Partnership in the Gospel

3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3 - 6 NIV)

Arequipa, Peru is a long way from North America. Of course, by plane you can travel from Toronto, New York, LA, Houston, Miami, Houston or Atlanta to Lima within 8 hours. Another hour and some in a plane and you are in Arequipa. But the long way has to do with language for many. Cultural differences for others. Time constraints for some. It's a long way.

Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in Philippi to encourage them in their faith and ensure they were following God's will. The distances and times of that epoch were very great, yet Paul still opened his epistle saying how grateful he was for the partnership he and the Philippians enjoyed.

The same goes for us in Arequipa, Peru with El Camino. During the last half of August we enjoyed the blessing of a team from Winnipeg, Manitoba. They came down south to participate with us in the work of El Camino. They were up to their eyeballs sometimes in many activities: puppets, music, children's ministry, painting, Bible studies, marriage group and youth group activities.

In between there was tourism and shopping. They did everything with a smile and a lot of enthusiasm. They threw themselves into not only the tasks at hand, but more importantly, into the lives of the people in El Camino.

They didn't come to be the "great white saviours" by any means. They came to share. They came to serve. And, they came to learn from those in El Camino who could teach them.

This is partnering in the gospel. Paul and the Philippians shared this. We experience the same with many others.

If you want to share in this partnership, begin by praying with us. Contact us and see where and how you can fit in.

God bless and we, too, thank God for your partnership with us in the gospel.

Brad Quiring