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Turmoil
Brings Revival to Argentina
Church experiences one of its greatest hours
"Trouble
is an unwelcome tutor, but often an effective one.
For
the past 25 years, on and off, Argentina has experienced
trouble aplenty, from severe political, social, and
economic upheaval to humiliating military defeats.
Many Argentines have lost their fortunes and homes.
Times
are difficult. But Christians say they see the loving,
correcting hand of God at work.
Previously,
few people in the mostly Roman Catholic country had
shown an intense interest in God. But now that is
changing. In thousands of lives, self-reliance and
skepticism have given way to humility and openness
to God.
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And
in the midst of this societal turmoil, the church
in Argentina has experienced one of its greatest periods.
It has proclaimed the gospel, and many have responded.
And the church has rolled up its sleeves and demonstrated
the gospel through its actions. National economic
crises have 'prompted the church to look outside its
four walls,'where it saw people who were poor and
hungry, 'The church began to take care of a lot of
needy people.'"
(The
above is excerpted from an article appearing on religionjournal.com
during the week of August 3, 2003)
PCNP
supports the work of Harvest Evangelism as they minister
to those in Argentina. Recently, a couple from our
congregation, Lloyd and Joanne Turner, both active
in Harvest Evangelism listened to God's call to help
provide for the needy in Argentina. Their response
to God's call was covered by The Star Ledger, a New
Jersey newspaper:
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Jersey's
helping hands: A donation to make Argentine patients rest
easy
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
BY MICHELE HOWE
Star-Ledger Staff
A casual conversation during lunch in a New Jersey hospital
cafeteria has turned into a project to help patients in
Argentina.
"I had lunch with Peter Palmer, project manager here,
and he asked if I knew of someone who could benefit from
a donation of hospital beds. I suggested he contact Joanne
Turner, because she is involved in mission work, and I figured
she would know of someone who could use them," said
the Rev. Margaret Crowl, pastoral care director at Morristown
Memorial Hospital.
Turner,
a nurse at the hospital, is making sure the "retired"
beds are included in a shipment of supplies going to hospitals
and schools in Argentina.
"Once
the beds have been used they can't be resold, according
to the beds' manufacturer. However, those that are in good
condition can be donated," said Turner, 50, of New
Providence.
She is a member of the mission committee at the Presbyterian
Church at New Providence and president and founder of the
Caring Network, a non-profit partnership organization that
takes part in community service projects and goes on mission
trips to other countries.
In 2001, she and her husband, Lloyd, learned about the plight
of the Argentinean people during a trip to Resistencia in
Chaco province in the northern region of the country. Lloyd
Turner, a public policy analyst and economist, is currently
interim associate director of internal applications for
Covance Inc. in Princeton.
The Turners went back to Argentina last year to take part
in an evangelism conference.
"When my husband and I were at the conference, the
facilitators encouraged participants to 'Adopt a Province'
and to consider sending a container of supplies to our adopted
province. We knew immediately that we should adopt Chaco
since we had been there the year before and knew of the
significant needs. We did not know if we had the time, energy
and wherewithal to send a container, having never been involved
with this type of project before. "
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first, it seemed as though it would be too costly to
send the beds to Argentina. Turner said it looked like
it might cost $7,000 to ship $6,000 worth of beds. |
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"But
once we made the commitment to do it, it was like the Red
Sea parted, and we received all of the additional donations,
which now total more than $100,000 worth of supplies and
computers," she added.
The beds are part of supplies collected and stored in a
warehouse near Mechanicsburg, Pa. Also included are 16 pallets
of medical supplies from a New York hospital, 8,000 pens
and promotional material left over after a reorganization
of Atlantic Health System's Senior Contact Project, dental
equipment and toothbrushes, and 25 computers with monitors.
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"The
list of items must be approved by the Argentine Consulate
in New York before leaving the United States. When that
happens the supplies will be transported by boat to
Buenos Aires. Once there, ministers will distribute
the items to schools, clinics and hospitals in the Chaco,
Corrientes and Formosa provinces," Turner said.
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Additionally,
eight containers will be sent from other areas of the United
States to the remaining 21 provinces in Argentina.
Although churches and missionaries are an important source
of help to the people, they are struggling to provide aid
as well.
"One of the churches we visited has 50 satellite churches
in outlying areas surrounding the city of Resistencia. They
send teams out to these village churches and cooperate with
other churches as well. The feeding program that we went
to visit is run by a Baptist group. They invite neighborhood
children three days a week for a hot lunch. That lunch consisted
of fried bread and tea. It was actually quite tasty -- just
not nutritious," Joanne Turner said.
"The economy in Resistencia is mostly small manufacturing
and service type jobs (such as groceries, health care, auto
repairs, and small retail establishments). The extreme shortage
of capital, plus an extremely hot and muggy climate, makes
the Chaco an unattractive place to establish commercial
establishments," Lloyd Turner noted.
"When we went there in late 2001, Pastor Juan 'Tito'
Ferrando told me that 80 percent of the adults in his congregation
of 8,000 members lacked employment," he added.
Information on The Caring Network can be obtained by writing
to P.O. Box 872, New Providence, N.J. 07974.
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©
2003 PCNP
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Argentina