Written by Noél Rich | 07 March 2026

Dear family and friends,

Happy Valentine's Day! Today, friendship day, love day, etc. But true love is not just a fluffy feeling, roses or cards. God is real love, He gave all He had, His only Son, to save us. We pray to know and have God's love in us, today and every day.

We have had some difficult trials in our family recently. After our son in law's passing into glory, our daughter Terri needs a lot of prayer. We are so very thankful that Terri has a home of her own near to her daughter and family and also to her son and his growing family. Terri has possibilities for work, but still needs a lot of prayer for it to come together. Their hispanic church where Josué was pastor is helping her. We are thankful for all who are helping her. Thanks for all your prayer as well.

January 29 was our 60th wedding anniversary. We have been in Perú for 59 years. God has given Bob a big ministry in church planting, discipling, preaching, and teaching. We are thankful for all of our time here and pray for fruit filled believers in the Lord. On Feb. 9 Bob turned 81. I'm 82 and am so very thankful for having finished teaching the N.T. this year in our Ebenezer Christian school next door to the church building where we live and work.

Since 1993 I have been able to teach God's Word in Christian schools, O.T. one year, N.T. the next, to 5th and 6th grades mostly, sometimes 3rd and 4th. We are thankful for the freedom to do this. Please help us pray for students, teachers, families to come to know the Lord and His true love in His Son, our Savior. School starts early in March.

School year in Perú is from March through December. We are in the southern hemisphere so our winters are your summers and our summers are your winters. But here in the Andes the summer is often colder than the winters. We are in the clouds as the "summer" is the rainy season and takes away our sun. So, our automatic clothes dryer and our solar water heater are "on the blink". And we are in a "summer freeze", cold rain, thunderstorms, (February, kinda scary.)

Bob is still able to teach God's Word and to travel to some of the mountain, valley and coastal churches the Lord has raised up. Bob is now in Tuti, a church in the Colca canyon, to encourage and teach the believers there and in Chivay. He should be back home tomorrow afternoon, Lord willing. Bob always takes one of the brothers with him on trips, to help him drive if needed. It hasn't been needed till this trip. We are thankful for Carlos, a brother who is wanting to serve the Lord more drove very well up to the canyon. Carlos is an experienced driver. Please pray for him and his family.

Bob has admitted to feeling weakened after 19 chemotherapy sessions. We ask you to pray for wisdom for more or not. The Lord has our times in his hands. Thanks so very much for your prayers and for sharing as you can. Visit us!

Happy Valentine's Day, in Christ's love, Noél for us. 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

Written by Noél Rich | 03 January 2026

Dear family and friends,

This is a difficult end of 2025 and beginning of 2026. Our son in law, Josué Raimundo, passed into the Lord's presence. His wife, our daughter Terri, was with him in the hospital. He needed multiple bypass open heart surgery, but God took Josué Home and gave him a new heart. The whole family knows that this is best. The Lord's will is always best.

But it is difficult for Terri especially and we ask prayer for her. Praise the Lord, just in time Terri now has her own home. It comes with a large mortgage but we know the Lord will provide. As Josué and Terri said: "Where God guides, He provides."

Please pray for Terri especially. Her daughter, Jennifer, with her husband and 3 children, and son Joshua, with his wife and 1 daughter (son on the way), all live relatively close. Their dear hispanic church supports them and helps them where needed. Our sons and families in IN can go when needed to help too. Thanks to technology we can meet with them often.

In God's perfect timing we will visit, and if the Lord leads, think of going to live, but for now the whole family agrees we should stay here. We have a ministry here. The Lord has definitely planted us here, so we pray to "bloom where planted" for a little while longer.

Our churches here in the city and most of the groups in outlying areas are growing, but there are some problems, always, right? Bob continues preaching, teaching and traveling, though not quite so far as before. He has had 18 sessions of chemotherapy. These make him tired but he keeps going.

As I won't actively teach in our Christian school anymore, supposedly I should have more time, but so far it hasn't worked out that way. I still hope to be involved in the school. We pray that the students, teachers and parents will continue faithful to Christ. Our "summer vacation" is from Jan - early March, really only 2 mos. We will have a vacation program with sports and recuperation where needed.

Thanks for praying for us, our family, forTerri especially, and the Lord's work here in southern Perú. 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

New Year's blessings for you, Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 31 December 2025

Where, oh where, has this year gone?

It seems impossible that we are almost 2026. Each moment of each year is an opportunity to share Christ with others. This is why we are here.

The school year is ending as well, the closing ceremony is scheduled for December 22. The finals and class parties will be next week. After 32 years of teaching the Lord's Word and English in Christian schools here in Arequipa it is kind of sad to have it end, but all good things come to an end. Several of my former students have told me they remember me teaching them. We praise the Lord for the freedom to teach God's Word here. Many of our church youth are teaching children and families in low income areas. Some really want to follow the Lord, He is working in hearts.

Sadly, another bus flipped over killing 7 and wounding 38. This accident was in the Espinar area at 2 a.m. Accidents, violence, crime, corruption and lack of respect and order are increasing everywhere. The need for people to know the Lord is increasing as well. This is why we are here.

We had a sad surprise this past week. A dear sister who helped me prepare the Bible course I taught in schools passed away. I had been looking for her for a long time, as she had been moved to a different location for her job and I did not have her phone number. She was also a victim of violence. She was going up the street on her way home from church one evening when from a taxi a man reached out and grabbed her purse, dragging her several meters.

I visited her after that but for family and other reasons she had left off coming to church. She always listened to Bob's messages over the internet. However just last Saturday her sister appeared at our door telling us that she was dying of advanced cancer. Bob and I went to the hospital immediately. She was semi conscious but able to recognize us, and smiled through all the tubes, etc. she had in her.

We visited again 3 days later, sang and read the Word. Her son said she could hear us but could not react. Anyway, she passed peacefully. We had an opportunity to share Christ with the family members at the funeral. I surely hadn't expected to find her this way, but God definitely led us there.

Bob is doing well and continues to teach and help many spiritually. The leader of our newest church is receiving counsel now. He has a sweet spirit and wants to teach these new believers right.

Thanks for praying for us and sharing as God leads you. 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

Have a joyous, blessed Christmas, remembering Christ, God Himself, Who came to save us, What a Savior! Gratefully, (not the first) Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 24 November 2025

Hi again dear family and friends, and though we always give thanks to our Lord, Thanksgiving time in November is a good time to especially give thanks. God is always good, even in sad times.

Up in the U.S. it is the fall season, so I just had to take a trip and have a fall. This time Bob says it's like an airplane landing on its nose. We all really give thanks to God that no bones were broken, just scratches on my poor knees and nose. Sure enough I could sign up with Rudolf for Christmas, my nose was quite red for a while. It is a lot better now they say (I can't see it without a mirror), so Rudolf will have to pull Santa's sleigh without me. Hopefully I will not have more of the bad kind of trips or falls in any season.

There was a "convention" in our newest church in Camaná and I went with Bob and some others from here. Believers from several churches came and were edified from the teaching and fellowship with each other. They rented the community hall where they live. Bob was selling Bibles and other good books from his car and I was heading up to the dining hall, but the step up to the walk was all rocks and dirt and I stubbed my big toe and ... landed down on my nose. Thank you, Lord, for caring for us.

Bob should have his 17th session of chemotherapy next week. He tolerates these sessions well but he is still having stomach issues from the radiology that burned his intestines. Bob is amazing considering his age (almost 81) but please help us pray for our health. God is good.

There is really bad news here now, a terrible accident in the early morning in the Ocoña area. A bus full of passengers went over a cliff after hitting a truck. 37 people were killed and 20 some were badly wounded. Several children were left orphans, and some children were killed. One 3 year old from our school lost her Daddy. Please help us pray for this little one. It is a huge trauma for all involved.

Bob is headed up to the Colca canyon again, this time to Callalli, above the canyon. 2 brothers from here are going with him. They can drive if needed. Tomorrow Bob will be teaching, hopefully men from the churches around will also be there. We need leaders in each of the churches.

The school year here ends in December. Please help us pray for these kids as they graduate and or finish school for the 2 month break. I will not be teaching anymore (at my age=82 it is about time, right?) But it really is a huge blessing to have the freedom to teach God's Word. My 6th grade class has been really wonderful. Please help us pray for this class as they graduate from elementary to "secondary" school, and for the high school grads as they go out to a wicked world. Please pray that they will know Christ and remain faithful to Him.

Thank you so much for praying for the Lord's work here in the south of Perú, and for sharing as God leads you. 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 have a blessed Thanksgiving, Noél for us

Written by Noél Rich | 17 October 2025

Hi again. Last month we were saddened by the murder of Charlie Kirk, a real servant of the Lord. This world is getting worse every day, and everywhere. Yes, Perú did it again: we got rid of a president and put in a very corrupt new one. Seems like this country is really good at impeaching their presidents.

On the home front, every day I pray to never fall again. I have to be really careful and slow down a good bit. Here in Arequipa there are many broken up sidewalks and many of the 100 year old ones that were made out of hard, uneven rocks. And way too many people and vehicles all trying to go on them at once in different directions. When my Mom was here visiting years ago, she would not walk on the walks or streets. It's often an obstacle course.

But the blessing is that most of the places we need to go to we can walk to. For visiting farther away places there are multiple economic taxis and buses, etc. I personally don't use the buses anymore, it is too easy to fall while getting off especially. Bob can still drive and we have a very good vehicle, not new by a long shot but still we put it to good use.

A couple weeks ago Bob went to Espinar to help and encourage the believers there. They have many problems. Bob and the brothers with him were able to encourage them. They almost did not make it there. Here in Perú we are in the southern hemisphere so it is spring now. It gets warm, and hot during the daytime but it still is cold at night and early mornings, especially in the high altitude.

Bob got to the top of the mountain. It was snowing hard and it was very cold. The "road" was blocked by many vehicles all trying to go at once. The snow was getting deep and the "road" was very slick with ice. They were stuck up there for around 6 hours. Bob's car has heat so that was nice. Also it is really good that now Bob always takes brothers with him.

They finally found that there was a way open to go down the mountain. Slowly but surely they finally got to Espinar at 2 a.m. God took care of them. They had a profitable time, and were able to come home on schedule without problems. So we really appreciate your prayers for us and for the Lord's work here. We are seeing the Lord raise up leaders in some of the churches in the Colca canyon. This is very encouraging, but we pray for more and for faithful believers in all of them.

Here in Arequipa the elders and many others are doing well in the churches in and around the city. There are always issues to be dealt with though. We are thankful that some of these leaders have matured and are manifesting the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Bob consults them before making any decision. They take care of us, and we thank the Lord for them.

Ebenezer Christian school had their 22nd anniversary last week. We thank the Lord for this school and please help us pray for all our dedicated teachers and for each of the 200 some students, that the school will always be a light for God and a place where His Word is taught freely. God is giving me the blessing to teach the NT to the 30 sixth graders this year. Lord willing these students will go on to secondary school (7th through 11th grades) with a solid base of God's Word.

For me personally the whole reason for the founding of this school is for all involved to come to know Christ and make Him known. We realize that things are not perfect, there are and have been problems, but my desire and purpose is to answer positively to our Lord Jesus: When I come, will I find faith on the earth? May we all have and keep faith in Him with true gratitude.

Thanks be to the Lord and thanks to you who pray with us and share with us to reach this goal. Many blessings for all of you, gratefully, Noèl for us.

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