03 May 2014
|Hi again y'all!
Remember the old saying: "Stop the world, I want to get off!"? It seems as we get older the world does go faster and faster, and as the population increases, so does the lack of interest in God. This is sad. However there are some bright spots to encourage us!
Bob had a really good trip the last week of April to Espinar area. A new worker up there, Daniel Sayco, has seen new believers in a couple of Quechua communities where there was no work for the Lord: Checcaña and Sorocco. 6 new believers were baptized from these communities. One of them was a former catechist. He was leading "religious" instruction but not understanding the true meaning of God's Word. For sure the Lord had his heart prepared. Please do pray for him as he grows in the true faith.
Please help us pray for all the believers here, that they would stay true to God. We thank the Lord for the freedom to share His Word here but in the large cities (like here in Arequipa) there are so many wild groups in the name of Christianity that it is confusing for the new believers. Bob is kept busy teaching sound doctrine, counseling, traveling, etc. He is going to the Majes Valley often, and next weekend plans to be up with our missionary friends, the Shaw's, in Cotahuasi. We pray this might be an encouragement to them and their efforts and outreach.
In the Majes, in Central, the brothers are growing and desirous to learn. But in Aplao the believers just can't seem to take the time to meet together. This is kind of discouraging. We have worked a lot with them but they have so many things to do on Sundays it seems. We their hearts will again be moved to take the time for the Lord.
In the outreaches of our local church here, the family that visits Polobaya (a couple hours by road from here) is faithfully meeting with some really interested people, who are not yet ready to take the step of baptism and full commitment to Christ. This is also true in Yarabamba (one hour by road from here), where some of our youth go each Sunday afternoon. Thanks for praying!
Well, we have not had any shakes here but the volcano in Ubinas, in the Moquegua area, is blowing up. We have a family in our church from there, and their family members are in the area that has to be evacuated. In some parts of the Arequipa region there has been ash from this volcano but we are not directly affected here. Still, please pray for the folks in that area. Many resist evacuation as they don't want to leave their lands. But the ash from the volcano destroys their crops and contaminates the water. Our local volcano, Misti, smokes sometimes, but has not erupted for centuries.
The school year is going on, and keeps me busy. Please continue to pray for fruit for God in lives. We are thankful for the opportunity to teach His Word in the school, and thankful for some lives being changed. Please help us pray for the Mother's Day program coming up next week. May it be a challenge to the mom's to guide their children to know Christ. In many of these homes, the school is the only light for the Lord. May we stay true in presenting Him.
Thank you so very much for your prayer and sharing with us. MAY God richly bless you and give you a meaningful spring!