Abundant Blessings

       Wow, can I just first say our God is so good. He really does give his children not only eternal life but abundant life. Friday, was such a beautiful night for me. We were able to go visit one of our neighbor’s extended family who was having some issues with her teenage son. We had a beautiful time of fellowship. Not only were we able to talk to the family about the issues going on, we were able to spend time with them. I was probably more blessed than they were. We all ate a meal together and just spent so much time laughing together. There were a ton of us all crowded around this small kitchen, eating chicken, and laughing. We even did the suitcase dance!!! (For those of you who know me well, you know what I am talking about) I heard a comment from one of the ladies like, “I laughed tonight.” It was such a joyous time. Come to find out, the food that was leftover was  a miracle from the Lord because this family didn't have anything to eat the next day, and with the leftovers she was able to send lunch to work with her husband.

Bradley found his "daughter" at this house visit. It was love at first sight for both of them!

        Then Saturday was another beautiful day, getting to do Bible study with so many different people. We were able to split into two teams and get so much accomplished. We even got to teach some teenage boys how to play spoons. They loved it. We played it of course with whatever they had in their pockets, some had spoons, some had markers, or pencils. It was so fun.

Then Sunday was just a blessing over and over again. We went out to do house visits on Sunday morning. We went to visit a lady that lives up the hill from us. She has 4 kids; one of her kids has epilepsy, is mentally handicapped, and is in a wheel chair. Come to find out the mom had to go on a trip to see a family member in the mountains that had experienced an accident. The aunt was watching the handicapped son and the older brother, along with her daughter. They were out of food, out of medicine for the boy, and as we were there, she asked her daughter to bring her toilet paper to clean up the boy, and the daughter replied back that they didn't have any left. God is so good and led us to the perfect house at just the perfect time.  That morning, I had asked God that He would show us exactly where we should do house visits. After prayer time, Nicchola and I both had the exact same house visits on her mind. That never happens, so I know it had to be the Holy Spirit.

         So, we left their house and went on a shopping spree for their family! It was SO much fun. We just loaded the cart up and got so many things. I just love how God always provides the resources to help those in need. I am not sure if they were excited when we brought the things to their house or maybe they were just in shock. Then on Sunday afternoon, I was a little bummed because hardly anyone was at Bible study, and the lesson was on the crucifixion. By the time we started we had 19 people there, but as the afternoon went on when we were playing soccer there were people all over the street. The family we visited on Friday night came. ALL OF THEM (including the dad and the uncle – which hardly ever happens in this culture). They missed Bible study but were able to go to discipleship. We had 29 people at discipleship not including us gringos. It was AMAZING. The lesson for discipleship was also about the crucifixion. It was great because all of our regulars were there, and then we had several new people. That is the most we have ever had for discipleship. All glory to God.

      Then on Monday, we had the huge blessing of having Nancy Lane and Ronald Santillan come out and visit us. For those of you who don’t know, Nancy is one of my closest friends and my teammate that I worked with for the first 1 ½ in Ventanilla. The things we experience together only God knows. She and I walked through some of the most difficult times together learning the language, adjusting to a new country, having all kinds of physical problems, being first year teachers in another language etc. Nancy moved  to a team in Chorillos in the fall of 2011, and this was the first time she has come back to visit. It was so great having here; she also brought her fiance Ronald to visit. I love Nancy, and I have come to love Ronald as well. He is the perfect guy for her, and I am beyond thrilled that they will be getting married next month. While they were here, we were able to talk, play games, eat good food, and have an amazing time of ENGLISH worship which never happens. I am so thankful for that precious 24 hours that we were able to have together.

Nancy brought me a homemade funfetti cake! Funfetti cake is my favorite. 

Then on Wednesday, we went to Huaral like we do every Wednesday, but I just had so much fun. It was so cool seeing how God worked. The lesson was over the resurrection with the adults and the children. In the adult Bible study, I was just in awe and amazed at the things God taught us. I didn't even really know what points we were going to focus on, even though I had studied the lesson, nothing was coming to me before I got there. Then when I got there the Holy Spirit just began to move and to speak for me. I know it was not me…….it was definitely HIM. (I am not a teacher). Then we got to have a great time with the kids, teaching them about the resurrection, acting it out, and playing soccer and jumping rope. Then we ended off the night with a good Bible study in Ancon. The blessings that God is pouring out on us right now are just blowing me away. I am so enjoying it and just soaking it in like a sponge. My God is so good. Enjoy his abundant blessings in your life this week and thank Him for them! 

Doing the verse game.

Acting out the resurrection story.

Peruvian Christian helping at Bible study!

Cactus Bradley

         On Tuesday night this past week, we picked up our 5th teammate! Wow, God is so good. Our team is growing like crazy. I remember back when it was just two of us and even a short period of time when it was just me. Now I have 4 other friends and laborers for the gospel. I don't know what God is doing here, but I know it is something big! I know the Lord loves the people of Ventanilla and wants all of them to come into a saving relationship with Him, so I am so excited about how he will use this team of 5.
         Bradley Hilliard has come to work here in Ventanilla for the next 3 years! Hopefully, God will keep him here even longer. He has already been such a blessing to our team. He is completely fluent in Spanish. It is incredible. I took about the same amount of Spanish classes as him, yet I came here barely being able to speak anything or understand, and he has come here already able to have full out conversations with Peruvians since day one.
         We picked him and his parents up on Tuesday night, and then Bradley came back with us to stay in Ventanilla, while his parents stayed in a hotel near the airport. The next morning, Jessi and Angela went and did a great job filling in for us at the Huaral Bible study. Nicchola, Bradley, and I went and met up with his parents to go shopping for his furniture for his apartment. We went ALL over and got a ton done. That night we started setting up his room. Then on Thursday we went out again and got more errands run. Then we all came back to the church to eat some amazing typical Peruvian food that our good friend Fernando had cooked for his family to try. By Thursday night, almost all of Bradley's apartment was set up. Can I just mention that his parents are so great?!! They helped him get all set up. They are so nice and generous, and his dad is just hilarious. It was such a joy to get to hang out with them for a couple of days.
         On Friday, we got to take his family to a Mega Market in Puente Piedra for them to see some more Peruvian culture. Then, we went to Calle 10. We had a great time there. We had a really good turn out of kids, and we had fun playing jump rope and other games. Then we headed to Lima to show Bradley and his parents around Centro de Lima and Mira Flores.
        The next morning his parents headed out on a trip to Cusco, while we went to work at a place that has tons of kids where we have several Bible studies ( can not say where because of security reasons). It was such a great day because Fernando joined us as well, so we had 3 teams of two. It was BEAUTIFUL! We were able to split up and get things done so much faster, which left us time to just hang out with the kids, help with chores, play in the park, and play soccer. Bradley jumped right in with everything, and then it was so cool to see him play soccer with the boys. Finally, someone on our team that can actually play soccer instead of just running around like a chicken with their head cut off like I always do. It was amazing also being able to rely on Nicchola and Fernando to do a great job teaching in the other places. It just felt  so good to see the Lord expanding the productivity and not having to do everything anymore. We are seeing some fruit of others that have come to know Christ and have become leaders and now teach. We are multiplying, and it is so cool to watch God do it. It definitely wasn't in my time table, if it were up to me, the multiplication would have been much faster, but God is doing it in his perfect time. I used to teach 12 Bible studies a day on Saturdays. I only had to teach 3 yesterday, but they all got taught because other Christians were now teaching them. This was my favorite Saturday I have ever had there. To God be all the Glory.
           We had a great Sunday as well. We split into two teams and went to make house visits. It went so well. We were able to visit 6 different families. One family that Bradley and I went to visit, we found the mom in terrible condition. She had fallen down the stairs from the second story. She is in very bad shape physically, but the Lord protected her from so many worse things that could have happened to her. We were able to talk with her, and we are going to take her to the hospital tomorrow to get some check - ups. The Lord is so sovereign in leading us to go to that house at just the right time. Would you please pray for Benita and her family. They have been through so much recently. Their daughter was murdered this year and now the mom of the family is in very bad condition from falling from the second floor. She is really struggling while all of this is happening to her.

He is a true servant, having to play doll house with 2 little girls. Oh this is just the beginning of all the adventures and crazy times that he will have in Peru over the next 3 years.

Helping the girls put the verse together at Sunday's Bible study. 

First moto taxi ride!

          After the home visits, we had a good turn out for Bible study and we played soccer again. It was a blast, we had several teenagers that came to Bible study. It was great fun. Then we had a great turn out for discipleship and celebrated the August birthdays. It was an amazing day. Today, we were able to run some errands, then went to meet up with his parents at the airport to hang out with them before they left for the states.
          I am so excited for the way the Lord is already using Bradley on this team and how he will use him in the future. He has already connected so well with the people, knows how to play soccer and plays it with the kids, already is telling people about God's love, greets everyone he meets on the street, can i mention again he speaks SPANISH, has such a willing spirit to help with anything and everything, even cleaning! He also can sing and play tons of instruments so we are excited how the Lord will use that in the future as far as leading worship.

To God be all the glory for the great things He has done.

PS - The reason why the title of this blog is named cactus is because he has already developed new nicknames here in Peru. Nicchola's mom called him a cactus because she saw a picture of him and his twin, and he was shorter and smaller - so OBVIOUSLY that makes him like a cactus.....I don't know....it's Peru.

Update on Rosemary

Some of you may have read my first blog post about Rosemary. Rosemary is a sweet sweet lady who has some mental handicaps that make her have the mind of a child. She is very intelligent, can hold conversation, and take care of herself, she just has a younger mind. Rosemary is one of our kid's in our Bible studies Aunts. We were informed that she had stomach cancer. We went to visit her at the hospital because she was going to have stomach surgery. Turns out the doctors said the cancer had spread too far. Her parents did not tell her, they just brought her home and just spent time with her. The doctors gave her 6 months to live. We went to the hospital to visit her in December, and then we started visiting her house in April. She looked much worse just in 3 short months. We visited her almost every week 1 to 2 times a week. At first when she was better we would play games/ or do crafts and talk to her about Jesus,but after just a few weeks, I would just talk to her about Jesus and share the gospel with her, pray for her healing, and sometimes read scripture with her. It was gut wrenching going to see her because every time we went, she was doing horrible and a lot of times getting worse. I am so thankful the Lord gave me the opportunity to share with her the good news about Him. For about the last 2 months she would not talk back because she was always trying not to throw up since the cancer had taken over her stomach and probably her esophagus too. So she would just listen to things that I had to say. I do not know if she accepted Christ ever or not, but I do know she heard the Truth over and over again for months. She died on July 27th. Even through this sad time and tragedy for the family, I know God is using it for his glory. I am hoping that through her death that her family members can come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Thank you for praying for Rosemary over these months, please pray for us as we now need to minister to a family experiencing great grief.

Jaymie came to visit

Jaymie Sicking came to visit  for 2 weeks at the end of June and beginning of July. She had come with the CrossPointe team in March of this past year, and we just hit it off together. Then she came back just a few months later. What a blessing. She is such a neat girl, mission minded, dedicated, hard worker, loving, etc. We had a great time with her. We got to take a beach vacation in the northern part of Peru for a week with her and then do everyday ministry work with her the second week! Enjoy the pics.

On our way to the airport to go to the beach!

"Mexican food" kind of in Mancora a very touristic beach town.

Our bungalow

Our first condo that we stayed at that was super creepy and we were way out there. It was pretty though.  

A delicious American owned restaurant. WHAT?!?!

A very crowded combi (little bus)

On 4th of July we did American things like go to Chili's, to the mall, movies, and played some arcade games. 

We made tacos!!

Jaymie was a hit with kids in general but especially this family. The girl in the middle Melba LOVED her. 

Jaymie put us through exercise boot camp several days. I thought I was literally going to die. 

Jaymie gave away her nephew's clothes that didn't fit him. These ladies said they wanted to have a kid so that they could use these great clothes.  They were so impressed. I hope the lady to the right doesn't have another kids since she is 60.  They were going to give them to a family members who had babies. 

Wrapping up Lazarus

We had a great 2 weeks with Jaymie. We even got to celebrate her birthday by doing a crazy scavenger hunt where she had to find/ do 29 things in the market. She was so cute, right away she had a group of kids following her everywhere. She used them to help her when they come asking her questions (when I would have just answered their questions, but not asked them to help us), but she used it as a GREAT ministry opportunity, built relationships with them, and we even got to tell them about Jesus. 

FBC Mansfield!

In the middle of June, we had the amazing privilege of having a team of 12 incredible people from First Baptist Church Mansfield come and serve with us. Let me just brag on them a little bit, they had great attitudes, they worked so hard, and they really invested in the people they came to minister too. They shared the gospel intentionally, they were always playing with kids and talking with them, engaging people, ready to work or do whatever was needed. They were incredible. Also a huge blessing was the majority of them spoke Spanish and spoke it well. Thank you FBC Mansfield for letting God use you in such incredible ways. Hope we can continue this partnership of working together here in Peru.

Each day the team did different activities mostly carnivals in the neighborhoods we are already working in, but also reached out to some new neighborhoods. I will let the pictures explain the rest.

We had our first carnival in Calle 10. We had a great turnout. Karah like always jumping right in there talking and playing with the kids. 

The team acted out the story where Jesus tells his disciples to, "Follow me"

Lourdes patiently working with the kids to make cute crafts

Tyler helping the kids play the baseball game. They thought that game was so COOL!

Michelle helping people catch fish for their prize. 

Jeanette playing with the kids the get the ball in the cup game

Kristi and Sally patiently painting beautifully the children's faces. 

Anna playing ring toss

Then we had a youth night Friday night. Where people showed up of all ages. From little kids to Adults, since we couldn't turn them away, the team just went with the flow. They did great. There was about 55 Peruvians plus the team crowded in the ministry center living room. We had pizza, played games, and Patty did a great job of sharing her testimony. A cool God thing is Patty is from Peru! It was a great night. 

Playing soccer to get rid of some of the mass amounts of people crammed in the living room. 

On Saturday, we went to our friend, Mili's neighborhood. She is a part of her discipleship group, and we did a carnival for the people that live near her. 

Angela helping give people their stickers to play the game.

Nathan playing the tire toss game

Patty and Karah playing hit the spot game.

Neal playing the famous baseball game.I bet he picked up those bottles at least 800 times over the course of the week.

Then Saturday afternoon, we went to Fernando's neighborhood, who is also a part of our discipleship group and did a carnival in his neighborhood. He has a weekly Bible study in his neighborhood so we were hoping to encourage that. 

On Sunday, we went to Marta's house to have a prayer time praying for a group of kids we work with that we were not able to work with directly with the group. It was a beautiful and powerful time. Then we went and checked out the local market. Then we had an awesome carnival in our neighborhood. 

Karah and Nathan did a great job leading us in Spanish worship for our discipleship time on Sunday night.

Neal taught a very good lesson about salvation being through grace through faith and Patty translated the lesson.

Sweet Anna helping with the fishing game! I can't believe she is only 12. She inspired me so much watching her minister to others. She is so bold. On Monday, we went to check out a HUGE market and then had a carnival in our friend Jacky's neighborhood. We go and teach her and her brother the Bible weekly and are trying to encourage her to start a house church in her house. This was a good step towards showing her neighborhood she is a Christian and willing to teach others about Jesus. We are hoping this will be the start of a great work in Ancon.

On Tuesday morning the guys had a time of discipleship with some of the Peruvian guys who are involved in our ministry and the girls from the group did arts and crafts with the women and did a Bible study with them. Then in the afternoon, we went and did hospital visitation (sharing the gospel with the patients and praying for them) and gave out care packages and Bibles the team had brought. It was a beautiful time. Part of the team's taxi got lost so they went back to my neighborhood and did a spontaneous backyard Bible club with the kids in our neighborhood. This just shows how great the team was, when something didn't go exactly as planned, they didn't stress out about it, just looked and did the next ministry opportunity.

Huaral - we had a great turnout in our last carnival in Huaral. It was a great ending to the week, plus we got to go visit the beach before, and have a great adult Bible study led by Lourdes. 

The group

Cousins

Hanging out at the water park 

We got to have 2 fun days of tourism in Lima before the group went back home. We went to the water park, shopping, the governor's palace, ate all kinds of good food, and played games. So grateful for teams like FBC Mansfield who invest in us (the missionaries) and the Peruvian people.