We are preparing for a week of poverty at El Oasis.  Last Thursday night at Tertulia we had a different Bible Study than usual.  Generally we have a cycle of talks that relate to one another with a certain theme.  In between these cycles we will have a Break Out Bible study which allows us to change things up and explore other opportunities to teach.  So this past Thursday we broke the students up into to 5 rotations.  At each rotation we talked about a basic necessity that people living in poverty around the world lack.  We talked about hunger, water, electricity, houses, and clothing.  At each rotation we talked about some of the heart-breaking statistics in which people in many countries live.   We presented scripture that challenges us in each area as well.  It was difficult to hear some of the statistics and see some of the pictures, but we wanted to leave the students not with shame or guilt about what we have in comparison, but with hope and a desire to continue to make a difference in the world.

This coming week we are going to have a challenge each day where we give up one of these necessities in order develop a heart for and understand a little better the lives of the people who live in these conditions.  We are really excited about this coming week and the affect that it will have on us as a staff and also the rest of community of El Oasis.   The Globalscope ministry in Pueblo, Mexico did a week of poverty like this with their students a month or two back, and when we heard about it, we thought it would be a great thing to do at El Oasis as well.

Monday we are going to shut off the breaker at the El Oasis house and spend the day without electricity.  No cell phones, computers, lights, nothing.

Tuesday we are going to live on 5 liters of water.  We are carrying around a liter of water and filling it up only 5 times throughout the day for all of our water needs.

Wednesday we looking through our closets to find clothes to give away to those in need.

Thursday we are going to fast during the day and then hand out food in the streets of Santiago after Tertulia

Friday we are trying to spend as much time without a roof, without shelter as possible and then going camping that night.