Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, HIM Peru, in partnership with GEN ACTS Club International, has launched an English virtual program with biblical values for children in Lima, Peru. Given that good education opportunities are limited in Peru, and many students do not have access to learning a global language such as English, our program aims to address this gap by offering virtual lessons for children in the country.
GEN ACTS Club International is a non-profit organization led by brothers and sisters from Singapore who established our Christian Church in Peru two decades ago. As a young professional, I used to volunteer for GEN ACTS Peru, and it was through this organization that I met Jesus. Today, I serve as the pastor in our local church and the legal representative for GEN ACTS Club International in Peru, working together with our youth to bring our English programs to children both within and outside of Lima.
We initially started with 15 non-believer children from among our relatives, who were eager to participate in our English program with values. Today, our nephews and nieces, along with many others, actively engage in our virtual lessons every weekend after school. We pray for their salvation and for their families to find faith in God. We understand that serving our relatives is important, but our mission doesn’t stop there. We continuously seek new groups of children to reach out to.
This year, amidst social conflicts in Peru, God has opened new doors for us, and we have welcomed two new groups of children – one from a fishing village called “Végueta” and the other from a shanty town called “Ventanilla,” both located in the northern part of Lima. These non-believer children and their families are in our prayers as we strive to introduce God’s salvation and kingdom into their lives. We currently have 10 children from Végueta (a 5-hour bus ride from the capital city) and 15 children from Ventanilla (a 3-hour bus ride from the capital city).
Our youth has played an essential role in helping us serve these children. They participate in short dialogues, lead group games, and play characters to share value-centered stories during our virtual lessons. Our teenagers are our new youth in the church and are now committed to serving in our Kids Ministry and Multimedia Ministry. During our training sessions, we make time to study God’s word, pray, and praise the Lord. Our friendly environment has allowed us to build a strong connection with the younger generation, and they too have begun to invite their friends to participate in our programs and join our church.
This year, we plan to hold monthly live English lessons in Ventanilla, with more of our youth and their friends participating. We will also visit Végueta twice this year to hold lessons in person. Every quarter, our families will join us in important events throughout the school year, such as Christmas, to foster fellowship with the children’s families.
We pray for God’s guidance as we strive to reach out to the harvest of children and families that God has shown us through our English program. We give thanks to God for His guidance in discipling and loving the younger generation, and for the new opportunities to evangelize among our relatives and the families of Ventanilla and Végueta. We also thank God for the partnership with brothers and sisters all over the world to fulfill His will. In the photo below, Sister Therese from HIM Philippines is seen conversing with our Peruvian children during our English program. We appreciate your prayers and blessings as we continue to serve the young generation and obey God’s will.
