Written by Noél Rich | 04 June 2025

Yes, June is busting out all over, and being in a very Roman Catholic neighborhood, the frequent firecrackers are real busters. Anyway, we are here in Arequipa, Perú again, in our apt. above the main church here. Bob has expressed to all who visit us that he is really glad to be here.

He has had 9 sessions of chemotherapy and is due for the 10th one June 17. The dosis and treatment are the same here as in the U.S. and we are thankful to be here. It sure was an eventful trip back.

The flight out of D.C. on May 5th was delayed over 2 hours while we sat on the plane waiting for the go ahead to leave. So we missed both of our connections (most of the other passengers had the same problem). The airline put us up for the night (starting at 2 a.m.) in a real fancy hotel in Panama City. To make a long story (and travel) short we finally arrived here in Arequipa May 6 in the evening and were we ever tired.

But again, so thankful to be here. The believers here are all thanking us for coming back. We do not know for how long we will be here but the Lord has given us several confirmations that we are where we are supposed to be and certainly doing what we are supposed to be doing. May it all be for God's glory.

Our youth are doing well in their outreaches to several outlying neighborhoods to teach mostly children (but a few parents too) about Jesus. The children continue coming, even though in one of the mountain towns (Sibayo) the RC priest has gone to the schools and prohibited the children to come to listen to our youth teach them about the Lord. The priest has threatened to make sure these kids fail in school and their families excommunicated from the RC church.

The youth who are going there say that many of the kids continue to go anyway, but the number has dropped from what it was at first.

In the church here one of our daughter Terri's friends was baptized May 25. She had promised to be baptized when we got back, and she kept her promise. We think she would have been baptized if we did not come back, but it was a special time and many of her family were here. She had a very difficult situation in her life, as her only son was killed in an airplane crash on May 25 several years ago. He was finishing his aviation practices (was not piloting this test) in Argentina. Her husband is Italian and very Roman Catholic, but he did accompany her for the baptism.

Her mother and father have been really faithful in our church here for years. Now her older brother wants to get reconciled to the Lord. We have had other folk come to talk to Bob also wanting to reconcile with Christ. Bob is busy preparing and teaching and hoping to remain well enough to write about his memories, life and ministry. He wants to travel to some of the towns that need encouraging, hoping to go this coming Thursday for a day and night, to Pedregal, about a 2 hour drive. At least one other brother who can drive if necessary will go with Bob.

The brethren here are having an elevator put in our back patio space so that if we oldies come to the point of not being able to do the stairs this would be a lift right up to our 3rd floor apt. It should be installed within 10 -12 days.

A huge blessing for me is to be able to teach the NT to our 30 6th graders in Ebenezer Christian school. These kids are real attentive and the teacher helps to keep order and also lets me sit in his chair whenever I need to. And I need to often.

I had surgery Feb. 28 for my prolapses and will not be completely healed for 6 months. So, I truly am thankful we can do this. It will be a bit harder as I am starting 2 months late, but still should be able to finish their course (I taught the OT to this class last year). We are thankful for the school and that we have the freedom to teach God's Word and His values.

After having said all that, I want to add that it was a real blessing and joy to see 5 of our 6 great grandchildren, even to be there in the U.S. for the birth of 2 great granddaughters. God is blessing our family, of course I miss them, and we thank all of them for doing so much for us there.

We look forward to Heaven, God's Home, and pray all our dear family will be there with us. May the circle be unbroken. Again, we thank the Lord for bringing us here for now. Our times are in His hands. And, thanks to all of you who pray for us and share for the Lord's work here in the south of Perú. Hope all you Dads will have a very happy father's day. You have a great responsibility and blessing in each of your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

As the Lord leads, our support address is:

Christian Missions in Many Lands, Inc.
P.O. Box 13
Spring Lake, NJ, 07762-13 with a note: for Bob Rich, Perú

Many blessings, Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 26 April 2025

Hi again, from VA, USA! Yes, here we still are, but finally looking forward to returning to Arequipa, Peru, on May 6. (We have our tickets and peace in our hearts.) For a long time I have been wanting to do a letter for March, April, and now almost May.

We have been here mostly for Bob's appointments and treatments, but also I had a gynecology surgery and thanks to the Lord it is healing and I am doing well. Bob has had 8 sessions of chemotherapy including what we had in Arequipa and here. He has tolerated most of these well. The Dr. here said all treatment from now on is palliative, that is: buying time and "quality of life". Anyway, for Bob and I, the quality of life is in Arequipa, where Bob can have a ministry counseling, visiting and teaching God's Word, strengthening believers, and building Christ's kingdom in the south of Peru.

Bob wants to visit several of the smaller towns while he still can, encouraging the believers and training leaders in them. The main church in Arequipa is doing really well. We are thankful for our elders, deacons, and most of the believers there. Thanks for praying for them.

I am looking forward to finishing my course, teaching NT to the 6th graders at Ebenezer Christian School. This class last year in 5th grade had the OT, and in the NT, we see the Lord's fulfilment of His plan in Jesus, the Christ. What a Saviour! Hope each of you had a blessed Resurrection season, that will go on and on, never forgetting the immense price with which we are redeemed. Thanks for praying for me through this year 2025, probably my last time for formal teaching.

Way back in Feb. my last letter was telling of Bob's desire to sell his large and very good stamp collection. We were able to take the whole collection to a stamp auction here in VA. The Lord wonderfully led us right to a company who specializes in appraising, auctioning and buying whole stamp collections.

This couple are Christians, he had been a missionary in South Africa and a pastor for 40 years, having also written a good devotional book. He gave Bob an autographed copy. Well, we know we never will receive from this collection its real worth, but we thank the Lord for whatever He sends for this. Bob has spent hours on it, and has learned a lot. Also he has exhibited a series on the Gospel that is a great tool for evangelizing. Truly we thank the Lord for His supply.

We are thankful for Josue and Terri who have worked hard for us, taking us to Dr.s appointments, feeding us, and supplying all our needs. We thank God for the fellowship in their hispanic church, that also helps in our support.

Thank you all for praying for us and sharing as you can. 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

Have a beautiful Spring season! Noel for us

Written by Noél Rich | 18 March 2025

Hi again, dear friends and family. February went by very quickly and now we have marched into March.

Life goes on. We are here in the U.S. for Bob's cancer treatments. He had 3 chemotherapy sessions in Arequipa and 3 more so far here in VA where we are staying with our daughter Terri and her husband Josue. They still need prayer for their housing situation. They need their own house. We are very thankful to Terri for scheduling appointments and for both of them for taking us to all of these.

Bob had a scary reaction to his fifth chemo session. The Dr. here ordered a drug which really knocked him out for a good while. But his 6th session went ok. The 7th chemo session is scheduled for later this month so we will see how that goes.

Bob is also taking an alternative treatment that Josue can buy for him, we pray it will help, it consists of lots of pills. Pet scans are scheduled for this week and early next week. Also I had surgery to correct my prolapses. Hopefully I will continue to recuperate. This week I will see the dr. again. Again, thanks for praying. Unfortunately our insurance does not cover everything. God will supply as He always has.

The good news is that the Lord's work in southern Peru is going well. Our main church and the youth from there and from the other churches in several parts of Arequipa are going on outreaches to different neighborhoods teaching God's Word to children and adults. The youth will have special meetings in the Colca canyon this weekend, March 21 - 23. Thanks for praying for fruit from this. The elders from our main church and the elders and leaders are doing a great job.

Ebenezer Christian school has started the 2025 school year. We are thankful for all the students and dedicated teachers the Lord is sending us. Please help us pray for the school, that we will always teach God's Word and His values, really fundamental for their personal faith in Jesus the Christ. I should be teaching the NT this year to the same class that had the AT last year. They are now in 6th grade so will be moving up to secondary school next year. Bob and I really desire to return to God's service there and are fervently praying to be able to.

One more prayer request: that Bob will be able to sell his large stamp collection. He had hopes for being able to sell at a good price to help Terri and Josue with their needs, but so far the contacts with stamp places have not worked out.

Thanks so very much to all of you, thanks for praying, and for sharing as the Lord leads you. Hopefully this will get updated soon, Our support address remains:

Christian Missions in Many Lands inc.
P.O. Box 13
Spring Lake, NJ, 07762

Written by Noél Rich | 10 January 2025

Wow! 2025 is already here! And we are still here, and we have so much to be thankful for. We are still working here, but are in a time of transition, and we need your prayer for us in the decisions we make. Thank you.

Bob is now in Chuquibamba with Joe. Besides doing some paperwork to help the believers there, they hope to encourage the brethren and see more come to true faith in Christ.

We had a good visit with our son Paul, his dear wife Kim, with their 6 mostly grown children, and one daughter in law. They toured the famous Inca capital in the Cusco area and also helped us carry large suitcases back to the U.S. with a lot of our materials and other things we need to send if we have to spend a long time there. We still have a lot "more to carry" hoping that we can again be serving the Lord here for a time. Now our son Joe is here. He can also help with "more to carry."

Bob does amazingly well, he drives to the closer towns with one or more of the believers accompanying him. He hasn't needed help driving yet. He has had 3 sessions of chemotherapy. He will have more in the U.S. and may participate in a trial "study" to see if another drug not yet approved by the FDA could help keep his cancer from advancing. It is not a guarantee, some say it is only 50%. So we again ask for prayer for this.

Several of the churches we have seen founded are doing well and have capable leadership, but many still need prayer for God to raise up leaders and keep the believers faithfully growing in Christ. Bob is like the apostle in that besides God's work advancing, Paul carried the burden of all the churches he was responsible for.

Some unfortunately do not want to repent and get out of the sin that binds them. This weighs heavily on Bob's true pastor's heart. Others have the joy of sins forgiven after true repentance and we share that joy, while praying for them to remain faithful. Bob still preaches and spends long hours preparing the messages the Lord gives him.

We are glad to see some of our youth take over in Sunday school supervision while still active in the outreaches in several poorer neighborhoods. They are seeing some of the parents also seeking the Lord.

School is out till March, but they have a vacation program, mostly sports activities and we pray the school will be a real light for Christ in this. We truly thank especially you who have helped with school fees for needy families. Thank you, and please keep doing this. God will reward you greatly.

Even on vacation our directors, Marino and Lupe, have lots of work, too much paperwork and ridiculous requirements of the govt. education system. Please pray for the school to continue to have freedom to teach the Word of the Lord. Today's kids and parents need Christ and His values. Thanks for your part in God's work here.

Our website, done by Joe, in need of updating, is: bobandnoelrich.com and our support address is:

Christian Missions in Many Lands, Inc.
P.O. Box 13, Spring Lake, NJ. 07762 - 0013 with a note: for Bob and Noél Rich, Perú.

Thanks again for praying and sharing as God leads you. And many blessings for each of you for all of 2025, Bob and Noél Rich.

Written by Noél Rich | 12 December 2024

YES! Year's end is almost here again.

And, praise the Lord, we are still here, in southern Perú. Bob and I are especially busy all the time, so many people come for help, Spiritual and physical.

Earlier this year we had several weddings, and we are very thankful for these young couples who are continuing to serve the Lord. Many of these couples continue to serve through outreaches to poorer areas around Arequipa, teaching children and evangelizing adults and other youth. Christmas time is the time for most of them to have their hot chocolate and panettone specials with prizes for learning Scripture verses and faithfulness in attendance, etc.

There are too many cases of child abuse especially in these poorer areas. School vacation is from mid December through February, as it's "summer" here in the southern hemisphere. It's rainy season but we have not had much rain yet. Thanks so much for praying for these outreaches, to children and youth as well as some parents and other adults.

School will start early March, Lord willing. Please help us pray for dedicated Christian teachers for 2025. We are very thankful for the freedom we have to teach God's Word, His values and principals. Sadly, when the Lord works and changes lives, our enemy works too. Some of our older couples are struggling in their marriages, resulting in unfaithfulness, discontent, confused children, and bad testimonies. Bob and our other elders are dealing with some of these.

Thankfully some are truly repenting, and God is changing their lives. Some still are rebellious. Today's families need more prayer and less cell phones. Those little devices look harmless but are destroying many homes.

Bob has had two sessions of chemotherapy here. He has tolerated them well so far, but they do cause tiredness and weakness. He needs to rest more, but this is difficult as so many want his counsel and teaching. God is really giving him strength to keep going. He is on his way now to the Majes valley mostly to deal with a problem with one of our older believers. Tomorrow he needs to go from the valley to Chuquibamba to do much the same, deal with problems and see to some paperwork for the title of their meeting place. (People here trust Bob more than other Peruvians so he has "inherited" meeting rooms for some of our churches in rural towns. Now he has to get out of "owning" these rooms, being "president" of their associations, etc.)

That last is very difficult to explain, enough to say there is way too much "burro-cracia" in Peruvian affairs, land titles, etc. - legal work. Saturday Bob will come back to Arequipa via Pedregal where he is having the monthly leaders training meetings. He will hopefully encourage these believers plus our worker Teodoro Huayta and family. Bob will join the church there for Sunday a.m. and then hopefully arrive home Sunday night to be in shape for the Monday leaders meeting plus the study he is teaching on the gospel of Mark Monday evening. Bob always takes with him at least one of the brothers who can drive if necessary.

Our son Paul and his family are due to arrive here Dec. 20. They are Paul and his precious wife Kim, with their 6 children and one daughter in law. We sure are looking forward to their visit here, December 20 till January 3. They want to do some tours here, Cusco, Colca, etc.

This time we have one way tickets to the U.S. in mid January. We want to come back to Perú if and when Bob's health permits, and the Lord definitely leads us clearly and opens the doors. We pray we could after a couple of months but we are not sure. We are really thankful for the leaders the Lord has given us this year, dedicated Christian elders, deacons, and other servants of Christ that we can trust with His work here. Thanks to all of you who pray for us and share with us for the Lord's work in the south of Perú. God is still at work here, and so are we.

Thank the Lord with us for sending our Lord Jesus Christ to us. Truly amazing that our dear Jesus came so humbly to save us. We wait for His majestic and glorious return to take us to live with Him forever. Our support address is:

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

May you each have a very blessed Christmas, and a very fruitful new year 2025 love, Noél for us