March Prayer Letter

March 9, 2010

Dear Prayer Partners,

Our summer here in Peru is officially behind us and all the schools are back in session. This summer we spent a lot of time in leadership training and preparing new leaders. We have had a lot of discouragement in our workers, so we geared a lot of activities toward character training and serving others.

During our Evangelistic Campaign in January, we saw many salvation decisions as well as lots of new contacts. Our teen and leadership camp was attended by over 60 teens. 20 of those were new teens that have started coming over the last year. Most have made public decisions for Christ and many have been baptized and are beginning to serve in the church.
The last Sunday of February we had the privilege of baptizing seven people. Two of those were a husband and wife 70 years old! Praise the Lord that God still saves young and old alike!

Our summer Sunday School campaign ended the last Sunday of February. We had record attendances during those eight weeks averaging 130 with high days over 160. The ladies class, that Becky teaches, had the most marked attendance with 25-30 every Sunday. We are praying that God would continue to move in the hearts of men, because we desperately need men of God to lead their families and our church family.

The 7th of March, we had our second annual “Open House Sunday.” We praise the Lord for well over 200 in the morning service. We held the service outdoors at the basketball court that is in front of our church. A Gospel message was given and the 60+ visitors were able to hear about their need for Christ. Many raised their hands for salvation, and we will continue to follow up for security of salvation.

After the morning service we had a mini “Carnival” of games. More visitors continued to come and we ended up with a total attendance of over 350. Our Muslim neighbors came, many of Andrew’s basketball team came, a group of girls and mothers from Abbey’s volleyball team came, a group of firemen came as well as many folks we invited from stores where we shop. It was an incredible blessing that God used our kids to see over 30 different visitors attend the Open House. In total there were over 150 visitors, praise the Lord!

This last week we said goodbye to 2 more young people as they went off to Bible College in Trujillo. José and Lucía are starting their first year, Richard is returning for his second year and Cristian is finishing this year and will return to work here in the church, Lord willing, in December. It is a great joy to see our spiritual children surrender to full time Christian service!

This April we are sad to be losing one of our best workers in the church! Sarah is heading off to college. We are sad and glad, as we will be a LONG way apart for what seems like an eternity. God has given Sarah some very specific goals and we are extremely proud of how God has used her during her time in Peru.

Please make the following financial needs a matter of prayer. Our medical insurance went up $100, our landlord is raising our rent, six passports need to be renewed this March, and we need to travel to the Embassy in Lima to renew our passports. We will also be looking at a van in Lima that another missionary is selling. We have $2,000 in designated gifts toward that purchase. Praise the Lord the bank of Heaven never closes!

We really need a vehicle for the work that God has given us to do. After our trip to Lima we have been invited to the jungle of Ayacucho to do a week of leadership training in the mornings and an Evangelistic Campaign in the evenings. We have another invitation to do the same program at the Peru/ Ecuador border in May. If we had a van, we could save over 50% in bus fares and have the safety of traveling during the day. Most buses travel at night and that is when they are robbed. Last week two men came to Tacna from Ayacucho to confirm plans for our visit to Ayacucho. Their bus was robbed with armed thieves. Praise the Lord, nobody was hurt, but that is a reality here in Peru.

Thank you for investing in Peruvian souls. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. Our prayer is that God will greatly reward you in Heaven for the investment you are making in Peru.

Fellow laborer,
Jonathan and family