Church Plant Update

First Free Church, the church plant you support in La Libertad, Peru is growing steadily. Currently 30 adults and 45 children are attending the Christian and Missionary Alliance church plant. The church is active in ministry and the community is very receptive. The community and local authorities are very supportive when they learn how the new church and child development center will benefit local children.

This update contains photos of progress and details of recent church activities.

Progress Update

The pastors of the mother church and daughter churches are coordinating the construction activities. The local government volunteered their architects to update the church’s construction plans. After learning about the child development center, army soldiers from a nearby base volunteered to help with construction.

Isaias is a member of the church who shares, “I am grateful to God for giving us the opportunity to attend church and be part of the Compassion center. My family is being blessed. I have two children who are enrolled in the center, and I am noticing the enthusiasm and knowledge of the word of God in my family.”

Challenges and Next Steps

The local government has been backlogged and was slow to approve the drainage portion of the construction plans. This caused some construction delays, but the project is back on track and work. Workers plan to begin prep for the sanitary installations, empty the false floor and raise the corresponding walls.

Photos of Construction Progress

Recent Church Activities

Over the last 60 days, the church activities include:

• Children’s meetings on Saturdays near the field and on Sundays in Sunday School.
• Sunday adult meetings.
• A mission conference.
• Bible training for the leadership team.
• Bible school.
• The pastor and leaders of the mother church made home visits to deliver relief to children participating in the Compassion center.
• A child needed emergency surgery and the church ensured that the child was taken by ambulance to the local hospital.
• A meeting was held with families of children and youth participating in the Compassion program. The church rented a visible spot in the community to hold the meeting and raise awareness in the community.
• A ministry team was created to start working with the children. The team made home visits to children participating in the Compassion program.

Children participate in a church activity.

Praises and Prayer Requests

The families are grateful to the sponsors for the gifts and letters that their children are receiving. This is helping them to strengthen their ties with the church and to see that the child development program is a reality. The church asks you to join them in prayer and thanks for the following:

• Give thanks for the sponsors.
• Pray for the health of the mother church pastor and pray for his wife.
• Pray for the pastoral family of the daughter church and for the growth of the church plant.
• Prayer for the tutors as they work with children.
• Prayer for the health of children and their families.
• Prayer for the progress of the construction and the health of the people who are working on it.
• Prayer for the community and national authorities.

First Free Church, thank you for your partnership with Compassion International. Your partnership is making a difference in the lives of children and families in Peru. May God bless you abundantly!