Margos-Yarowilca-Lauricocha Quechua

A team of 5 from New Life Church in Asheville NC will be serving in and around Baños, Huánuco through Sunday the 18th. Pray for us as we travel and work with the local pastor, Asuncion. This is a new SC church so they will be also be researching and building relationships with the people. Pray for Steve, Andrey, Casey, Lylia and Reynaldo as well as Mijail and Yolanda our interpreters. You can hear  the Word in this beautiful Quechua dialect by going to Itunes and searching "Quechua Margos Biblia."
(Above is a map of Huánuco with Baños in the lower left quadrant.)

McCall - South Carolina Team - On the Road Again

The McCall team has been serving in the Ocros District since early August. Pray for their health and safety as they return to serve in Cajamarquilla and Rajan until mid-December. It is raining here as if it were January and it is difficult to negotiate the mountain roads. Also they request that you pray for the people they will encounter. Pray for open hearts and that they will have a desire to know the Truth the team will bring to them.
(Pictured above are Josh, Seth, and interpreters Jose and Daniel.)

Vischongo, Ayacucho

Tomorrow a team from North Arkansas will make the long journey from Lima to Ayacucho and then minister in the village of Vischongo for a week. Pray for the team as they continue to build relationships. Pray that they will be able to connect with the few Believers they met on previous trips. Pray that God will call out Believers who will lead during the teams absence.
(Photo credit – BBC)

Yauyos Quechua

This past week a team from Mississippi, Texas, Ohio and Peru traveled to the Yauyos Province south of Lima to conduct medical clinics, teach the children and to minister. Despite a teacher’s strike and an area wide sports event the trip went well. One of the highlights was discipleship training with a faithful and attentive group of Believers and house church leaders from various communities. Please pray for Rudy, Noé, Angel, Marcelo, Delila, Rocio, Margot and Janet as they continue to meet and study God’s word. Pray they will remain faithful as they face persecution from those who do not yet know God’s Truths. Pray for Percy and Maura as they continue to guide, encourage and disciple them. There are about 6,500 Yauyos Quechua speakers remaining and it is very unlikely they will ever see the Word in their heart language. Pray that they will be able to understand His Word in spite of this.

Ridge, Chillicothe and Lifepoint

The team representing Ridge, Chillicothe and Lifepoint churches has arrived safely and are now serving in Pararin, Tapacocha and Cotoparaco. They have already been welcomed with open arms! This is a vision trip for the Ridge crew. Pray for them as they discern God's will for them in missions whether it be Peru or another part of the world. Pray for the leaders of the 3 groups as they make many decisions this week concerning the ministry.
(Photo above is translator Jerry interpreting a Bible story to the ladies of Tapacocha.)

Training Pastors and Leaders

This week a team of 5 from Ingleside Church of Macon, Georgia and 3 from Training Pastors International will be serving in the Santa Cruz District. Ingleside has been a long-time partner here in the Huaylas Valley and are now implementing their exit strategy. As they do so, they are offering an on-site seminary for pastors and leaders.
Pray:  for the leaders of the district - that they will commit and be faithful to this unique opportunity. Pray for wisdom and guidance for Jaime H. as he leads the TPI team. There is a lot of unrest here. Pray that the impending strikes will not prohibit the teams as they travel each day to the training site. Pray for our translators: Erick, Humberta and Carlos. Pray for the Ingleside team: David, Robert, Cortney, Jamie and Janice.
(Pictured above are area Believers in Huancarhuaz.)

Lifepoint to Cotoparaco, Tapacocha & Pararin

A team of  5 from Lifepoint Church of Delaware, OH will soon return to their place of ministry in the Cordillera Negra. Pray for Team Leader Jonathan, Brian, Megan, Ryan and Christine as they prepare and serve next week. Specifically they ask that you pray for:

NOW - :  Pray that God is preparing the hearts of the villagers to be open to hearing what He has in store for them next week.  Pray for the team that God is working to help us stay focused on Him and what He wants us to do….not that we do what we want.

Saturday: Safe travels as the team flies from Columbus to Washington DC to Miami and into Lima.  That the three flights line up with no delays getting into Lima.

Sunday: Safe travels on the 5-8 hour drive from Lima into the Andes Mountains.  For protection of the team from altitude illness and any other ailments.  That the villages would be excited and welcoming of us and accommodations are made for our first night.

Monday:  This is truly the first day that the team has in the villages.  Pray that God gives the team strength to share His message. Pray that He opens doors to allow us to share His message and that the team is responsive to what God wants us to do.  That people in the village are present and are available to listen and share.

Tuesday:  Pray that the team is listening to God and takes advantage of doors that He opens.  Pray that the children of the village warm up to the team quickly and want to engage in sporting events (soccer/volleyball).  That window allows the team share Bible Scripture and how God has impacted our lives.  Pray that God opens doors in the schools to let the team talk with teachers and students in an educational setting.

Wednesday:  Pray that God allows us to talk with the government officials in the villages of Tapacocha, Cotaporacho, and Pararin.  That God uses the team to encourage them, continue to build relationships, and point them towards God.

Also, pray for their translator, Luigi, as he serves with the team.

(Pictured above is Moises, Doris and family. Moises, a local school teacher, is currently leading the group of Believers in the area.)

Outreach to Children and Farmers

On Friday a team of 5 from the lovely hamlet of Jesup, Georgia will arrive in Yungay. Translating for them will be Anibal and David. They will be working with Pastor Joel and his wife Hilda. Pray that the Lord will use them in a mighty way to reach the children in the after school Bible club and the farmers in their fields. Also, pray for safe travel as they fly to Lima then Anta.
(Pictured above is a Peruvian farmer with his wooden, hand-made plow. They are far more of these than tractors.)

Beautiful Feet

64 of them from FBC Yazoo City MS, Iquitos and Lima will arrive in Huaraz to serve in the Huaylas Valley. They will serve in the city, the Recuay area and in the Cordillera Negra. They will work will children, sing, preach, lead Bible studies and worship and may even paint a local church. It should be an exciting week.
Pray that we will all be patient with one another! The logistics are overwhelming! Pray that the team will quickly make relationships with the people they serve and through His power they will truly see Jesus in us.

For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you. 2 Corinthians 13:4
(Photo credit http://hisfirefly.blogspot.com/)

Ingleside to Santa Cruz & Macate

Today a team of 3 with Javier, Jaime and Zosimo arrived in Huaraz. Tomorrow we will travel down the valley then up to the Santa Cruz District where the pastors and leaders will be waiting. The team asks that you pray for 1. The Word Pastor Jaime of TPI will be well received . 2. The Believers will be encouraged and challenged. 3. The pastors and leaders will be receptive to the opportunity to participate in the on-site seminary. 4. That the vet clinic will provide opportunities to share the gospel. Thanks so much to all of you who will lift the team in prayer. (Pictured above is the community of Tzactza where the kiwicha is nearing harvest time.)

Ellen, Faithful Servant

This morning a faithful and precious servant went home to Jesus. I first met Ellen Wroughton in June of 2001 on a short-term mission trip to the Northern Conchucos Valley of Peru. She became an inspiration and no doubt, played a part in me being here in full time service. Her husband, Jim, Ellen and their daughters, Katherine and Elizabeth, lived here in Huaraz and Pomabamba for many years as Jim translated the New Testament into Northern Conchucos Quechua. Translating the Word is difficult enough, but they did this during one of Peru’s darkest and most dangerous times. Not even the Sendero Luminoso could shake her faith, even when one of their bullets lodged in the wall of one of the girl’s bed. She viewed it as satan trying to stop the translation and remained faithful to her call. May we be found as faithful as Ellen. Please pray for Jim, Katherine and Elizabeth in the days ahead.

Connecting & Encouraging

One of the greatest blessings of life here in Peru is getting to know and work with National Partners and other missionaries.  They are an encouragement to us and hopefully we are an encouragement to them. We need to support each other because we serve in a culture that is often resistant to the message we bring and to us, the messengers. Pray for National Partners and especially for the ones shown above as they plan for a group coming in May.
Shown above are Markus (church planter) , Cristian (pastor) , Victor (pastor) and Humberta (translator and leader).

Ancash Research

Leaving today for the uttermost parts of Ancash are two student missionaries and their translator. Jared, Jacob and Martin will be traveling for the next three months conducting research in areas that we know little about. Pray for their safety and health. Pray they will easily build relationships with the Northern and Southern Conchucos Quechua as they try to determine the health of the Church in these areas.
(Pictured above are Martin and Jared.)

North Carolina in Recuay

Already ministering this week in the Huaylas is a team from North Carolina. They have been leading Bible studies and ministering among the poorest areas in the Recuay area. Please pray for them this week and next as they faithfully serve and seek more opportunities to share with others. Pray for understanding by those who hear the truth from God’s Word.
(Pictured above is Phillip, Erick, their translator, Earl, René, and Marshall.)

UPDATE – The team was in town today to resupply and shared the news of 3 men who expressed an interest to follow Christ. Two of the men came to the Bible study the next day. During Q & A time, the men wanted to know more about security of the believer and speaking in tongues. Salvation by works is believed by many here and the charismatic movement has become more broad spread in the last two years. Pray for Phillip and Earl as they share what the Bible says about these topics.

2012 Conference Recap

I am happy to report that this years conference was a success! Believers came from the coast, mountains and jungle to be fed, to learn and be encouraged. We are thankful for many things but especially:
1. Dr. Joselito Orellana and Dr. David Sills (a fellow Mississippian) who met the challenge of presenting the lessons in a manner that could be grasped by farmers and seminary graduates. Not an easy task.
2. Pastor Andrés Caller of La Iglesia Evangélica Centro Bautista and more than 40 of his flock who dedicated their hearts and many hours of their time. A number of them left their jobs to serve before and during the conference: planning, cooking, feeding, providing worship music and many other aspects of service.
3. To our translators - who bridged the language gap. They were and are an indispensable and incredible blessing.
4. Ingleside Baptist Church of Macon, GA., the sponsoring church in the U.S. - for also giving guidance, counseling, providing child care and for bathing the conference in prayer before and during the conference. They are a long-time partner yet still humble and willing to learn.
5. And we are thankful to Our Heavenly Father, for by & through Him, all things are possible!
(A highlight of the conference was the baptism of two new believers by Pastor Jaime, a true hero of the faith, pictured above.)
Thanks so much to those of you who prayed! I know there were many.

7th Regional Conference

Excitement is building in anticipation of the annual conference this week. This is a time for learning but also encouragement to those who have chosen to break from their culture and follow Him. The team asks for prayers for the following:
1.      First and foremost, that the Lord would receive the glory and honor due Him—and Him alone;
2.      That through the conference, men and women, boys and girls, would be encouraged and their faith strengthened, and that they (II Tim. 2:2) would be equipped to teach others;
3.      That God would continue to clothe the Church in the Huaylas area, and beyond, with the full armor of God to enable it to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:11);
4.      For Drs. Sills and Orellano and Pastor Andres (and the other speakers), that God would anoint their teaching and fill them w/ His Spirit;
5.      For traveling mercy, for unity and health among our group, for the fellowship time among the believers that it would be rich and joyful, restoring the soul; and
6.      For the translators, that their every word would be bathed in the Spirit of God, with His full anointing and power.
Thanks so much to those of you who are faithful in praying.
Pictured above are some of the people we will be serving, the speakers, our translators and some of the team members from Ingleside Baptist Church, Georgia. (Thanks to my son, Will Smith, for designing the composite.)

Manna Ministries

Pictured above is Pastor Wilmer, his son Daniel and wife Marisol along with translator Freddy and Tony of Manna Ministries.
Manna Ministries has been ministering in the Aija Valley since October of 2004 and Wilmer and family have been serving there since October of 2011. Tomorrow they will travel to visit the various churches and believers.
Wilmer asks that you pray for safe travel and good health in the days ahead. He travels the area on motorcycle and often the roads are difficult to negotiate. He also asks that you pray he will grow in wisdom as he leads the ministry there.