Friday, February 27, 2009

More Pictures!

This is a great big AWANA festival that was held yesterday...there were approximately 130-150 children there to hear the Gospel.

These are some of the children that were with us in Hurango...the boy in the blue is 11 and he used the Evangecube to bring and adult to Christ!!!!



Here is the team and all our tranlators! We could not do this work without them.





This is a picture of some of the nationals that were working with us, Rolando and his daughter, Dulce.....she is 14!
On a personal note, I (chris) am feeling alot better...I was prayed over by Mosi and Eric and I was better in one hour!!! That is a miracle of God!!! As they say down here, Gloria a Dios!!!!!! (Glory to God)

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Al Final Dia en Ica (Our final day in Ica)

I have some stories to share with you from each of the team members. These are stories of how God worked or was blocked by human effort.

Hal: On Sunday, Hal and his translator were at a house where all the females and the grandfather were believer´s in the Lord Jesus. While they were there, the father came home and I realized that without the father´s belief in Jesus, the family would be at odds with each other. I followed God´s leading and gave the cube presentation to him and he not only excepted Christ, he came to the discipleship that night to learn more!

Josh: I did a cube presentation for a small boy 4 times and when I asked him where we go when we accept Christ, he said to Lima...Sometimes things just don´t work out.

Don: A small boy came and asked us to share with his father. He did pray to receive Christ and joined the Bible study that night.

Lora: Of all the things that hit me most was the situation with the children. One by the name of Margarita, as me if I hit my children in the face...I said no, I have spanked them 2 times. She said that it´s different here and that Jesus can help you through the abuse. Jesus can work in her to stop the cycle. Another little girl, whose parents moved to Spain for work said she would love a mother who spoke English...How I would love to take that girl home!

Eric: The thing that touched me the most was a blatant, visible love for Christ. Our news shows all the horrible things that happen and not the good side and the stories of happy people loving Christ and wealthy in ways we could never comprehend. A wealth that is true wealth and nothing to do with money.

Faye: There were 2 adult brothers that accepted Christ and later that night another brother and his wife showed up to request the Gospel presentation. The next day, a teenager who was visiting the house, said she was a "Christian" but was living an immoral lifestyle. Because of this, she thought she could not be forgiven. She ended up tearfully confessing and receiving God.

Rose: There were two ladies just waiting for someone to come tell them about the Lord, 2 men that wanted their wives to come to the Lord and 2 miracles that God performed in their lives.

Larry: I was struck by the children that followed us around and the joy of the Lord was present in all as we worshipped together. I developed a great relationship with my translator, Mijail. I am soooo blessed to be sharing this experience with Faye!

Chris: I had one woman who stated that she had too many problems to follow Christ. Her husband had killed their daughter. My translator, Kathleen shared her abusive past and was able to lead the woman to Christ.

Tim: We were having lunch with our Pastor Josue and there was a young boy selling candy for book money for school. I just sat there and said no, but Pastor Josue gave the boy a plate of food. I looked over and saw Jesus sitting there and I felt so ashamed...

That was some of our experiences in Ica and the surrounding area this week. We are leaving for Lima tomorrow and we are all sad that our experience has come to an end. Pray for Chris as she has caught a bug down here and is feeling very bad....

See you on Saturday!!!
The Peru Team

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Time for some pictures!

This picture is of us witnessing in Huarango.


After a successful AWANA presentation!


The second church we went to for AWANA in Ica.



The first church for AWANA---games were out in the street, but boy the children loved it!



Visiting Tim and Chris´s church from last year---what a blessing to see those people again!
I can only show the pictures that I (chris) took, but I hope to get some others from Rose and Hal and Don...Pray for these people...they don´t have much, but they have big hearts for the Lord!
Pray for us as we begin another day of witnessing to the nations the glory of Our Lord Jesus!
Pray for the AWANA games that the children are reached for the Lord through our presentations using the cube..
With much love,
The Peru Team




Monday, February 23, 2009

Day One
On Sunday, we all went with our churches to begin the great work of evangelizing the nation. Tim, Chris, Lora and Pastor Julio had 2 AWANA presentations that went very well. They talked to approximately 110 children and leaders of the churches. 2 of those churches are going to be starting OANSA in their church!! Praise God! Tim and Chris´s pastor also came to the hotel. He could not be at the opening rally as he had been mugged and robbed. Pray for him!
Lora went back to her church with Josh and was sharing with several people with backgrounds where they believed works would save them. She was able to lead several down the Gospel path!
Josh was struck by how different our cultures are, but how deeply we worship the same Mighty God.
Eric and Rose got to participate in a baby dedication and Eric gave the message for the Sunday service with a couple of people coming to the Lord!!! Yea God!!
Faye and Larry were able to share with a family who had a relative visiting who was a Christian. He had not been going to church, but was intending to share the Gospel with his unbelieving family. The presentation helped him rededicate to God!
Don was witnessing to an entire family whose father is very excited about Jesus and his whole family made a decision to follow Christ.
Hal was able to preach the lesson on Sunday and saw the Lord harvest 5 more souls!!

All this is to the Lord´s Glory and Praise!!
Pray for our discipleship with the people that have made a decision. This is very important to us as we need to grow strong trees and not just pretty flowers or plants! Thank you to Pastor Julio for that message....look in Matthew for the verses about trees!
Pray for the OANSA outreaches for the next few days...we want to plant good trees and nourish the ones that are already growing...

Blessings in the Lord,
The Peru Team

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Day One in Ica

We are in Ica!! Last night was our opening rally with the churches at the Baptist church near our hotel. We met our pastors and talked with them about the next few days. We did have one snag as one church did not join us. That leaves Tim and Chris free to do 5 AWANA meetings with the different churches! God has a plan in all of this as He knows what he is doing. It will mean more traveling and less adult evangelism, but we will be able to reach both the children AND adults with the message of hope and grace! Praise to our Lord for his working out of all things to the good of those who believe in him.
Pray for flexibilty and patience for the teams as they go out into the streets to spread the Gospel. Pray for the AWANA outreaches that they draw multitudes to hear the Gospel.
Pray we find ice cream for Don.....

In Christ and with Love,
The Peru Team

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Praise the Lord!!!
We are here safe and sound...tired, but safe.
We praise God for opportunities given on our plane trip to Hal, Mark and Lora for evangelizing!! Pray for one young Russian girl who is here to take 3 months off to renew her US visa. She was very open to hearing the Good News of the Gospel!
Greetings to all of our families and friends. We leave for Ica at 9:00 this morning on a bus with our translators and Pastor Julio.
Pray for more safe travels and opportunities to spread the Good News..

From Lima,
The Peru Team

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Final Thoughts and Prayers

Well, it is late and time to turn our thoughts to our mission to Peru in the morning...here are some of our final thoughts and prayers before we take off to see what God will have us do to advance His Kingdom...

Eric: Prayers for continued healing for a sinus infection and peace in the home while gone.

Hal: God's peace that all the last minute details are taken care of.

Tim: A safe trip, a large harvest; especially for Pastor Julio and AWANA. Rosario's healing from breast cancer surgery, increased funding for our missionary in Lima, David Block. A huge movement of the Spirit and peace and safety for our families here at home.

Lora: For protection for her two children and family and for the Peruvian AWANA (Oansa) festival on 02/26/09...200+ children with open hearts to be reached with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christina: Peace and safety for my entire family while I am away. That AWANA will proceed smoothly without most of the leaders, for my AWANA group...and my Bible study group at Lake Tom Bible Church. That my sister and her husband reach full funding for their mission to the Czech Republic...Praise and thanks to the Lord for giving us this awesome task...may we glorify your name!!!

Next blog will be from the field in Ica!!!
Love in Christ
The Peru Team

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Destination Ica, Peru

Please join us in prayer for the mission team headed out to Ica, Peru on Thursday, Feb 19, 2009.

Mark Demers is leading a team consisting of Christina Quam, Hal Havisto, Rose Boedecker, Tim Friedrich, Josh Zabel, Larry & Faith TenHaken, Don Metzger, Eric Nei and Lora Lehman back into Ica, Peru for the 5th consecutive evangelistic mission into South America.

Please pray for travel mercies, boldness, safety, and open hearts while this team does the work of God for the next 8 days.

Check this blog regularly for new updates and photos!

Sincerely,
2009 Mission Council