Ministry in a Nutshell: Chile

This month in Chile, ministry looks different every day. Our main purpose this month is to bless our ministry hosts, James and Coletta. They are missionaries from California who have lived in Chile for 21 years. They have planted two churches in the surrounding communities of Santiago, and for the last 7 years, they have been living in Hacienda El Peñón, forming relationships with their neighbors and planting a new church, Iglesia Bautista Esperanza de Vida (Life’s Hope Baptist Church). A few weeks before we arrived in Chile, James and Coletta were able to purchase a property in Las Vertientes, Chile, a beautiful town nestled in a canyon. This is where we have been staying this month.

 We are surrounded by mountains on all sides. 

James and Coletta also do several outreach ministries in their neighborhood. They visit a children’s hospital each week, where they get to pray over the children and their families. I wrote about the hospital in my first blog. The spirit of the children was inspiring and I hope James and Coletta can bring them some comfort during their trying time in the hospital.

Maria, James, me, Meg, Coletta, and Lauren in our hospital polos

They also do youth ministry, which they call Young Life (no affiliation with USA YoungLife), every Friday. We have been blessed to get to hang out with 11-14 year olds every week and really invest in them. These preteens are just like those in the US: they love their phones, they giggle all the time, and they love having fun. The first week, we played an intense Spoons tournament. I was at the winner’s table until the very last round! I call that a success. The second week, we got to play volleyball with them and then some of my team shared their testimonies and how they came to follow Jesus. It is so important that these kids see people who are not that much older than them going all in for God. Last week, we got to play more games with them, and then we each shared a bible verse that has impacted our lives. I shared Philippians 4:6, because I tend to be a worrier, and this verse reminds me to pray instead of worrying. Middle school can be a stressful time for kids, so I wanted to share a verse with them that they can hold on to during hard times.

RJ, Meg, Ignacio, Averi, Fran, Domi, Agus (hiding her face), James and myself at Young Life! The kids love roasting marshmallows!

We have also been helping James and Coletta get the church building ready for services. The first week we were here, we painted all the walls, ceiling, and trim in the main room that they are using as a temporary sanctuary. We have weeded flower beds, spread gravel, completely refurbished a gate, and we clean and organize the church each weekend so it is ready for Sunday service. Then on Sundays, we get to participate in the service and love on the people that come to church. I have also been helping with the Sunday school lesson for the children. The first week I taught on Jonah and the Whale, and this week I am teaching about Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s strange dream. The church is small, but growing. I came from a small local church, so it feels like home to me. I can’t wait to hear how they grow over the next few months.

Maria, Averi, RJ, Mauricio, Lauren, me, Meg, Zach – Mauricio is a missionary for the deaf. He gave the sermon last week at church. He is amazing!

The big event that we helped out with this month was Noche de Luz (Night of Lights). This is a celebration on Halloween, with emphasis on good costumes and Jesus as the light of the world. It was so fun to see all the kids come out in their costumes: princesses, superheroes, ketchup and mustard, unicorns, and even a frappucino! We also set up games for the kids to play and then they went around to the houses in the neighborhood for candy. It was a really fun night and I’m glad we got to be a part of it.

The kids were so cute in their costumes!

We have also gotten the opportunity this month to work at a local private school, Colegio Almenar del Maipo, with seniors in an English speaking class. The students already know English pretty well, so we were there to give them an opportunity to practice their skills. We talked about topics like College in the US, recycling, immigration and cultural diversity in the US and Chile, and then whatever else the students wanted to talk about. It was refreshing to be around the students. They were so excited we were there, and I feel like I learned a lot about Chilean culture from them. I have never wanted to work with high school age kids, but after this experience, I may rethink that!

Tuesday was Costume Day for the seniors since it is their last week of school. They had a lot of fun with it!

We have been blessed with the opportunity to do a lot of different types of ministry this month. I have learned so much about Chile, church planting, and relational ministry. I’m excited to head to Argentina next week, but leaving Las Vertientes is going to be hard. James and Coletta have taken us under their wings and treated us like family. I am so glad we have gotten to learn from them this month, and I know we will stay in touch forever. 

Me, Coletta, James, and RJ on top of the mountain overlooking the canyon! The hike took 9.5 hours!

Things to pray for:

1. This week, I was diagnosed with Shingles. I have blisters all over my face and arm. I am not completely convinced that’s what it is, since we just did a hike last Saturday and I am highly allergic to poison ivy and other plants. But I went to an emergency room, and two doctors were convinced I have Shingles. So I am taking a lot of medicine: an anti-viral, an antibiotic, an antihistamine, and a cream. Hopefully the medicine kicks in and the blisters start to go away. So far I am not in any pain, but it is very uncomfortable and itches like crazy.
2. On Wednesday, our team travels to Viña del Mar to meet up with the rest of our squad for Debrief. This is a time of rest and reflection of this past month. Our Squad Mentor and Coaches are flying in from the US, so just pray that everyone arrives safely and is able to rest during this time.
3. After Debrief, we will be headed to Mendoza, Argentina. It will be all-squad month, so our entire squad of 48 people will be together. I’m excited about this, and I can’t wait to find out what our ministry will be.