We are always open to and looking for healthy ways to minister to and plant roots within the community — especially in ways that Jesus’ ministry through us can be carried out. Two such ministries have been the English Club and monthly teachings at a Christian live-in drug rehabilitation center for men, La Casa del Alfarero (the House of the Potter).
English Club actively met once per week through mid 2019. At present the Club does not meet, due to the absence of someone able to lead it forward. The Club began several years ago as a pre-evangelistic outreach to teens and adults from the surrounding area. It has been entertaining and very effective in helping Chileans that participate improve their English–whether they enter as basic or advanced students. Building healthy relationships is the goal, which in turn builds friendships, confidence and the possibility of discussing faith and God. In different ways, basic Christian teachings are built into the curriculum and we have Bibles for those that request them and two past English Club participants became Christians and were baptized in the church. The two photos are from 2017 show first on the left, those just starting to learn English and on the right, those advanced speakers learning more.
Another very important ministry connection is with La Casa del Alfarero (the House of the Potter), a live-in Christian drug & alcohol rehabilitation center for men. Drug consumption and alcoholism are serious problems in Chile. The center now has a capacity for forty men and its program lasts nine months. The center also strives to work with the whole family of the men. The men have daily morning devotionals Monday through Friday. For approximately four and one half years between the end of 1997 and mid 2002 Jack participated in leading a devotional on a weekly basis, resulting in many baptisms. The vast majority of the men being helped by this important ministry grow in their faith and are baptized during their nine months at the center. Jack, as just one of the persons involved in different aspects of the lives of the men living there, leads the morning weekday devotional once to twice a month and occasionally preaches at their Sunday night services. Pictured here are the men during the devotional praise time and after in a group photo:
Misión Chile 