Water!

Peruvians find an unusual source of water right here in the desert.

Last week one of our blog readers asked a fairly common question: "So where do you get the water for a big city like that?" That's a good question when you consider the enormous population of Lima and the fact that we receive no more than a half inch of rain per year. About 80 percent of Lima's water comes from the Andes mountains located to the east. Much of the water is actually melted ice from the numerous tropical glaciers. It is troubling however to see that these vast ice fields are disappearing. In perhaps as little as ten years there will be no sufficent water source for Lima. Even today about 2 million people in the city of Lima do not have running water.

Peruvians have found a way to get water in the desert. They're "harvesting" it from the clouds! Lima is covered with a thick, damp fog for at least six months of the year. By placing large nets on the mountain tops that run through town, they are actually able to capture the moisture that is in the clouds. In one section of town the nets are being used with great success. A net, about 13 feet high by 26 feet long can capture as much as 150 gallons of water in one day. We can actually see some of these nets in use right here in La Molina where we live. If you'd like to read an interesting article about this creative water source visit the National Geographic News site.

Where are your Umbrellas?

This past week we experienced a rather strange phenomenon here in the desert. It rained! Earlier in the year we were warned that El Niño weather patterns could lead to sporadic rain along the coast. I had to chuckle when I read the local newspaper and saw the headline: "Intense rains to possibly continue throughout the summer." Those "intense" rain showers probably amounted to just enough rain to get the ground wet. Needless to say nobody we know owns an umbrella or rain jacket. In a good year we usually get a total annual rainfall of about 4/10 of an inch.

Last week's rain reminded me of an interesting story. I once heard the tale of a preacher that began his sermon by saying, "Brethren and sisters, here you are coming to pray for rain. I'd just like to ask one question: Where are your umbrellas?" Many times we go to God in prayer with a seemingly impossible request. We mention our requests at church prayer meeting, we share them by email and we mumble some words at family prayer time. But, do we really expect God to hear our prayer? Do we really think He can work out all of the little details in our lives?

As missionaries we constantly ask people to pray. We send out prayer letter updates and email reports. We even have this blog to keep people "in-the-know." We've learned that our prayer warriors are our most important support group. We really do believe in the power of prayer! Are you praying for your missionaries? Do you really belive God can answer your prayers? Next time you're asked to pray you might just want to ask yourself, "Where is my umbrella?"

Covered by His Feathers.

The other day I read a newspaper article that was a little disheartening. It was discussing recently released statistics from Peru's police force. They claimed that within the last year 24 percent of Lima's population has been robbed. The majority of the victims suffered from minor thefts of everyday items like cellphones and wallets. But 20 percent of the victims were robbed in their own homes. The statistics weren't worriesome until they mentioned that La Molina, our home district, had the highest number of home robberies. Television reports claim that a crime takes place every three minutes in the city of Lima. Other reports say that Lima has some of the highest crime rates in all of South America. Despite these troublesome statistics we fill perfectly safe here in Peru!

Isn't it good to know that God is our protector? Psalm 91:3-7 says, Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. We take comfort in knowing that God is our protector here in Peru!

By the way, don't worry, the above picture was taken at a local police park with lots of statues for the kids to enjoy!

The Cheap Seats

Occasionally we take a Saturday morning and head to the beach. We feel blessed because we are only about 35 minutes from our favorite beach. We especially enjoy going now in the early summer season because the beaches are empty. Beach chairs, recliners, umbrellas and tables are all available to use free, as long as your willing to purchase a drink or leave a small tip. We call that a Peru Perk!

On our last trip to the beach we had to chuckle when we saw these two lonely chairs. Look carefully and you'll see why we passed them by! (Click the photo for a larger view.)

Perfect Timing

Have you ever been in just the right place at just the right time? Today was one of those days for us. For the last several months we've been making plans for our upcoming furlough. Sure, its still more than seven months away but we don't like to procrastinate. For weeks we've been checking the prices on airline tickets. They sure have gone up since our last furlough! It wasn't unsual to find prices from $700 to as much as $1200 per person. That gets expensive real fast when children pay full price. So I was thrilled today when I found tickets online for $235! The price was so low that I thought I had made a mistake. I even stopped and asked a travel agent for help and sure enough we got the tickets that cheap. Later in the day I searched for the same tickets for another interested missionary. Just 3 hours later the same tickets on the same flight had jumped to $775. It was as if the Lord opened up a little door of opportunity just for us.

Isn't it great how God gives us little blessings like that in our life?

White as Snow

A Peruvian scientist believes he has the answer to stop the melting of Peru's glaciers. A paint bucket! As the glaciers melt they leave behind a darker colored landscape of brown and black. This darker soil generates more heat and therefore accelerates the melting of the ice. The scientist, Eduardo Gold, plans to use a non-chemical paint made with a base of natural lime. Studies have already shown that the lighter color slows the melting of ice by lowering the surface temperature near the glacier. Some have suggested that "crop duster" planes could be used to paint large areas quickly. Gold's group is working to receive funding from the World Bank and hopes to employ as many as 15,000 people for the project. Peru's glaciers have already lost over 30 percent of their surface over the last 30 years.

Painting rooftops in New York City has already proven to lower building temperatures. Yet, I'm not sure that painting the mountaintops of Peru will end global warming. I have to admit I admire them for trying! Our lives are a bit like those melting mountaintops: Darkened by the consequences of sin. It seems the more we live in sin the deeper we fall into its stronghold. Yet, Scripture shows where God provides forgiveness and a spiritually "white-washing." I'm reminded of Psalm 51:7, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. In this passage David is asking to be forgiven of his sins. Hyssop was used in religious ceremonies to sprinkle blood on the alter. It pointed to the sacrifice that Christ would make on the cross. I'm not planning on painting any mountains in Peru any time soon, but I am glad we can share the Gospel that can truly transform lives and leave people "whiter than snow!"

Trip to Huancayo

I recently had the opportunity to take a trip to the city of Huancayo located in the mountains east of Lima. It was amazing to go from sea level to nearly 16,000 feet in just a few hours. It was especially interesting to leave Lima with summer clothes on and step out of the car a few hours later into snow! The air pressure is so different that our potato chip bags blew open before we reached the top of the mountain. It was noticeably more challenging to breathe up there. I can now say that I've traveled on the world's highest paved road and seen the world's highest train crossing.

The main purpose of the trip was to look for fossils and investigate the area for proofs of the universal flood. A fellow missionary, Bob Whatley, will soon open a creation/flood museum in Urubamba Peru. We were able to locate and see lots of evidence for the flood described in the Bible. We saw massive ammonite fossils, and a host of other sea life left behind in the fossil record. Of course nobody needed to convince us that the Bible is true!

My travel companions teased me as I took nearly three hundred pictures in just a few hours. They commented, "You need to get out of Lima more often!" Peru is indeed an amazing country. Hope you enjoy the brief video showing a few of my snapshots.

The Faithful Few

Our church is still a relatively young work. We are happy when we have 20 adults on a Sunday. Yet we've noticed a good trend beginning to take shape among our brethern. They are faithful in their attendance. We usually have the same group at every service. This makes us happy because they are learning the importance of being faithful to church. Yesterday we saw true faithfulness in action. Nuguith, one of our new believers came walking in the door with her husband right on time. This is especially impressive because she is 9 months pregnant. Even more impressive was the fact that she was having contractions 7 minutes apart! She was very attentive during the message and even enjoyed the fellowship after the service. As they headed out the door she commented that her bag was already packed for the hospital and they'd be making their way there shortly. (I was just relieved I didn't have to help deliver a baby during a church service!)

Do you find it troubling that people are no longer faithful to their church? Churches seem to be cancelling services and reducing activities. It's not uncommon for a church to have 1000 attenders on Sunday morning and 100 Wednesday night. It seems we've all forgotten the exhortation of Hebrews 10:25. I am happy to be working with part of the faithful few that make God a priority in their lives.

Profitable Peru

As the world continues to experience a slump in the economy Peru seems to be escaping the worst of the economic crisis. Peru's stock market has grown 132.6% this year and was recently ranked by Bloomberg as the most profitable stock exchange on earth. We've seen tremendous growth in the last several years. We hope that these profits will continue to stabilize Peru into the future.

We're reminded in Scriptures of something far more profitable than even the best stock market. Matthew 6:19-21 says, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Peru is proving to be a profitable country for investors. As missionaries we see something of eternal value: the souls of man!

God's Handiwork

Click Picture for a Larger View...

Yesterday I had the opportunity to head east just outside of Lima into Peru's mountains. A missionary friend is looking for property for a youth camp ministry. It was amazing to see the huge change as we traveled east. In less than three hours we went from just above sea level in Lima to over 10,000 feet! The mountains around us were breath-taking. Unfortunately the pictures just don't capture the beauty in this area. I was reminded of Romans 1:20 which says, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: We were indeed able to clearly see God's handiwork yesterday.

Don't Read This Post!

We constantly try to promote our blog through our email updates. We want our friends and family to read about our ministry so that they can pray effectively. However, I saw an admonition in a book I recently started reading that got me thinking. It said: "If you have time to read this book today, but have not taken the time to read your Bible, then you do not have time to read this book!" What a powerful statement! Have you read your Bible today?

Did you know that only 16 percent of professing Christians read their Bible on a daily basis? Studies show that each year Christians have less and less Bible knowledge. What a sad reflection on the spiritual life of the average believer.

I'll continue to update my blog. I'll continue to encourage people to read it. But perhaps I should occassionally ask, "Have you read your Bible today?"

Blog Updates

I often worry that our "loyal" blog readers must get discouraged by my lack of updates. We are constantly seeing God at work here in Peru. We have lots of news to share, but its hard to find the time to update the blog. Usually by the time we have a free day to post the stories are all old news!

I was happy today to see that only 11 percent of all blogs are updated weekly. After doing some research, I found that our blog is updated more than average! Here's a quick tip for you: Try subscribing to your favorite blogs. There are plenty of free services out there that will notify you when your favorite blogs are updated. If your interested, here's a quick guide to using this type of service-RSS Feeds This will save you time since you won't have to visit a blog that hasn't been updated.

We're always open for questions and suggestions.

Happy Birthday Olivia

It's hard to believe that our little baby, Olivia Joy, turned four years old today! We enjoyed playing outside today, eating cupcakes and a dinner of her favorite food, empanadas. We thank the Lord for our little treasure! Happy Birthday Olivia!

Canton Baptist Temple Youth Trip

Here is a quick video snapshot of our most recent group. They were a great group of young people. They helped promote our ministry through children's clubs, youth outreach, passing out tracts and participating in our church services. No one in the group spoke much Spanish but they were effective in communicating God's love to the people in our community. Thanks to the folks at CBT for sending down this fine group!

Stay Focused!

Yesterday I had a humorous experience that reminded me of the importance of staying focused. We took our group of visitors, from Canton Baptist Temple, on a city tour for their final day in Lima. We wanted them to get a glimpse of some of Lima's tourist attractions and historic sites. We took the tour on the now famous "Mirabus" a double-decker bus that has an open top. The views are great as you travel down the cities streets. At the beginning of the tour we were warned to watch out for low signs, tree branches and electric lines. On several occassions we had to duck to avoid low clearances. Each time I had plenty of time to stoop down and avoid any low hanging obstacles. However, 45 minutes into the tour someone asked me a question and I took my eyes off the road. I looked to my side for several minutes as I answered a question. Suddenly, "whack!" I was nailed in the forehead by a telephone cable that crossed the street. I sported a handsome red stripe across my forehead for the next hour. Of course the group of high schoolers were especially amused by my little experience! I was just happy it wasn't a live electric wire or stop-light!

I can't help but see a spiritual application from my little run in with the phone line: We all need to stay focused. Often in life we get distracted, we lose sight of what is important and we take our eyes off of Christ. When we do were destined for problems. How many Christians have started off strong but have fallen along the way when they lost track of what was really most important in life. May we all keep our eyes on the Lord and finish well as we serve Him!

By the way, you can look for a full trip report from the Canton Team soon!

Fiestas Patrias

Today, July 28th begins the two-day celebration of Peru's Independence. Bright red and white flags are flying on nearly ever home, and the stores are filled with patriotic decorations. Normally the celebrations, known as "Fiestas Patrias," include shows, parades and countess special events. This year many of the events have been cancelled due to the spread of the swine flu.

Once again we are able to celebrate the freedoms that Peru offers her citizens. We again feel blessed to live and work here in this wonderful land! Happy Independence Day Peru!




We hope you'll take a few moments and listen to Peru's National Anthem. The hymn is actually quite long. The above video only includes one of the seven verses!

Another 10 Great Days of Ministry

We've just completed a busy ten days of ministry with a group of visitors from Psalm 150 Ministries. The group, mostly from Virginia and Tennessee, came with lots of energy and a desire to serve. They were able to do an incredible amount of work and accomplished more than we could have ever imagined. They divided their time between the building project and working with our neighborhood children. We hope you'll enjoy this brief presentation of pictures from their time here:



If you don't receive our email updates and you'd like a more complete trip summary you can read them by visiting our online community.

Out of This World Experience

Today was the first day of Elizabeth's "winter" break. She'll be out of school until August 12th when she heads back to start third grade. To celebrate the day we headed to a new park about a mile from our home. Peruvian children are still in school and so the park was nearly empty. After a few minutes of family play time a little five-year old boy came up to chat. He was quite interested in our family and had lots of questions. "Do you speak two languages? Why did you come to Peru? Do your girls go to school?" His questions came one right after the other. When he found out we were from the United States he was especially excited, and said: "Really! I've never met someone from another planet!"

What Happened?

Several have asked how our special Father's Day event went. I am pleased to let you know that we had good attendance, with several first time visitors. The best part was that a total of 7 fathers came. This might not sound like a remarkable number but it is a huge number compared to the last couple of years. We are happy to have a good group of new people to contact as a result of the event.

Please be praying. In a couple of weeks our next ministry team arrives. We will be targeting a new area a couple minutes walk from the church. We are hoping for a huge crowd of kids.

Trip Summary

We just enjoyed a wonderful ten days with a group from Union Grove Baptist Church in Lexington, NC. God used them in a variety of ministry opportunities. They were a huge help to both our church and family. The highlight of their trip was seeing two young ladies trust Christ as their Savior. We hope you'll enjoy this brief presentation of photos from their trip.

What could I do?

Have you ever considered taking a short-term missions trip? It could be a life-changing experience for you as you see how God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Often folks hesitate taking a trip because they don't know how they might be used. They also worry about the language barrier. But you can be used on a trip right here in Peru!

As our regular blog readers know, we are currently hosting a ministry team. Not a single member of the team speaks Spanish, yet, they've been able to be a big help to our ministry. What could I do on a missions trip to Peru? Here are just a few ideas:

• Puppet shows- Our group used a pre-recorded story today and the children were able to hear a very clear presentation of the Gospel. The children were attentive as they listened. As an added bonus the kids think the puppets are great!
• Object Lessons- Each member of our current team came prepared with a brief object lesson. These lessons use an ordinary object to teach a spiritual truth or lesson. Of course they speak and we translate for them. It is an easy way that anyone can teach and the kids enjoy seeing new people stand before them in a teaching environment.
  
• Games- Games might not sound real spiritual, but they can be used as a way to draw children into the church. Our groups often come prepared with games. We will use these games at the beginning of a Bible club to draw attention and gather a crowd. The kids also enjoy the added attention they receive. Most of the kids around our church aren't able to spend much time with their parents. They crave attention, and group members can really show the love of Christ by simply playing, interacting, and sharing some time with the youngsters.
  
• Special Projects- There is always work to be done. During down-times we greatly appreciate the assistance of our groups. Our current group has helped us clean the church and scrub all of our chairs. They helped make illustrated choruses that we use with our children. They have also stamped information on a huge number of tracts. Some might consider this "busy work" but it is work that is necessary in our ministry. There is always work to be done!
  
• Tract Distribution- Visiting groups can do a great job of distributing literature. Many seeds have been planted using Gospel Tracts. Our groups can be taught a few simple phrases so that they can go out and hand out tracts to people in the streets. Often we use groups to pass out information about upcoming special events. It is certainly true that "many hands make light work" when handing out tracts.
  
• Testimonies- It is a real blessing to have people come and share their testimony. Our new converts need to hear about how God has worked in the lives of others. Visitors can share their testimony and be an encouragement to many. Of course, this requires a translator, but is simple since the time frame is usually short.
  
• Use of Special Talents or Skills- We've seen visitors that could juggle, paint faces, make balloon animals, dress up like clowns, and do magic tricks. We've had musicans play their instruments to attract attention. Even an artist that draws to teach a Bible message. God can use your unusual talent or skill on the mission field. Often language is not a barrier.
• Sports- We've seen were sports can help bring others to Christ. Often, teens will approach a group of visitors to play soccer that they otherwise wouldn't have spoken with. We've seen young men brought to Christ because of the godly testimony of visitors willing to take time to play a quick game.
  

Nearly every time we have a group we see folks saved. Perhaps you think you can't be used on the mission field. We think you can be used! Pray and ask God what He might have you to do. Perhaps you might consider planning a visit to work with us in Peru. As you can see we've got lots for you to do.

Heard of other mission trip ideas? Leave a comment. We'd love to hear your ideas on how short-termers can be used for the Lord!

Locked Out

Today was yet another good day of ministry with our visitors. We had a bit of a challenge today. When we arrived at the church our key would not work and we were locked out. Thankfully, after working for several minutes we managed to forcefully turn the key to get in. Next, we had to get a locksmith to come and work on the doors. One man said, "It looks like the devil doesn't want us going in the church!" We held much of our kids club outside at the park while the locksmith worked. Our group participated during our kids club by playing with the kids, sharing object lessons, and making a craft. During our adult service they did another chalk drawing, shared their testimonies and one man did a great job preaching with John interpreting. Today's highlight was seeing two adolescents trust Christ! It seemed today that each time we came to an important part of the service there would be lots of noise outside. The room was filled with many distractions. Yet, God stilled worked and we were happy with the results. Maybe the devil didn't want us to go in the church today. I'm sure glad we did.

Good Day of Ministry

Several months ago a neighborhood lady mentioned to us that we could use the small community center in the area for our church ministries. She is not a Christian, but she was interested in what we are doing in the community. Today we conducted a children's club in the center. We arrived and started with no prior promotion of the club. With the help of our visiting team we conducted a program for the 35 children that came. We were especially blessed that a good number of the parents came over to see what we were doing. Before we were finished several people asked us to please come back and begin holding clubs every week. We will definetly be taking advantage of these opportunities in the days ahead. About 25 of the children present were first-timers for our ministry. If we can begin to draw these youngsters to our church we will be at full capacity! Even though this center is located only a five minute walk from the church, most of these children have never visited with us before.

Our afternoon children's outreach was followed by our regular Saturday evening youth meeting. We had a good number of young people. They were happy to play games with the group, listen to translated testimonies, and make a craft. The highlight of the evening was when they watched a chalk-art demonstration by one of the men in the group. He drew a picture of the story of Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus. Of course the teens once again heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.

We are again impressed with the attention that a visiting team can attract. It is amazing that even with the language barrier God allows the visitors to minister and work for Him. Continue to pray for our group this week as they work hard promoting the work!

This community center makes a good second meeting place for our church. As an added bonus its rent-free and much bigger than our actual church location. (Notice the sheep on the steep slope behind the building-Click for a larger view...)

Children making a stained-glass window craft.

Barry Sizemore, our visiting chalk-artist begins his Bible story drawing.

They're Here!

Last night our second ministry team of the year arrived. This group of 12 is from Union Grove Baptist Church in Lexington, NC. They will help us conduct Bible clubs for children, youth meetings, open-air evangelism, and tract distribution. We're looking forward to a fruitful week with this fine group of young people. Pray with us that God will use the team to reach new people, encourage our church people, and to promote missions.

As an added bonus most of the team members are originally from North Carolina. They talk like us! We'll look forward to posting news on how God blesses the ministry this week.

Happy Mother's Day!

We had a wonderful Mother's Day celebration at our church yesterday. We had at least 25 mothers in attendance. Several of them were attending the church for the first time. An added bonus was that several fathers came with their children. All total we had 66 people squeezed into our tiny little church building. The children participated in a special program that included poems, music and special presentations for each mother. Of course we took the opportunity to share the Gospel with all those attending.

We took a picture of every mother with her children. In the days ahead we will be visiting all of the families that visited giving them the photo and offering them the chance to hear the Gospel or to participate in a home Bible study. Pray that the Lord will use yesterday's good attendance to reach many with the good news!

We're Rich!

In the last 14 days we have received offers of cash donations for our ministry totalling 79.4 million dollars! Just think about what we could do with our ministry if we had 80 million dollars to invest in ministry resources. We could build new buildings, purchase literature, expand outreaches and have special campaigns! Unfortunately we will never be able to spend one dime of this huge promised fortune.

I have always been humored by the huge number of scam emails I receive on a weekly basis. Two weeks ago, I quickly set up a special folder in my email program and decided to keep track of all of the emails I received in a 14 day period. Most of these emails came from Nigeria, or the Ivory Coast. They contain tragic stoires about the death of a once great saint of God. The widow that is left behind desires to give the remaining family fortune to a needy charity or missionary. Of course there is no widow, there is no fortune and there certainly never was a godly saint involved. It is just one of a growing number of SPAM email scams that circulates over the web. Those that respond for more information are usually decieved into sending money in advance to insure that the proper paperwork is completed. An investigation over a decade ago showed where more than 100 million dollars had been stolen using variations of the scam.

Even though we didn't receive 80 million dollars in donations during the last 2 weeks we are still so very rich. Psalm 50:10 reminds us that our Heavenly Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is always provided for our needs and He has eternal blessings ready for those that follow Him. Don't be scammed by the offerings of this world, seek heaven first and you'll be truly rich!

Disney Peru

A new and interesting rumor is quickly spreading across Peru. El Comercio, Lima's leading newspaper has reported that the Walt Disney Corporation is in the process of purchasing land just south of Lima for a Disneyland style theme park. Last year Disney attempted to purchase Lima's largest zoo located in one of Lima's most crowded districts. It will be interesting to see if the rumor becomes a reality.

Peru does seem like a good place for an investment of this type. Last year Peru's ecomomy grew by 9.8%. Economists are prediciting the economy to grow another 5% this year even during the global recession. Once again we see another confirmation that God has placed us in a strategic area for winning many with the Gospel message.

UPDATE: It didn't take long for this story to make its way around the globe. Just hours after the story was posted on El Comercio's website a represenative for Disney made a statement that claims the company is not making plans to build in Peru or anywhere in Latin America. A Colombian investment company is supposedly investigating a theme park for Lima. It's unfortunate that true and good news doesn't always spread as fast as rumors! I suppose we are just as guilty for spreading the rumor. Our website had a massive jump in hits yesterday as people came to read about Disney in Peru.

Do you hear what I hear?

Over the years we have grown accustomed to life in Peru. Things that used to seem strange seem normal now. Sites, sounds and smells that used to attract our attention are now just part of our lives. Just the other day we were talking and we realized that we don't even feel like we live in a foreign country anymore. We're thankful that God has allowed us to truly enjoy living here in Peru. Yet, we still experience new things as we live here.

On Saturday we experienced a first for us here in Lima: a thunderstorm! After spending the majority of our lives in the southern United States we are used to spring and summer thunderstorms. We sometimes miss the smell of rain. We miss the darkened sky and the rush of wind that comes moments before a thunderstorm. For the first time I was almost alarmed by the sound of thunder. I was walking on the street a few block from our home. The sky looked dark and the breeze was picking up. I chuckled thinking to myself, "It never rains in Lima!" Then "BOOM!" A massive clap of thunder that caused me to jump. I was humored to see all the children running home from the nearby park. Moments later windows appeared at every window and people peered into the sky. Thunder in Lima is very rare. Later that evening I talked with our church's landlord. He informed me that it was the first time he had heard thunder in 39 years! It was even mentioned on the news and in the local newspaper.

I never thought I would see the day when a thunderstorm caused such alarm! Just part of the joy of living in coastal Peru!

God's Word is described like rain in Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Thanks for praying as we continue to take the "water of Life to the deserts of Peru."

Our First Podcast

In our last email update we asked if anyone would be interested in a monthly podcast about Peru and our ministry. We received lots of good responses. Today, we have posted our first attempt at a podcast. You'll notice we have lots of room for improvement! Thanks for your patience as we learn about this new form of communication. We'll be working on sound quality, and volume levels in the days ahead! Remember you don't need to have an I-pod to listen. The podcast should start here automatically. If not, just click on the "play button" (the blue arrow box) below to listen.

We hope this will encourage you to pray for Peru!

Click Here to Hear our PODCAST!

PoeKids Update

Take a moment and visit our kids blog. We've posted some pictures of the girls. Thanks for letting us be proud parents for a few minutes! Click here to visit the girls blog!

Christmas 2008!

Thanks to all of you that have been praying for our church planting ministry. We praise the Lord for the great turn-out on Sunday. We had lots of first time visitors. It was a blessing to interact with the parents of many of our regular attending kids. Best of all, a lot of people heard a clear presentation of the Gospel!

Hope you enjoy a few pictures from yesterday's service:

We praise the Lord for a full house!

"Navidad" spells "Christmas" in Spanish. The kids read a special acrostic about the meaning of Christmas.

Some of our regular kids waiting to sing outside the church.

Here our live nativity participants wait for their entrance.

These were the "early birds" anxiously awaiting the start of the program.

Little Cielo enjoyed the Christmas program!

Welcome to the Family

Last night John had the priviledge of leading this young man, Jared, to the Lord. Jared has been attending our church since the very beginning. He regularly attended our children's clubs and then moved up to the youth group when it was started. He had lots of questions last night and came ready to make a decision. We praise the Lord for working in the life of this young man. He left last night content and secure that he has a home in heaven. We continue to be blessed seeing God working in the lives of so many young people in Vina Alta.

Something Fishy...

This is just one of dozens of containers that made up the "World's Largest Ceviche."

In a recent post I described a variety of special honors that Peru is famous for. Today we can add another achievement to the list: The world's largest dish of Ceviche! Ceviche is perhaps the most popular dish in Peru. It is made up of fish or shellfish mixed with red onion, yellow chilli peppers all marinated in lemon juice. It is interesting to note that the fish is raw!

This past weekend a group of nearly 450 people gathered in a local stadium to prepare the dish. It weighed in at an incredible 6.8 tons! During the preparation a crowd of neighbors gathered and hundreds flooded in to eat all they wanted of the national dish.

Perhaps your curious and would like to sample this delicacy. Here is a simple recipe to try:

Ingredients:
1 Kilo (2.2 pounds) of founder or other white fish cut into small pieces
2 red onions, pealed and cut long
4 yellow chillies with seeds and veins removed
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preparation:
Combine all the ingredients carefully. Leave the mixture to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator. Mix once more before serving. (That's right it is uncooked...) Enjoy!

Maybe someday i'll take the time to tell you the story of the first time I ate Ceviche.

Election 2008

Tonight I was humbled to hear that a group of Peruvian pastors and their church members are planning an all night prayer meeting tomorrow evening. They will be praying that God's will be done on election day. They realize that this election is important and will have far reaching consequences. I was humbled because I haven't really been faithful to pray for this election. With the elections upon us, I wonder what percentage of American Christians are participating in a prayer meeting tomorrow night?

Peruvians are amazed when they find out that we are not required to vote. Here, a sticker is placed on the back of your national identification card when you vote. If you miss out on election day you have to pay a hefty fine. Without the sticker you cannot proceed with any paperwork and your fine begins to grow as interest is added.

Here are some quotes about politics that I have found interesting:

• Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first. (Ronald Reagan)

• We need a president who's fluent in at least one language.

• In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you take. (Adlai Stevenson)

• Don't blame me! I voted for the other guy. (Bumper sticker)

• What luck for the rulers that men do not think. (Adolf Hitler)

• Democracy encourages the majority to decide things about which the majority is ignorant.

Introducing...an Answer to Prayer

It is with great joy that I present to you Will and Erika Gibson. This fine young couple are the newest appointees with Baptist Mid-Missions to Lima, Peru. They'll be joining us here in Peru as we work together to reach this massive city with the Gospel. They are not only good friends but they are also from our home church! Please take a few moments to watch their presentation video. Then help speed them to Peru by adding them to your prayer list and asking your pastor to consider scheduling them for a meeting!

Soon we'll be introducing a new email option for folks truly interested in praying for our ministry. In addition to our monthly email updates we will soon be sending out frequent prayer reminders called "Pause: & Pray for Peru." These will be mini 30 second updates that keep you informed with prayer requests from the field. They will be sent out any time we have a special prayer request from the field. We've seen the power of prayer so many times before. Now we want to make it easier than ever for you to pray for the Poe family and Peru.

Are you willing to pause for 30 seconds and pray for Peru? Look for details soon!

This Month's Trivia Question

Many of you have found your way here because of a link on our new email update. Thanks for stopping by! We have some great things to post in the days ahead. Check in often.

Here is the promised trivia question: What is Lima, Peru's nickname? It may have more than one! If you know the answer, post a comment with the answer!

Did you know...

• Peru is home to the driest desert on earth. The Atacama desert in southern Peru has not received significant rainfall in centuries.
  
• Peru is also home to one of the wettest rain forests on the planet. One place in Peru received over 49 feet of rain in a 12 month period making it the second wettest place on earth.
  
• Peru is home to Cotahuasi Canyon. This canyon is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. It is considered by many as the deepest canyon on earth at 11,488 feet deep.
• Lake Titicaca in southern Peru is the highest navigable lake on earth. It is located at about 12, 500 feet.
  
• Mount Huascaran is the highest peak in the tropical world at 22, 205 feet.
• Lima, Peru is home to the world's tallest water fountain (at 250 feet!) which is located in the world's largest water fountain park. (This is an amazing fact considering Lima is the largest metropolitan area on earth actually located in a desert!)
• Peru is home to the world's largest river, the Amazon. This river discharges a volume of 7 million cubic feet of water per second.)
• Peru is also home to the world' s highest railway pass, and the world's highest railway station.
  
• Peru has the second most number of bird species in the world. The most number of bird species ever spotted in one day took place in Peru.
  
• The world's largest rain forest is located in Peru.
• Peru is the original home of the domesticated potato. Over 2000 species of potato are raised in Peru. In fact, 2008 has been named the "International year of the Potato!"
• It wouldn't be fair to conclude without mentioning that Lima, Peru is also home to the world's largest roll of toilet paper. It's true! The roll is so large it contains enough tissue to last the average person 100 years!
  

These are just a few of the amazing facts that we've discovered about Peru. But as you know we didn't move to Peru because it is an amazing country. We came here because of Peru's great need. How about a few more things to consider that are much more important:

• About 88 percent of Peruvians claim to be members of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Only about 15 percent of Peruvian Catholics actually participate or attend church.
• The Mormons consider Peru one of their most successful mission fields. Lima is the second largest Mormon metropolitan area outside of the United States.
• Many people in Peru have never heard a clear presentation of the Gospel.

Peru is in indeed an amazing country. A country with an amazing need! Pray for us as we work to share the good news here in Peru!

One Year Later

This church was nearly destroyed by the Earthquake of August 15, 2007.

Today flags fly at half-staff in remembrance of the 595 people that were killed one year ago today when a massive earthquake struck coastal Peru. For our family it was an event that we will never forget and hope to never experience again! Even after 12 months, the suffering continues to our south where thousands of people are still living in tents and temporary shelters. The government has promised on-going aid, but the region will probably require years to recover fully. This weekend several evangelistic events are scheduled for our neighbors to the south. The earthquake has made many people open to hearing the Gospel. Pray for our co-laborers in the south as they seek to minister to these hurting families. Pray that people all over Peru will be receptive to hearing the truth as they reflect on this terrible day in Peru's history.

You can visit our September 2007 Archives to watch a brief video and read a summary of our relief trip to the epicenter.

Do Dreams Really Come True?

Peru has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Peru's poverty rate has been decreasing every year and some estimates believe the poverty rate will drop to less than 20 percent by 2025. Unfortunately more than 50 percent of Peruvians still live below the poverty line today. With the fast growing economy banks and businesses are begining to offer credit cards and loans. People with very low incomes are able to get credit equal to 10 times their monthly salary. The banks are charging unbelievably high rates and some families are already feeling the "credit crunch."

We recently received an advertisement in the mail. (You can see the front cover above.) It basically says "It's time to make your dreams come true!" The clock seems to be showing all of the things people are dreaming to accomplish or acquire in life. When I opened up this advertisement and read the banking offer I was saddened. How many people are looking for happiness in life by searching for the items shown on that clock: A big screen television, a new computer, an education, or an exotic trip. Because of Peru's growing economy materialistic possessions are increasingly easier to get here. Yet, they offer no happiness, no contentment, no peace in the hearts of Peru's people.

Thankfully, as Christians, God allows us to have our "dreams come true!" God gives us happiness as we serve Him! God has personally blessed our family with opportunities far greater than those offered by a credit-card company. Psalm 37:4 is a favorite verse for our family: "Delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." That's an offer you can't refuse!

Fiestas Patrias

A roadside vendor displays flags during Peru's Independence Day celebrations.

Today is a special day in Peru. Each July 28th and 29th the people of Peru celebrate "Fiestas Patrias." This two-day event honors Peru's military heros and celebrates Peru's independence. General Jose de San Martin actually proclaimed Peru's independence on July 28, 1821. The celebration is a major holiday event in the country. Starting early in the month patriotic banner's and Peruvian flags begin to appear on nearly every building. There are parades and special events almost non-stop for the two days. Many families travel or make special plans for the holiday. Fiestas Patrias generates nearly as much interest as the Christmas holidays.

Today as we celebrate with our Peruvian brethren, we can be thankful for the freedoms that Peru has. God has left this country open and free for evangelism. ¡Viva Perú!

The View from Peru: Missions Trip

For several months we asked you to pray for a visiting team we would have the privilege of hosting in July. Here are just a few snapshots of their visit. Maybe your church would like to bring a group to Peru to minister with us! It is a life-changing experience that can make a difference for eternity.

The kids enjoyed crafts each day during Bible school.

This couple received a Gospel tract from the group. During their visit they were able to hand-out thousands of tracts. Even if you can't speak the language you can still communicate the truth of God's Word.

Jon, one of our visitors, uses an "Evangecube" to share the Gospel with some teens.

There's nothing like a good ole' game of "Duck, Duck, Goose" to start off Bible school!

Most of our church kids go to this public school just a few blocks from the church. We were able to clearly present the Gospel message to hundreds of school kids.

Our group was able to sing, do a skit, and a Bible-based object lesson. We concluded the program with a clear presentation of the Gospel and an invitation to come visit our church.

Finally, an Update!

First, I'll begin by apologizing. We've been so busy lately that the Blog hasn't been updated. It seems I find myself saying that more and more these days. I don't really feel bad though, because this busy schedule is an evidence of the open doors the Lord has been bringing our way. Thanks for all of you that faithful, and patiently, check in on our Blog!

We just finished an amazing ten days of ministry. We feel blessed that we were able to host a group of 17 young adults. These young people came down with a desire to help our ministry and get a glimpse of what life is like for a missionary family. They came with a positive attitude, true servant hearts, and lots of energy. God used them in a powerful way during their brief stay.

The group begin by helping us conduct Bible school. We had as many as 45 kids each afternoon. The group really bonded with the children and the group was really able to show God's love to these needy kids. They participated with games, crafts, object lessons and songs. They also spent a lot of time with the adolescents and teens near the church. Several mornings they were able to play soccer and use there sportsmanship to encourage the teens to come to church later in the day. One of the highlights of the week was when we went into the public school a few blocks from the church. We were able to clearly present the Gospel in a 30 minute program in front of a group of about 800 students. It was a truly amazing thing to see hundreds of school kids sitting there as they heard the Gospel in a public school! Later we were able to distribute Gospel tracts to 700 students as they left another school. The group also participated in our regular church services by singing and sharing testimonies.

Early in the week we met a 23 year old young man named Miguel. He started hanging around the church because he wanted to play soccer with a group of Americans. The group really worked hard to make him and his friends feel welcome. Several of the young men started praying that they would be able to lead him to the Lord before they left. I am thrilled to say that on Tuesday Miguel trusted Christ as his personal Savior. Later that day he stood up in front of the group, and his friends, and thanked God for the group. He commented that he was ready to change and that he wanted to learn to serve the Lord like these young people. He said "Thank you for coming and helping me see the need to change my life!"

Lots of tears were shed yesterday when the group said "goodbye" to their new Peruvian friends. I think God used these last ten days in a special way. I asked the group to fill out a simple survey about their trip. Everyone of them said that they were more open to missions now after their visit to Peru. Everyone in the group also said that they felt the trip was a "life-changing experience." That is exciting news for a missionary! Last night as we begin to finish up our time together I heard a comment that thrilled my soul. One member of the group commented: "I've got the missions bug and I've got it bad!" Several others nodded their heads in agreement. I went on to explain that once you've got the missions bug it never goes away. It's a burden for souls that becomes a passion to serve God. It leads you into a life of service and leaves you with satisfaction and joy for living. I'm sure glad I got the "missions bug!"

When it rains it pours....

Most of you are probably aware that Lima is located in one of the driest regions in the world. On average Lima receives about 3/10 of an inch of rain per year. (That's 0.7 cm for those of you using the Metric system!) That makes Lima the driest metropolitan area in the world. Recently we have had unusually damp weather. We almost never have actual rain but during the winter we do have early morning mist that will occasionally coat the ground with a slight dampness. We were humored recently when Elizabeth looked out the window and shouted, "Hey y'all look! It's pouring down rain, the ground is almost wet!" I guess that's a good sign she has grown up in a desert!

If you have a moment visit the updated PoeKids BLOG!

This area, about fifteen minutes from our home, shows how dry Lima really is. (Remember you can always click the picture for a larger view.)

This area, about 5 minutes from our house shows the difference irrigation can make in the desert.

The Real Thing

Today I read an article in a Lima newspaper. The article talked about the major problem of counterfeit prescription drugs in Peru. Local authorities held a news conference and a crowd gathered as they destroyed more than one ton of adulterated medications. The article went on to describe the major problems that pharmacies and medical facilities are having with illegal and counterfeit drugs. We've personally been warned by several doctors to avoid generic prescriptions in Peru. Others have warned that we should only purchase drugs from a handful of certified pharmacies. Counterfeit drugs are a dangerous problem in Peru.

We've realized that these fake drugs aren't the most dangerous counterfeits in the country. Millions of Peruvians are being deceived by false teachers and preachers. Many churches are preaching messages contrary to the Gospel found in the Bible. Peruvians are caught up in lots of ancient religious traditions, yet they have no personal relationship with God. They never trusted Christ for His redeeming offer of salvation. How sad that these evil preachers are dragging millions of lost souls with them into eternity without God.

We've experienced this counterfeit Christianity first hand recently. Our church was the only church located in our target neighborhood. We have made an influence among the neighbors and people are starting to take notice that we are there. A couple of months ago we started noticing people standing outside of church watching our children's and youth meetings. They've been taking notes and observing all of our programs. Then a couple of weeks ago we saw that another group has started holding meetings during our regularly scheduled meetings. They've done their best to mimic our services and activities. They've gone to the children and started pulling them away from our church. They claim to be Christians but their reputation and testimony in Peru says differently. They are a religious group. They can even claim to be a church, but they are not teaching the Gospel. They are not leading others to a personal walk with Christ. They are dangerous counterfeiters and they are misleading many, starting with our church kids. Thankfully many of our children and teens have already seen the difference. One young girl came to us and apologized that she had attended one service at the new church. She had already noticed that what they were teaching is not the truth of the Bible. The counterfeit religions will keep offering their way. Counterfeit drugs and counterfeit religion will always be a problem for Peru and the world. May God give us wisdom as we continue to offer the "Real Thing."

Not "Rookies" Anymore

We spent the last week helping to orientate a new missionary family that will soon be arriving to Peru. Bruce Maddux came down to Peru early to help find housing, look for a vehicle and make arrangements for language training for his family. It was a busy but rewarding week, knowing that God has sent another family to minister in Peru. This will be the first new missionary family to come to Peru with Baptist Mid-Missions since our arrival in 2001. The Lord has also blessed our field with a new single lady, Rachel Tarvin who just arrived a few weeks ago. This summer several families will begin raising their support to join us here in Peru. These are exciting days for the ministry in Peru. Our team of workers is growing!

We are always excited to know that God is sending more laborers to our needy mission field. Yet, it seems a bit strange to be orientating new families. It seems just like yesterday that we arrived here in Peru for the first time. I think we need another 30 years of experience before we could be considered veteran missionaries!

Please be praying for all of our new co-workers. The Maddux family will be busy the next two months as they pack, sell their home, and say goodbye to friends and loved ones. Pray for Will and Erika Gibson, a couple from our own home church that have recently joined BMM and will be attending our missions candidate school next month. Pray that God will continue to send more laborers to Peru!

What's our homework?

We just completed another good weekend of ministry. God continues to open up doors of opportunity, for which we are thankful. Perhaps one of the most exciting ministries we have is with adolescents. Each Saturday evening we have a group of 10-20 young teens that meet together. We sing choruses, play a few games, have a quiz competition and finally a Bible study. We are currently studying the book of Revelation. About a month ago a young man named Jason came for the first time. From day one he was very interested to learn more about God and the Bible. He obviously has a real thirst for spiritual things. Near the end of his first meeting he raised his hand and asked, "What is our homework for this week?" We were a bit taken back, and explained that it would be good if he would read the next two chapters of Revelation. Most kids don't come to church looking for more homework! The next week when he returned he had hand-copied a quarter of the book of Revelation. He had studied it, and memorized many of the future key events. As we study together he has an incredible knowledge of the book he has picked up studying on his own. Jason has since publicly acknowledged that he is a Christian and wants to serve the Lord. Since he started coming the other young people have noticed his diligence and several others are starting to study on their own during the week.

I once heard a speaker say "Prophecy isn't profitable if it doesn't prod us to tell others." As we study the book of Revelation and reflect on the future events that will take place in the world it should move us to action. There are billions of lost souls in the world that haven't heard the truth of the Gospel. Thankfully there are some young people like Jason that are hearing, taking action and doing their homework for the Lord. What's your homework assignment today from God?