Turning on the tap: villagers celebrate a new gravity-feed, clean water conduit

Since Martin first went to Peru in 1999, he has made the most of his opportunities to put his skills to good use. He spent 18 months in Moyobamba, in Peru’s highland jungle region, seconded by Tearfund to the Asociación San Lucas (The Luke Society), working as a water technician and sanitation and health promoter.

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Harsh realities

The evangelical churches in Moyobamba are numerically strong and enthusiastic. But the lives of many people are a direct contrast to this especially in the surrounding villages, where most of the San Lucas ministry is targeted. ‘These communities are very poor, with most of the people having migrated from the mountain regions over the last 20 to 30 years. Because they are new communities, they lack much of the basic infrastructure – the health facilities or any healthcare, and the Peruvian government is unable to provide any adequate services.’

Planning for the future

Martin (left) is now planning to go back to Peru for a longer spell to help meet these needs. ‘I hope to carry on the sanitation projects, working with village water committees, helping them to assess and improve the quality of their water. Many of the water supplies are badly contaminated, and the parasites and micro organisms build up in the inhabitants’ stomachs, causing diarrhoea and associated longer-term health problems. Another project will be to teach the villagers to protect the environment around their villages, as deforestation is having a devastating effect on the local eco-systems.’

The full gospel

Although the physical needs are great, Martin’s intention is to help minister to spiritual needs as well. In Moyobamba the churches are strong, but the level of teaching is very limited, both among pastors and lay people. In the villages faith is characterised by tradition, with most people not really practising any religion at all. As preparation for this work, Martin is doing a full course of practical cross-cultural theological studies at Moorlands Bible College. ‘The buzz-word is “contextualisation”,’ he says ‘helping to bring the good news to people in their own language, in their own culture.’

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