The work in Ebenezer School

I have been here with the Ebenezer School for 5 days now. The small school, situated very near the city centre on Melgar street block 5, is a Christian run school. I am staying in a flat in the home of Bob & Noel Rich who are missionaries who help with the school. I am most grateful for their hospitality and care during my stay.

(They are demolishing the next door building to be able to build an extention for the school.. your donation has helped in this)

I talked to the directors, husband and wife, Marino & Lupe, who had the vision of setting up a school with a Christian ethos. The State schools have many ideas of religion and traditions that really makes it hard for a Christian student to operate. State schools teach a wider range of subjects but this school has an integrated approach, in the sense of working with the spiritual , physical and educational needs. As Marino said, “We work with the kids not just on the level of teaching subjects, but of a caring approach, giving attention to their other needs.”

Having Christian teachers, they can provide not just subject teaching but from a basis of godly principles. They care on an individual basis for their spiritual needs with an ear for the problems that the kids may have. The aim of the school is to be a ministry not just for Christian families that send their kids to the school but for non-Christian families.

The teachers' attitude is very much different, their love for the work here is a happy one and they really put all their energy into it. The teachers in other schools unfortunately focus more on results and their pay. The kids are not part of their full agenda. If the kid’s character is to be formed for a better life it has to be provided with a deeper comprehension of life and in this school they do it with God in their life as the focus.

The school has about 100 kids from pre-primary through primary to secondary. The kids reflect most of Arequipa when we talk about the problems that they have - that 95 percent of the problems is from the home. Some kids come from broken homes, others from troubled backgrounds that affect their attitude. But the work here ministers to the parents also and makes time for the care of the family.

The school Ebenezer has only been going with that name from last year.. and before from 2004. Today the school presented the new school anthem. The teachers practised it at 7:30 in their teachers' devotional time together. The song was catchy and was aiming to encourage the kids to look to Christ as He leads them and leads them on.

As I finish here, sitting in some classes and talking at length to the directors about the vision, mission and operation of the school, I thank God for the work here and the blessing it is to so many families. I will go in on Saturday to the school as it is Mothers Day and the kids have prepared a sketch and typical dance.

The Rich's have an independent church in the front of their house (the white one). The red building next door is the school and the one next to it is the one bought for the extension.


To finish off, I want to talk about the State orphanage I visited. I wanted to visit one of the boys that Noel Rich wanted me to talk with and maybe show him some skills in art. But when we visited the 100 odd boys orphanage we where told he had escaped with a friend. The thing is that he must have been influenced by his friend who is know to have a record of bad behaviour. Talking at length to the workers and psychologists, there was an air of sadness and desperation as they mentioned how as a State orphanage they have to take in every one, but they are just not equipped to handle all their needs. The other homes only really accept little ones or abandoned kids and teens. But when it comes to the street kids that have adapted to other principles and attitudes, it is very hard to work with them.

The State orphanage has all of them mixed up, from 8 years of age to very much older ones. As this city gets bigger (over a million inhabitants) the problem increases. They were saying that now each week the judges are placing in orphanages and children’s homes about 20 every week.

I talked about my vision and they were really positive and said in the future that they are there to help give advice and so on..

As I end this long note, I wonder how it may all materialize. The vision I have is from God, but I don't know yet if it is to start a home or help out in an existing one. But about property, building, workers, finances, organization, wisdom and kids - “I know that is in the Lord's hands."

I have been thinking deeply of my trip/vision, the future and more.. so my head is very sore from thinking, and my heart is heavy.. with the need and work to be done here.. Let me look with God's eyes, let me have a heart like God's..As we want to be more like Him we become sad...I know that God must be sad also.. We are all called to play our part as instruments in God's hands.. so in all we do let us do it to the best we can.. to reach others with His love..