First Peter Ministries
Ministries
Helping Christian Refugees in Manipur
We are currently involved in ministry at 4 of 80+ refugee camps in Lamka, Manipur. As of summer 2024, our reach is impacting 250 children aged 12-18 - out of an estimated 22,000. It is our goal to reach all 22,000 displaced kids with access to the ministries listed below.
After School Tutoring
First Peter Ministries funds tutors for after school programs at refugee camps in Lamka. Three times per week, 250+ kids aged 9-18 meet with tutors for two hours to keep up their education.
It is vital that these refugee children be given this extra attention and care. These kids are the epitome of an at-risk population. Underserviced and homeless, they are at an elevated risk of falling into drugs, crime, or prostitution.
The tutoring ministry provides a safe place for these children to be heard, seen, and known by responsible adults concerned with their spiritual health and educational growth, and keeping them off the streets where risks abound.
$2 covers one child's tutoring for a month.
Discipleship Class
First-hand accounts from our ministry partners in Lamka report that life will not return to normalcy for the Kuki-Zo youth in the foreseeable future.
They need the spiritual tools to endure this crisis so they will grow into godly men and women who will stand firm in their faith and bring peace to the next generation. Every Saturday, a bus picks up children from four refugee camps for worship, a message, small group sessions, mentoring and lunch. We aim to teach them that the call of the persecuted Christian is to look to Christ as their model and their present hope in trials. As Peter says, "But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed...Do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience...For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
1 Peter 3:14-17
$1 pays the bus fare to transport a child to and from discipleship class for a month.
Bible Camp
We hold bi-annual overnight Bible camps to encourage the children and spread the love of Christ. With the present limitations of our other programs, these larger events are great ways to reach children from unserved refugee camps. They are also a unique opportunity to just let kids be kids after enduring so much hardship, we think they deserve it.
The first camp in June 2024 saw 270 kids answer an altar call and reconcile their life with God. Our hope is to triple that attendance for Winter 2024 by inviting children from additional relief camps.
$8 pays for a child to attend a 4-day Bible Camp. Please help us reach more refugees.
Food Provision
First Peter Ministries provides meals during all ministries listed above. Refugee camps in Manipur have subsisted on nothing but rice and dal, a potato-derived paste, since May of 2023. Our fundraising gives children the unique opportunity to eat meat, vegetables, and snacks to which they would otherwise lack access.
$10 /month feeds 15 children lunch every Saturday and snacks 3x/week.
Mentoring
Our local leaders create a compassionate and supportive space for youth trauma victims to feel safe enough to share their experiences with members of the church. The path to healing is one of knowing and being known in trusted relationships within the Body of Christ.
$7 /month enables a mentor to spend weekly time with 10 children.
Leadership Training
We partner with people who have a heart for ministry, creating tailored curriculum for pastors and leaders in Manipur to effectively teach and mentor the refugee children.
Ministry in Action
First Peter engages in regular meetings with the leaders in Lamka to pray together and share updates on our ministries. Below are some of the latest photos of the kids in tutoring session and discipleship class in Manipur.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed...Therefore we do not lose heart.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9