We finished our 5 week trip to Pisco and are now back in Lima where I used to live. For the last 5 Saturdays we have had 3 Bible Clubs in 3 different parts of Pisco. Each week dozens of kids heard different aspects of the gospel. On Saturday morning I woke up early to begin preparing my heart for the long day ahead. This being our last opportunity to witness to these kids, and after cultivating their hearts with the gospel for so long, I begged the Lord to do a work that day. After preaching the gospel, we broke up in small groups to work more personally with the kids. God gave us the opportunity to personally lead a dozen or more young boys and teenagers to the Lord. We truly serve and amazing God! I am amazed to see the power of the gospel once again.
Last weekend we attempted to have an open-air gospel outreach in the main plaza. Due to not having microphones and speakers, we didn’t draw a crowd like we had thought. I had never done open air ministry here in Peru. We then broke up in small groups to pass out tracts and witness. For about an hour, Jorge and I witnessed to 3 young adults named Frank, Rosario, Elizabeth. That night they ended up coming to church, and the two girls, Rosario and Elizabeth, accepted Christ as their Savior. God is so good. In the midst of what seemed to be a failure, God saved 2 young ladies.
We are here in Lima for the week visiting old friends and churches. We plan to visit at least four churches this week preaching, singing special music, and reporting about the work that God is doing in Pisco. There is not much time left here, one week and we will be getting on a plane to come home. Continue to pray that we glorify Christ in this last week.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
No pain no gain
This week has been the most trying week so far. Sunday night I became sick from something I ate or drank. After resting Monday, I recuperated. Tuesday afternoon, however, I took a turn for the worst. Words cannot express the amount of pain I felt through my abdominal region. The pains were sharp and excruciating. I quickly grew dehydrated as I could not retain any liquids. Finally at 5:30 Wednesday morning, after moaning in agony all night, Jairo practically had to carry me to a taxi, and take me to the emergency hospital. Looking back it was quite the experience. They checked me over, hooked me up to an IV, and gave me some fairly strong pain medicine. After a few short hours, they sent me home with my prescription. I am faithful taking my medicine, resting, and eating on a strict diet. I am much better, but still I lack a lot of necessary energy. Some might be confused why a missionary would “sacrifice” his health, home and convenience. . . . I hardly see being sick a week as a sacrifice when comparing myself to what Christ suffered.
On Monday., before the hospital episode, we visited another small town outside of Pisco. La Villa de Tupac Amara has a population of roughly 20,000 people. Due to many people moving out of Pisco after losing their homes, the population count is hard to be accurate. As we explored this city, we discovered that like every city around here, was full of Catholicism, Pentecostals, and other religious groups and cults. Also, after talking to some of the people, we learned of the drugs, alcoholism, and abuse that are so rampant in this town. One could spend a lifetime planting and building churches in this city alone. To my knowledge, there is no gospel light in this city.
Another interesting experience was a drug deal that went bad about a block away from our apartment. Praise God we were away at the time of the commotion. I was actually on my way home, and would have passed directly by the “commotion,” but I was sovereignly distracted. Once again, my God can take care of His own!
Be in prayer for the children’s clubs we are having daily. Dozens of un-churched children in many neighborhoods are receiving the gospel each week. Pray for us as we proclaim the gospel and for the Spirit to convict and convince these children as only He can.
Also be in prayer for an outreach campaign we are running this Sunday. We will set up in one of the main plazas to do dramas about the gospel, music, and street evangelism. Pray for the Spirits leading, preparation, and provision.
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24
On Monday., before the hospital episode, we visited another small town outside of Pisco. La Villa de Tupac Amara has a population of roughly 20,000 people. Due to many people moving out of Pisco after losing their homes, the population count is hard to be accurate. As we explored this city, we discovered that like every city around here, was full of Catholicism, Pentecostals, and other religious groups and cults. Also, after talking to some of the people, we learned of the drugs, alcoholism, and abuse that are so rampant in this town. One could spend a lifetime planting and building churches in this city alone. To my knowledge, there is no gospel light in this city.
Another interesting experience was a drug deal that went bad about a block away from our apartment. Praise God we were away at the time of the commotion. I was actually on my way home, and would have passed directly by the “commotion,” but I was sovereignly distracted. Once again, my God can take care of His own!
Be in prayer for the children’s clubs we are having daily. Dozens of un-churched children in many neighborhoods are receiving the gospel each week. Pray for us as we proclaim the gospel and for the Spirit to convict and convince these children as only He can.
Also be in prayer for an outreach campaign we are running this Sunday. We will set up in one of the main plazas to do dramas about the gospel, music, and street evangelism. Pray for the Spirits leading, preparation, and provision.
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24
Friday, July 10, 2009
This week went by rather fast. I can’t believe we have been here for several weeks already. God is working in us, and helping us with Spanish, ministry, direction, and safety. We have had a few “close calls” but every time, all four of us guys were together, and there was always a quick way out. God is big enough to lead and protect. What can man do to me?
We took a trip down to a city called Santiago to visit a church and pastor that I worked with before. While on my internship two years ago, the guys on my team and I went down to help rebuild the pastor’s house after the earthquake. It was a blessing to sleep 2 nights in a house that we helped build. We also had the blessing of serving in his the church. We had the opportunity to sing specials, George and Ryan gave testimonies, and I was able to preach on Discipleship from 2 Timothy 2.
Due to the national public transportation strike, we had to stay in the city of Santiago an extra day and night. This gave us plenty of time to converse with the national pastor. He is very wise and experienced in ministry in this part of Peru. He gave me a lot of advise for when I came back to start a new work. He is also the head of a small seminary here that operates strictly on 2 week block modules. He invited me to come back and teach a class in the future on any topic I desire to teach the young people training for ministry.
Keep praying for the kids clubs we have every weekend. I preached on sin and hell last week. This week I plan on spending a little more time teaching about the true meaning of the death and resurrection of Christ. Pray that the Lord would “unteach” the false doctrine these kids have received, and reveal to them the true story of the gospel, the sufficient blood of Christ. Also pray as we get more of a panorama of the city and surrounding cities and villages as I calculate the need for potential church-plants in the future. Que Dios Te Bendiga. . . God bless you.
We took a trip down to a city called Santiago to visit a church and pastor that I worked with before. While on my internship two years ago, the guys on my team and I went down to help rebuild the pastor’s house after the earthquake. It was a blessing to sleep 2 nights in a house that we helped build. We also had the blessing of serving in his the church. We had the opportunity to sing specials, George and Ryan gave testimonies, and I was able to preach on Discipleship from 2 Timothy 2.
Due to the national public transportation strike, we had to stay in the city of Santiago an extra day and night. This gave us plenty of time to converse with the national pastor. He is very wise and experienced in ministry in this part of Peru. He gave me a lot of advise for when I came back to start a new work. He is also the head of a small seminary here that operates strictly on 2 week block modules. He invited me to come back and teach a class in the future on any topic I desire to teach the young people training for ministry.
Keep praying for the kids clubs we have every weekend. I preached on sin and hell last week. This week I plan on spending a little more time teaching about the true meaning of the death and resurrection of Christ. Pray that the Lord would “unteach” the false doctrine these kids have received, and reveal to them the true story of the gospel, the sufficient blood of Christ. Also pray as we get more of a panorama of the city and surrounding cities and villages as I calculate the need for potential church-plants in the future. Que Dios Te Bendiga. . . God bless you.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Things are going well here in Pisco. We are living in a cheap apartment on the same block as the church that we are working in. Culture shock is kicking in a little bit, but God is helping us get through any minor frustrations, confusions, and discomforts that we might experience. Pray for us to stay humble and allow God to use us, break us, and mold us into His image.
On Saturday I preached in teen/young adult group. This group called “Jovenes” is from ages 13 up to late 20s, basically until married. I preached from Timothy on being an example of a young believer. I forgot how amazing it is to preach and teach in Spanish. I also had the privilege to preach the gospel in 2 Kids Clubs as well. After preaching in Spanish 3 times on Saturday I was worn out.
On Monday we went to a city called San Andres. San Andres is a fishing village/city that has roughly 10,000 people. Basically the city is connected to the south side of Pisco. It was a holiday called the “Fisherman’s Day/ Day of Andrew and Peter. . . former fisherman from the Bible. My heart broke because there are no churches in this city called San Andres.
On Wednesday we went to another city called San Clemente about 20 minutes outside of Pisco. We went to the municipality building and asked about the population and what religions were there. The population is about 28,000 people. There are all kinds of churches including Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, and a mountain of Pentecostal churches, but no churches that preach the gospel. It was amazing to walk through the city and spend time playing with the kids and preaching the gospel to them. Most likely, this was the first time in their lives that they had the chance to hear the gospel.
My heart burns to see more parts of Pisco and the surrounding cities. My heart aches for the needs of this baby church which we are working in. My heart also greatly desires to see the Lord build His church here in Pisco and the surrounding cities and towns.
On Saturday I preached in teen/young adult group. This group called “Jovenes” is from ages 13 up to late 20s, basically until married. I preached from Timothy on being an example of a young believer. I forgot how amazing it is to preach and teach in Spanish. I also had the privilege to preach the gospel in 2 Kids Clubs as well. After preaching in Spanish 3 times on Saturday I was worn out.
On Monday we went to a city called San Andres. San Andres is a fishing village/city that has roughly 10,000 people. Basically the city is connected to the south side of Pisco. It was a holiday called the “Fisherman’s Day/ Day of Andrew and Peter. . . former fisherman from the Bible. My heart broke because there are no churches in this city called San Andres.
On Wednesday we went to another city called San Clemente about 20 minutes outside of Pisco. We went to the municipality building and asked about the population and what religions were there. The population is about 28,000 people. There are all kinds of churches including Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, and a mountain of Pentecostal churches, but no churches that preach the gospel. It was amazing to walk through the city and spend time playing with the kids and preaching the gospel to them. Most likely, this was the first time in their lives that they had the chance to hear the gospel.
My heart burns to see more parts of Pisco and the surrounding cities. My heart aches for the needs of this baby church which we are working in. My heart also greatly desires to see the Lord build His church here in Pisco and the surrounding cities and towns.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Finishing the first Week.
We just finished our fourth day here in Pisco. All has gone as smoothly as possible, except for some foolish drunkards, mangy dogs, and getting shocked while I was trying to change a light bulb. There has been no sickness, accidents, or any real problems. We have spent the mornings studying Spanish and important topics in missions. Ryan and George are making progress on Spanish. Even though I am helping teach Spanish, I am still learning as well. Spending all my time with Jairo, (a Peruvian friend) who is on the team. We have been eating at small diners, walking through the market, and spending time with the people which really helped our language learning. Continue to pray for progress in language learning.
I have greatly enjoyed the fresh squeeze orange juice, newly baked bread, fried potatoes with hot sauce, and a plethora of Peruvian dishes that I learned to love and become accustomed too. . . and yes, a lot of rice. Besides food, the walking, the transportation, the markets, the people, basically their whole way of life fascinates me. I am really enjoying my time here learning their culture. My year in a poor city close to Lima has greatly aided in safety, direction, and understanding. I want to always be learning.
We go out every afternoon passing out tracts inviting and witnessing to the people. Yesterday we went out on a pier that stretched out a quarter mile into the Pacific Ocean. While out on the pier, I was able to learn how the men fish. These men are accustomed to waiting patiently for fish; so we took the opportunity to share with them a little about Christ and invited them to the baby church we are working in. These fishermen as well as hundreds more have received tracts and invitations to the church. Be in prayer as we have over 3000 tracts and are continuously passing them out to people here in Pisco.
Please pray for the kids club we are starting this Saturday morning. We will be leading the games and songs, and I will bring them a gospel lesson. Also, pray for the men as we go out street evangelizing, and for the teen group meetings.
I don’t understand why people think becoming a missionary is such a great sacrifice. J.R. Tolking once said, “He who cannot leave behind a treasure at will is in fetters still.”
I have greatly enjoyed the fresh squeeze orange juice, newly baked bread, fried potatoes with hot sauce, and a plethora of Peruvian dishes that I learned to love and become accustomed too. . . and yes, a lot of rice. Besides food, the walking, the transportation, the markets, the people, basically their whole way of life fascinates me. I am really enjoying my time here learning their culture. My year in a poor city close to Lima has greatly aided in safety, direction, and understanding. I want to always be learning.
We go out every afternoon passing out tracts inviting and witnessing to the people. Yesterday we went out on a pier that stretched out a quarter mile into the Pacific Ocean. While out on the pier, I was able to learn how the men fish. These men are accustomed to waiting patiently for fish; so we took the opportunity to share with them a little about Christ and invited them to the baby church we are working in. These fishermen as well as hundreds more have received tracts and invitations to the church. Be in prayer as we have over 3000 tracts and are continuously passing them out to people here in Pisco.
Please pray for the kids club we are starting this Saturday morning. We will be leading the games and songs, and I will bring them a gospel lesson. Also, pray for the men as we go out street evangelizing, and for the teen group meetings.
I don’t understand why people think becoming a missionary is such a great sacrifice. J.R. Tolking once said, “He who cannot leave behind a treasure at will is in fetters still.”
Monday, June 22, 2009
First Day in Lima
Words cannot express the emotions I am experiencing. I completed my first day here in
I was able to surprise my old Peruvian family that I lived with during my one year internship. We then went to meet Jesus, my old friend downtown that would exchange dollars to Peruvian currency, called soles. In English it is considered disrespectful to name a person Jesus, but in Latino culture it is very common to name your child Jesus, Mary, Joseph, or any other saint of your choice. From there, we went to the city of
Tomorrow morning we hop a bus 4 hours south to Pisco, where we will live, study, and serve for the next five weeks. Please pray for the Spirit’s presence, power, protection and provision. We want to please God by glorifying Christ!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
32 Days and Counting
I finished another semester at Maranatha. That leaves me with only one more semester to finish my undergraduate. Praise the LORD I will be finished by this Christmas. This summer, I am working full time and staying here in Watertown, WI until I fly out of Chicago to go back to Peru.
Plans are coming along for the trip. The Lord recruited two guys (George Tagli and Ryan Balding) from Maranatha to come with me on this rigorous adventure. We bought record-cheap tickets for June 20 to August 4. We will fly into Lima, the capitol, pick up my national friend Jairo, then hop on a bus to go down to the province of Ica to the city called Pisco.
Continue to be in prayer as we make plans for the language school, ministry schedule, room and board, travel insurance, shots, and many other miscellaneous details.
Please be in prayer for Ryan, George and I that we would be students of the language and culture, but also of how we can effectively reach these people for Christ. Pray that we are an encouragement to the pastor and brothers in the church, and also that we will be a light to all we come in contact with. A city with so many people and so little gospel light, we will never run out of people to shine Christ upon.
Plans are coming along for the trip. The Lord recruited two guys (George Tagli and Ryan Balding) from Maranatha to come with me on this rigorous adventure. We bought record-cheap tickets for June 20 to August 4. We will fly into Lima, the capitol, pick up my national friend Jairo, then hop on a bus to go down to the province of Ica to the city called Pisco.
Continue to be in prayer as we make plans for the language school, ministry schedule, room and board, travel insurance, shots, and many other miscellaneous details.
Please be in prayer for Ryan, George and I that we would be students of the language and culture, but also of how we can effectively reach these people for Christ. Pray that we are an encouragement to the pastor and brothers in the church, and also that we will be a light to all we come in contact with. A city with so many people and so little gospel light, we will never run out of people to shine Christ upon.
“May we who know Christ hear the cry of the damned as they hurdle head-long into a Christless night. May we shed tears of repentance for those we have failed to bring out of darkness.”
Jim Elliot’s Journal
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
