With gratitude and excitement, we present this completion report from your church plant, Iglesia del Nazareno de Cura Morí, in Piura, Peru. This thorough report from the field provides details about the physical structure, the growth of the church body and the establishment of the child development center, which is at full capacity. We hope this report brings Menlo Church joy and blessings reflecting the ways you have blessed your Peruvian brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Nazarene Church of Cura Morí has seen God’s power through this construction process. This makes them happy because they have a place where they can teach children and their parents the gospel of Jesus.
Construction Review
The following activities were carried out:
- Organize a construction committee – completed March 15
- Design and elaborate the blueprint – March 15-24
- Purchase the construction materials – May 10-Oct. 21
- Execute the construction – May 12-Oct. 22
- During this process, members of the church, volunteers and hired workers built:
- Five classrooms
- A multipurpose room
- A kitchen
- An office
- A bathroom for girls
- A bathroom for boys
- During this process, members of the church, volunteers and hired workers built:
- Assessment, monitoring and verification – A civil engineer oversaw the construction process and submitted monthly reports to the pastor from May through September.
- Opening Day of the New Infrastructure – October 23, 2018
- All families of children enrolled in this new church participated (enrollment took place in April and May).
- The pastor prayed for all the families present and for the church in general.
This project was completed on time and with careful attention to the budget. Parents and members of the church helped with in-kind donations of construction labor and support of the workers, including provision of meals for the crews.
Launch Objectives and Successes
General Objective
Ensure the Cura Morí community in Piura Province has adequate facilities to continue sharing the gospel, ministering to the community, and delivering Compassion International’s holistic child development program to 200 registered children.
Specific Objectives and Indicators of Success
- Build basic facilities listed above in coordination with Compassion and the Nazarene Church of Chiclayito (mother church).
- The church has adequate facilities to continue sharing the gospel through regular church services and activities. Children receive Christian teachings that help them to grow spiritually.
- All the spaces are used for the holistic development of children.
- Provide 200 registered children with classes and age-appropriate activities in suitable classrooms to help them develop holistically.
- 100 percent of registered children learn topics to help them in their physical, cognitive, spiritual and socio-emotional development. Regular attendance is nearly 100 percent.
- Provide registered children with access to clean, functional and gender-appropriate bathrooms and improve their hygiene habits to reduce the incidence of health problems.
- 80 percent of child beneficiaries can explain the importance of good hygiene habits and improving their eating habits to prevent disease through the proper use of sanitary facilities, hand washing, etc.
- 100 percent of children can use the good sanitary facilities and hand washing.
- Create a space for reflection and teaching of the Bible for the spiritual development of the attending families and thus improve their quality of life.
- 100 percent of beneficiaries, members and families of the church participate in worship services in the new facilities of the partner church.
- The church is carrying out evangelistic outreaches for local families. As part of the church’s growth plan, they are now considering starting family cell groups and thus improving their work with children.
- Encourage the development of the skills of children and youth through sports, cultural and educational activities that provide them with tools to sustain themselves in the future.
- 80 percent of children and young people take advantage of the spaces to get into sports and educational groups.
The Value of Outreach
It is wonderful to see happy families and children when we visit their houses and bring them food baskets or any gift. Besides that, they allow us to enter their homes and talk to them of God’s love and help them every day to improve their lives.
Thank you for your great help that allows us to continue supporting the children and above all to continue spreading the work of God.
– Marcela Paz, tutor at Cura Morí
The Impact of Your Support
The church has had a huge impact for families in Cura Morí community. They did their best to help in the construction, because they know it is a blessing for the children. Each stage of this church-planting process has been a great experience.
The 200 children are happy because they now have a comfortable and safe place to learn, play and develop. This environment helps ensure the development of children will be carried out correctly. People in the area recognize this ministry as one which serves and benefits sponsored children, their families and community in general.
A Beneficiary Mother’s View
Maria is the mother of a 15-year-old beneficiary, Emerson, and four other children. She works hard to raise and educate her children and appreciates how much Emerson helps with housework: “He is a good boy.”
How has your life changed now that this intervention is complete?
Now, Emerson loves going to church, because he has fun with his friends at Sunday school. As a family, we are also receiving help through Emerson. We are learning new things from God as people from the church visit us frequently.
What will this change mean for your future or the future of your family?
We have a safe place where our children can study and grow healthily, so that they will be people with values and useful to society.
What lessons have you learned from this intervention?
We have learned to trust God, because He will help us out when we need help. Furthermore, in His great love, He will use people to bless our lives, even when they did not know us.
What would you like to say to those who provided the financial support for this intervention?
All parents are very grateful for all your help. It is just incredible how God used your lives to bless us. God bless you all.
Center Director’s Gratitude
Center director Melvi Carmona Fernandez said education, health and learning about Jesus are three major blessings that were immediately apparent to the families and community.
She said church attendance has increased, the center quickly reached its capacity of 200 registered children, and the project has changed people’s opinion of the church, making them more likely to come to church.
The value of the new facility has greatly enhanced the church’s ability to minister to beneficiaries. “Now, we count on a modern local church with all facilities to give better attention to beneficiaries,” she said. “We are teaching children in a better way, since we have enough space to do different activities.”
She wanted to let all of the donors from Menlo Church know how much their support means to the Cura Morí community. “We are very grateful for their help of our community and their great love for the children,” she said. “We are praying for them and their families, and we hope that they will keep helping other children.”