Hi to you all!

Yes, it is May, hope it is a nice one where you are. Here we had a few shakes (earth tremors) a couple weeks ago. They did not do damage here in Arequipa city, but out in the Camaná area, Quilca and around, they were a little stronger. Reminds us that God can shake up in a big way whenever He wants, and we need to be ready. We pray we will be steadier, not only physically but Spiritually too.

We thank the Lord that even though there have been more deaths from Covid recently, the ones we knew were indeed believers in Christ and are with Him. One dear sister was a young, healthy mother of 3 small children. She was fine one day and the next got Covid really bad and died. Her husband, Nicanor, was of course very saddened. The church here helped him and family and he is grateful. This is in the area of Agua Buena (annex of Polobaya) where Vicente and family have an outreach and have seen a group raised up there for Bible studies. Pilar and Nicanor were converted and baptized last year.

Another sister from a sister church here in Arequipa also died in April. We thought she was getting better but when they took her off the oxygen I guess it went to her heart and she went to be with the Lord. Her children are grown, and her husband recovered from covid, but still, these things are hard on the families.

And yes, the sister from the Moquegua area whom I mentioned last time also died (of cancer). She was a true believer, and some of her children follow the Lord, as does her husband. Thank you so very much for praying with us for these grieving families. Our comfort is in the Lord and His Word and promise for eternity.

True, the "second wave" of this coronavirus is hitting hard at Arequipa. Restrictions remain and new rules are: the wearing of 2 masks and use of a "facial protector" (plastic over your face, very annoying) for going into stores or riding in public transportation, new cases every day and the death toll is high.

Better news: another one of our churches had a baptism here in our meeting place (we have the baptismal) and we are thankful for these new believers, one, the daughter of believers and the other, the husband of a lovely Christian. So we thank the Lord that even in sad times, new life is blooming. Bob is able to travel and is now in Espinar, the mountain area belonging to Cusco but close to here and we have several small churches in the area. Bob has found that the groups up there are doing well and are encouraged in the Lord. Thank you for praying!

Today, May 1, is "labor day" here in Peru. So it is a holiday. It is also the day of the "guardian" of Arequipa, the "virgin of Chapi". Yearly thousands go on pilgrimages to the sanctuary in Chapi (about an hour and a half out of Arequipa). There is another sanctuary here in town and both these places usually are full of folks devoted to this image. Last year and this year all these gatherings of people are prohibited, so the R.C. bishop put the image in a helicopter and flew her (it) all over Arequipa so the faithful could know she (it) was watching them. We could all go to our roofs and wave. Ha.

We live between the back door of a cloistered nuns convent and the soccer field of the big Catholic boys school, Don Bosco, and when the helicopter flew over they shot up a lot of firecrackers. (These virgins just love firecrackers, all of the Catholic feasts are full of them). Oh well, it is pitifully true that this city is very idolatrous.

The second round of presidential elections is June 6. The two runoffs are a communist and the daughter of a previous president who is processed for corruption. Not too hopeful for anything better here, but yes, we trust the Lord, not human governments. We wait for His perfect, righteous kingdom. Thank you all so very much for praying with us and for all you share for the Lord's work here. For all you Moms, have a very happy Mother's Day.

Our support address (with a note: For Bob Rich, Peru) is:

Christian Missions in Many Lands, Inc.
P.O. Box 13,
Spring Lake, NJ, 07762-0013

Thank you and many blessings for you, Noél for us

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please include a note stating for Bob and Noél Rich in Perú. Thank you!

The Story of the Bible

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Visite nuestra página de web en español aquí.

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Teodoro Huayta's Testimony

Teodoro's Testimony

Encouraging Jacinto

Jacinto

Bob's Peruvian Birthday

Bob's Peruvian Birthday