The Board of World Mission is grateful to Pastor Manuel for this update on the Lavandería Burbujita Morava (“Little Moravian Bubbles Laundromat”), which is a sustainability project to support the Somos Uno (“We are One”) Moravian congregation in Lima. The laundromat opened in 2017 with the help of a mission grant from the BWM and is run by Carmen Correa Palomino, Pastor Manuel’s wife, who has prior experience in the industry. Pastor Manuel also helps at the laundromat in addition to his pastoral duties.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many businesses in Perú, and the Little Moravian Bubbles Laundromat is no exception. It closed for four months due to quarantine and when it finally reopened, customers didn’t have enough money to bring their clothes to be washed. This year, the landlord of the building decided that he would prefer to rent to a dental office that could offer higher payment and he asked the laundromat to vacate. Pastor Manuel and Carmen were blessed to find a cheaper space right in front of their home and moved the business there in March. The move required temporarily increased expenses, but the laundromat has attracted customers in its new neighborhood and is surviving by the grace of God.