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Commentary
GEN-X RISING: ‘Palabras de solidaridad’ for Peru quake survivors Andrew C. Thompson, Sep 12, 2007
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Andrew Thompson
By Andrew C. Thompson Special Contributor
On Aug. 15, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake devastated a coastal region of Peru about four hours south of Lima.
More than 500 people were killed in the cities of Ica, Pisco and Chincha. Thousands more were injured. The human suffering there has been immense.
In addition to the human suffering, scores of homes, businesses and churches were also flattened by the quake. And because water and sewer lines run underground, the disruption they suffered has caused all three cities to be without running water.
This tragedy has been difficult for me because I know many of those who are struggling to find food, water and shelter. Since 2001, I have traveled to Chincha—one of the cities worst hit by the quake—on five different occasions as a short-term missionary. So it is hard to be 4,000 miles away, knowing that I have friends who are trying to dig their lives out of the rubble.
Fortunately, churches in the affected areas are mobilizing to help those who are suffering. I was able to speak by cell phone to one Methodist pastor, Pedro Uchuya-Torres, only days after the quake hit. He was upbeat, and spoke many words of thanksgiving for the prayers offered for his country by United Methodists here.
Pedro is a pastor in the Iglesia Metodista del Peru—the Methodist Church of Peru. Our Peruvian Methodist brothers and sisters like Pedro are few in number, but they are mighty in the power of the Holy Spirit. They believe and practice the Wesleyan concept of holiness of heart and life. And they see outreach ministry with the poor as central to the Christian faith.
Pedro sent an e-mail to his American friends as soon as electric power was restored in Chincha. In it, he wrote, “Muchas gracias hermanas y hermanos por sus palabras de solidaridad. El Espíritu se mueve llevando bienestar y alegría. ¡Grande es Dios!”
Translated, that means, “Thank you very much, sisters and brothers, for your words of solidarity. The Spirit is moving, bringing us well-being and happiness. God is good!”
Pedro represents the resiliency and hope of all the Methodists in Chincha. They have full faith that the Holy Spirit will guide them as they recover and rebuild.
In the course of my travels to Peru, I have often been asked why foreign missions are important to Christian discipleship. “Can’t we be in mission in our own communities?” is a common question I hear.
Of course we can, and we should. But I see two important reasons why our local churches should make foreign mission work a priority.
First, the church is not just a local body. It is global—transcending all national and ethnic boundaries. When we engage in global mission efforts, we realize that we truly have brothers and sisters in parts of the world that are very unlike our own. And that has all sorts of implications for the very practical decisions we make regarding politics, economic choices and personal attitudes.
And second, foreign missions expands our horizons in ways that are simply not possible when we stay in our own cultural contexts. In the five trips I have led to Peru, I have taken about 90 different people as short-term missionaries. Most of those have come back with their worldviews fundamentally changed. And those most reluctant on the front end are usually affected the most deeply.
Like the devastation from Hurricane Katrina in our own country, Peru faces years of recovery ahead. Fortunately, UMCOR (Advance #982450) has already begun to gear up to lend a helping hand. In a more personal way, our conference-level Volunteers in Mission (VIM) staffs are capable of organizing and leading short-term mission trips.
The church in Peru needs us right now, just as it does in many other places around the globe. We are blessed with much, and we should remember that these are our own brothers and sisters. What are we going to do about it?
The Rev. Thompson maintains a blog at www.genxrising.com. e-mail: andrew@mandatum.org.
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Pedro is a pastor in the Iglesia Metodista del Peru—the Methodist Church of Peru. Our Peruvian Methodist brothers and sisters like Pedro are few in number, but they are mighty in the power of the Holy Spirit. They believe and practice the Wesleyan concept of holiness of heart and life. And they see outreach ministry with the poor as central to the Christian faith. 
