Written by Noél Rich | 06 July 2024

Hi to you all,

Yes, July is already flying by! June was a very busy month for us here. We had a baptism, then a wedding, and just last week we heard sadly that a dear brother in his 90's had passed away. Albino had a real testimony of being converted and changed to a new life in Christ. He worked with our dear colleague Bob Riggenbach (with the Lord now), for years in the Quechua speaking towns in and around the Colca canyon. Albino also wrote most of the songs in the Quechua hymnbook they use. For sure he is now with the Lord he loved and served, and has heard his "well done".

Some of his grown children and grandchildren are here in Arequipa and some have their children in our school. I have had 2 of them in my Bible classes, last year and this year. They do really well, the little guy in 5th grade could teach the class, he knows all the answers!

Bob is traveling now to the canyon for the leaders training up there tomorrow and Lord willing, Bob will go to Sibayo, where Albino lived and served, Sunday morning to help and encourage the family and other believers there. Albino's widow, Manuela, is not doing well physically either, and is on oxygen, so please pray for her in her grief and weakened state. Also, please pray for dedicated leaders to continue on the Lord's work in all the churches in and around the Colca canyon, and in all the areas we have served in for so long.

School marches on. Tomorrow is declared "teachers day" in all of Perú. The students had surprises for their teachers and tutors and then the directors invited the teachers (and Bob and me) for dinner. Bob was able to give thanks for the meal and later to exhort all present to seek the Lord and put Him first in their classes and teaching. I am truly blessed in teaching the O.T. to the 29 fifth graders, every class is a blessing. We are thankful for the freedom we have to teach God's Word and His values here still.

Bob traveled right after the meal and we trust will have a very profitable teaching time up in the canyon tomorrow, and an encouraging Sunday morning in Sibayo. And a safe trip home Sunday afternoon. Then he has to go to the U.S. for his cancer checkups, scans, bloodwork, etc. He leaves Monday afternoon (July 8) and has his return ticket for July 23-24. Then we have another wedding early in August. This one is a couple who are leaders in the youth, Sunday school, outreaches teaching children, and other areas of the church here. So the busy life is not over yet.

Thank you so very much for praying 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, Perú

Many thanks and blessings for you, Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 03 June 2024

Yes, June is "busting out" all over. Again, our RC neighbors across the street have busted out really loud firecrackers - a few times during Bob's message during church here, and before and after. I guess they are trying to wake up some long dead "saint". Well, these loud bangs serve pretty well to wake up tired living saints during Bob's preaching in church. (smile). Anyway, June is here.

God is blessing here with the youth and others continuing to go out into areas around Arequipa to teach the children and others Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Bob is teaching Sunday afternoons in one of our churches in another district of the city. We see growth in some of the leaders in several of these churches. One of them had an anniversary celebration last month. We went and truly were blessed to see how the group there has grown in the Lord. They are thankful to Bob's leading them to Christ, but truly all glory goes to our Lord.

However in many of the mountain churches we still need to see leaders raised up to be able to carry on the Lord's work here when we can't anymore. So far, Bob is still able to travel and help many of these places. God is at work, and He is building His church in spite of many problems. Truly the division and problems in the Espinar church cause sadness to Bob and the true believers there. Please help us pray for solutions in this and for encouragement to the true believers there and for wisdom and encouragement for Bob in this.

Here too, when things are going really well, the enemy aims at destruction, especially attacking families of leaders. Also some of our youth have fallen into fornication. Though they repent, sin leaves scars. Thanks for your prayers.

School is going on and it is a real blessing to continue to have freedom to teach God's Word. The pre-teens are thrown into all kinds of temptations on the internet and cell phones all over. Especially after the long pandemia here because of Covid-19. Kids were not allowed to go out and now as it is over they are kinda wild, and have very little orderly discipline in their homes, so many homes are separated. Fathers Day is kinda sad here, so many Dads absent from their homes and families.

However we do wish each of you dedicated Dads a very happy Father's Day. You Dads are really important, your children need you! God is our perfect and loving Father. We are truly thankful that He has made us His sons and daughters. Many thanks to you who are standing with us, for praying and sharing as God leads. 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, Perú

Many blessings, enjoy June! Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 09 May 2024

Morning does "gild" our skies these days. Lovely pink and orange streaking through the light clouds, morning and evening. We can see most of these sunrises and sunsets from our roof, and yes, "MAY Jesus Christ be praised" - always.

Bob is again in the Colca canyon for the training session the first Saturday of each month. He is feeling better physically, especially when he gets an afternoon rest. We are thankful for all God is doing here in the south of Peru.

A lady who remembers Bob visiting and establishing a church in Chuquibamba when she was a little girl now has a store a couple of blocks from us. We visited her and she was totally ready to give her life to Christ. She was baptized here last week.

She has been reading her Bible and remembers loving to hear Bob teach in her town as a child. Melchor, one of her brothers, was a dear believer. He talked to Margarita about the Lord and she was very receptive. Melchor is with the Lord now.

It is wonderful how the Lord leads and builds His church. A couple of years ago a worker in the club where I go for an early morning swim a couple times a week surprisingly told me she remembered Bob and I going near her family's llama and alpaca ranch in the high altitude.

Her first cousin and family were the first believers there. Olga remembered us up there when she was a child, and now she had an open heart to receive Christ and was baptized here. Also she was able to rejoice and reunite with her cousins in the church here.

We both have had many come up to us and say "I remember you coming with the Word of God" - some telling me they remember my teaching them in grade school. Well, I don't remember all of them, but it is a real blessing when grown children become believers in Christ because of His Word planted in their hearts when young. MAY there be more.

However the enemy always tries to hinder this. One of the mountain churches Bob "planted" is now divided. A very ambitious guy has introduced wrong doctrine and faith - seeking self glory. Please help us pray for the believers in Espinar, there are some sincere ones who really want to do right but this guy is bringing others from different places to lead God's children away from Him.

This is discouraging. Bob says he identifies with the apostle Paul, who was rejected and weighed down with the concern for all the churches. Thanks for praying for wisdom and faithfulness in both blessings and difficulties.

May 1 is "labor day" here and also the day Arequipa honors their big doll "virgin of Chapi". Supposedly this virgin appeared in this area years ago and now is the patron saint, "guardian of Arequipa." There is a huge sanctuary for this doll (idol) a couple hours away from the city and a few sanctuaries for it in different districts of the city itself. Over 200,000 people go in processions to ask this "miraculous" doll for favors, health, prosperity, etc. Idolatry still is strong here.

The Lord is working in our Christian school too. What a blessing I have to teach - this year the O.T. to 29 fifth graders. Precious, open hearted children so far. The govt. makes it tough for private schools but the Lord is helping our director and administrator to do all the required paperwork and modifications to get the licenses we need. These dear ones really need your prayers. Other private schools have had to close but we are still going, praise the Lord.

Healthwise Bob is doing well, seems he is better, at least not worse. So his "answer to cancer" seems to be: "Come no further." As to "my knee and me" it too is not able to see the bone joined together as it should because of the nail sticking in the bone. But the Dr. in the U.S. said to just wait. Thankfully I can walk and do what I have to do. Thanks for praying and sharing for 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, Perú

Many blessings and for all you Moms: Happy Mother's Day! Gratefully, Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 07 April 2024

Well, Spring has sprung for you all and here it is nice, with still a few showers of rain and many showers of blessing. As always a few disappointments, but they are really God's appointments. He always knows and does the best for us, so in everything we give thanks to Him.

Five new believers were baptized here before we left for the U.S. Most of them were from one of our sister churches in another part of the city. 3 of these are youth, active in their church and evangelism. We are truly thankful for our youth, several of our newlywed couples, who are dedicated to serving the Lord, teaching children in outlying areas of Arequipa, thanks for praying for them, for fruit from their labors and for personal growth in Christ. We pray these will be solid Christian homes and families, examples of our risen Lord and Savior.

This last week I started teaching the O.T. to 29 fifth graders, going through chronologically. What a blessing! Please help us pray for this school year at Ebenezer Christian school next doors to us (plural because the school does indeed occupy the 3 doors next to the church) This is a shower of blessing for us. My constant prayer is for these kids and all in our church and family will remain firm in their saving faith in Christ.

Yes, we had another fast 3 week trip to the U.S. March 13 through April 4. Bob's checkups went basically well. He has to return in July for more scans and control. He has lost a lot of weight which is not good, but he is tolerating the really expensive medicine donated as long as he returns after 3 months. Our daughter Terri has done a real good job of getting both of us in the "system" of Innova health care in northern Virginia. It is difficult but at our age and as we do not have insurance here in Perú it seems like this is as least for a while longer permits us to be here for our dear brethren and for the Lord's work here.

We were blessed by our grandson Joshua's wedding, it was truly beautiful. Maiely is a lovely Brazilian Christian wife and help meet for Josh. After their honeymoon they dived into completing something like 200 pages of application for her U.S. residency.

Unfortunately for me, my knee saga is not going so well. The orthopedic surgeon who saw me there said the dr. here operated with the old method of putting in nails and wires in my fractured right knee and left elbow. This type of surgery was very effective in 4 or 5 surgeries in the other knee and both elbows previously. But now the elbow is healing fine but the knee is not.

One of the nails jabbed into the bone and broke it and now is prohibiting the bone to cisar or get back together as it should. The nail is keeping the space open. Anyway, please help me pray for a miracle in this. Thanks to God I can walk, and do everything I really need to do. It still bothers but it is not infected, so we leave it at that for now. Thanks for praying.

Bob is coming home now from Lari in the Colca canyon where the first Saturday of every month the leaders of the churches in that canyon have a teaching time. Bob really wants to continue with these meetings as long as he can. He also wants to travel to other churches we have seen raised up in southern Perú. Bob always takes with him some of our faithful brothers from here who can help drive if necessary.

So we continue here, still active, for the Lord. These are our "April showers of blessing". Even though we are going into the dry season we still have blessings, and disappointments, but God is in control. Thanks so much for praying for God'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, Perú.

May you all have April showers of blessings, thanks so much, Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 03 March 2024

Yes, March is here. A lot is happening. Bob went with some brothers from here to the mountain area of Sibayo for the monthly leaders training for the churches in the Colcla canyon. These meetings are the first Saturday of each month and have been a real encouragement for the churches up there. We are thankful that Bob can keep traveling, driving, teaching, counseling, visiting and doing other ministries. He has lost some weight but with a strong vitamin substance he is regaining some. The Lord is giving us strength to serve Him.

School starts next week, we are praying for the teachers and the students to truly come to know our Lord. We are thankful for the freedom we still have to teach God's Word here in our Ebenezer Christian school. Thanks to all of you who pray and help with fees for students whose folks cannot afford fees. We do keep them as low as possible. As the Lord leads, I hope to teach the OT this year to just the fifth grade, 2 hours a week.

We need to go to the U.S. again this month for Bob's cancer checkups and also for our grandson's wedding March 16.Our tickets are for March 13 leaving here till April 4 arriving back here to Arequipa, Perú. My knee cap and elbow are getting better, but there is a complication in the knee. First, some surgical thread remained in the stitches, causing an infection. So I had to take antibiotics for over a month, by vein, then we tried orally but it destroyed my stomach, and finally for the last 2 weeks by injection, well, it is over now.

But during the op. a nerve was severely damaged. It makes the area red and sore and very sensitve to contact. The dr. says it will take a long time for the nerve to heal. Also a nail with its wire came loose and causes some pain. Patience is needed.

We continue to thank the Lord for our youth and many of our newly weds who are evangelizing children in different areas around Arequipa. Many of these children really are learning God's Word, and desire to follow the Lord. We pray for their parents and families to come and listen, some do, others don't. Our co-workers Jeffrey and Angela are leading a group in Angela's property in Uchumayo.

Jeff and Angela also have to go to the U.S. to finish getting Angela's citizenship and several of the youth are taking care of keeping these kids coming during their absence. Another group is led by the French missionary and her husband in the area of Apipa. They are expecting their first baby and again, the youth are taking care of keeping that work going. And other believers from our churches here have other outreaches. We had a combined meeting here for encouraging and praying for these several outreaches in children's ministries. It was really an encouragement. Please do pray for these precious lives and souls, in school and in these outreaches.

Please also pray for 14 year old Fabricio. He is the son of a believer here. His mother is an alcoholic and has caused much grief for the father, Orlando, and younger brother David. Fabricio is hospitalized in the psychiatric ward. He was not talking, nor reacting, and had high fevers and racing heartbeats. The stress plus the abuse and other factors, some unknown, are very real. Fabricio was first in his class last year, but somehow the the problems got to him. David is ok so far.- he too was leading in school and is now going into 7th grade.

Also we pray for our older sister, Florencia. Her son had a terrible accident and also is in a coma, not expected to live. Unfortunately Miguel never wanted to hear about the Lord. Florencia is a widow and was converted after Miguel was an adult and living bad. Florencia also lost 2 of her daughters, one of them was a believer but the other one not. So please pray for God to comfort Florencia. These cases are sad, but we must admit that when the Lord works and folk are saved, Satan sure tries to hinder it. But God will win the victory.

Thanks so very much for praying for God's work here, and sharing as He leads and provides.We trust you will have a blessed and meaningful Easter season. Jesus is alive, what a wonderful truth! Our support address:

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

Thanks so very much, Easter blessings, Noél for us