"Martes Para Mujeres" simply means "Tuesdays for Women" (but sounds so much more alliterative in Spanish!) Based loosely on the concept of MOPS, it was my idea at the beginning of this year to invite a number of moms to my home each week for breakfast, Bible study and building relationships. The moms I had in mind were unchurched women whom I had met through my children's years of schooling here in Iquique.
I am thankful that God saw fit to enable bringing this vision to reality. Flexibility has been key. While initially I had planned to meet only on Tuesdays in the AM, enough ladies were interested yet unavailable in the mornings that we added a Tuesday evening session as well. I had also planned to include a new craft each week, but as our time together has evolved I've discovered that the ladies are mostly interested in our time of study and discussion. (This is probably due to the fact that we are in Chile, of course, which means we never start promptly and need to "cut to the chase" in order to complete the lesson each week!)
Between the two sessions, ten ladies came to the first "Martes Para Mujeres." Since then, seven have remained faithful. Three moms come in the morning and four at night (give and take one or two depending on the week.) We've worked around holidays, school commitments, and especially husbands' schedules as many of the men work 7 x 7 (7 days on, 7 days off) shifts at the mine. With only three lessons to go we hope to complete this semester just as winter vacation begins for our kids at school.
Our course of study this semester has been "Crianza Positiva en un Mundo Negativo" (Effective Parenting in a Defective World by Chip Ingram.) Had it been any other study, I honestly am not sure if the moms would have remained entirely committed. But so many parents here in Iquique have expressed to us their feelings of frustration and inadequacy and simply not knowing what to do with their kids, and this study hits the nail on the head in so many areas! In fact, at least two of the women who attend take the study notes home and repeat the lesson with their husbands.
I am deeply grateful for the privilege to play a small part in providing this resource. However, my greater desire beyond encouraging these ladies in their parenting is enabling them to understand the saving grace of God. The gospel has been clearly presented throughout the series, and the entire basis of the curriculum is Biblical. Yet to the best of my knowledge five of the seven ladies still have not met Christ personally.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," Jesus said (Matthew 11:28.) As our time together draws to an end, I pray that these moms who are often weary with the worries of raising young children, would find their rest in Jesus. Thank you for praying with me.
I am thankful that God saw fit to enable bringing this vision to reality. Flexibility has been key. While initially I had planned to meet only on Tuesdays in the AM, enough ladies were interested yet unavailable in the mornings that we added a Tuesday evening session as well. I had also planned to include a new craft each week, but as our time together has evolved I've discovered that the ladies are mostly interested in our time of study and discussion. (This is probably due to the fact that we are in Chile, of course, which means we never start promptly and need to "cut to the chase" in order to complete the lesson each week!)
Between the two sessions, ten ladies came to the first "Martes Para Mujeres." Since then, seven have remained faithful. Three moms come in the morning and four at night (give and take one or two depending on the week.) We've worked around holidays, school commitments, and especially husbands' schedules as many of the men work 7 x 7 (7 days on, 7 days off) shifts at the mine. With only three lessons to go we hope to complete this semester just as winter vacation begins for our kids at school.
Our course of study this semester has been "Crianza Positiva en un Mundo Negativo" (Effective Parenting in a Defective World by Chip Ingram.) Had it been any other study, I honestly am not sure if the moms would have remained entirely committed. But so many parents here in Iquique have expressed to us their feelings of frustration and inadequacy and simply not knowing what to do with their kids, and this study hits the nail on the head in so many areas! In fact, at least two of the women who attend take the study notes home and repeat the lesson with their husbands.
I am deeply grateful for the privilege to play a small part in providing this resource. However, my greater desire beyond encouraging these ladies in their parenting is enabling them to understand the saving grace of God. The gospel has been clearly presented throughout the series, and the entire basis of the curriculum is Biblical. Yet to the best of my knowledge five of the seven ladies still have not met Christ personally.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," Jesus said (Matthew 11:28.) As our time together draws to an end, I pray that these moms who are often weary with the worries of raising young children, would find their rest in Jesus. Thank you for praying with me.
1 comment:
Thanks for finding my blog! Tonya is mentoring me through this adoption process through Uganda. We are so excited to start this process! :)
Post a Comment