So Long Summer – And Hello Everyone!
Our 2024 summer vacation has just ended and the school year has now begun so I want to update you on some of the exciting activities and events I have had the opportunity to participate in through January and February and let you know about some upcoming ministry opportunities.
New Life Baptist Church Children’s Classes: This summer the Wednesday and Sunday night children’s classes that I teach at New Life Baptist Church have started studying different stories of God’s grace throughout the Bible, beginning with several men and women of the Old Testament. The number of kids in class continues to increase and that is an encouragement because it means the number of adults attending services is also increasing. Because of that I have been in desperate need of help and just last week one of the college and career aged young men in the church has stepped up to help with the Sunday evening classes. .
Thursday & Saturday Manchay Bible Clubs: Each year during the summer we like to help out the families in Manchay by running a program that allows the kids and teens to earn their school supplies by coming to Bible club, showing up on time, listening, learning verses with their meanings, and participating in class. Several of the older kids and teens have gotten very competitive over the last few years, seeing who can memorize the most verses and earn the most points. Yes, the school supplies are a motivator, but they have also enjoyed the friendly competition amongst themselves, specifically trying to beat the one young lady who has had the top score three years in a row. No, they didn’t beat her this year but they sure came close and she got very nervous! We had our reward night just recently on March 7th and the kids enjoyed getting to choose which supplies they wanted, and it always makes them happy to be able to help their families in that way. In the last two months we had 3 new families move into the area and begin participating in Bible club. Between those families there are 12 kids that will continue participating in our preschool and elementary school program on Thursdays and 3 teens who are participating in our teen program on Saturdays.
Sunday Afternoon Río Seco Kid’s Club: The Rio Seco Kid’s club continues to be a highlight of the week for me, but also constitutes quite a burden on my heart. As I mentioned in my last letter, we have moved from meeting in the street to a plot of land that we have been allowed to use. We had leveled the land by the end of the year and we now have shade, wire fencing up to keep the dogs out (and people during the week), and benches to use for class.
This area in Rio Seco experienced some devastating flooding a year ago after heavy rains in the mountains continued downstream and then a cyclone (southern Pacific version of a hurricane) touched land in Lima and then continued to move north into those same mountains where the water returned back downstream into Lima (Rio Seco being part of Lima). Many of the families in the area lost everything but have no where else to go and so they had no choice but to rebuild. We have entered into another summer/fall season, and one in which Peru has been expecting heavier than normal rains with El Niño and so the families have been nervous. As we began Bible club two weeks ago now, it was cloudy out, and as the games went on it began to drizzle and then rain. As the rain got harder around us, the kids began to get very fearful. Parents began to show up, also very fearful, some visibly trembling. We cut the games and song time short and I gave a quick 3 minute lesson about Jesus showing His power over nature and about trusting Him even when we doubt. I kept the language as something a child could understand, but I was speaking to the large group of parents that had gathered as much as to the kids. We then dismissed everyone about 50 minutes early. Please continue to pray for the families of Rio Seco, both the children and their parents, as they continue to heal from the trauma of the flooding last year and that those events and the need for healing would continue to push them toward Christ.
Vacation Bible Schools: This summer God gave me the chance to help out several different churches with their vacation Bible schools. I have been working with the VBS for one church for the last 6 years (with a year off for Covid) and this year was a new adventure for them. They moved locations and while only 5 of the church kids showed up (out of about 10), there were approximately 20 kids from the neighborhood who came each day. We got to share the gospel with them and 2 of them accepted Christ as Savior. There is a group of about 8 of them who are now consistently attending that church.
I was also given the opportunity to organize the VBS for New Life Baptist Church this year. We saw 78 different kids come between the 3 days, averaging 50 each afternoon and we had about 15 people helping us out with the event. The last day we had 7 kids who expressed a desire to accept Christ as Lord and Savior with several others asking great questions but who were not quite ready to make that decision yet. Several of the kids who visited us during VBS have started coming to the kids classes at our church on Sunday and Wednesday nights, so that is a joy to see.
Upcoming Opportunities: Please be praying as I have been given the chance to travel to Piura in April to run a 3 day children’s ministry training seminar for the churches in that area as well as speak for a single ladies evening fellowship. I have also been given the opportunity to travel to another area called Trujillo and do a children’s ministry training conference in that area in either September or October but we are still finalizing those plans, so I do very much covet your prayers.
Thank you all so very much for continuing to support me in prayers, fellowship and finances. I appreciate all you do