'I would never have described myself as a person capable of planting a church, but God helped me to do things I didn't think I could do'. In a shantytown on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, Latin Link member Margaret Saunderson unexpectedly found herself running a kids club. That was in 1986. Today, out of that pioneering work with needy children, four churches have been planted.

Margaret's story of how she did things she really did not want to do, is now available in English. Originally published in Spanish, 'Lights in the Darkness' tells how Margaret Saunderson was asked by her friend, Palmira, to start a children's club. Palmira and her two children lived in a makeshift rush-matting home out on the desert sand in one of Lima's rapidly expanding shanty-towns. There was no-one else to help her.

'I didn't want to let her down. She was looking to me as the one who had the experience, and the training,' reflects Margaret. 'I had to do something, and in my inadequacy, God sent along others to help.' The children eagerly responded to the club. Parents, keen to see what was going on, came along too. Margaret was quick to suggest that they might like to join a Bible study.

Several became Christians and they needed teaching and discipling. What started as a kids club grew to become a church. And as opportunities arose in other shantytown areas, Margaret found that she was able to repeat the process elsewhere. Altogether, she has started four churches from kids clubs.

'Lights in the Darkness' is not intended to be a model for church planting - although it could be - but was written to show what God can do when people are just willing to be used. It is the simplicity of faith which is the most startling. There are no deep insights or failsafe methodology. It is a story about how a group of Peruvian women with little education and no resources stepped out in faith - God did the rest.

Available by mail order, price £6 including p&p from Zöe Publishing, 21 Broad Oaks Park, Colchester CO4 0JX. Cheques only payable to Margaret Saunderson. Please include your name and delivery address.

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