Quick Summary of the Last Few Weeks

To be honest, it's a little overwhelming. About two months ago, I was asked to help with the youth camp this year. You must understand that "youth" here includes anyone from about 14 to 40 who is unmarried. When I was asked, I responded that I would pray about it, and a few days later, I agreed. Later that week, in a camp philosophy meeting, it was announced that I was the director of the youth camp, which was quite a surprise to me, if to no one else. I stayed calm, for my understanding was that everything was fairly well laid out and organized, and they merely needed someone to be in charge during the actual week of camp. Roughly one month later, the director of another camp asked me how the details were coming along. "What details?" was my unguarded response. He commenced telling me about all of the responsibilities which are included in a Peruvian camp director's job description. These details had somehow not been mentioned up to that date, which left me less than one month to begin (and finish) all of the preparations for camp which include designing and sending camp literature, finding/bringing campers, recruiting counselors and cooks, developing and organizing games, inventing and printing camp booklets, creating and keeping a budget, soliciting a special speaker, and overseeing the camp itself, as well as the myriad of other details that are involved in making a camp work. This camp will take place Lord-willing from February 11-16, and I am thankful to say that the Lord has given strength and wisdom in many areas already, and by His grace we are assured of a wonderful camp this year. We are praying for The Lord to bring many saved and unsaved young people, and we are praying that He will prepare the hearts of not only the campers, but also the counselors and staff.

As you know, we are filling in as furlough replacements during this next year, and that has several implications for us. First, the church attendance where we are pastoring/planting has been lower since our co-workers left, and there is a tremendous need to get the gospel out in our community. Therefore, we would like to have an evangelistic outreach focused mission team. Also, We are in the midst of building a church building. The church has been meeting in the Whatley's home basically since the beginning, and the church is definitely outgrowing the available space. The building needs are as follows: doors and windows, a large exterior temporary wall, wiring, plumbing, and eventually stucco, tile, and a drop ceiling. The church has been saving money to continue construction, however funds are definitely still needed. We are praying that the Lord will send several teams with varied skills to us during this year.

Other than the outreach/evangelism and construction goals. We would like to do the following this year Lord-willing:

1. Be actively discipling the members of the church through small-group Sunday School (evidently a novel concept in most of Peru).

2. Be encouraging not only participation but leadership in the areas of evangelism and discipleship among church members.

3. Start a bible-study with the goal of it becoming a church in the nearby village of Huayllabamba.

4. Visit and evangelize the totally untouched Quechua villages in the mountains in our immediate area.

5. Teach several courses in the Seminary in nearby Urubamba.

6. Obtain property in the Southern jungle "capital" Puerto Maldonado. This would serve as base of operations for our jungle ministry, and would likely be the site for another church in the city which now has nearly 100,000 people and only 1 small Baptist work, which is probably the only gospel preaching church in the entire province.

7. Begin construction on the property if necessary.

8. Continue to improve cultural and linguistic understanding and practices.

9. Observe and learn from the veteran Baptist missionaries and pastors in the area.

10. Compile and record deputation tips for future deputizing missionaries.

Will you pray with us about these goals? Will you pray with us about whether the Lord would have you and/or your church bring a mission team down to help?

Thank you in advance for your prayers regarding these requests.

In Christ Alone, Buddy and Loren Fitzgerald