02 November 2020
|Hi again. Yes, November brings Thanksgiving, and in ALL things we need to give thanks. Well, to start out, as the song says, "I thank God for the weather". We have had a nice Spring, very windy, and a couple days of clouds and rain, making the mountains around us topped with snow, very pretty. Now it is sunny and cool again, still very windy, but dry.
Anyway, we thank God for open hearts to receive His Word, and His call to repentance. Bob had a good trip to Chuquibamba and the Majes valley. We are thankful that the problem we were concerned about up there in Chuquibamba is not what we had heard. Still, the brothers there need to find a way to meet together again.
Yes, meetings are still prohibited, but in many places in the mountains where there is no covid-19 the believers are meeting, usually small groups, and often outside in the sun and air, but they are seeing the Lord work. There have been some baptisms up there and in another area where Bob will go (Lord willing) in December for some teaching sessions with the new believers. Thanks for praying for this.
It is permitted now to travel within the department of Arequipa and to some other departments too, but some places are still restricted access as they still have too many cases of Covid. Our colleagues Jeff and Angela Anderson are making several trips to places somewhat near here where there are few or no believers. They are seeing fruit in several wanting to follow Christ. Do please pray for them. They have Bible studies in their apt. now too and Jeff puts good messages on YouTube. They are real go getters and are doing a marvelous work for the Lord. We are thankful they are with us here.
Here in Arequipa Bob keeps busy preparing messages, we do record these with some singing a couple times a week. We have also started Thursday evening prayer meetings here plus Monday afternoon leaders meeting. Both have usually less than 25 people and we use masks, sit far apart, etc. The usher puts alcohol on hands at the start and we have to disinfect shoes by stepping on the bleach/water rag going in.
Bob and I and a few others go to San Lazaro for their weekly Bible study meeting, mostly the family of 6 plus 2 little ones. Vicente Kacma and family have their weekly Friday ministry out in Polobaya and its district of Agua Buena. Then the youth have their weekly ministry (now Saturday afternoons) in the Belaunde district of Yarabamba. So we are reaching out even though technically still restricted. We do try to be careful but do also need to be occupied in the Lord's work. We are living in dangerous days. We know the Lord is in control no matter what happens, but this whole panorama is very concerning.
Yes, we are praying much for the U.S. especially as elections are so near. Again, whatever happens, God is the ruler yet. We do thank Him for the many who want to get right with Him. Amazing how many come to buy Bibles and hymnbooks, several calling or coming for counsel and prayer. Yes, we have lost some of our older men to the virus. They were ready to go, and we thank God for that. Some have been healed, for which we also thank Him. One dear believer who had been somewhat away from Christ did get over the virus but still has sequences came for a Bible and said: God has given me another opportunity. True. He is walking with Christ now. We continue to be able to visit and help many of the believers and are glad many of them can be back at work. Most businesses have opened up but many remain closed or gone out of business. Warnings are out for a "second wave" and there are again more cases of covid with the opening of so much.
Well, we have been busy with other things too. Both of us had dental work done, Bob is still having it and it is a lot. Not cheap. Hope to be done this week finally. My right elbow is almost healed, it will be 2 months tomorrow since my operation. However it seems I have developed an allergy - most likely to the nails and wire in there and I do itch and itch and itch and get little red bumps, very itchy all over. More than probably I will have to get the hardware out of there before we had thought. I pray I will not get covid in this operation. We pray it can be done without too much trouble. Please pray with us in that. Thanks so much.
Also, Bob has had time these days and is finally working on the book he had planned on for so long. It is really good. Over halfway done we think. We have some possibilities of publishing, and even have the illustrations for the first part. Thanks for praying for this too. We hope it will indeed be a blessing and challenge for many. It is mostly about Jesus's home life, a historical fiction, but based on Scripture.
Yes, it is in Spanish. There is so much in English and Bob really feels more at home writing and preaching in Spanish.As for school, we continue with classes online, virtual. Our teachers are dedicated and can give devotionals and classes on Christian formation with godly values. Also the elementary have Bible classes. We do hope and pray to be able to have the students present next year starting in March. It may be delayed some. I hope to be able to teach a couple classes of Bible (O.T.) next year. God knows our future. Please do pray for the school too, to continue to have the freedom to teach God's Word.
Thanks so much for reading all this, thanks for praying with us and sharing with the Lord's work here. Our support address is:
Christian Missions in Many Lands, Inc.
P.O. Box 13,
Spring Lake, NJ, 07762-0013 (with a note: for Bob Rich, Peru.) Thank you!
Have a very blessed Thanksgiving, yes, in ALL things, give thanks, Love, Noel for us