Current Situation

Throughout the month of November, we were able to check-in individually with our 23 COJ partner churches through Zoom meetings and encourage pastors to keep pressing onward, with the wisdom and strength God provides throughout the continuation of testing times. In addition, we were able to discover the reality churches and children faced. While there were some churches where COVID-19 had ravaged their communities, most churches in more remote areas were untouched by COVID-19. However, though not affected by the disease directly, churches and children have suffered from spiritual collateral damage.

Pastors and Sunday School teachers have tried to stay connected with the children, but their efforts have been limited by government-enforced prohibition of group gatherings throughout most of this year. Also, the lack of appropriate resources for digital communication (eg. cell phone) – and much less virtual communication (eg. Internet) – has rendered children isolated, without adequate access to education and spiritual nourishment.

At this time, some churches have recently started to gather, some in planning stages to start gathering in the new year, and yet still many are clouded by uncertainty. The government set forth new protocols for churches to be able to re-open and some face challenges to meet the requirements.

Things are out of our control. We realize this yet again. We have to seek on our knees, now more than ever, the face and help of the only one who is in absolute control. We ask that you would join alongside us and pray for God to re-open the doors of houses of worship and for the children in Peru –that they would able to pursue their studies once again and that the love and passion for Him would be reignited in their hearts.