Jun 15, 2013 | Prayer Letters
Dear Friends and Family,
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1 Timothy 1
These past two months have been very busy in many ways at Efata Ministries. We rejoice in what the Lord is doing in and through our service here in Peru. I am thankful to God that He has counted me faithful in putting me in the ministry.
Ministry News
The new mission work in Tablada is doing great. We are averaging over 50 every Sunday. We started the work in March and now are looking for another place to meet. The building we are renting is not large enough to house our growth. Please pray for God´s provision in this area.
On May 19th we celebrated the church’s 36th anniversary. That was a wonderful time, with 400 in attendence! Souls were saved, and we rejoice in what the Lord is going to do during this new year of service to Him. It has been wonderful to watch as Deaf and hearing belivers worship together.
The Bible College is going well. We have six students and one more will join next semester. Two are Deaf. It has been difficult for them as we do not lower our academic standards just because they are Deaf. Deaf or hearing, If they are unable to complete college level work then we have a wonderful Bible institute program for them.We are enjoying our annual mission conference June 12th – 16th.
Pastor Luis Ramos from Bible Baptist Church in San Luis, Potosi, Mexico will be our special speaker. What a humble and honorable man of God he is! We count it a privilege to have him speak this year on a theme that is very near to his heart and ours.
We are praying about our next church mission plant in an area called José Galvez. Please pray that we will be sensitive to God´s leading and timing in this matter. We are currently praying and planning so we would be honored if you would pray with us.
The Christian school is in full swing, and we have several new young students to invest into. On June 6th, the school celebrated its 43rd anniversary. I thank God for the dedicated staff and teachers that God has given us over the years. Many deaf children and their parents have been saved through this ministry. The Deaf community in Peru as a whole has greatly benefited from our faithful years of service and teaching. The government now has a pilot school based largely on our education model.
Family News
We enjoyed having James home for a few weeks from College. He just jumps in and helps anywhere he is needed. It is nice to have the whole family together. We were able to update our family picture.
In May, Lisa and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. What a blessing to have arrived at this wonderful milestone of married life. We really did not do much as we are saving for a trip to Israel next year with Falls Baptist Church and Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen, Jr. I have been to Israel twice in years past and now, Lord willing, I will be able to take my wife for the first time.
Julianne is courting a wonderful man named Frank Miller from Labelle, FL. I was the assistant pastor at his church under the leadership of his father Bob Miller for several years before going to the mission field. Frank is a fine young man dedicated to the Lord and serving faithfully in his church. Our families continue to pray for them in this biblical journey of assuring God’s will as they seek to glorify God in this process of courting for marriage.
Joseph continues to be a blessing as he works hard in the school as a teacher and is equally dedicated to the new church plant in Tablada. He has many ministry irons in the fire. We are praying about when the timing would be right for him to go on deputation to raise support to become an full-time official missionary, not just a student missionary.
The rest of the family is doing well and growing and maturing. Jared has some important decisions to make regarding his future, so please pray for him to be open to what the Lord wants for him.
Thank you once again for your faithful support and care for our family and for Efata Ministries. Please pray for God’s provision financially as well. It is hard, as we all know. However, we also know God is fully in control and has the resources we need in according to His will.
God Bless,
Bro. Joe & Lisa,
Joseph, Julianne, James, Jared, Judson,
Joy, John, Joel, Jessica, Jennifer
Apr 3, 2013 | Prayer Letters
Dear Friends and Family,
To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: – Col 1:27
What an incredible first quarter this has been. We greatly rejoice in what the Lord is doing in our lives and ministry. Our desire is to walk in Christ as we serve the Lord here in Peru, truly making Christ known in ourselves!
Ministry News
Our church has been praying and planning to plant a new church in an area called the Tablada. On Sunday March 3rd we had our first service. It was a great blessing. There were souls saved and there was not even standing room available. Our church has really been a great support for this new church plant. Please pray that we will be able to find the right piece of property to permanently establish the church. We are currently meeting in a very small space we are renting that holds about 50.
This year, a couple from our church and my wife and I had the honor of attending the Victory Conference at Falls Baptist Church in Milwaukee, WI. That is where our son James is going to college at Baptist College of Ministry. What a spirit-filled and exciting conference that was! The couple from my church was greatly impacted, as were we. Following that conference, we hosted our annual Fires of Evangelism Conference here in Lima. The preaching was tremendous. Pastors Gil Torres from Lighthouse Baptist Church in Lemon Grove, CA and Pastor Jose Agüero from Independent Baptist Church in the Dominican Republic both representing the Fires of Evangelism team were joined by Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen Jr. From Falls Baptist Church. Many decisions were made and several souls saved. There was a great spirit among the pastors who came from all over Peru.
In March we started our formal Bible College at Efata. We have just a few students, but we are looking forward to what the Lord will be doing in their lives and ours as we train these wonderful young people and invest in them for the Lord.
Our Christian school for the Deaf started again in March as well. We are looking forward to a Christ-honoring year of investing in young deaf children’s lives for the Lord.
Family News
Everyone is keeping very busy. Joseph had been a blessed help in the deaf school. This is his first year as a primary teacher and he is prepared and excited. He has also been helping in the preparations for the Bible College, Church music ministry and youth ministry here at Efata. He is leading a youth Bible study for the new church plant.
Julianne has begun a courtship relationship with a wonderful young man from LaBelle, FL. Please pray for God’s leading in this and for wisdom for both sets of parents. His name is Frank Miller. We have known Frank for many years; I was his father’s assistant pastor before going into missions. Julianne is teaching sixth grade for our children and the staff children this year.
James is doing great in college. He is working hard and doing well in his classes. During our visit for the conference, many people came and told his mother and me how much of a blessing he is there. James is working to help establish a growing Spanish ministry there at Falls Baptist while working and studying.
Jared and Judson were a wonderful help for our Fires conference. It was great to see all of my older children helping, interpreting, singing and serving with a wonderful spirit of joy and service.
The little guys are growing and learning as always. Lisa is teaching first and second grades for our children and the staff children, and she is praying for help.
I received a clean bill of health from my annual VA Clinic physical in Fort Myers. That was a pleasant surprise!
Please pray for Lisa’s father, Ray Judd, who is going through some serious medical issues right now.
Please continue to pray for this wonderful ministry. Thank you for your support and care. We are looking forward to watching God work next quarter in our lives individually and as a church family!
God Bless,
Bro. Joe & Lisa,
Joseph, Julianne, James, Jared, Judson,
Joy, John, Joel, Jessica, Jennifer
Dec 25, 2012 | Prayer Letters
Dear Friends and Family,
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
– John 8:32
We praise God for allowing us to share the truth with others here in Peru! The year-end holidays bring many extra opportunities to reach out as people’s hearts are more tender and sometimes very lonely. The true Gospel transforms lives!
Ministry News
One of our goals for 2013 is to start a new church in an area called Tablada (pictured above), where we currently have a bus route. We have been visiting this area heavily for the past several weeks and have seen many people saved. Please pray that God will give us guidance on exactly where to start the new church and provide the funds necessary for a new church plant. We currently have two cell groups meeting during the week in this area.
There are so many Jehovah’s Witnesses falsely indoctrinating both the deaf and hearing. To help our people, I have prepared a series of messages against this false cult. One deaf man was saved last week after learning about the truth. He had been studying with them. As the verse above states, the truth does set you free!
Rebecca Houghton and our children’s choir completed a wonderful music CD with 42 songs from her students that span many years of teaching in Mexico, the U.S, and Peru. Our children did a great job working very hard and long together to complete this lifelong ministry dream of Miss Rebecca. Praise the Lord for a job well done and for beautiful children’s music for the Spanish world.
I have had the opportunity to preach several conferences in other cities as well as here in Lima during this quarter. We have seen many encouraged and saved. The last conference was a family conference, and on the final Sunday morning, the altar was filled with families that came together to pray and weep and forgive. Pray as we go to Huancayo in January and Iquitos in February to teach and preach.
This year’s sixth grade class
The 2012 school year has come to an end. Many of the deaf children in the residential school are going home for the summer and will return the first week of March to start anew. Please pray for them that God will keep them safe; some are not going back to ideal home circumstances. We praise God for souls saved this year in the school, both of students and parents.
We have nine deaf children from 17 down to 2 years old who call Efata home. Please pray for these children as we show them Christ’s love and care. One young girl is in the process of being adopted by a Christian family in the States. Please pray for God to have His will in this process.
Family News
Our children are staying very busy. They have spent a great deal of time practicing with the choir for our Christmas cantata. Of course, there is a great deal of school to get done! We are enjoying the birthday season, as well. Over the past three months, James turned 19, Jared turned 17, I got older (smile!), Judson turned 15, and John will turn 9. Wow! Three more to go next quarter!
James completed his first semester of Bible College at Baptist College of Ministry in Wisconsin. He will spend Christmas at his grandparents’ home in Missouri. This will be his first Christmas away from the family.
Thank you so very much for your continued support and prayers for the work we are doing among the Deaf and hearing of Peru and beyond.
Thank you also for the Christmas offerings. They have helped us make this a very special time for all here at Efata. We look forward to a wonderful new year of opportunities to serve the Lord.
Please feel free to follow me on Twitter at @JoeFKotvas, the only social media I like – short & to the point!
God Bless,
Bro. Joe & Lisa,
Joseph, Julianne, James, Jared, Judson,
Joy, John, Joel, Jessica, Jennifer
Oct 12, 2012 | Prayer Letters
Dear Friends and Family,
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. – 2Cor 4:3-4
Over the past few weeks I have been encouraged in the work of the Lord to know that the “Light of the glorious gospel of Christ” is definitely no going out. Amidst all of the trouble and economic struggles our country is facing, God is still moving and working in and through his people. Though our support continues to decline and the exchange rate continues to drop out of our favor, I am reminded that God is in control and provides for His work.
Ministry News
I had the tremendous privilege to be a part of a wonderful international mission conference in San Luis Potosí, Mexico at the Bible Baptist Church of San Luis Potosi. This church is pastored by one of the most humble servants of God that I know – Pastor Luis Ramos. He is a pastor with a vision and a heart for people all over the world and has a stunning ministry. It was a distinct honor to share the pulpit with many outstanding Spanish national and American pastors and missionaries working all around the world. Presenting their fields of service where Mexican missionaries that represented 21 foreign mission fields such as Israel, Turkey, Equatorial Guinea, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela, Columbia as well as others.
I was able to see how God is moving amongst Spanish speaking nationals to shine the Light of the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the world. I have been in many missions conferences in the United States and other countries, but never have I seen the burden, passion and commitment that I experienced in this conference. I thank God that I was privileged to participate. 115 young people were called to missions and 105 pastors and missionaries from all over the world pledged together to pray and do all we can for world missions.
My desire here in Peru is to continue to preach and encourage our Peruvian national preachers and missionaries to have the same passion and drive to reach this world. As God wakes up the Spanish world to become a leader in world missions, we have a great responsibility to continue to train and work side by side with our Spanish brethren as EQUALS to reach this world for Christ. American missionaries are becoming more and more marginalized in the world and we do not have the access and influence in many countries that we once had. We all know the reasons for this and I am not here to focus on that. My point is, we need to do more to invest in our very capable and spirit filled Spanish brethren while we still have the economic ability to do so, that they may develop the infrastructures necessary to train and equip their national missionaries to go to the world; especially countries that we as Americans are hindered from going.
My dear brethren, sadly many of our American pastor brethren do no look upon Spanish pastors and missionaries with the same respect and quality that they look upon our own. Our Spanish brethren have the same God, the same Savior and the same Holy Spirit. Many are doing incredible works in very difficult spiritual and economic circumstances that rival our American churches. It is time they were looked upon them as spiritual and ministerial equals in the work of the Lord. It is my personal opinion that the torch of the Gospel is passing from America to Spanish speaking America and God is blessing with a great spiritual moving in the Spanish speaking world.
Here in Peru, we continue to see people saved and baptized and the church is steadily moving forward. Pray as we are moving in the next few months to start a new mission church from Efata in an area of Lima called Tablada de Lurin. We have a bus route there are currently hosting cell groups for adults and young people in that area.
The Lord has privileged me to preach in several conferences and anniversaries here in Peru. I am doing all I can to encourage pastors, missionaries and church families to be active participants in God’s ministry of reconciliation and to have an intense passion for souls, missions and solid Christian families.
Family News
The family is doing well. James is greatly enjoying his studies at Baptist College of Ministry in WI, and Joseph is working hard in our ministry on many fronts, in the school, with music and training and with interpreting.
Thank you so very much for your continued support and prayers for the work we are doing amongst the Deaf and hearing of Peru and beyond.
Please feel free to follow me on Twitter at @JoeFKotvas, the only social media I like – Short & to the point!
God Bless,
Bro. Joe & Lisa,
Joseph, Julianne, James, Jared, Judson,
Joy, John, Joel, Jessica, Jennifer
Jul 2, 2012 | Prayer Letters
Dear Friends and Family,
Mark 7:37 states “he hath done all things well…” God does all things well! We are so thankful that He has saved us, and chosen to use us in His ministry.
Efata Baptist Church in Peru was blessed to celebrate its 35th anniversary on the 20th of May. Though we are in the states on Furlough these five months, I was able to fly back and share in this special time. We saw about 5 saved. Praise the Lord for fruit. We really enjoyed Pastor Joel Marsh – Spanish Pastor of Westgate Baptist Church, Tampa, FL and Dr. Bill Schutt – Former Deaf Pastor of First Baptist Church, Hammond, IN, coming down as our special speakers. When we think about the growth that God has given, it reminds us that He is Lord of the harvest and we thank Him for the laborers that He has sent.
Through the vision of a deaf man many years ago, God has worked and continued to bless and has allowed us to build upon this foundation and many deaf and hearing Peruvians have been gloriously saved. We thank God for the faithful Peruvian and American Staff we have laboring with us. Our labor is not in vain because it is in Him.
We ask your prayer for a Peruvian couple, Pastor Henry Vasquez and his wife Mirian. He took a work last January in the jungle of Pucallpa, and did a tremendous job working with the Deaf and hearing. His wife is suffering some very serious health issues, and her doctor said that she should not even be alive, her heart is very weak. We ask that you intercede with us in prayer, that she might be able to get strong enough to have several tumors removed that have caused her much pain. Please pray that God will give her a full recovery, and that they might continue to serve God together if it is His will. They have two teenage children.
The Christian school has had many adjustments to make, yet we have seen more fruit this year alone in families through the labor in this ministry. Over 30 parents have come to know Christ.
We thank God also for the fruit that we see in the children’s home, residential school ministry as well. Over the past four years, we have seen five children adopted into Christian families, and they have experienced a marvelous picture of what God does in our lives when we come to know Christ. We were reminded of this recently when a little girl received a birth certificate, a brand new name, a new life, hope, and joy. The other children are doing well, and we love being able to care for them as God would have us to do, sharing His agape love with them. Laboring, but, NOT in vain.
We thank God for the Pregnancy Crisis Center. We have a couple with their beautiful baby daughter who now are saved, baptized, and worship God with us in Efata Baptist Church, whose newly formed family is a God-given picture of the mystery that is Christ and his church. Praise God for the influence that our Pro Life Center has had, and please pray that God will extend this influence.
Our family is very excited to get back to Peru the 11th of July. These five months have been a great blessing, to be able to visit some of our supporting churches, and present our ministry in some new churches as well. It will be hard to go back without our daughter Julianne, 20, and James, 18 who are staying up in Mukwonago, WI, preparing to go to Baptist College of Ministry this fall. We love them greatly and are glad that they are preparing to serve the Lord.
Joseph, our oldest has decided to come down with us to Peru to work a 2 year internship in Efata. He graduated with honors in May from College and is excited about coming down and doing hands on in our Christian Deaf School, and with the young people in the church. Our other children have enjoyed their travels in the USA but are all looking forward to getting back.
I have taken the plunge into this new modern social networking world. I now have a twitter account and you can follow me at @JoeFKotvas. Efata Ministries has a Facebook page at Efata Ministries. It is updated fairly regularly but mostly in Spanish. However, there are always pictures being posted so you can see what’s going on.
Thank you all once again for your care for us and the ministry of God in which we are privileged to serve.
Blessings to all,
Joe & Lisa
Joseph, Julianne, James, Jared, Judson,
Joy, John, Joel, Jessica, Jennifer
Apr 5, 2012 | Prayer Letters
Ministry News
This has been a very busy time for us, both at Efata and now as we are in the States until July, reporting in many of our supporting churches and presenting the work in Peru to several new churches.
In January we had our Fires of Evangelism conference. This year, the focus was on the family – and what a conference it was! Many good decisions were made and several received Christ as Savior. In February we had several meetings with the Ministry of Education to help collaborate on Deaf education here in Peru. These meetings were positive but we still need much prayer for this country in this area. We have 5 new students in the school which started again in March. Pray for them and their families!
On Feb. 18th, we arrived back in the States and hit the ground running. We truly enjoyed spending a few days with our Pastor and home church. We love our church and are so thankful for our pastor and his tremendous help as we prepared to come to the States for this furlough.
We are currently visiting many of our supporting churches and enjoying the blessing of visiting new churches and meeting some very wonderful people who have helped us along the way. While visiting one new church, I had the privilege to lead a Spanish couple to the Lord. What a blessing. The seed had been sown by the wonderful people of that church and I was blessed to add a little water and God gave the increase.
Family News
In May Joseph will be graduating from Bible College. We are so proud of him and excited about what the Lord is going to do in his life. He will be graduating with a degree in Secondary Ed., with a focus in Music, English, and Special Education. He is praying about getting his Master’s Degree and we are excited for this possibility. After that, Lord willing, he plans to come home to Peru and work with us as a missionary.
This year we had the privilege of going to Falls Baptist Church in Menominee Falls, WI to attend their Holiness Conference. What a tremendous blessing. James, our second son has decided to attend their college, Baptist College of Ministry, in the fall. We are so thrilled about this. While there, our oldest daughter Julianne also decided that she would like to go to college there. That was not an easy decision for us but we believe it is God’s will. What a thrill! It is going to make things interesting around the house with our three oldest gone, but, it will be a challenge and opportunity for the other children to step up and take the lead.
Thank you to those who have been sacrificially supporting us and the work we are doing in Peru and beyond. God is blessing and we are seeing fruit that abounds to your account.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for Peru! A Philadelphia church with a God-opened door!
- Continue to pray for Efata as we are planning a major open-air campaign for Easter. Also, I will be going down in May for the 35th anniversary of our church. Pray for all the activities and opportunities to reach people for the Lord.
- Pray for the construction of the new church building in our mission in Pucallpa. Praise the
Lord for a five thousand dollar donation for this project!
- Pray for our missionary pastor Henry Vasquez and especially his wife Miriam who is going through some very serious health issues and will probably need surgery.
- Pray that God will help us to raise much needed new support for our ministry and for the Deaf children in our home and school.
- Pray for James and Julianne as they both start these new and exciting preparatory steps in their lives of service for the Lord and pray for Mom and Dad as we adjust to not having them around.
- Pray for continued safety on the road for our family.
- Pray for Missionaries Corey and Melissa Ricker and our entire staff at Efata and for new missionaries Matt and Sarah McKendree as they come down in April to begin serving with us in Peru.
God bless you all,
Bro. Joe & Lisa
Joseph, Julianne, James, Jared, Judson
Joy, John, Joel, Jessica, & Jennifer
