Meeting our Partners in Mission 
05/10/2009

<p class="photosub">by Megan Polsley</p>
<p class="newsc"><img src="/images/usc.www_usc_missions/Polsley1.jpg" border="1" alt="Megan Polsley" hspace="10" vspace="10" align="right" />This summer I was blessed 
  with the opportunity to be 
  a part of the Summer Mission 
  Team to Chile. When I 
  found out that I was going 
  to Chile I was very excited 
  because my corps, St. 
  Louis Gateway Citadel, is 
  partnering with a corps 
  right outside of Santiago, 
  Chile, through an initiative 
  called Partners in Mission 
  Next-Steps. (For more information 
  about Partners 
  in Mission Next-Steps, see 
  the article on page 2.) I 
  had heard so much about 
  the Nueva Extremadura 
  Corps in Chile and I was 
  hoping that I would be 
  able to see it in person. 
  Fortunately, it worked out 
  so that I was able to represent 
  Gateway and actually 
  see firsthand God&rsquo;s work 
  in the Nueva Extremadura 
  Corps.</p>
<p class="newsc">Nueva Extremadura has a 
  childcare program that is 
  run during the week for 
  kids from 
  birth to 
  school age. 
  My team 
  and I were 
  able to 
  spend time 
  with the 
  children
  while we were there. They 
  were absolutely beautiful! 
  Parents are able to go to 
  work or look for work 
  while their children are 
  being taken care of very 
  well at the corps.</p>
<p class="newsc" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/usc.www_usc_missions/Polsley2.jpg" border="1" alt="Megan Polsley" hspace="0" vspace="0" /></p>
<p class="newsc">The corps officers of the 
  Nueva Extremadura Corps 
  are amazing people of 
  God who are selfless in 
  their ministry. They live 
  within the compound of 
  the corps in a small apartment. 
  The officers shared 
  with us that they often hear 
  gunshots at night, and that 
  there is even a hole in a 
  window from a gunshot. 
  Although their situation 
  isn&rsquo;t ideal, they don&rsquo;t let it 
  hinder their ministry in the 
  corps and the community. 
  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, &ldquo;Be joyful always; 
  pray continually; give 
  thanks in all circumstances, 
  for this is God&rsquo;s 
  will for you in Christ Jesus.&rdquo; 
  Seeing these officers 
  live joyfully, giving thanks 
  to God for the opportunity 
  they have in Nueva Extremadura, 
  and continually 
  praying for the community 
  challenged me to do the 
  same. I believe that I 
  should live out 1 Thessalonians 
  5:16-18 so that I may 
  be a Christ-like example 
  for others to follow, just as 
  the officers of Nueva Extremadura 
  were for me. I 
  am thankful for the opportunity 
  I had to meet our 
  partners in mission and am 
  grateful for the continued 
  partnership our corps has 
  with Nueva Extremadura.</p>