Wow, can you believe it is time for the Christmas Store again? Do you remember the day you sent me a picture of a girl next to a table of gifts that you and the other teachers had purchased for the children in San Genaro? It reminded me of a smaller version of the Christmas Store here in the United States that originated the idea of a similar project in Peru. In that moment, you innocently shared a picture with me, and I knew I had found the location of the first Peruvian Christmas Store.
LOU
I don’t remember which foto I sent you, but I believe that God put a part of that foto as the idea to be able to have a Christmas Store in Peru. In the years before the first Christmas Store, the teachers that participate in the Sunday School of the little El Buen Pastor church have taught for many years in this zone in San Genaro. They and I, with the help of God and donations of friends, have been able to buy toys, sweet bread, cookies and candy each Christmas since 1988. 
Through the years, we have seen how the hand of God has helped us so that the different children of this poor zone never have been without a gift. Thank God they all received a gift. And this has been our greatest satisfaction. Perhaps humanly we can´t provide money for the kids but God always saw that we could provide for them. God fulfilled his promises of not leaving his children alone and many of them accepted Christ. Today they are teachers and assistant teachers in Sunday School. 
One of the things we looked for is a project in existence that we can help expand. When I heard about the work that had been done for so long through the Sunday School teachers, I knew my church would have an interest in expanding the work to reach more children. It is never about the gifts. The gifts are an opportunity to meet a need and show the love of God to the poor. Adults who have no interest in church will participate if they can provide for their children.
The children become a method to enter into the family…learn of the needs and problems…and then develop programs to assist them.
And, so planning for the first Christmas Store in Peru began. What an experience! 
LOU
I believe that when you asked me if we would be able to have a Christmas Store here in San Genaro, I believe that it surprised me because we were able to give to more children and the homes for them. 
The teachers in Sunday School like the other members of the El Buen Pastor church are able to work together to make a reality the Christmas Store that occurred on December 8, 2006. I believe that there were more people that appreciated the time given. This event was a success. One hundred Sixty children participated and 70 parents were able to hear of God’s love in their lives. I believe that this experience was very good for the first time. God’s hand enabled a successful event. 
JANIS
Yes, it was a good experience. Over a period of two days 160 children would have a Christmas. And Buckner International also joined us on the second day to provide shoes for the kids. Now we are looking toward our second Christmas Store…with Buckner as a partner again. It has been a good year, and I think there is much in store for us in the future. 
LOU
You’re right, the first Christmas Store in Peru in2006, was very surprising. You had sent me a DVD of the Christmas Store 2005 in the United Status. To organize the event, the members of the El Buen Pastor Church and myself wanted everything to go well. We knew we did not have the technology or the resources to have an event like yours. We put all of our efforts into making it go well and I believe God gave us everything we needed. 
The help from Buckner Internacional gave us another motive to do things well because we knew that we were going to be seen by others outside of our area. I believe that we completed the event with success and 160 kids and 70 parents heard about the love of God. 
JANIS
The whole process was amazing to watch. Remember, we all met in your living room in April, 2006, and again in October that year. In my bad Spanish, I tried to explain the Christmas Store as it is set up here. There’s nothing magic about the process. I wanted you all to understand how the events occurred. When I returned to help decorate in December, 2006, I had so much fun. You all seemed so experienced! Everything was so creative…you did so much with so little. But the actual event was incredible. And, the following day when the Buckner International mission team came to give the shoes to all the kids. I was totally overwhelmed. 
LOU
I believe you explained the process to me well. All the members of El Buen Pastor knew they had not done this activity before. I believe that they did their jobs well and they understood the real concept of the Christmas Store is to win more lives of the children and parents to Christ. 
JANIS
I remember how we worried that you had not been able to get a travel visa to the U.S. to see how the Christmas Store operated here. In the end, all of you translated the concept in such a way as it mirrors the version in the United States but it uniquely Peruvian. It was fun for everyone to stay up all night to decorate the building and then returning the next morning for the event. Everyone who volunteered to work at the Peruvian Christmas Store gave so much of themselves. 
I think you all could have done it without me…but I wouldn’t have missed it!
I remember all the volunteers waiting for the parents to come and “shop” at the Christmas Store. It was gratifying to know that 160 children would have a Christmas because of all the work that you all did. The “easy” part was giving the money. The labor of love came from the church members at El Buen Pastor. 
LOU
I believe that God permited us to be able to demonstrate el love we have for their children and also for them. Your presence in the Christmas Store made us feel the personal support from Christians in the United States for the Christians in Peru with the purpose of winning others to Christ. We understood all of this and we decided to do a good Christmas Store. We believed we provided the parents a friendly atmosphere, friendship and spiritual help. And sincerely I believe that we did this. I am proud of each one of the volunteers that were there that day because with them we would have not been able to do anything. God blessed everyone that gave their time. 
JANIS
It was a wonderful event. Everyone had worked so hard. And I know that the parents who came sensed the love of the volunteers. It was a pleasure and an honor to be a part of this event.
I think the unique result of the Christmas Store is that it provides an opportunity to serve the poor in a unique manner. For the first time, they are the guests. We look for ways to meet their needs. And, they leave the Christmas Store with something tangible: a gift at Christmas for their children. For many, this may be the first time they are served by others. It makes an impression. I think these simple acts remain with the parents who come to the Christmas Store. In my heart, I believe the Christmas Store represents hope. 
LOU
You’re right, the Christmas Store doesn’t only represent gifts with the Hope of something new in their lives. Here in Peru there is a phrase that says “hope is the only thing that you cannot lose”. Many families don’t have hope for their poverty or their problems. But as this phrase says there should always be hope. And these families found Christ as the only Hope for their lives. Outside of Him there is no solution for problems. I believe the members of El Buen Pastor did their part but God also had a more intimate part in the hearts of these people. ¨
JANIS
You’re right. The most important thing is that the people experience the love of God in their lives. I believe that we become the FACE of Christ for many that days…we are His hands and His feet. It is a privilege to work in partnership with God to demonstrate that He cares for us.
I have wondered how this experience feels for these families. There is no way for me to really understand. But this first day is not the end…there’s more the next day! It must seem as though Heaven has opened up. 
LOU
We heard what they thought and said that never before had they been able to choose presents for their children without cost. They appreciated they chose the gift and they heard about the love of God. They felt happy and emotional for the attention that we gave to them. That day these parents were our guests and they felt this. The following day was also special but this time the guests were the kids. Buckner International and their volunteers brought happiness to the kids. 
They gave them shoes, socks and t-shirts for 160 children. It was a great experience to have them. I was surprised when they arrived because the gifts they had obtained for the kids were very good and now the kids had received many things. God was good with them and also good to us because we could see His hand in a very real way during this time.
I have a question. Buckner was able to come to Chorrillos because you had contact with the leader for Latin America. Tell me, how did you begin your friendship with her? 
JANIS
A good friend of mine has gone on mission trips to Guatemala with Buckner International. When she learned about my first trip to Peru, she thought I would enjoy meeting Leslie who also traveled to Peru for Buckner. 
Buckner Internacional has its headquarters here in Dallas. Several of the leaders go to my church, Valley Ranch Baptist Church. I knew Buckner was sending a large shipment of shoes for the orphans they work with in Peru.
As you know, the children we work with are not orphans. But I decided to ask Jeff Jones to meet me for lunch. I wanted to share with him about my experience in Peru. And, I decided that I would ask him if Buckner could donate shoes to these poor children. Jeff didn’t hesitate to respond “yes!” 
In this single experience I learned something very important. God brings people together who can make a difference in the lives of others. Some have time to give; others have money or supplies to donate. Still others can travel to work directly with the children. We only need to ask others to participate with us in these activities. I wonder how many times we miss a chance to allow God to meet the needs of others through us simply because we don’t ask. I am only one very ordinary person. I can be an obstacle to helping others or I can choose to allow God to work through me. And, I have learned there is no greater joy than making the last choice. I have come to the conclusion that God delights in our partnership with Him. There is no doubt He could do anything He wants without me. I am not indispensable to His work in Peru. But I also believe that He gives us opportunity to show His love to others. God works without the Christmas Store, but how many people today would not know of His love if we decided not to work together in the event? 
LOU
God works in different ways and He used us to organize the Christmas Store and the fiesta with Buckner the following day. We don’t know how God did this but the only thing we know is that He made everything go well. I apréciate being a part of this…of His Work. 
JANIS
Well, I am thankful for the vision of others who have made this possible. My church started its first Christmas Store 7 or 8 years ago in Dallas. It has meant a lot to the members of my church as well as the poor children in Dallas. But, one member in particular, Kathy Lonborg, heard the first whispers of God voice regarding a Christmas Store in Peru. For some reason, she shared the vision with me and that brought me to Peru for the first time. 
As you can see, one thing led to another, but I believe that someone directed our steps. We came to know each other at the right time. It was no accident in knowing you. In our own ways, God has been preparing both of us for years so that we can serve the needs of the poor together.
And, in the time since the first Christmas Store we have had the opportunity to buy the land together and hope to buy the house for a children’s center. 
And, now we have many new contacts of others who are interested in helping us with what God has given you and I to do here. It has been a good year. It is time for another Christmas Store again. I have arrived in Lima and tomorrow we will participate with God in another Christmas Store. And, I look forward to the future in this work together. 
LOUYes, within a few days you will be again in Lima and celebrate the second Christmas Store. We will have another fiesta with Buckner for 190 kids. God is good; He has been good in 2007 and He will continue being good next year.
Like you, I want to thank Kathy Lonborg for having the vision of the Christmas Store outside of the United Stated. The Christmas Store can be celebrated in any country but God chose Peru. I am personally grateful to Him for His decision. Thanks…
1 comentario:
I feel like I was there! What a fabulous post.
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