Promoting the Work?

We are always looking for ideas for updating our blog. With a busy travel schedule it's been hard to take the time to be creative and write regular entries. While vacationing at the beach I realized I needed to update the site and came up with an idea for some shameless self promotion! We got a lot of strange glances as people walked down the beach. (You can't see in the picture that the "dot" in dot com was a big seashell.) I guess you can say we'll do anything to get people to look at our website. The Bible teaches us the importance of promoting the Gospel in a similar way. We're asked to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15) We're told to go into the highways and hedges and to compel them to come in. (Luke 14:23) Are we doing our best to promote Christ?

Back Online!

Sorry for the delay in updating our blog. We've been busy on the road and our access to the
internet has been a bit limited. We are now settled into our home and have easy access to the internet,
In the days ahead we'll be filling you in on our travels as we visit churches and promote missions here in the United States. We'll also keep you up-to-date on what is happening in Peru. Check back often!

We hope to speak in about 50 churches this year.  So far we have 42 churches scheduled.  If you'd like us to visit your church please let us know.  You can contact us by using the box on the left side of this blog.  Hope to hear from you soon.

                        Here we are at the arch in St. Louis.

That was Real Sacrifice

We recently had the wonderful experience of going to Lima's port of Callao to see 12 beautiful tall ships. They were part of a regatta sailing to many of the major ports of South America. It was a beautiful day that we will not soon forget. (Our memories well be enhanced by the huge collection of pictures we took!) I couldn't help but think of all of the early missionaries that traveled to the field by boat. I remember reading how Hudson Taylor took nearly four months to travel to China. He even had to endure two typhoons where the ship nearly wrecked. Reading about the travels of early missionaries sounds fascinating and adventureous, but it was certainly never comfortable.

Now as we plan for our upcoming furlough I need to remember how truly blessed we are. Once we board the plane we'll be back in the United States in less than six hours. I guess we'll never really know the sacrifice those early missionaries made.

Are we lost?

Last night I had the priviledge of taking the 2010 ARRIBA students to the airport.   I was asked to take the Pan-American Highway to the airport.  This is not my usual route and I haven't gone that way in years.  Major road construction is taking place on the Pan-Am and many signs have been removed.  Well needless to say I missed the turnoff and we continued on through town.   It wouldn't have been so bad if we weren't traveling at rush hour.  Traffic was at a complete stand-still and we sat for nearly 30 minutes at one intersection.  We nervously watched the clock as it became dangerously close to our required airport arrival time.  I was still calm until my cellphone chimed with a text message:  "Are you at the airport?  We can't find you..."  Then I realized something was wrong.  We called and found out that we were way off course.  We had actually gone about 10 miles out of the way.  Thankfully we spotted another airport sign and made our way, the scenic route, back to the airport.  The students' luggage was already there so they jumped out of the van before we even  pulled into a parking space.   They rushed in to find the ticket counter, ready for this, CLOSED!   Their flight actually left an hour early so they had to wait 24 hours for the next outgoing flight.

Perhaps the most notable part of this story is that for the longest time we didn't even know we were lost.   (I know you're thinking, "haven't you lived in Lima for over 8 years?"  Yes, its a massive city with many ways to the airport!)  As we sat in traffic we were content thinking that we were "just going with the flow."  The thought came to my mind last night that our trip to the airport is like many people's lives.  Their wandering around in their meaningless life and they don't even know that their lost.  Proverbs 14:12 talks about this reality when it says, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."  Are we pointing our friends and neighbors to Christ?  Are we asking them the important questions so that they realize they're lost?  Are we sharing the truth that there is only one way to heaven?  My trip to the airport last night reminded me anew of why we are in Peru:  Millions of people here are lost without Christ.

Faint Not

The Fields are White unto Harvest

We had big hopes for Easter Sunday.  We invited lots of people and we were hoping that some of our regular attenders would bring their family members.  We had a good film to show and we wanted people to see it.  When it was time to start we had a good group, but no visitors.  I was a bit disappointed.  Later, while reflecting on the day, a verse came to mind.  Galatians 6:9,  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

I believe God has big plans for Viña Alta.  It's our job to just keep laboring away with and in His perfect timing there will be a great harvest to reap.  Have you grown weary in well doing?   If so, faint not, keep plugging away for the Lord. He promises a great reward.

So Close, But Yet So Far

Religious films are popular during Peru's Holy Week.

"Semana Santa" or Holy Week is a huge holiday here in Peru.  Many people have days off from work.   Religious symbols and special church events are common.  Everyone seems to know that this is the week when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Last night I flipped through all of the Peruvian television channels.  Every channel was showing some sort of "religious"  or "Bible times" movie.  I saw The Passion of the Christ, The Ten Commandments, Jesus of Nazareth, Moses and others.  At the nearby market I saw stacks of the same movies for sale.  For many families there is a tradition of watching these types of films during Easter weekend.   Probably every resident in the city of Lima has had the opportunity to hear the name of Christ.  The majority have watched films about His life.  Many will attend religious events this weekend.  Yet, the vast majority haven't heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.  Few have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sadly "Semana Santa" is increasingly becoming more comercialized and worldly.  When we first arrived in Peru there were no bunny rabbits or easter eggs.  Today, the stores are filled with candies, rabbits and stuffed animals.  America's idea of Easter is taking over the traditions of the past.  If people don't hear the true message of Christ now with all of the religious traditions how will they hear it in the future when all we have left are pastel colored eggs and a fluffy rabbit?

Tomorrow we'll be showing an evangelistic film at our church.  We'll be doing our best to spread the good news of Resurrection Day.  I'm glad we serve a Risen Savior!

They're Back!

After more than a year, we've finally gotten on the ball and done a major update on the girls' blog.  We've posted lots of pictures. Visit their blog, and take a moment to answer the poll question!

Click here to visit:   PoeKids BLOG

No More Secret Code

Our girls are a little more than four years apart. This means somedays they are best friends and other days they fight like cats and dogs. Somedays they share their toys like they should and other days they become very territorial. On a bad day they practically divide their room down the middle with the center almost like a demilitarized zone! Today Elizabeth received a magazine in the mail. This is always a special treat for her. She loves reading her National Geographic Kids magazine. However, It usually becomes a battle between the two. Today, trying to make sure there was no argument I decided to tell Elizabeth about her magazine by speaking in Spanish. I figured Olivia wouldn't catch on. "Elizabeth, tengo algo especial para ti. Hoy llego su revisita para el mes. " (Elizabeth I have something special for you. Today your magazine came in for the month.) Elizabeth grinned and said, "Gracias." Almost instantly Olivia jumped in and said "Hey I want a magazine too!" It was a moment of mixed emotions. It is good to see the girls learning more and more Spanish. (Elizabeth understands practically everything now!) Yet, now we can no longer speak in Spanish when we have something "secret" to talk about. Oh the joys of having missionary kids!

By the way. I continue to be scolded by grandparents. We'll try to have an extensive update on the girl's blog real soon!

Self Medicating

A recent study by the Peruvian government showed that 43 percent of customers at local pharmacies are self-medicating. That is, they are purchasing medication, without a prescription, and without visiting a doctor. The study went on to say that the people were buying medications using their own judgment and criteria with no medical knowledge. This is often proving to be dangerous because many medications have serious side effects and potentially dangerous interactions with other drugs.

I wasn't surprised by the article. We've always known that no prescriptions are required to purchase medications here. We've seen first hand how dangerous this can be for some Peruvians. A spiritual application also came to my mind. As humans we often try to self-medicate in our spiritual life. We don't look to God and His Word when we face difficulties and struggles. We often rely on our own ideas for solutions in our daily life. Just like buying medications without a prescription is dangerous so to is trying to solve our own problems in our own power. The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? We might think we know the answers but our heart will often deceive us and lead us away from the things of the Lord. Let's always look to the Lord when difficulties come our way. The spiritual "side effects" will be worth it!

Are you keeping in touch?

I read today in the Peruvian news that nearly 25 million cell phone lines are active in Peru. That is an impressive number when you consider the population is just under 29 million people. Just think, that means there are nearly enough cellular phones in Peru for every man, woman and child! In Lima and the port city of Callao there are more active cell phone lines than residents!

We live in a world where everyone wants to keep in touch. A quick google search brought up some interesting facts: Over 4 billion text messages were sent in 2008 in the U.S. alone. An amazing 210 billion emails are sent out on an average day around the world. Supposedly 3 billion phone calls are made everyday in the U.S. (that's 34,722 per second!) I probably don't want to know how much time is wasted "checking in" on facebook. We are a society that just has to stay in touch and know exactly what's going on every minute of the day. It's fine to stay in touch with friends, family and co-workers. Yet, how many of us spend an equal amount of time communicating and "staying in touch" with God? The Bible tells us to "Pray without ceasing." Do we? Here in Peru we almost have more cell phones than people. Communication is easier than ever. We have the same opportunity to stay in touch with a loving God. He's waiting to hear from us. Are we keeping in touch?

Safety Zone

Just a few moments ago we felt a tremor. It wasn't a strong one, it didn't even rattle the windows as much as tremors usually do. It did manage to shake the computer monitor where I was working on my Sunday sermon. As usual the girls play time was disrupted as they came running and screaming to find us. This tremor was located a little south of Lima and only measured 4.2 on the Richter scale. Lima has had its share of tremors over the years. Some of the strongest earthquakes in history have struck along Peru's coast. The city of Lima has been greatly damaged and even destroyed several times since the early 1500's.

Even though tremors are common here, it doesn't mean we will ever enjoy them or even get used to them. Thankfully we can be assured of God's protecting hand. I like the words of Psalm 18:2, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Here in Lima there are signs in all public buildings showing the safest place to go in the event of an earthquake. We're told its safer to run to these areas with columns or support beams during a tremor. Isn't it good to know that God is our strenth and our salvation no matter what life brings our way?

If you're real interested in Lima's earthquake history you can read more about it here: Historical Earthquakes in Lima

Possible Property

This corner lot would make an ideal permanent location for our church.

Our regular blog readers will remember that on a number of occassions we have asked you to pray that we will be able to find a larger permanent meeting place. We would like to be able to eventually purchase the property that you see in the above photo. (Click on the picture for a larger view!) You will notice that our current rented location is the building directly behind this front corner lot. It would be the most visible lot in the entire neighborhood. Every person coming or going from the area would easily see our building. As an added bonus very little is constructed on the lot. This would reduce the cost of tearing down a larger building and paying to haul off the rubble. We know of many churches in Lima that are on lots that are even smaller. We would eventually be able to build a three story building on the property. The lot is not currently being advertised for sale. We are in the process of making a proposal to the family that owns the lot. Pray that we will be able to take steps to buy this lot if it's the Lord's will.

Excuses, Excuses...

Once again I find myself apologizing for the lack of updates on our blog. I am always trying to think of interesting things to post but lately that has become more difficult. It's not that there isn't anything to write about, perhaps I'll blame it on "writer's block!"

I was happy to discover that I am not alone in failing to update our blog. A New York Times article reports that 95 percent of all blogs on the internet are abandoned. That means they haven't been updated in 120 days or more. The article went on to say that only about 50,000 blogs on the internet are actively updated and viewed. At this point I'm starting to feel better. My blog has only gone a little over a month without an update.

I had thought of switching to Twitter. I've never used it, never even viewed it, but I imagine it would be easier posting a one-line status update compared to a 2 paragraph "article." Then I thought about it and realized my life wouldn't be too interesting recorded in one-line updates. I also found out that Twitter isn't the answer since 80 percent of Twitter accounts have less than 10 followers, and 30 percent of Twitter accounts have never even posted a "tweet." I'm starting to think I am not the only one failing to keep my online activity updated.

But, for the few and faithful followers that keep reading my blog I'd like to say "Thank you!" I have some fresh ideas and I'll be working to update more frequently. Maybe you can help: Send me a comment, write a question, fire me an email with a topic you'd like to read about. I'd like to think my blog won't join the millions that have already been abandoned!

A Gift to our Community

Tuesday was another great day for evangelism and promoting our church in Viña Alta. We were excited to host a team of doctors for an all-day medical campaign and evangelistic outreach. God allowed us to assemble a huge team of workers for the day. Over 200 people were treated in a variety of specialties including ob-gyn, pediatrics, podiatry, dentistry, and general medicine. We were also able to offer free hair-cuts, family photos, and free medication. Everyone that came received a new testament and literature. More importantly, one-on-one the Gospel was shared with each patient. We rejoice that at least 9 people trusted Christ throughout the day!

In the afternoon a children's program was conducted on the soccer court. At least 70 children came and participated. My father even dressed up as a clown. (Although those of you who know him realize the costume wasn't really necessary for him to be a clown!) As the children had their activity a huge crowd of people gathered on the nearby bleachers to watch. We may never know how many people heard the Gospel during the children's club. We finished off the evening with an open-air meeting with preaching. We praise the Lord for all that was accomplished. In the days ahead we will be visiting all the families that particpated during the day.

Happy Birthday!

Today we have a first for our blog: A guest blogger. I'm so blessed to have my parents here vistiting with us at this time. Not wanting to sound self-serving I've invited my mother to write about my recent surprise Birthday party at the church.

We were so happy to be with John on his birthday, something that hasn't been possible for ten years. Debbie let us in on a secret: the church folks were planning a surprise party for John! We all played dumb and on Sunday at church " Happy Birthday" was sung and best wishes given and we all went home. Monday, John's actual birthday was routine, except that I fixed his favorite meal of meatloaf, creamed potatoes and brocolli with cheese. Just as we finished dinner, There was a phone call from Daniel, the Peruvian pastor at the church. An emergency! Daniel was in the neighborhood near the church, had left his keys at home and could hear water running inside! As there had been serious water leaks before, this was a likely scenario. Junior and I went with John to see if we could help with mopping up. As soon as we left the house, Debbie called a cab and she and the girls left, carrying the birthday cake and candles. When we three mopper-uppers arrived, a worried-looking Daniel was outside the church wringing his hands. As John unlocked the door and swung it open, there was a blast of warm air (the people had been shut inside for a hour with doors and windows closed to maintain the " surprise") and then a loud shout of " Surprise and Happy Birthday!" John was so surprised that he clutched his chest and said "infarto!" (heart attack) There were more than 40 people there, from infant through adults. We had snacks, chips, cookies and soft drinks, played games and heard many heartwarming testimonies from the church folks about how John had impacted their lives for Christ. It was especially encouraging to hear some of the teens pray aloud and give testimonies, when only a few years ago they had never heard the good news of the Gospel. We lit the candles on a"torta tres leches", and John, with help from Elizabeth and Olivia, blew them out, and everyone enjoyed a slice of John's favorite cake. We sang some favorite hymns and 2 versions of Happy Birthday. As parents, it was so wonderful to see that our son and his family have a church family here to love and care for them when they are so many miles from us. This was an occasion we'll never forget!

Sharing the Good News

The "Mobile Ministry Unit" opens many doors for evangelism.

This past Saturday we enjoyed hosting a team of Peruvian young people for an afternoon of special events. The team came with missionaries Don and Carla Rich from Cajamarca, Peru. We began the afternoon with an evangelism workshop for our church teens. They learned about how to effectively share the Gospel with their friends and family. Later, they split up into groups with the visiting teens and went out into the neighborhood passing out tracts, inviting people to church, and sharing the Gospel whenever possible. In the evening we projected an evangelistic film at the soccer park by our church. Pastor Don traveled with his teens in their "Mobile Ministry Unit." The 15 passenger van has been outfitted with a special motorized screen, sound system, lights, a generator and everything needed to conduct open-air meetings. A good crowd of people gathered for the film and nearly everyone stayed to hear a presentation of the Gospel at the end. It was a day filled with opportunities and was a good time of promoting the church in the community. The most exciting part of the day was seeing our young people doing their part in sharing the Good News with others. I was reminded of Luke 14 where the Lord said, "Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in..." What a blessing to be able to use technology to compel people to listen to the saving message of the Gospel.

Water!

Peruvians find an unusual source of water right here in the desert.

Last week one of our blog readers asked a fairly common question: "So where do you get the water for a big city like that?" That's a good question when you consider the enormous population of Lima and the fact that we receive no more than a half inch of rain per year. About 80 percent of Lima's water comes from the Andes mountains located to the east. Much of the water is actually melted ice from the numerous tropical glaciers. It is troubling however to see that these vast ice fields are disappearing. In perhaps as little as ten years there will be no sufficent water source for Lima. Even today about 2 million people in the city of Lima do not have running water.

Peruvians have found a way to get water in the desert. They're "harvesting" it from the clouds! Lima is covered with a thick, damp fog for at least six months of the year. By placing large nets on the mountain tops that run through town, they are actually able to capture the moisture that is in the clouds. In one section of town the nets are being used with great success. A net, about 13 feet high by 26 feet long can capture as much as 150 gallons of water in one day. We can actually see some of these nets in use right here in La Molina where we live. If you'd like to read an interesting article about this creative water source visit the National Geographic News site.

Where are your Umbrellas?

This past week we experienced a rather strange phenomenon here in the desert. It rained! Earlier in the year we were warned that El Niño weather patterns could lead to sporadic rain along the coast. I had to chuckle when I read the local newspaper and saw the headline: "Intense rains to possibly continue throughout the summer." Those "intense" rain showers probably amounted to just enough rain to get the ground wet. Needless to say nobody we know owns an umbrella or rain jacket. In a good year we usually get a total annual rainfall of about 4/10 of an inch.

Last week's rain reminded me of an interesting story. I once heard the tale of a preacher that began his sermon by saying, "Brethren and sisters, here you are coming to pray for rain. I'd just like to ask one question: Where are your umbrellas?" Many times we go to God in prayer with a seemingly impossible request. We mention our requests at church prayer meeting, we share them by email and we mumble some words at family prayer time. But, do we really expect God to hear our prayer? Do we really think He can work out all of the little details in our lives?

As missionaries we constantly ask people to pray. We send out prayer letter updates and email reports. We even have this blog to keep people "in-the-know." We've learned that our prayer warriors are our most important support group. We really do believe in the power of prayer! Are you praying for your missionaries? Do you really belive God can answer your prayers? Next time you're asked to pray you might just want to ask yourself, "Where is my umbrella?"

Covered by His Feathers.

The other day I read a newspaper article that was a little disheartening. It was discussing recently released statistics from Peru's police force. They claimed that within the last year 24 percent of Lima's population has been robbed. The majority of the victims suffered from minor thefts of everyday items like cellphones and wallets. But 20 percent of the victims were robbed in their own homes. The statistics weren't worriesome until they mentioned that La Molina, our home district, had the highest number of home robberies. Television reports claim that a crime takes place every three minutes in the city of Lima. Other reports say that Lima has some of the highest crime rates in all of South America. Despite these troublesome statistics we fill perfectly safe here in Peru!

Isn't it good to know that God is our protector? Psalm 91:3-7 says, Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. We take comfort in knowing that God is our protector here in Peru!

By the way, don't worry, the above picture was taken at a local police park with lots of statues for the kids to enjoy!

The Cheap Seats

Occasionally we take a Saturday morning and head to the beach. We feel blessed because we are only about 35 minutes from our favorite beach. We especially enjoy going now in the early summer season because the beaches are empty. Beach chairs, recliners, umbrellas and tables are all available to use free, as long as your willing to purchase a drink or leave a small tip. We call that a Peru Perk!

On our last trip to the beach we had to chuckle when we saw these two lonely chairs. Look carefully and you'll see why we passed them by! (Click the photo for a larger view.)

Perfect Timing

Have you ever been in just the right place at just the right time? Today was one of those days for us. For the last several months we've been making plans for our upcoming furlough. Sure, its still more than seven months away but we don't like to procrastinate. For weeks we've been checking the prices on airline tickets. They sure have gone up since our last furlough! It wasn't unsual to find prices from $700 to as much as $1200 per person. That gets expensive real fast when children pay full price. So I was thrilled today when I found tickets online for $235! The price was so low that I thought I had made a mistake. I even stopped and asked a travel agent for help and sure enough we got the tickets that cheap. Later in the day I searched for the same tickets for another interested missionary. Just 3 hours later the same tickets on the same flight had jumped to $775. It was as if the Lord opened up a little door of opportunity just for us.

Isn't it great how God gives us little blessings like that in our life?

White as Snow

A Peruvian scientist believes he has the answer to stop the melting of Peru's glaciers. A paint bucket! As the glaciers melt they leave behind a darker colored landscape of brown and black. This darker soil generates more heat and therefore accelerates the melting of the ice. The scientist, Eduardo Gold, plans to use a non-chemical paint made with a base of natural lime. Studies have already shown that the lighter color slows the melting of ice by lowering the surface temperature near the glacier. Some have suggested that "crop duster" planes could be used to paint large areas quickly. Gold's group is working to receive funding from the World Bank and hopes to employ as many as 15,000 people for the project. Peru's glaciers have already lost over 30 percent of their surface over the last 30 years.

Painting rooftops in New York City has already proven to lower building temperatures. Yet, I'm not sure that painting the mountaintops of Peru will end global warming. I have to admit I admire them for trying! Our lives are a bit like those melting mountaintops: Darkened by the consequences of sin. It seems the more we live in sin the deeper we fall into its stronghold. Yet, Scripture shows where God provides forgiveness and a spiritually "white-washing." I'm reminded of Psalm 51:7, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. In this passage David is asking to be forgiven of his sins. Hyssop was used in religious ceremonies to sprinkle blood on the alter. It pointed to the sacrifice that Christ would make on the cross. I'm not planning on painting any mountains in Peru any time soon, but I am glad we can share the Gospel that can truly transform lives and leave people "whiter than snow!"

Trip to Huancayo

I recently had the opportunity to take a trip to the city of Huancayo located in the mountains east of Lima. It was amazing to go from sea level to nearly 16,000 feet in just a few hours. It was especially interesting to leave Lima with summer clothes on and step out of the car a few hours later into snow! The air pressure is so different that our potato chip bags blew open before we reached the top of the mountain. It was noticeably more challenging to breathe up there. I can now say that I've traveled on the world's highest paved road and seen the world's highest train crossing.

The main purpose of the trip was to look for fossils and investigate the area for proofs of the universal flood. A fellow missionary, Bob Whatley, will soon open a creation/flood museum in Urubamba Peru. We were able to locate and see lots of evidence for the flood described in the Bible. We saw massive ammonite fossils, and a host of other sea life left behind in the fossil record. Of course nobody needed to convince us that the Bible is true!

My travel companions teased me as I took nearly three hundred pictures in just a few hours. They commented, "You need to get out of Lima more often!" Peru is indeed an amazing country. Hope you enjoy the brief video showing a few of my snapshots.

The Faithful Few

Our church is still a relatively young work. We are happy when we have 20 adults on a Sunday. Yet we've noticed a good trend beginning to take shape among our brethern. They are faithful in their attendance. We usually have the same group at every service. This makes us happy because they are learning the importance of being faithful to church. Yesterday we saw true faithfulness in action. Nuguith, one of our new believers came walking in the door with her husband right on time. This is especially impressive because she is 9 months pregnant. Even more impressive was the fact that she was having contractions 7 minutes apart! She was very attentive during the message and even enjoyed the fellowship after the service. As they headed out the door she commented that her bag was already packed for the hospital and they'd be making their way there shortly. (I was just relieved I didn't have to help deliver a baby during a church service!)

Do you find it troubling that people are no longer faithful to their church? Churches seem to be cancelling services and reducing activities. It's not uncommon for a church to have 1000 attenders on Sunday morning and 100 Wednesday night. It seems we've all forgotten the exhortation of Hebrews 10:25. I am happy to be working with part of the faithful few that make God a priority in their lives.

Profitable Peru

As the world continues to experience a slump in the economy Peru seems to be escaping the worst of the economic crisis. Peru's stock market has grown 132.6% this year and was recently ranked by Bloomberg as the most profitable stock exchange on earth. We've seen tremendous growth in the last several years. We hope that these profits will continue to stabilize Peru into the future.

We're reminded in Scriptures of something far more profitable than even the best stock market. Matthew 6:19-21 says, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Peru is proving to be a profitable country for investors. As missionaries we see something of eternal value: the souls of man!

God's Handiwork

Click Picture for a Larger View...

Yesterday I had the opportunity to head east just outside of Lima into Peru's mountains. A missionary friend is looking for property for a youth camp ministry. It was amazing to see the huge change as we traveled east. In less than three hours we went from just above sea level in Lima to over 10,000 feet! The mountains around us were breath-taking. Unfortunately the pictures just don't capture the beauty in this area. I was reminded of Romans 1:20 which says, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: We were indeed able to clearly see God's handiwork yesterday.

Don't Read This Post!

We constantly try to promote our blog through our email updates. We want our friends and family to read about our ministry so that they can pray effectively. However, I saw an admonition in a book I recently started reading that got me thinking. It said: "If you have time to read this book today, but have not taken the time to read your Bible, then you do not have time to read this book!" What a powerful statement! Have you read your Bible today?

Did you know that only 16 percent of professing Christians read their Bible on a daily basis? Studies show that each year Christians have less and less Bible knowledge. What a sad reflection on the spiritual life of the average believer.

I'll continue to update my blog. I'll continue to encourage people to read it. But perhaps I should occassionally ask, "Have you read your Bible today?"

Blog Updates

I often worry that our "loyal" blog readers must get discouraged by my lack of updates. We are constantly seeing God at work here in Peru. We have lots of news to share, but its hard to find the time to update the blog. Usually by the time we have a free day to post the stories are all old news!

I was happy today to see that only 11 percent of all blogs are updated weekly. After doing some research, I found that our blog is updated more than average! Here's a quick tip for you: Try subscribing to your favorite blogs. There are plenty of free services out there that will notify you when your favorite blogs are updated. If your interested, here's a quick guide to using this type of service-RSS Feeds This will save you time since you won't have to visit a blog that hasn't been updated.

We're always open for questions and suggestions.

Happy Birthday Olivia

It's hard to believe that our little baby, Olivia Joy, turned four years old today! We enjoyed playing outside today, eating cupcakes and a dinner of her favorite food, empanadas. We thank the Lord for our little treasure! Happy Birthday Olivia!

Canton Baptist Temple Youth Trip

Here is a quick video snapshot of our most recent group. They were a great group of young people. They helped promote our ministry through children's clubs, youth outreach, passing out tracts and participating in our church services. No one in the group spoke much Spanish but they were effective in communicating God's love to the people in our community. Thanks to the folks at CBT for sending down this fine group!

Stay Focused!

Yesterday I had a humorous experience that reminded me of the importance of staying focused. We took our group of visitors, from Canton Baptist Temple, on a city tour for their final day in Lima. We wanted them to get a glimpse of some of Lima's tourist attractions and historic sites. We took the tour on the now famous "Mirabus" a double-decker bus that has an open top. The views are great as you travel down the cities streets. At the beginning of the tour we were warned to watch out for low signs, tree branches and electric lines. On several occassions we had to duck to avoid low clearances. Each time I had plenty of time to stoop down and avoid any low hanging obstacles. However, 45 minutes into the tour someone asked me a question and I took my eyes off the road. I looked to my side for several minutes as I answered a question. Suddenly, "whack!" I was nailed in the forehead by a telephone cable that crossed the street. I sported a handsome red stripe across my forehead for the next hour. Of course the group of high schoolers were especially amused by my little experience! I was just happy it wasn't a live electric wire or stop-light!

I can't help but see a spiritual application from my little run in with the phone line: We all need to stay focused. Often in life we get distracted, we lose sight of what is important and we take our eyes off of Christ. When we do were destined for problems. How many Christians have started off strong but have fallen along the way when they lost track of what was really most important in life. May we all keep our eyes on the Lord and finish well as we serve Him!

By the way, you can look for a full trip report from the Canton Team soon!

Fiestas Patrias

Today, July 28th begins the two-day celebration of Peru's Independence. Bright red and white flags are flying on nearly ever home, and the stores are filled with patriotic decorations. Normally the celebrations, known as "Fiestas Patrias," include shows, parades and countess special events. This year many of the events have been cancelled due to the spread of the swine flu.

Once again we are able to celebrate the freedoms that Peru offers her citizens. We again feel blessed to live and work here in this wonderful land! Happy Independence Day Peru!




We hope you'll take a few moments and listen to Peru's National Anthem. The hymn is actually quite long. The above video only includes one of the seven verses!

Another 10 Great Days of Ministry

We've just completed a busy ten days of ministry with a group of visitors from Psalm 150 Ministries. The group, mostly from Virginia and Tennessee, came with lots of energy and a desire to serve. They were able to do an incredible amount of work and accomplished more than we could have ever imagined. They divided their time between the building project and working with our neighborhood children. We hope you'll enjoy this brief presentation of pictures from their time here:



If you don't receive our email updates and you'd like a more complete trip summary you can read them by visiting our online community.

Out of This World Experience

Today was the first day of Elizabeth's "winter" break. She'll be out of school until August 12th when she heads back to start third grade. To celebrate the day we headed to a new park about a mile from our home. Peruvian children are still in school and so the park was nearly empty. After a few minutes of family play time a little five-year old boy came up to chat. He was quite interested in our family and had lots of questions. "Do you speak two languages? Why did you come to Peru? Do your girls go to school?" His questions came one right after the other. When he found out we were from the United States he was especially excited, and said: "Really! I've never met someone from another planet!"

What Happened?

Several have asked how our special Father's Day event went. I am pleased to let you know that we had good attendance, with several first time visitors. The best part was that a total of 7 fathers came. This might not sound like a remarkable number but it is a huge number compared to the last couple of years. We are happy to have a good group of new people to contact as a result of the event.

Please be praying. In a couple of weeks our next ministry team arrives. We will be targeting a new area a couple minutes walk from the church. We are hoping for a huge crowd of kids.

Trip Summary

We just enjoyed a wonderful ten days with a group from Union Grove Baptist Church in Lexington, NC. God used them in a variety of ministry opportunities. They were a huge help to both our church and family. The highlight of their trip was seeing two young ladies trust Christ as their Savior. We hope you'll enjoy this brief presentation of photos from their trip.

What could I do?

Have you ever considered taking a short-term missions trip? It could be a life-changing experience for you as you see how God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Often folks hesitate taking a trip because they don't know how they might be used. They also worry about the language barrier. But you can be used on a trip right here in Peru!

As our regular blog readers know, we are currently hosting a ministry team. Not a single member of the team speaks Spanish, yet, they've been able to be a big help to our ministry. What could I do on a missions trip to Peru? Here are just a few ideas:

• Puppet shows- Our group used a pre-recorded story today and the children were able to hear a very clear presentation of the Gospel. The children were attentive as they listened. As an added bonus the kids think the puppets are great!
• Object Lessons- Each member of our current team came prepared with a brief object lesson. These lessons use an ordinary object to teach a spiritual truth or lesson. Of course they speak and we translate for them. It is an easy way that anyone can teach and the kids enjoy seeing new people stand before them in a teaching environment.
  
• Games- Games might not sound real spiritual, but they can be used as a way to draw children into the church. Our groups often come prepared with games. We will use these games at the beginning of a Bible club to draw attention and gather a crowd. The kids also enjoy the added attention they receive. Most of the kids around our church aren't able to spend much time with their parents. They crave attention, and group members can really show the love of Christ by simply playing, interacting, and sharing some time with the youngsters.
  
• Special Projects- There is always work to be done. During down-times we greatly appreciate the assistance of our groups. Our current group has helped us clean the church and scrub all of our chairs. They helped make illustrated choruses that we use with our children. They have also stamped information on a huge number of tracts. Some might consider this "busy work" but it is work that is necessary in our ministry. There is always work to be done!
  
• Tract Distribution- Visiting groups can do a great job of distributing literature. Many seeds have been planted using Gospel Tracts. Our groups can be taught a few simple phrases so that they can go out and hand out tracts to people in the streets. Often we use groups to pass out information about upcoming special events. It is certainly true that "many hands make light work" when handing out tracts.
  
• Testimonies- It is a real blessing to have people come and share their testimony. Our new converts need to hear about how God has worked in the lives of others. Visitors can share their testimony and be an encouragement to many. Of course, this requires a translator, but is simple since the time frame is usually short.
  
• Use of Special Talents or Skills- We've seen visitors that could juggle, paint faces, make balloon animals, dress up like clowns, and do magic tricks. We've had musicans play their instruments to attract attention. Even an artist that draws to teach a Bible message. God can use your unusual talent or skill on the mission field. Often language is not a barrier.
• Sports- We've seen were sports can help bring others to Christ. Often, teens will approach a group of visitors to play soccer that they otherwise wouldn't have spoken with. We've seen young men brought to Christ because of the godly testimony of visitors willing to take time to play a quick game.
  

Nearly every time we have a group we see folks saved. Perhaps you think you can't be used on the mission field. We think you can be used! Pray and ask God what He might have you to do. Perhaps you might consider planning a visit to work with us in Peru. As you can see we've got lots for you to do.

Heard of other mission trip ideas? Leave a comment. We'd love to hear your ideas on how short-termers can be used for the Lord!

Locked Out

Today was yet another good day of ministry with our visitors. We had a bit of a challenge today. When we arrived at the church our key would not work and we were locked out. Thankfully, after working for several minutes we managed to forcefully turn the key to get in. Next, we had to get a locksmith to come and work on the doors. One man said, "It looks like the devil doesn't want us going in the church!" We held much of our kids club outside at the park while the locksmith worked. Our group participated during our kids club by playing with the kids, sharing object lessons, and making a craft. During our adult service they did another chalk drawing, shared their testimonies and one man did a great job preaching with John interpreting. Today's highlight was seeing two adolescents trust Christ! It seemed today that each time we came to an important part of the service there would be lots of noise outside. The room was filled with many distractions. Yet, God stilled worked and we were happy with the results. Maybe the devil didn't want us to go in the church today. I'm sure glad we did.

Good Day of Ministry

Several months ago a neighborhood lady mentioned to us that we could use the small community center in the area for our church ministries. She is not a Christian, but she was interested in what we are doing in the community. Today we conducted a children's club in the center. We arrived and started with no prior promotion of the club. With the help of our visiting team we conducted a program for the 35 children that came. We were especially blessed that a good number of the parents came over to see what we were doing. Before we were finished several people asked us to please come back and begin holding clubs every week. We will definetly be taking advantage of these opportunities in the days ahead. About 25 of the children present were first-timers for our ministry. If we can begin to draw these youngsters to our church we will be at full capacity! Even though this center is located only a five minute walk from the church, most of these children have never visited with us before.

Our afternoon children's outreach was followed by our regular Saturday evening youth meeting. We had a good number of young people. They were happy to play games with the group, listen to translated testimonies, and make a craft. The highlight of the evening was when they watched a chalk-art demonstration by one of the men in the group. He drew a picture of the story of Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus. Of course the teens once again heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.

We are again impressed with the attention that a visiting team can attract. It is amazing that even with the language barrier God allows the visitors to minister and work for Him. Continue to pray for our group this week as they work hard promoting the work!

This community center makes a good second meeting place for our church. As an added bonus its rent-free and much bigger than our actual church location. (Notice the sheep on the steep slope behind the building-Click for a larger view...)

Children making a stained-glass window craft.

Barry Sizemore, our visiting chalk-artist begins his Bible story drawing.

They're Here!

Last night our second ministry team of the year arrived. This group of 12 is from Union Grove Baptist Church in Lexington, NC. They will help us conduct Bible clubs for children, youth meetings, open-air evangelism, and tract distribution. We're looking forward to a fruitful week with this fine group of young people. Pray with us that God will use the team to reach new people, encourage our church people, and to promote missions.

As an added bonus most of the team members are originally from North Carolina. They talk like us! We'll look forward to posting news on how God blesses the ministry this week.

Happy Mother's Day!

We had a wonderful Mother's Day celebration at our church yesterday. We had at least 25 mothers in attendance. Several of them were attending the church for the first time. An added bonus was that several fathers came with their children. All total we had 66 people squeezed into our tiny little church building. The children participated in a special program that included poems, music and special presentations for each mother. Of course we took the opportunity to share the Gospel with all those attending.

We took a picture of every mother with her children. In the days ahead we will be visiting all of the families that visited giving them the photo and offering them the chance to hear the Gospel or to participate in a home Bible study. Pray that the Lord will use yesterday's good attendance to reach many with the good news!

We're Rich!

In the last 14 days we have received offers of cash donations for our ministry totalling 79.4 million dollars! Just think about what we could do with our ministry if we had 80 million dollars to invest in ministry resources. We could build new buildings, purchase literature, expand outreaches and have special campaigns! Unfortunately we will never be able to spend one dime of this huge promised fortune.

I have always been humored by the huge number of scam emails I receive on a weekly basis. Two weeks ago, I quickly set up a special folder in my email program and decided to keep track of all of the emails I received in a 14 day period. Most of these emails came from Nigeria, or the Ivory Coast. They contain tragic stoires about the death of a once great saint of God. The widow that is left behind desires to give the remaining family fortune to a needy charity or missionary. Of course there is no widow, there is no fortune and there certainly never was a godly saint involved. It is just one of a growing number of SPAM email scams that circulates over the web. Those that respond for more information are usually decieved into sending money in advance to insure that the proper paperwork is completed. An investigation over a decade ago showed where more than 100 million dollars had been stolen using variations of the scam.

Even though we didn't receive 80 million dollars in donations during the last 2 weeks we are still so very rich. Psalm 50:10 reminds us that our Heavenly Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is always provided for our needs and He has eternal blessings ready for those that follow Him. Don't be scammed by the offerings of this world, seek heaven first and you'll be truly rich!

Disney Peru

A new and interesting rumor is quickly spreading across Peru. El Comercio, Lima's leading newspaper has reported that the Walt Disney Corporation is in the process of purchasing land just south of Lima for a Disneyland style theme park. Last year Disney attempted to purchase Lima's largest zoo located in one of Lima's most crowded districts. It will be interesting to see if the rumor becomes a reality.

Peru does seem like a good place for an investment of this type. Last year Peru's ecomomy grew by 9.8%. Economists are prediciting the economy to grow another 5% this year even during the global recession. Once again we see another confirmation that God has placed us in a strategic area for winning many with the Gospel message.

UPDATE: It didn't take long for this story to make its way around the globe. Just hours after the story was posted on El Comercio's website a represenative for Disney made a statement that claims the company is not making plans to build in Peru or anywhere in Latin America. A Colombian investment company is supposedly investigating a theme park for Lima. It's unfortunate that true and good news doesn't always spread as fast as rumors! I suppose we are just as guilty for spreading the rumor. Our website had a massive jump in hits yesterday as people came to read about Disney in Peru.

Do you hear what I hear?

Over the years we have grown accustomed to life in Peru. Things that used to seem strange seem normal now. Sites, sounds and smells that used to attract our attention are now just part of our lives. Just the other day we were talking and we realized that we don't even feel like we live in a foreign country anymore. We're thankful that God has allowed us to truly enjoy living here in Peru. Yet, we still experience new things as we live here.

On Saturday we experienced a first for us here in Lima: a thunderstorm! After spending the majority of our lives in the southern United States we are used to spring and summer thunderstorms. We sometimes miss the smell of rain. We miss the darkened sky and the rush of wind that comes moments before a thunderstorm. For the first time I was almost alarmed by the sound of thunder. I was walking on the street a few block from our home. The sky looked dark and the breeze was picking up. I chuckled thinking to myself, "It never rains in Lima!" Then "BOOM!" A massive clap of thunder that caused me to jump. I was humored to see all the children running home from the nearby park. Moments later windows appeared at every window and people peered into the sky. Thunder in Lima is very rare. Later that evening I talked with our church's landlord. He informed me that it was the first time he had heard thunder in 39 years! It was even mentioned on the news and in the local newspaper.

I never thought I would see the day when a thunderstorm caused such alarm! Just part of the joy of living in coastal Peru!

God's Word is described like rain in Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Thanks for praying as we continue to take the "water of Life to the deserts of Peru."

Our First Podcast

In our last email update we asked if anyone would be interested in a monthly podcast about Peru and our ministry. We received lots of good responses. Today, we have posted our first attempt at a podcast. You'll notice we have lots of room for improvement! Thanks for your patience as we learn about this new form of communication. We'll be working on sound quality, and volume levels in the days ahead! Remember you don't need to have an I-pod to listen. The podcast should start here automatically. If not, just click on the "play button" (the blue arrow box) below to listen.

We hope this will encourage you to pray for Peru!

Click Here to Hear our PODCAST!

PoeKids Update

Take a moment and visit our kids blog. We've posted some pictures of the girls. Thanks for letting us be proud parents for a few minutes! Click here to visit the girls blog!

Christmas 2008!

Thanks to all of you that have been praying for our church planting ministry. We praise the Lord for the great turn-out on Sunday. We had lots of first time visitors. It was a blessing to interact with the parents of many of our regular attending kids. Best of all, a lot of people heard a clear presentation of the Gospel!

Hope you enjoy a few pictures from yesterday's service:

We praise the Lord for a full house!

"Navidad" spells "Christmas" in Spanish. The kids read a special acrostic about the meaning of Christmas.

Some of our regular kids waiting to sing outside the church.

Here our live nativity participants wait for their entrance.

These were the "early birds" anxiously awaiting the start of the program.

Little Cielo enjoyed the Christmas program!

Welcome to the Family

Last night John had the priviledge of leading this young man, Jared, to the Lord. Jared has been attending our church since the very beginning. He regularly attended our children's clubs and then moved up to the youth group when it was started. He had lots of questions last night and came ready to make a decision. We praise the Lord for working in the life of this young man. He left last night content and secure that he has a home in heaven. We continue to be blessed seeing God working in the lives of so many young people in Vina Alta.

Something Fishy...

This is just one of dozens of containers that made up the "World's Largest Ceviche."

In a recent post I described a variety of special honors that Peru is famous for. Today we can add another achievement to the list: The world's largest dish of Ceviche! Ceviche is perhaps the most popular dish in Peru. It is made up of fish or shellfish mixed with red onion, yellow chilli peppers all marinated in lemon juice. It is interesting to note that the fish is raw!

This past weekend a group of nearly 450 people gathered in a local stadium to prepare the dish. It weighed in at an incredible 6.8 tons! During the preparation a crowd of neighbors gathered and hundreds flooded in to eat all they wanted of the national dish.

Perhaps your curious and would like to sample this delicacy. Here is a simple recipe to try:

Ingredients:
1 Kilo (2.2 pounds) of founder or other white fish cut into small pieces
2 red onions, pealed and cut long
4 yellow chillies with seeds and veins removed
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preparation:
Combine all the ingredients carefully. Leave the mixture to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator. Mix once more before serving. (That's right it is uncooked...) Enjoy!

Maybe someday i'll take the time to tell you the story of the first time I ate Ceviche.