and I got up on my feet to welcome the King of Glory so that he could make his home in my house. Since then I have a new start and I have come up against the challenges of life without fear because the King of Glory is with me.” -Irma, director of EA

“I loved the word that Andi gave, that when God takes us from where we were lost we don’t have to go back to that place.” -Nataly, 14

This conference was a time of rest, returning, retreat, and renewal for the lives of all that attended. We are thankful for the time we spent together worshiping and hearing from God’s word.

Desire for Faith

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Emerson recently shared his thoughts with Irma about a movie that he saw at home.

Death wanted to take a father from his children. When Death came the first time, the oldest child confronted him. You can’t take my dad yet, leave him alone for 10 years. Death agreed and left.

After 10 years, Death came back and spoke to the next child. Now I will take your father. The child replied. Not yet, leave him alone for 5 more years. Death agreed and left again.

Five years passed and Death came back. This time the youngest child spoke to Death. I am going to light this candle and when there’s nothing left of it then you can take my father. Death thought to himself. This is the dumbest child yet. The candle will go out in no time at all. I will take this father from his children very soon now.

But…the child blew out the candle. Death had to leave. The candle was never used up, so Death never came back to take the children’s father.

Emerson was excited and questioned Irma. Isn’t the candle like faith? Faith will never go out. The candle was never used up and so it never went out. This is what I feel in my heart. I want my faith to be like that.

This story is evidence of God at work transforming the mind of a child. We can rejoice! Our Father will honor the desire of Emerson’s heart as He promises, because the desire of Emerson’s heart is the same as the desire that God has for him.

Pray for Emerson to have growing faith. Pray protection over his mind and body. Pray that he continues to be Spirit-sensitive and be able to hear what God is telling him, teaching him, and where he is leading him. Celebrate with us, the good work God is doing in Emerson!

Party!! for Kids

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Peru celebrates Día del Niño, Children's Day, in August. Universally, it is a day to promote children's well-being and help them understand their rights. Festejando (from the word fiesta) or celebrating is an important part of the culture in Peru. Everywhere you turn there is a special event for children on this day. Parks have free entrance, theaters have shows for kids, the circus shows up, too.

We celebrate with our children every day, each small victory. An important part of their growth is teaching them the satisfaction of an accomplishment.

You can participate with us in helping children grow through sponsoring a child. The most important role of a sponsor is to pray. Your financial donation will always be used to COVER critical needs:

  • Crisis intervention for children and families
  • Opportunities to experience and hear the Gospel
  • Vital protection, healthcare, food and nutrition
  • Education, including remedial needs
  • Recognition of personal value and gifts from God

If you would like more information about sponsoring a child, head on over to our sponsorship page.

Authorization to Travel

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The Dyer family have sponsored Nataly for a long time. Last year they shared their desire with us to have Nataly be a part of their family. Nataly had been clearly communicating that she did not feel settled where she was, so we wondered...O dear Jesus, are you answering prayers in this? 

In January, Summit Christian Academy (SCA) board and staff began praying about inviting Nataly to be a part of their International Student Exchange Program. Later that month, she was officially invited to apply. In February, we sent in her application. She was accepted by the faith-filled community of SCA. 

The first F1 student visa interview at the U.S embassy in Peru was in May. Her visa was denied. In short, she didn't come from a wealthy enough family. 

Not knowing what exactly God was doing through this and concerned that Nataly felt left stranded, we offered to become her legal guardians and bring her into our home as a grand-daughter, forever.  She loved the idea. Her step uncle and aunt were fully supportive. These few months have been some of the sweetest we have known. We have laughed and cried together as we learned to parent a 17 year old girl and as she learned to confide in us within our new covenant relationship. 

The second visa interview was July 19 and her visa request was provisionally accepted! Shortly, we received an email that the visa was being printed. 

We hoped to receive it by our scheduled travel date, August 8th. It was recommended to us to go to the DHL location where we were designated to pick it up, sometimes the email with the tracking number never comes, they said. We went to DHL on SEVERAL occasions. 

Nothing came. A couple of frustrating weeks of getting no answers from the US embassy passed. Then we learned that the email saying the visa was being printed was an error. It was still under review. 

We cancelled our plane tickets, cancelled scheduled visits, began to homeschool, and practiced waiting with joy and trust in the adventure. The reality that the visa could still be denied hovered in the back of each of our minds. 

On Thursday, August 23rd, we received another email that Nataly’s passport had been officially approved. We felt some relief, but after the experience of the erroneous email, doubt remained.

Early on Friday morning DHL indicated we would have the visa by Monday. By then we knew well when DHL received deliveries from the embassy; we knew it could be available for pick up Saturday afternoon. Should we buy plane tickets for Saturday night? Sunday night? Nataly's school had started the week before and we didn't want her to miss any more days than necessary. We decided to be safe and purchase to fly on Monday.

Before we got the tickets purchased, around 10:30am on Friday, we received confirmation that the visa had arrived! Would we really find it there this time? And....yes!!!! We purchased tickets to leave Friday night. 

We repacked and flew to the airport, pun intended. We checked bags, passed through security and arrived at immigration.

Do you have an Authorization to Travel? At this point can I just say, "what the hell is that?"

We were missing a document that we did not know that we needed. It was all very gray, they wouldn’t say you need Form “Such & Such”. We were stuck. And we couldn't go backwards through security without filling out forms and having a special escort. 

It was after midnight, Saturday by then, but we still called our lawyer who we hoped could help us with the "form". He said we might be able to get the paperwork needed that day, Saturday, but most likely it would be Monday before we could get it notarized.

The Dyers put us up in an airport hotel, we slept a few hours, and began hitting notaries, not literally, but I wanted to!

The first notary couldn’t do it until Monday, the second wouldn’t do it all all because he didn’t trust the Ministry of Public Registry. The third notary was a friend of a friend. They said if we could get there with all the appropriate documents they’d get it done but...we only had until noon. It was already 10am. Have you ever been in traffic in a city of 11 million people? If you have ever lived in Peru, have you ever had all the "appropriate documents" for anything? 

We were missing an original of Nataly’s mom’s death certificate. We had a copy in our legal guardianship document, but that wasn’t enough. Bless Dina Anton, Eddy Ochoa, and Nataly's step aunt and uncle. They raced around with us and we got it done!! 

We went to the airport again Saturday night, zombies. Would we really get out? Was it the right document-form-whatever-thingy? We approached immigration with our big-adventure attitude. This will be what God has planned for us and we’ll enjoy it no matter what. We watched the immigration officer review the documents and raise her eyebrows. We held our breath. In less than five minutes we were through, and with certainty, on our way at last. 

We spent our first night in St. Louis and then drove into Kansas City. When we arrived at the Dyer's home we sat and stared at each other still not able to believe we actually made it. 

With the chaos that is immigration in the United States, God still sits sovereignly on his throne. He provides. He made a way for one of His precious children.

We know He raised up the best family in the world, in Tim and Andrea, to care for Nataly's heart in this next season of her life. 

Power to Shame

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Re-inacted image public image. 

Re-inacted image public image. 

How does some shaming look right now in our small patch of God’s world? Teachers, adults in positions of power, are overwhelmed by student’s behavior and unable to control their classrooms. Without support, training, and sufficient resources they are using their cell phones to take videos of children in moments when children are acting out their frustration, confusion, and personal pain. 

J is nine years old. He wasn’t doing the class assignment, copying from the blackboard into his notebook. In front of all of his classmates, his teacher singled him out, video-ed him and told him she would be showing his bad behavior to his dad. When she showed the video to his dad in front of J, they both felt shamed. On a following day when his teacher began videoing him, J lost control. He went after his teacher, his pencil was in his hand. He ended up jabbing her with it. 

L is 13 years old. She returned home, to her safe place, from school one day. Her mother was there waiting for L with a video sent from her teacher. L fell on her knees and begged her mother not to send her back to her school. 

K is 15 years old. He is L’s brother. He is constantly being threatened that all of his actions are being taped by the cameras recently installed in the classrooms. Feeling powerless against the constant threat and invasion of privacy, he climbed up onto the roof of the school and cut the internet cable. 

We have worked with teachers, individually, and talked to the school administrator. If the environment of threat, violation of privacy, and shaming does not improve we will move to report the school. In the meantime, we are working with children and parents to understand their rights and God’s way to walk out the situation with their children and the school. Alongside parents we are evaluating current available education options. 

We have 44 children enrolled at this school and we are only half way through the school year. The environment there is quickly deteriorating. 

Please pray protection over the hearts and minds of our children and their parents. Pray for the teachers and the administrators of this Christian school. Pray for EA’s staff as they walk with each child and parent through the pain, fear, and feeling of powerlessness. 

Our Father, we cry out to you. See your children. O LORD, you have moved to rescue them by placing Esperanza de Ana near. Now give us wisdom and clarity to know how to fight for justice on their behalf. Take out teachers whose hearts cannot find love for the children that they serve. Rescue teachers who desperately want to provide for each individual child the care that they need. Give insight to the school's administrators, too. We need to see your mighty hand and outstretched arm working to deliver today. In Jesus Name.