The website of Rev. Daniel L. Sonnenberg …equipping God's people to do his work and build up the church…
I am very sad to announce that Antonio Garcia Medina, a youth leader in his church and one of the participants in my workshops in Lima, Peru, recently succumbed to COVID-19 after fighting for his life during the past several weeks in the hospital. Several other family members are still recovering from the virus.
During the past four years 2016-2019, Timothy Two Project International has provided theological education to hundreds of ministry leaders in Latin America through a series of four workshops for pastors and church leaders and one workshop for children’s ministry leaders. These workshops are taught by both International Instructors and National Missionary Partners. We give thanks to God and to the faithful donors and prayer partners who have made this possible.
Each workshop trains a group of 10-15 church leaders in the fundamentals of the Christian faith including important topics of doctrinal theology, practical theology and teaching methods. Every participant receives a printed workbook in their own language. These workbooks contain the entire text, illustrations, review questions and application questions that participants can use for further study and for teaching others in their own church, small group or mission. Participants also receive a digital file of each workbook so that they can make fresh copies for their students.
In 2016, God opened the door to Latin America for Timothy Two. As the first Instructor, I (Dan) taught 2 workshops in 2 different countries – Colombia (1) and Haiti (1) – training a total of 24 pastors and church leaders.
In 2017, I taught 7 workshops in 4 different countries – Cuba (4), Belize (1), El Salvador (1) and Peru (1) – training a total of 45 pastors and church leaders.
My wife, Beth Sonnenberg, taught 1 workshop for children’s ministry and 1 workshop for music ministry leaders in Cuba – training a total of 18 leaders.
In 2018, I taught 10 workshops in 5 different countries – Cuba (2), Belize (2), Peru (2), El Salvador (2) and Haiti (2) – training a total of 60 pastors and church leaders.
Beth taught 4 workshops for children’s ministry leaders in 3 different countries – Cuba (2), Peru (1) and Haiti (1) – training a total of 40 leaders.
International Instructor Don Johnson taught 3 workshops in Cuba – training a total of 7 pastors and church leaders.
By the end of 2019, I will have taught 8 workshops in 7 different countries – Belize (1), Cuba (1), El Salvador (1), Ecuador (1), Peru (1), Colombia (1) and Dominican Republic (2) – training a total of 95 pastors and church leaders.
Beth taught 1 workshop for children’s ministry leaders in the Dominican Republic – training a total of 12 leaders.
0ur Latin American National Missionary Partners (indigenous pastors trained and funded by Timothy Two) will have taught 9 workshops in 3 different countries – Cuba (5), Chile (3), and El Salvador (1) – training a total of 65 pastors and church leaders.
Summary: During the past four years, the combined efforts of International Instructors and National Missionary Partners will have completed a total of 46 workshops in 10 Latin American countries providing theological education to over 200 pastors and ministry leaders who would otherwise have no access to such training. And each of these leaders, in turn, is equipped to train others in their church, community and nation using the materials provided by Timothy Two. In this way, the Great Commission to “make disciples of all nations” is being fulfilled in this region of the world. To God be the glory!
” …what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also…” ~ 2 Timothy 2:2
God has opened doors to 6 countries – circled in white below – of the 13 nations in South America. Timothy Two Project International is currently working in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Chile. And we are making plans to begin work in Argentina and Brazil in 2020. See below how God is sending the training into the jungle, to various indigenous people groups, to expatriate people, to working-class married couples, and to the (southern) ends of the earth.
In July, I completed training the 1st “generation” of participants in Lima (below).
| Pastor Luis is training the 2nd “generation” of participants in his church in Lima (below). |
Some of the 2nd “generation” participants from Pastor Luis’ church are training 3rd “generation” participants in two villages in the Peruvian jungle (below).
A church planted in Guayaquil by the indigenous Quichua people from the Ecuadorian highlands hosted our first workshop in June. Quichua women performed a traditional dance and song for their Father’s Day fellowship. Quichua song and dance video.
Ecuadorian workshop participants (below). Women are in traditional dress.
We have been invited to teach workshops among the indigenous Toba people of Rio Villa Bermejito in the Chaco province of northern Argentina. We are praying for a Spanish-English interpreter to be found who can help us begin workshops in 2020. (Below right) Toba ladies performing a traditional dance.
We have been invited by Pastor Ronald Fracius (below) to teach workshops in a Haitian community in the city of Braco do Norte in southern Brazil. Many Haitians have left their homeland for better opportunities in other countries. We are praying for a French-English or Creole-French-English interpreter so that we can begin workshops there in 2020.
I am currently conducting the first workshop in Cartagena. These leaders (below) work full-time jobs in addition to their church responsibilities, so we are training in the evenings and on the weekend. I was delighted to learn that among the 15 participants are 6 married couples. They have asked for more people to come and train them and for our children’s ministry leader training.
In May, National Missionary Partner, Helmuth Aguilar, traveled 3900 miles from his current home in El Salvador to his native country of Chile to conduct three workshops in the cities of Osorno and Llanquihue (below). Chile is the southernmost nation in South America and even claims territory in Antarctica!
” …what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also…”~ 2 Timothy 2:2
Lima, Peru. A testimonial from local pastor, church planter and Timothy Two workshop coordinator, Reynaldo Rubio.
It’s the first days of September 2018. Our teacher of the Timothy Two workshop, Dan Sonnenberg, is teaching the third workshop for leadership in the Republic of Peru.
Thanks for Timothy Two
Thank God for the ministry Timothy Two. We continue with the time of biblical and theological training for several pastors and leaders of Pamplona and Lima South. The theme of this third workshop is practicing the life of the kingdom: family, church, the world, government, divorce, homosexuality, abortion, work, money, votes, fear, disease, pain, suicide and death. It’s the third workshop of four seasons of training. We thank Timothy Two for its willingness to contribute to us. It will be a time of much blessing.
Main causes of poverty in Peru
With about eight million people living in some kind of poverty, Peru can be considered an impoverished country. While poverty can be found throughout the country, most people living in extreme poverty reside in rural areas. Poverty exists around the world as a result of many different reasons. Here are three broad, but influential causes of poverty in Peru:
Natural disasters
Being located in a seismic area, Peru is being constantly whipped by earthquakes. In addition to earthquakes, Peruvians also suffer from a large amount of floods, landslides and droughts. All these natural disasters have different ways of impacting the people of the country. With the environment of Peru altered by nature, agriculture can be slow as a result, therefore damaging the country’s economy and the food security of people. The damage that natural disasters leave on houses and cities also tend to damage the economy, as more money is needed for repairs.
The division between rich and poor
In Peru, there is a wall that divides the rich and poor of the country, literally. The Capital of Lima is divided into two parts: the poor and the rich. The rich are so serious about keeping their side inhabited by the rich who require them to show an id card to get in. According to Business Insider, a wealth gap between rich and poor is not beneficial to the economy. With an extreme division like there is in Lima, the poor will probably remain poor as people who could help them are practically imprisoned.
The inequality that women face
Peruvian women earn 30 percent less than men in the workplace. They are also subject to sexual violence and murder. In an attempt to achieve equality, women have participated in marches to defend their rights. If women are better treated and more opportunities are provided, they will have more to offer economically and essentially they will be able to provide for them and their families to a greater extent.
Hope for the future
Despite all these causes of poverty in Peru, some progress has been made. Overall poverty in the country decreased 1.1 percent from 2015 to 2016. Fortunately, Peru will continue to address poverty and eliminate some of the causes.
