Written by Noél Rich | 02 May 2011

Hi again!

May we proceed to greet you all for this month too? Thanks, and thanks for your continued prayer and help for us here.

April was interesting and full. One of the Christian school teachers we had last year got married in April. Bob and I participated in the wedding and it was a real good testimony we think. Samuel married Sonia, a girl from one of our churches here in Arequipa, where they both attended and helped with the youth. Then we had a good Holy Week program at school, with songs and short skits. My 6th graders and I did the Last Supper. I think it all was also a good testimony to our Lord, for all the students, teachers, and parents who came.

Bob had some good trips in April too. To the mountains and to the Majes Valley and the agricultural town on the plains - Pedregal. The ambulance works really well in the mountains, and everywhere really. However, this is the sad part: Bob cannot get permission for more passengers in the van. Of course, we do want to obey the law, however unreasonable it may be. So, with sadness he has decided he will have to sell it. Please help us pray for the right buyer and the right other vehicle for him to use. It seems impossible he can sell it for enough to get something really better for him, but God can supply. Please just help us pray. Thanks!

One of the reasons we may have trouble in this vehicle sale and purchase is that Perú is having their runoff presidential election June 5. Neither of the candidates are very promising, but the one who is ahead in the polls is very nationalist. He has always been against foreigners here, and he follows the styles of the govts. of Venezuela and Bolivia. Not friendly toward gringos. Please help us pray for this election. It would be kind of tragic for Perú if this guy becomes president, but we know God is the One who controls even this situation. Please pray for us and for Perú. Thanks!

So now we are in May! We are working on a Mother's Day program at school, for Friday May 6th and please help us pray this too will be a testimony for all the Moms present. May I take this opportunity to wish all you special Moms a wonderful Mother's Day! Please take seriously the task of guiding your children and grandchildren in the ways of the Lord. How we need to win this generation for Him!

Written by Noél Rich | 03 April 2011

Well, April is here. Our summer was so cold that now when it is supposed to be getting cooler we are having summer! My Mom used to call this "Indian Summer" - late but nice really. Our mountains still have snow, but guess it will melt soon enough.

Sunday, April 10, is presidential election day here in Perú. Please help us pray for the outcome. Probably in the first round no one will win, and there will have to be a runoff election in about a month and a half. Anyway, we pray we will continue to have peace and freedom to continue spreading God's Word here. Thanks for praying with us for this.

Bob has had some good trips with his ambulance. We praise the Lord that it worked really well when he took it to the mountains last month. Also on his trips to the coast and Majes valley the vehicle has worked well. There is one thing though that is discouraging. That is that he only has legal permission to take 2 passengers. Seems ambulances should have permission for more, but it came with that restriction. Bob is trying to get this changed, but the burro cracia here is a challenge. Please help us pray that can be changed, as he does need to take more people most of the time. Thanks for praying for this too.

Read more...

Written by Noél Rich | 03 March 2011

Dear friends and family,

Yes, most of March is ahead of us! A couple of days have passed, but we are marching through quickly! Our Feb. rains have gone away for a while at least and our mountains have pretty snow, which will also melt soon unless the weather man is right and we do get some more rains.

Last month we were blessed to have 6 new believers baptized here in our main town church. Some of the younger ones live a bit far out but a dear believer from here has been witnessing to her neighbors. From two of her neighbor families, 3 youth were baptized. Then parents of two of the children in school were baptized as well. Efraín's father is really active in God's work in the Majes Valley, but his wife had a lot of J.W. influence. The school also has played a part in these folks coming to church more and taking that step of identifying with the Lord. Then Marcos, the dentist who works in Pedregal was also baptized. Bob will continue to disciple him on Wednesdays when he goes down to Pedregal for Bible studies.

Read more...

Written by Noél Rich | 03 February 2011

Yes, it is truly a wet summer here! After several years of not much rain at all, this year it is really making up for it! We have had like 8 days of rain rain and more rain, day and night! Here when there isn't sun, it gets cold. So, guess the ducks are happy! And we at least should have enough water for the city's needs this year!

So we are thankful! And thankful for all the Lord is doing here. Bob is going down to the agricultural area of Pedregal every Wednesday evening for Bible study with the church there. It is about 2 hours drive from Arequipa and really growing in population. Teodoro Huayta, one of our workers, lives there. He had been witnessing to a good dentist there who worked on his teeth. The dentist, Marcos, is truly interested and desires to follow the Lord. Bob has had several visits with him. He comes to Arequipa for weekends, and has come to church here several times. Please help us pray he and his wife will come to know the Lord. Bob also goes every other week from Pedregal to the town of Aplao in the Majes Valley. We have a small group of believers there and it is growing. Bob has a Bible study with them every other Thursday evening. So besides teaching and discipling here, Bob is able to get out to the towns some too, which is an encouragement all around. He has gotten the ex ambulance pretty well fixed so he can use it for most of these trips. Last week I went with him, to Pedregal, Aplao, and then Camaná on the coast. We visited some believers there and we got a few hours at the beach. It's nicer down there than here in wet Arequipa! A nice treat for our 45th wedding anniversary!

Read more...

Written by Noél Rich | 02 January 2011

Hi, dear family and friends!

Well, welcome 2011! And we trust you will have a fruitful and good year, all of 2011. We had a good watchnight service here Dec. 31, lasted till way past midnight but we are seeing the Lord work in lives. There are a few families here with us that are really growing in their faith and helping in the church. These are our future leaders. Bob's weekly meeting with them, Bible study, prayer, and discussion of church needs has really helped prepare them. This will continue, D.V. each Monday afternoon that Bob is here. Thanks for praying for this need, of godly, prepared leadership here.

Read more...