Church Anniversary

This week was the anniversary of the church where we are serving as short-term replacements in the Sacred Valley of the Incas near Cuzco. We had services every night, and I was the choir director, so it made for an interesting time. Also, on Tuesday we were asked by Loren's pastor to produce a 5-7- minute video for Hillsdale's missions conference—by Friday! Wow, we have been busy! The video is actually posted on our blog: www.loren.dalatech.com. It would be impossible to describe all the roadblocks that came up while we were producing the video. But needless to say, the Lord is always good and always faithful. We finished the video on Friday afternoon and started loading it on the Internet right away. We had to load it five or six times before it actually worked, but finally on Saturday afternoon it was done.

Saturday was the central day for the anniversary, so we were out at 6:30 a.m. picking up lime to make soccer lines and stayed busy till late afternoon playing, directing, and refereeing games. Then we had a service in the evening and arrived home exhausted late at night.

Sunday was a special day in several ways. We had Sunday school and the morning service, and then we went to a man-made stone pool and baptized two young men who are both headed for ministry. What a privilege it is to be a part of discipling and training these men for God's great harvest. One of the young men, Eliut, grew up in the jungle in a community called Miaria. If that name sounds familiar, it is because Loren and I spent three weeks there teaching Bible classes and creationism, evangelizing, and discipling on our first trip to Peru together! Eliut actually grew up in a home where witchcraft was not only acknowledged, but practiced regularly. Eliut's older sister, Magnita, was a student of mine in my Pastoral Epistles class just two weeks ago. One day during class, they received word that their uncle, who was known as the most powerful witch doctor in their community, had just passed away. Their mother and father are still unsaved, and they fear that their younger brother may actually be possessed because of his numerous "treatments" by their witch-doctor uncle.

It has been absolutely amazing to see God's redemptive work first hand. Both Magnita and Eliut were not actually saved until they came to Bible school and saw true Christianity portrayed before their eyes. Praise the Lord they are both training for ministry, and Loren and I have the privilege of being a part of that training and discipleship. In fact, tonight (Monday the 5th) Loren is starting a Bible study with Magnita, who is then going to teach the Bible study to the other girls here who are from the jungle! What joy to see God's kingdom grow through multiplication as He planned!

After the baptism, I had the opportunity to preach on Christ's example of service at the Last Supper. Then I had the somewhat nervous joy of administering the Lord's Supper for the first time! The Lord truly blessed, and it was a wonderful time of prayer and fellowship for the church.

Thank you so much for your prayers and for thinking of us. We truly count it a privilege to be your representatives to a place where Christ is not named.

We also hope to see you in Peru as soon as the Lord allows. May the Lord bless you.

In Christ Alone, Buddy and Loren