Back in February, I took a pause from my work Peru to help with the FH relief effort in Haiti. I had hoped to send regular updates to keep folks posted, but the pace (12-15 hr. days, 6 days a week) and the resulting exhaustion quickly snuffed out that hope.
What I do want to share about that time though is that it was a blessing. I was honored to be called on to serve for even a short period of time during which I helped write proposals, and worked with a team of others to get the "Child Friendly Space" project up and running (community safe spaces where children and women to get emotional/ spiritual help and care).
It was also a difficult experience (harder than I expected) to see country and people in the midst of great suffering. I am still processing this part of my time in Haiti, as I continue to pray for the families affected, for the government leaders, for the aid worker who are overwhelmed by the work and most of all for all of the believers in Haiti. I pray that people would turn to the Lord now there, that He would raise up his people and give Haiti a new beginning. I pray that his will be done there in that difficult place and time, just as it is in heaven, and I pray that I and others will trust God to be faithful in his promises to His people there.
If you want to read more about what FH is doing in Haiti - I have posted an update about our work there at the following link:
http://lauren-peru.blogspot.com/2010/04/update-on-fh-haiti-response.html
Before going back to Peru, I also had a week of conferences at the FH headquarters in Phoenix during which time I got a chance to visit with my parents (who came down for WA) and with a two good friends from college, KC and Keeley and her family. It was a great time to reconnect.
After almost 5 weeks away from home I finally returned to Peru in the beginning of March. While it was hard to be away so long, it was also a blessing to see how God used Cristian to support me during that time through prayers and encouraging words. I am even more convinced now after our time apart, that Crisitan is my best friend, my perfect complement, and the partner God has for me. We are both looking forward to finally becoming husband and wife in July, and to see what the Lord has in store for us as we seek to serve Him as a couple.
Of course to make that happen there is much to be done. My mom is graciously helping us plan a ceremony in the states, meanwhile Cristian and I have been busy this last month or so working on plans for a civil ceremony here in Peru.
April has also brought some changes in work with the filling of the National Program Manager role (a position that has been vacant for almost two years), with a new Peruvian staff, Noemi. With Noemi as the National Program Manager, I will continue in my role as the Program Coordinator, supporting and assisting Noemi with different project related to program monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communication. I am excited to get to know and learn from Noemi, and really feel that she will an answer to prayer to me and FH-Peru.
Lastly I wanted to end this update with a short story of impact, just one of the fruits God is bearing through the tree of FH-Peru (http://lauren-peru.blogspot.com/2010/02/tree-of-fhperu-and-fruits-god-is.html).
This last month FH has been focusing its work in Chincha on health issues. During a recent event (a water and parasite museum), the local health center put FH staff in contact with a local psychologist who works in one of the local schools. Last Tuesday the psychologist came to share and about 50 parents came out to hear how they could help their children do well in school. This might not seem like something special, but in a community where many parents have not even finished elementary school, having a turn out like this is amazing. The community leader, Victor - a new believer, was so excited to see the turn out of families. Praise God for giving these families an opportunity and the desire to learn how to invest in the lives of their children!
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