This five-year partnership dubbed “Project Amigo” emphasizes mutual learning and support, creating opportunities for both regions to grow stronger together.
Debbie Michel
December 12, 2024This five-year partnership dubbed “Project Amigo” emphasizes mutual learning and support, creating opportunities for both regions to grow stronger together.
The collaboration was inspired by calls by the General Conference for church leaders to experience global missions firsthand. A 2019 visit to South Peru proved pivotal for Lake Union President Ken Denslow, who participated by delivering sermons and encouraging baptisms. “That trip was transformative,” he recalled. “It was when we really began to see the potential for a deeper partnership. We met local leaders, shared ideas, and saw the incredible work being done there.”
Some might wonder why go beyond our borders when we have needs right here. A response is found in the book “Gospel Workers” by Ellen White, p. 465: "To show a liberal, self-denying spirit for the success of foreign missions is a sure way to advance home missionary work; for the prosperity of the home work depends largely, under God, upon the reflex influence of the evangelical work done in countries afar off."
Unlike traditional mission projects that focus solely on giving, this partnership is built on the premise of mutual benefit. “This isn’t a one-directional effort,” explained Denslow. “We need to recognize their strengths and what they can teach us while contributing what we can. We’re stronger together.”
One key lesson Lake Union members can take from their South Peruvian counterparts is their dedication to community service and outreach. “Their members are deeply engaged,” Denslow said. “They live and breathe church, not just for what the church can do for them, but how they can serve others. Seeing their passion in action is inspiring.”
In turn, the Lake Union’s resources provide critical support for infrastructure and other needs through funding and expertise. The union can help build facilities and supply equipment they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
The partnership has already supported several key initiatives:
Parsonage Construction: The program has committed to replacing aging and unsafe pastoral housing with new parsonages. Some pastors were living in homes made of deteriorating adobe bricks. The new structures, though modest, offer safe and livable conditions.
Church Building Projects: Leaders from the conferences in the Lake Union will travel to Peru to work alongside local church members. They will be laying blocks together, while developing fellowship and shared purpose.
Media and Communication Support: South Peru’s strong focus on media outreach, including radio, TV, and social media, has been a model for others. The Lake Union will explore ways to learn from them.
Long-standing collaborations with institutions like AdventHealth and Andrews University are also being leveraged. For example, AdventHealth has provided medical equipment and training to Peruvian hospitals, while Andrews University has partnered with local institutions to enhance educational opportunities.
Looking forward, the partnership is set to expand. School groups from the Lake Union are planning trips to Peru to participate in service projects.
“This is about investing in relationships,” Denslow emphasized. “By working together, we’re reminded that the church is a global community united by faith and service.”
This isn’t the first time the Lake Union has adopted an overseas mission. Some of you may remember “Operation Amigo” launched in 1992, whereby members of the Lake Union adopted the churches, conferences and missions of the new Dominican Union. Working together with our Dominican brothers and sisters we built churches and schools, something none of us could’ve have done alone.
If your church or school is interested in a mission project or trip to Peru, there will soon be a web page where you can see a variety of ways to engage in Project Amigo. Watch for the announcement and get involved! Remember, the Lake Union motto is: Together In Mission: I Will Go.
Organized 1914 as Inca Union Mission
Reorganized as Peru Union Mission 1996
Territory: The southern portion of Peru; comprising the Central Peru Conference; and the Central Andina, Central South Peru, East Peru, Lake Titicaca, South Peru, and Southeast Peru Missions. Part of the South American Division
Statistics (as of Dec.2024)
Debbie Michel is editor of the Lake Union Herald.
