Greetings to all in this official letter with
apologies to those who do not use email and so have not had news for a long
time. If you now use email please send me an email and I will add you to the
list.
It’s now almost 2 years since I was home for
treatment for breast cancer and then for my mum. God has been so good to us
both and we are still serving the Lord! So many thanks for your prayers and,
all my family covet your continued prayers as all of us are in or awaiting
treatment – but we know that God has the ultimate word over our lives.
God is great and it’s good to give him thanks
always, not least when things go well!!
D.A.S. Ruth Escobar continues to lead the Social Action Department despite poor health.
CHINCHA: After Francisco sadly had to leave us it was
once again difficult to find someone to fill the gap, so now we have a team
working there twice a week to gather again the folks who were involved in the
project, train them to reach out and ground them in God’s word. Pr. Ariste
leads the teams.
Families
Without Violence: We continue to do regular sessions in Lima and other states, and to
quote one Pastor ‘How I wish I had heard this earlier, I have been counselling
badly my members!’ Violence is a growing problem both inside as well as outside
the church, and for many it’s a surprise to discover what God says in His word
and for some it requires a change of culture….a local folk song goes…the more
he hits me the more he loves me…
Civil Defense: After a long wait we finally got our first course of the ground and they laughed their way through the learning to be confident citizens in disasters (we hope!)
Department for Missions: Pr. Pepe in January was confirmed as director and, along with a new team including Pr. Ariste, held the first retreat for national and international missionaries, a very special time. We also are planning for new outreach programmes.
Extra: I had the privilege of being part of a team which took over an NGO to get it back in order and finish an adult literacy course in Chepen, Libertad. 13 groups survived due to the tenacity of the teachers (most interestingly are Christians) and 125 graduated.
Here are some of them....
1st
Baptist Church Villa El Salvador: continues to grow under Pr. Tito and his wife Mariane, and it’s a joy
to be there and share learn and help when I can.
We have just had a team from the states and
another group of men have been on a men’s camp returning converted, inspired
and resolute to change themselves and be better fathers husbands and citizens.
Is
it all so good?….yes and
no, a lot of heartaches, programmes that did not work out at all or as planned,
opposition from within not just without… But we are called to persevere and not
give up, as God has the victory in His hands.
PLEASE do give thanks for all you have read
because you have been a crucial part of it through your faithful prayers and
giving…
And continue to Pray:
1)
God to
continue to grant me and my family health and strength
2)
Ruth,
Pepe, Ariste as they lead the work, plus Pr. Domingo the convention President.
3)
Wisdom for
all the projects.
4)
That all
the lives touched will truly know and follow Christ and so one by one we can
change our society.
