Why am I going?

I was asked by Trinity Presbyterian Church, which I attended from the ages of 11 - 18 years old, to write an article for their magazine Trinity Life and Work outlining what I have been doing since leaving Trinity and why I am going to Peru. I thought that I would share the article on my blog for others to read. 

Most of you know me and will have heard by now that I am off to Peru to work with Latin Link for a year. I was going to update you on what I have been doing since I left Trinity 11 years ago, but have decided to tell you how and why I have ended up on this path.

I have learned many times in life, it is not what you want that happens, it is what God wants and even when you ignore him, he never gives up on you.  However, it took him six years to get me to listen to him.

It all started in 2004, when one day I was sitting in a local church in Streatham, London. The sermon was on the call to mission for God’s people.  In the middle of the sermon I heard a little voice in my head saying, “one day I want you to go”. “Go where”, I thought, “I am not going anywhere as I am not that type of person, and anyway is the mission field not everywhere, so can I not just stay in London and do mission here?” I know it’s not good to argue with God and not listen to him, but I was in the middle of studying for my Masters and was quite happy.

In 2007 I spent two weeks on a mission trip in the Balkans and in 2008 I spent another two weeks in Hungary, so I did not totally ignore God. I suppose you can say that was the beginning of my journey, though I did not know it then.

I do not think two week mission trips were what God had in mind for me, because in January 2010 when I started working at WorldSkills London 2011, (my last job), I again heard God say to me, “I want you to go for me”.  I thought “I am not going anywhere as I’ve just landed myself a very exciting job.” I was also very involved in my church All Souls, Langham Place and did not want to leave ‘my mission’, working with London’s homeless people and helping out in Christianity Explored. So I went on with my life and didn’t think a thing about going places except on holiday!

My job was only a 23 month contract finishing in November 2011, so in February 2011, I started to think about what I would do afterwards. Should I stay in London, go back to Northern Ireland or move back to North East England where I spent three years at University? I did not think about going with a missionary organisation but God used others to make me listen to him.  

One night I was talking to my sister about my job and she asked me if I ever thought about doing voluntary work abroad, I laughed saying I was not the type of person who can do that! She challenged me to pray about it, talk to Christian friends and Church leaders and push some doors. For once I listened to my sister! The doors opened wide and now a year later I find myself enroute to Peru with Latin Link.

Latin Link is a organisation with a passion for mission in and from Latin America. They have three programmes, Step (three week to six months) Stride (six months to two years) and Stay (long term). It is Stride I am going on.

I have always had a heart for Latin America, which comes from my upbringing and having lots of Latin Link missionaries staying with us etc, but it was not an automatic decision to go with Latin Link. I did some research on organisations to find out which one would be best for me and also where God wanted me.  In the end after a toss between Operation Mobilisation and Latin Link, and many chats with church leaders and friends, Latin Link won.

When asked by Latin Link if I had a particular place I wanted to go, I said “I will go wherever I am needed and wherever God wants me”. So I left it in their hands, but then in May I heard two missionaries from Bolivia speak and decided that was where I wanted to go. However,  when telling Latin Link this they said, “Sorry, but we are not sending Striders to Bolivia due to a lack of people resources but we would like to send you to Peru. Would that be ok with you?”  I agreed feeling it was obviously God’s place for me.

I got confirmation late September that I was definitely going to Arequipa, Peru. The past few months have been very busy preparing to go away, finishing my job, temporarily moving back to Northern Ireland and raising financial and prayer support as well.

I am going to Peru on 3^rd February and will be out there for a year working with children and disabled young adults.

The main project I am working with is Nuevas Fuerzas (Renewed Strength) which works with young adults with disabilities enabling them to gain new skills e.g. cooking and computing to help them in their lives. They currently meet for four hours, three days a week in the local Baptist Church. The aim is to meet every day and for longer, but more help is needed before this can be done.

Another aim of the project is to provide encouragement and care for the young adults and help them feel included as in Peru disabled people are excluded and do not get the same opportunities as able bodied people.

Discipleship is also provided for the attendees and the plan is that I do one to one bible studies with the girls who attend when I can speak good enough Spanish. Do please pray that my learning of Spanish goes well and smoothly.

I will also be involved in the planning and leading of the activities working alongside Paul Turner, a long term Latin Link missionary and other volunteers as well.

I will also be working two days a week at Casa de Amor (House of Love), a children’s home started and run by a Christian couple José and Gloria Ingalls.

There are only three people working in the home, the Ingalls and another lady called Bertha. The idea for only having three workers is because they want it to be a home for the children and not an institution. They want the kids to have a real sense of being part of a family, and as a result of this, they all have their own duties to do e.g. cleaning and washing their own clothes.

The idea for me being there is to give Bertha time off as she currently works seven days a week. I will help the children with washing their clothes and doing their homework as well as doing general cleaning and cooking duties.

I will be attending a local Baptist church with Ruth and Paul Turner, fellow Latin Link missionaries. This is also the church where Nuevas Fuerzas meets. It was set up by a Brazilian Missionary 10 years ago and is currently led by a Brazilian Pastor. I have been told it is a lively and friendly church.

I will be helping in this church, teaching Sunday School and organising other activities and events for the children, including a Holiday Bible Club which will be staffed by a Step team coming out from England in July.

Thank you for reading this, and if you want to be kept updated and receive my monthly prayer letter, please contact my parents who will send one either by post or email. Also you can follow my time away on my blog at: http://perutales.blogspot.com/

St Andrews Presbyterian, Belfast

On Sunday, my parents and I made the trip from Broughshane to Belfast as I was due to speak at St Andrews Presbyterian, Belfast. My stomach was full of butterflies the whole way down, not because I was due to speak, am quite good at speaking, except in large crowds.

No, I was nervous because the last time I was at this church was when I was 11, which was even though its hard to believe 18 years ago. I had not seen a lot of people since then and the last time they saw me I was probably running through the halls being a mischievous child (I was never mischievous, so must have been another little child).

It was great being there though, seeing so many people I grew up with and taught me in Christian Endeavour, Girl Guides and Holiday Bible Club. I will tell you one thing though, when I walked in to the church, it was a lot smaller than I remembered it to me - your perspective of things changes when you get older.

St Andrews has previously sent two Step teams out to Arequipa, so it was great to hear stories about that and here the enthusiasm they have for the place, made me want to jump on the plane that lunchtime. It has definitely added to my excitement for going, and I look forward to seeing the projects they were involved with out there.

Thanks to Rev David Maxwell and the congregation of St Andrews for having me. Look forward to seeing you when I get back to update you on all that happens during my year. 

Open House

Last weekend I had an Open House weekend where the idea was for people just to drop in and say hi, have a cup of tea, a scone, traybake and even a bowl of soup at lunchtime, as well as hear more about the work of Latin Link and what I will be doing whilst in Peru.

Well people did come which was great, Friday night saw 17 people through our doors, and on Saturday I lost count of how many came, but at one point it was standing room only. That evening I was quite tired, but was also very encouraged by the amount of people who came to support me.

I did my little speech six times that weekend, and think I was even saying it in my sleep that night, but thank you to everyone who came to see me and listen to me. It means a lot. It was great to see people whom I have not seen in a long time and even meet new people.

My parents and I were talking that night, and realised that we had someone from every church Dad has ever been minister (of which there are 5), that meant a lot to him and Mum as well as me.

I have many prayer and financial supporters for my time away in Peru, and am blessed by each and everyone of them, without you all I would not be able to do, so THANK YOU everyone.

4 weeks to go

Well on Friday, it was 4 weeks til I get on a plane and go on my travels to Peru. It is hard to believe I left my job nearly two months ago and have been back in Northern Ireland for a month. 

Being home has been good. The first two weeks home were spent getting ready for Christmas, helping my mum with things around the house, then there was Christmas which involved eating, spending time with my family and going sales shopping as well. 

My friend Sara from Bolivia arrived on 29th December, so we showed her the sights of Northern Ireland for the week she was here as well as letting her experience New Years Eve with my extended family. Think she had a good time here despite the fact that it rained a lot, we explained that was why Ireland was so green.

Now we are in January, and it is now 4 weeks before I go, so preparations will be continuing - need to have more injections and do other odds and ends. I also have some speaking engagements coming up and it would be great if you could pray for me during these times. 

On Friday 13th  and Saturday 14th January I am having an open house, so that people can drop in have some tea and a traybake and also have a chance to hear what I will be doing next year in Peru. This will be a good time to see people I have not seen in ages as well as hopefully get prayer and financial support for my year away.

       On Sunday 15th January I am speaking at St Andrews Presbyterian, Belfast. This was the church I was brought up in until the age of 11. So it will be good to back and see people I have not seen since then as well as update them on what I have been doing since I left and also tell them about what I will be doing next year. St Andrews have an existing link with Arequipa, Peru as there two retired Latin Link missionaries who served there who attend the church. And also a few years back they send out a Step team to help build the garden for Shalom school. The project I am working with, Nuevas Fuerzas, grew out of the Shalom School - so it will be good for St Andrews to hear an update on the work that the Step team did when they were out in Peru. 

       On Friday 20th January, I will be attending a Latin Link prayer group which meets in Belfast and is hosted by two Latin Link missionaries who used to live in Arequipa and Lima in Peru. Here, I will be sharing a bit about what I will be doing next year.

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       And on 29th January, I will be leading the sunday night service at 2nd Broughshane Church, which is the church my parents attend now. I am not sure what I will be doing this night so prayers would be appreciated for me and also for Elma Currie, the Northern Ireland Latin Link co-ordinator who is going to help me with the service. 

       Thanks for all your prayers, they are much appreciated. And if you are in the area and want to attend the Open House or come hear me speak at St Andrews or 2nd Brougshane it would be great to see you there.