God is always good, and we are grateful for that goodness towards us. It reminds me of what the Lord said about Israel in the latter days:
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. – Hosea 3:4-5.
We, like Israel, need to reverence (fear) the Lord and His goodness towards us!
We continue to work on our Church building project in Chancay. Many have given to this project and we are so grateful to all of you. The Mission will begin using the new building in January. We still have a water tank to install and are doing paperwork for the electricity to be connected. That will take some time, but we are working towards that goal.
In October we had a wonderful Family Day for the church where we took pictures of all our church families and had a lovely meal on the grounds.
In November, we had our annual Bible Conference. Pastor Scott Crabtree, Deaf Pastor of Signs of Life Baptist Church in Ohio preached to our Deaf, and Evangelist William Jeffcoat came and preached to our hearing members. Both conferences were wonderful with many decisions made.
We started another annex outreach in the town of Lurín just south of us. We are looking forward to what God will do in this new area. One of our Bible College graduates from last year is heading up this ministry.
This year, two Deaf students from our Deaf Bible Institute and one student from our Bible College will be graduating.
This year has been a great year for salvations, baptisms and baby dedications. As we close this year, we look forward to the next. There is so much to do. We look forward to Deaf camp and the Fires of Evangelism Conference in February. We also have another mass evangelism campaign scheduled for January.
One great difficulty that we have been facing is with our annex mission in Callao near the airport. We have been dealing with the municipality for many years to advocate for the title to the land that was donated to us in 1987. Unfortunately, the current mayor is trying to reappropriate untitled land back into their control for other purposes.
We have been in the battle for a long time. Two weeks ago, the municipality annulled the resolutions that we have from former years making them of no effect. We are now working with lawyers to deal with this. Since we have had possession of this land for over 30 years and we have paid all of the taxes and kept them up to date, they cannot kick us off the property and our rights of possession for over 10 years should give us favorable standing in the courts, legally speaking, to eventually win and obtain our title. We are basically in a holding pattern that does not allow us to build any much-needed space as we do not wish to presumptively build where by some weird happenstance, we could lose that land to the government. This lawsuit will probably go on for many years. We ask that you make it a matter of regular prayer. I will keep you up to date on this issue.
Family News
The family is doing well. Lisa and I just went to the States for a few days for the graduation of our daughter Joy from USAF Basic Training. She is in the Air National Guard. She will be on active training duty until late next year.
Joel, Jessica and Jennifer are doing great. Jessica and Jennifer are playing their instruments in the small church orchestra and singing in the choir. They also help in children’s church.
Thanks again for all that you do for us with your prayer and care. Thank you for the Christmas offerings for our ministry and family. Have a blessed Christmas and New Year.
Regocijamos en todo lo que Dios hace. Como dice el Salmo 27: “Una cosa he demandado a Jehová, esta buscaré; Que esté yo en la casa de Jehová todos los días de mi vida, Para contemplar la hermosura de Jehová, y para inquirir en su templo.” A través de la oración, tenemos la bendición de “estar en la casa del Jehová” diariamente. Es nuestra fortaleza.
Como saben, venimos recaudando fondos para construir un nuevo templo para nuestra obra misionera en Chancay. Ya recaudamos la mayor parte de lo que necesitamos. Se vertió la base de concreto y el piso para el auditorio, los baños y cuatro aulas. Se colocaron las paredes exteriores y el techo, y estamos comenzando la siguiente fase de instalación de ventanas, puertas, electricidad, plomería, paredes interiores y plataforma con el baptisterio. Ya compramos 200 sillas.
Aún tenemos que recaudar los fondos para levantar las paredes de las cuatro aulas, completar los baños e instalar sistema séptico y cisterna.
Gracias a todos los que colaboraron para este proyecto. Gozamos en todo lo que Dios nos ha permitido lograr y esperamos completar esta primera fase, que incluye la estructura, los baños, el sistema séptico y el sistema de agua en las próximas semanas.
Tuvimos otra campaña de evangelización masiva en la ciudad de Arequipa en julio. Un equipo nuestro en coordinación con otras iglesias en Lima y Arequipa distribuyeron 200,000 tratados evangelísticos y decenas de miles de Nuevos Testamentos y Biblias. Muchos fueron salvos con el testimonio de nuestra gente en las calles, en las estaciones de policía, hospitales, edificios gubernamentales y escuelas.
Haremos esto nuevamente en octubre en Piura en el norte de Perú. Nos encanta poder llegar a todo Perú con el Evangelio. Gracias a Faith Baptist Church en Tacoma, WA, al pastor Mark Smith y al pastor hispano Gabriel Durán por todo su apoyo y ayuda proporcionando Biblias para estos dos proyectos.
En agosto, mi familia y un grupo grande de Efata viajamos a Arequipa en un viaje misionero para visitar a nuestros misioneros Wilder y Ruth Rojas. Fue de gran bendición ayudarlos en su nueva iglesia misionera, proporcionar ropa y juguetes a su comunidad, y predicar el Evangelio. Después de nuestra visita, el hermano Wilder me llamó informándome que la asistencia a la iglesia se había más que duplicado y que no tenían espacio. Pudimos aumentar su apoyo para que pudiera alquilar la otra mitad del edificio que había estado alquilando.
Justo después de nuestro viaje, tuvimos un campamento de música en Efata. Participaron más de 70 estudiantes adultos y jóvenes. Hermano Joan Zamora fue nuestro maestro principal. Dos jóvenes de los EE.UU. y otros de Perú ayudaron a enseñar canto, violín, piano y otros instrumentos. Decidí retomar la trompeta después de casi 28 años, y ha sido muy divertido. Dos semanas después, tuve el honor de tocar la trompeta en un especial con Joseph al piano, Joy (de visita desde los EE.UU.) en el clarinete, Jessica tocando la viola y Jennifer el violín. ¡Todavía estoy aprendiendo, pero fue hermoso!
La primera semana de septiembre, Efata fue la anfitriona de la Escuela de Pastores con la Iglesia Bautista Internacional del Perú. Esta fue una semana intensa; predicadores y líderes de muchas ciudades de Perú y otros países vinieron para recibir capacitación pastoral y predicación de pastores y misioneros experimentados de Perú, Puerto Rico, México y los EE.UU.. Alojamos a más de 80 personas en Efata. Asistieron cientos, muchos fueron salvos y tomaron decisiones por Cristo.
Estaré en los Estados durante el mes de septiembre interpretando en conferencias misioneras en todo Georgia para el pastor Henry Vásquez, nuestro pastor nacional en Chancay (para quien estamos construyendo el templo) y un pastor nacional de Bolivia.
Noticias de la familia
Dios está bendiciendo a nuestra familia; nuestros hijos se mantienen ocupados en la escuela y las actividades de la iglesia. Gracias por sus oraciones tan necesarias.
We rejoice in all that God does and is doing. As Psalm 27 states: “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Through prayer, we have the blessed ability to “dwell in the House of the Lord” daily. It is our strength.
As you know, we have been raising support to build a new church building for our mission work in Chancay. We have raised most of what we need. The concrete foundation and floor was poured for the main church auditorium, bathrooms, and for the four classrooms. The outer walls and roof have been put up and we are starting the next phase of installing the windows, doors, electricity, plumbing, and interior walls and platform with the baptistry. We have already purchased 200 chairs.
We still must raise the funds to build the walls of the four new classrooms, complete the bathrooms, and install a septic system and a water cistern.
Thank you to all who have given toward this project. We rejoice in all that God has allowed us to accomplish and look forward to completing this first phase, including the primary church building, bathrooms, septic and water systems, in the coming weeks.
We had another mass evangelism outreach in the city of Arequipa in July. A team from our church with the coordination of other churches in Lima and Arequipa were able to distribute 200,000 Gospel tracts and tens of thousands of New Testaments and whole Bibles. Many were saved as our people preached on the streets, in police stations, hospitals, government buildings and schools.
We will be doing this again in October in Piura, another city in the north of Peru. We are thrilled to be able to reach out all over Peru with the Gospel. Thank you to Faith Baptist Church in Tacoma, WA, Pastor Mark Smith, and Spanish pastor Gabriel Duran for all of their support and help in providing the Bibles for these two outreaches.
In August, my family and a large group from Efata traveled to Arequipa on a mission trip to visit one of our missionaries, Wilder and Ruth Rojas. It was such a blessing to help them in their new mission church and provide clothing and toys to their community and preach the Gospel. After our visit, Bro. Wilder called me to inform me that the attendance at the church had more than doubled and they were completely out of space. We were able to increase his support so he could rent the other half of the building he has been renting.
Right after our mission trip, we had Music Camp at Efata. More than 70 students, both adults and young people, participated. Bro. Joan Zamora was our primary instructor. Two young ladies from the US and others from Peru helped teach voice, violin, piano, and other instruments. I decided to take up the trumpet again after almost 28 years. It has been fun. Two weeks later, I had the honor to play the trumpet in a special with Joseph at the piano, Joy (visiting from the States) playing clarinet, Jessica playing the viola and Jennifer the violin. I am still learning but it was beautiful!
The first week of September, Efata hosted Pastor’s School for International Baptist Church of Peru. This was an intense week where preachers and leaders from many cities in Peru and other countries come for pastoral training and preaching. Experienced Pastors and missionaries from Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the US. come and preach and teach. We housed well over 80 people at Efata. Hundreds attended, many were saved and many other decisions for Christ were made.
I am in the States for the month of September interpreting in mission conferences all over GA for Pastor Henry Vasquez, our national pastor in Chancay (for whom we are building the church) and a national pastor from Bolivia.
Family News
God is blessing our family; our children are keeping busy in school and church activities. Thank you for your needed prayers.
Es maravilloso saber que Dios existe, y que es galardonador de los que le buscan. Esta declaración de Hebreos 11:6 ha sido una torre de fortaleza para mí y me ha ayudado a aumentar mi fe fundamental y mi confianza en mi Biblia y en mi Salvador. Doy gracias a Dios por estos “puñados a propósito” que Él nos da en nuestro camino de vida y fe.
Al momento de escribir esta carta, mi familia y yo nos estamos preparando para regresar a Perú después de tres meses de una licencia corta pero extremadamente ocupada. Para cuando lea esta carta, estaremos en casa y finalizando nuestra Conferencia Misionera en Efata. Estamos muy emocionados de tener al pastor español Fabio Betancourth como nuestro orador especial de la Iglesia Bíblica Bautista de Bradenton, FL.
En este breve viaje logramos varios objetivos importantes.
Participamos e interpretamos la Conferencia de Siervos en la iglesia hispana de First Baptist Church, Hammond, IN, para un joven mexicano sordo que asistió.
Vimos a nuestros dos nuevos nietos que nacieron durante este viaje.
Asistimos a la graduación de Joy del seminario.
Nos encontramos con la mayoría de nuestros hijos y parientes en los Estados Unidos.
Viajamos más de 15,000 millas y visitamos a muchas de las iglesias que nos apoyan y a varias nuevas.
Asistí a todas mis citas médicas con mi seguro militar.
Una de las metas más maravillosas que pudimos cumplir es la recaudación de fondos para el nuevo templo para nuestra misión en Chancay, Perú, dos horas y media al norte de nuestra ubicación en Villa El Salvador, Lima.
¡Cómo Dios ha provisto a través de ustedes, nuestras maravillosas iglesias y amigos que nos apoyan! Recaudamos los $25,000 iniciales para la Fase 1 de la construcción del edificio de la iglesia, que ya se encuentra en avance. Esto aliviará la presión de parte del propietario del edificio que actualmente alquilamos, el cual ya nos quitó la mitad del espacio que usábamos.
Una vez que el auditorio de la iglesia esté terminado, estaremos trabajando en los cuatro salones y los baños. Si quisieras ayudarnos con esta segunda fase sería de gran bendición. En esta carta, he incluido algunas fotos para que puedas ver el progreso.
En cuanto al colegio de sordos, nuestro alumnado incrementó de 5 el año pasado después de la reapertura a 23 este año. Tenemos la intención de reabrir nuestra escuela secundaria el próximo año, y trabajamos para lograr ese objetivo. Oren por esta parte indispensable de nuestro ministerio en Lima.
Las campañas evangelísticas en Piura y Arequipa se retrasaron por problemas aduaneras con los contenedores de Biblias – ¡Típico Perú! Oren que consigamos los contenedores y reprogramar nuestras fechas para esos eventos.
Noticias de la familia
Nuestros niños están deseando volver a casa. Aman el Perú mucho más que estar en Estados Unidos.
Fue maravilloso ver a nuestros dos nuevos nietos. el 7º de Julianne y Frank, Daniel Jedediah; y el 1º de Judson y Valeria, Joshua Ryan. Hasta la fecha, 15 nietos. ¡SOMOS BENDECIDOS!
Sepan que realmente estamos agradecidos por todos ustedes, nuestras iglesias e individuos que nos apoyan. Si Dios quiere, en nuestro próximo permiso podremos ver a aquellos que no pudimos visitar esta vez. No hubo suficiente tiempo. Les damos la bienvenida a que nos visiten.
It is wonderful to know that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. This statement from Hebrews 11:6 has been a strong tower of strength to me and has helped me increase my foundational faith and confidence in my Bible and my Savior. I thank God for these “handfuls of purpose” that He gives us on our life-faith journey.
As of the writing of this letter, my family and I are preparing to leave to return to Peru after three months of a short but extremely busy furlough. By the time you read this letter, we will be home and wrapping up our Mission Conference at Efata. We are so thrilled to have Spanish Pastor Fabio Betancourth coming as our special speaker from Bible Baptist Church of Bradenton, FL.
During this short furlough we were able to accomplish several important goals.
We were able to participate and interpret the Servant’s Conference at First Baptist Church, Hammond’s Spanish church for a Deaf Mexican young man who attended.
We were able to see our two new grandsons that were born during this furlough.
We were able to go to Joy’s Graduation from Bible College.
We were able to see most of our kids and family in the US.
We traveled over 15,000 miles and visited many of our supporting churches and several new ones.
I was able to take care of all my medical appointments with the VA.
One of the most awesome goals we were able to fulfill is the raising of more funds for the new church we are building for our mission work in Chancay, Peru, two-and-a-half hours north of our Lima location.
My, how God has provided through you, our wonderful supporting churches and friends. We were able to raise the initial $25,000 for Phase 1 to build the church building which is under construction as I am writing this. This is going to relieve the pressure from the landlord taking back over half the building they currently rent.
Once the church auditorium is done, we will be working on the four classrooms and the bathrooms. If you would like to help us with this second phase, it would be a great blessing. In this letter, I have included some pictures so you can see the progress.
Regarding the Deaf school, we increased our students from 5 last year after we reopened to 23 this year. We plan to open our High School again next year, and we are working towards that goal. Please pray for this very necessary part of our ministry in Lima.
The mass evangelism outreaches in Piura and Arequipa have been delayed due to Customs issues for the containers with the Bibles – Typical Peru! Pray we can get the containers in and reschedule our dates for the events.
Family News
Our children are looking forward to going home. They love Peru much more than being in the States.
It was so wonderful to see our two new grandsons. Julianne & Frank’s seventh, Daniel Jedediah; and Judson and Valeria’s first, Joshua Ryan. Thus, so far 15 grandkids. WE ARE BLESSED!
Please know we truly are grateful for all of you, our supporting churches and individuals. Lord willing, on our next furlough, we will be able to see those we were not able to visit this time around. There just was not enough time. You are more than welcome to come and visit us.
