FULL OF JOY!!!!!!

It has been a little over a year and a half since we have been here in Baños del Inca.  One of the first things that the Lord brought to our attention was the fact that many of the fathers are absent in the lives of their children.  The Lord put on our hearts to start a kids outreach and to love on the kids and show them they have a Father who loves them and sent His Son to die for them.

We started just by going out in the street in front of our house and playing with the kids.  This opened many doors and people would always stare at us.  Very, Very rarely would you ever see a father playing with his kids.  So people would stare and wonder what is this gringo doing.  The kids loved it though.

Across the street is the first family where we realized that the father was absent.  We were told that he travels around and it broke our hearts.  We loved the 2 boys in this house.  Since we started the church, the boys never came to sunday school until a couple weeks ago.  It was such a huge blessing and encouragement for us to have them.  The mother or father or anyone else in the house doesn't come, but we are over joyed that these boys are beginning to come.

The reason though that today I am full of joy is because this afternoon after church, I was resting on the couch while my two little ones napped and Annyka my oldest was watching a movie.  I heard laughing and playing outside.  So I got up and looked, and to my delight, the father of the two boys across the street was outside playing and having fun with them.  They were having so much fun.  Genuine laughter was coming from them, both the boys and the father!  They were all kicking the ball around and just plain goofing around.  It brought so much joy to my life to see this.

I can only pray that this continues and it will become contagious and other fathers in our neighborhood will start to play with their boys.  Please be praying for this.  Also pray every tuesday at 3 PM eastern time as we go into the street and play with the kids.  Pray that some of the fathers would join us and that it would cause a great impact in the lives here in Baños!!!!!!

Follow Me!!!!!

In Mark Chapter 1 verses 16-20 we see Jesus seek out 4 fisherman......Jesus issues a call......He doesn't give any more details......He says follow me......And the response of these men is they immediately leave all and follow Jesus.....

We know from the rest of the story that this call to discipleship is a call to take up your cross.  But the fact is Jesus didn't give the play by play before they responded.  They just picked up and left and followed Jesus.

This is the same call Jesus is giving us.  Are we willing to leave all our comforts?  All our financial security?  Our families?  Are we willing to forsake and leave all for the call of Jesus to FOLLOW ME!!!

This is a probing question.  This is a question that pierces right to the heart of the issue.  Will we leave all and find our comfort and security and family and everything else in Jesus.  Christian means Christ follower.

It may look and seem beyond crazy in the view of the world and those around us to follow Christ.  It may seem crazy to us.  The call of Christ is the call from the King.....From the Lord of Glory.......

Will we answer that call.....will we give all to the One who has truly given all.....Ask yourself that....I don't think right now I can come up with a better question to ponder........

Lets search our hearts and see what it is that is holding us back.  Lets remove whatever it is that keeps us from following Christ.

Feliz Navidad!!!!

Feliz Navidad!!!!! Merry Christmas!!!!

New Happenings at Refugio

It has been great to watch what the Lord is doing here in Peru.  We had our second festival de niños.  It was a one day event held on friday the 23rd of November.  It was a great turn out with 50+ kids and we also had 16 moms who stayed and participated.  Once again the Bible college students did an amazing job.  The theme was Jonah and they had the church decorated with fish and they even made a HUGE fish that came and ate Jonah.  

We finished up 1st Thessalonians this last sunday and we will continue on into 2nd Thessalonians this sunday.  We have about 4-5 locals attending regularly and then we have around 16 kids per sunday in the children's ministry.  We are praying about restructuring our sunday morning services.  The Bible college semester has come to a close and the students will be heading back to their homes.  So we are going to be limited on helping hands, so we are planning at this point to hold children's church before adult service so the team that God has put together here can tackle the situation.   We will be running thin for a while because the Bible college will not have a next semester.  They have purchased some beautiful property out in Llacanora and are building the new facilities.  So next semester is a time of building and preparing for the following semester.  If anyone would like to come down and help with the construction, Pastor John would love to have you.  There is much needed work to be done.  You can contact me and I can get you into contact with the proper channels to come down and help on that project.

So as far as the new happenings at Refugio is concerned, we have a few new ministries that we are going to be kicking off.  First up, is this thursday evening, we will be starting a mid week service.  It will be from 7:30pm to 9pm.  Pastor Ivan will be teaching through the book of Philippians.

Next is starting this tuesday, we will be starting a more formalized time of playing in the street.  Every tuesday we will be out in the street in our neighborhood to play with the kids and love on them.  A young man named Kyle moved down here to serve and he is a great skateboarder and we are going to skate and play games and love on the kids.  Then we will share from the word with them.

Then starting this saturday we will be heading into Cajamarca where they have a skate park.  Ivan and his family, Kyle and my family will all head over there and do evangelism and some open air preaching.  It is a great place to do ministry.

Please be in prayer for all that is going on.  It is exciting to see what the Lord is doing.

Also if anyone has any new or old skateboards that you would be willing to donate to the ministry here, please contact me.  They don't have to be in great shape, we just want some so we can get more kids involved at a time.  If anyone knows any organizations who donate skateboard, please let us know how to get a hold of them.  Thanks so much for your support.

"The whole life of a Christian should be nothing but praises and thanks to God; we should neither eat nor sleep, but eat to God and sleep to God and work to God and talk to God, do all to His glory and praise."-Richard Sibbes

Festival de Niños

Festival de Niños

This last weekend we had our first Festival de Niños at Refugio.  We weren't sure what to expect, but the Lord blessed it and we were so excited with the turn out. It was a two day event starting on friday for a couple hours and then on saturday from 10am-1pm.  Unfortunately during the week, there was a protest and school was canceled during the week so many of the kids were not able to attend on saturday.  On friday 40+ kids showed up along with a few moms.  On saturday we had 20+ kids, but with more moms.  One of the gentle men who attends church on sunday mornings came and hung out with us for a while and watched the festivities.  The Bible college students served their hearts out and the kids were blessed.  We had face painting and balloons and a bunch of snacks.  We focused in on the birth of Jesus on friday and then saturday on the life of Jesus.  The kids and the moms heard a clear presentation of the gospel and we are praying that the seeds are planted and the Lord would bring them to harvest.

The Lord has been faithful and our children's ministry on sunday morning has been averaging around 18 kids.  Sunday service we have on average 5-6 locals attending and listening to the teaching of God's word as we go through 1st Thessalonians.  Please continue to pray for the people of Baños del Inca and the area of Cajamarca.

Faithful is the Lord!

In front of the building with our worship pastor and his family.

 We had our first service this morning and to God be the glory.  We had 5 local Peruvians come and listen to the study.  We also had 10 kids show up at our children's ministry.  The Lord has brought together such a great team!  We are blessed and humbled by all the help that we have received and blessed and humbled that God has called us to serve here in Peru.

    I read this psalm this morning and it blessed my heart:

         "Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
Let me dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
For you, O God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name."
(Psalm 61:1-5 ESV)                                                            

We have refuge in Jesus!  We have a place of shelter!  How wonderful to know that we have a safe haven in God Himself.  This is why we felt led to name our fellowship and kid's ministry Refugio.  We want everyone to know this place of rest which is found in Jesus through His Word. Please be praying for our ministry and for the people that the Lord brought and will bring.  Be in prayer for the faithful servants that God has raised up. Here is a list: Ivan and his family, who are such an incredible blessing for us.  Truly like minded and full of Jesus, without them we wouldn't be were we are at.  Natalie who is taking on the great task of children's ministry. Viviana who has such a heart for Cajamarca.  Victor who is in Lima at this point, but we are praying the Lord opens the door for him to be able to come back and serve with us.  Alfredo, who is translating for me and just a close friend who has been a blessing for us.  All the students of the Bible college who are helping out.  Our great friend Mesod who helps us out with everything.  For  Estella who made all of our curtains and is just an amazing women of God.   And also Pastor John and his wife Pilar who have taken us under their wings and given us great wisdom and guidance in this step of faith.    
May the love and grace of Jesus shine through this ministry. Soli Deo Gloria!!!!!!!

Annyka sweeping!

Singing Praises to Jesus!

Teaching 1st Thessalonians with mi amigo Alfredo translating.