To Declare Christ - 2010

Greetings Family and Friends,
    Below is our July 2010 Newsletter from here in Tarapoto, Peru.
Please see the attached PDF to see the newsletter with pictures.
In Christ,
    Jonathan & Bethany Koehn

To Declare Christ - July 2010

“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ...” Colossians 4:3

Sometimes life can become so busy that we fail to pause and take note if our lives are declaring Christ to those around us. Lately, our lives have been crazy busy! We calculated that between the two of us we have been to 16 states in the US in the last 5 months and covered at least 12,500 miles! But why? What has been our purpose in being so busy? It is this: we know that God has a plan for our life and right now that is to be in Tarapoto, Peru declaring Christ to the Peruvians. So, we have been busy for this purpose!

Here's a little of what we've been up to these last few months!

Friend-raising

We finished up sharing in churches and with individuals on May 9^th . A huge “THANK YOU” goes out to those who had us come share in their church, youth group, or home. We loved seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Thank you for your encouragement, prayers, and financial support. We look forward to seeing you all again in a few years.

Wedding

On the most beautiful summer day, we were married in Lewistown, Montana. June 5^th was our big day and, though it was filled with busyness, we will never forget the beauty of being united as one in Christ for the rest of our life. Afterwards, we enjoyed our honeymoon on the beautiful Oregon Coast.

We'd like to extend our deepest gratitude to our parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, cousins, and friends who gave so very much to make our wedding day the most special day. Thank you all so much!

Peru

We departed from Salt Lake City, UT for Lima, Peru on July 1^st and arrived in Lima early in the morning on July 2^nd . We stayed in Lima from July 2^nd until July 8^th then we headed to Tarapoto arriving here on July 8^th in the late evening

Paperwork

The main focus of our time in Lima was paperwork. Jonathan renewed his resident card and Bethany applied for her resident card. These cards allow us to live here in Peru as residences which is great for missionary work!

We also enjoyed shopping for our home and spending time with friends in Lima.

Setting up home in Tarapoto

Soon after we arrived in Tarapoto ,we began setting up our house. Jonathan had continued renting his place here while he was in the States so we had a house waiting for us when we arrived! We have really enjoyed setting up our home together and are excited for God to use it to declare Christ.

Ministry to come

As we look to the future of the ministry here in Tarapoto, some changes are going to be taking effect very soon. Delwin and Techy Fowler, our fellow missionaries, are heading back to the States mid-August because of family paperwork. They will be returning in about 9 months. We would really appreciate your prayers for the church here and for us during that time. We will be very busy with working in the church and Spanish lessons. Pray that we would not become weary but lean on God daily for all our strength. Pray also for a young couple, Daniel and Mattie Melendez, who will be coming to help in the church for about 3 months during this time. Please also pray for more laborers to come here soon to help in declaring Christ to the Peruvians. Thank you in advance for your prayers for us!

We thank God for each of you and your prayers!

In Christ's Love,

Jonathan and Bethany Koehn

Us on the beautiful Oregon Coast

--  Jonathan & Bethany Koehn serving in the San Martín Project in Peru.   Serving God with http://www.tentmakersbiblemission.org If God has directed you to support please go to  https://tentmakers.webconnex.com/giving/southamerica Skype: jonathan.g.koehn Facebook: Jonathan G. Koehn Email: JBKoehn@customgraphicwork.com Website: http://jonathankoehn.customgraphicwork.com ----If you would like to be removed ----from my emailing please let me know, ----thank-you.  

Declare the Mystery

Greetings Friends,
    Please see below for the latest newsletter, however to see the newsletter including pictures please open up the PDF attached
filed.
    In Christ,
       Jonathan & Bethany

Declare the Mystery
"And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message,
so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, . . . " Colossians 4:3a

"Declare the Mystery"speaking of sharing the precious Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On a lighter note, but a mystery as well for sometime, God has been working in His perfect timing. Ecclesiastes 3:11a "He has made everything beautiful in its time." With that I want to share some very wonderful news that has remained a mystery because of things needing to come in proper order and also because of busyness. She is God's gift.

God's Gift -- James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

• God's gift – God brought a very godly and beautiful young lady, Bethany Estell, into my life very directly near the end of July and we began to date in early August. It is wonderful to see how God brought her some 4,000 miles around the world to Peru. We had met briefly in my time before going to Guyana while I was at Frontier School of the Bible.
  It was God who brought her in His time because I was quite blind. It was through God using outside testimony of two couples from the Tentmaker Bible Mission family that really got me thinking about Bethany. Praise to God for His timing.

• Engagement – God has continued to direct and He lead me to return to the States for a few months to have the opportunity to share in churches about ministry and encourage fellow believers, Lord willing. However, the main reason behind coming back was to get to know Bethany better. We got engaged very shortly after I landed at Salt Lake City International Airport.

  The best way for you all to get to know her is for her to share with you a little bit about herself. So, meet Bethany. . .

Bethany --

Hello to all of you!!! It is great to e-meet you :) It has been a pleasure to meet some of you in person and I look forward to meeting the rest of you in the future!

My name is Bethany Estell and I was raised in rural Montana. When I was just 6 years old, I trusted Christ as my Savior during a family devotion time. I was raised in a Christian home which God used to grow me close to Him during my growing up years. At the age of 10, I gave my life to Jesus. I let Him know that He could do with me whatever it was His desire to do. It was at this time that I really sensed God moving my heart toward a love and passion for the foreign missionfield! God really fed my desire to be a missionary through reading missionary biographies, going on a missions trip to Mexico, and getting involved in missions here in the U.S.

At age 18 I had to make that fun but difficult decision of where to go to college! By God's direction and guidance, I applied and was accepted to Frontier School of the Bible. I will graduate from FSB in May, 2010 (this year!!:) God has kept my focus on missions steady throughout the 3 years of Bible school. One way He did this was by sending me to Peru during the summer of 2009. God gave me a very realistic view of missions that summer. It was also during this time in Peru that I traveled to Tarapoto where Delwin and Techy Fowler and Jonathan (my fiance:) minister! The time spent in Delwin and Techy's home and in watching Jonathan minister there was tremendous! Not only did I get to glimpse what God is doing there but also. . .

• God gives so wonderfully --

  During the week I spent in Tarapoto, God brought Jonathan and I together! Praise be to Him!! Isn't He so good to us? Jonathan is such a amazing answer to so many prayers and yet, he is much more than I ever asked for!! "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of light with whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

  As of now I am working on joining Tentmakers Bible Mission and we're planning a June 5^th, 2010 wedding! Life is crazy but very good at this point!

  Just wanna leave you all with a verse that God has used to encourage me and keep me going!

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine eye."

Psalm 32:8

We so appreciate your prayers and loving support! God bless you all!!

God's Opportunities –
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:5,6

• Travel – Thank you all so much for your prayers and support during the flying and the many travels of sharing in churches. Through the flying God provided different opportunities but the one that lingers the longest was the opportunity to share with a young man in the Lima, Peru Airport. He was waiting for a friend and was somewhat at wit's end. He couldn't go home till a couple more days due to finances, etc. and didn't want to ask his parents for money to get him home sooner. We talked for quite some time while waiting for his friend. Lord willing, the seed of the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ was planted. Please continue to pray for more opportunities for us in sharing the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.

• Friend Raising/Deputation

  Here is a list of place that we will be sharing in the near future. Thanks for your prayers as we share with people!

  • March 25^th – Home Social: Lewistown, MO

  • March 28^th – Denton Bible Church: Denton, MO

  • April 7^th – Faith Baptist: Rhinelander, WI

  • April 8^th – Crescent Lake Bible Camp: Rhinelander, WI

  • April 11^th – Church: Interlocken, MI

  • April 15^th – Mitchell E. Free: Mitchell, NE

  • April 20^th – Home Bible Study: Morrill, NE

  • April 23^rd – Kamas Bible Church: Kamas, UT

  • April 25^th

    • Morning – River Valley Bible Church: Mesquite, NV

    • Evening – Southland Bible Church: Washington, U

  • May 2^nd – Bridgeport Community Church: Bridgeport, NE

  • May 9^th – Chugwater Valley Church,Youth Group: Chugwater, WY

  • More to come . . .

• Frontier School of the Bible
  Praise to God for the opportunity to be closer to Bethany during this time of great change. I'm based out of LaGrange, WY out of the Tentmakers Bible Missions Headquarters. I'm so thankful for a place to stay close by. Also for the opportunity to spend time with my brother, Jeremiah, and other Bible School students and teachers.
  
  

• Prayer Requests:

  • As we "friend-raise":

    • safe travel

    • opportunites to share about Peru

    • for those we share with to have a heart for missions

    • God's provision of prayer and financial supporters

• Praise:

  • God bringing Bethany into my life

  • Encouragement of supporters through prayer and finances

  • Many open doors to share in churches

  • Supportive families

In our precious Saviour Jesus Christ,

Jonathan & Bethany

serving in San Martin, Peru

--  Jonathan & Bethany serving in the San Martín Project in Peru.   Serving God with http://www.tentmakersbiblemission.org If God has directed you to support please go to  https://tentmakers.webconnex.com/giving/southamerica Skype: jonathan.g.koehn Facebook: Jonathan G. Koehn Email: JBKoehn@customgraphicwork.com Website: http://jonathankoehn.customgraphicwork.com ----If you would like to be removed ----from my emailing please let me know, ----thank-you.

To Live is Christ -- January 2010

Greetings in Jesus Christ,
    Below you'll find January 2010 newsletter, I hope it will be interesting. If you'd like to view the newsletter
with the photos please open the attached .pdf, if you are unable to view it please let me know.
In Christ,
    Jonathan

January 2010

Greetings in Jesus Christ! Praise God for the New Year upon us.

Ministry:

• Baptism – God gave the wonderful opportunity for Daniel Melendez and myself to be able to baptize 7 believers from the Community Bible Church. The young men were Sergio, Abraham, Lucas, and Marcos and the ladies were Katy, Paola, and Patty. Patty was so courageous as she stepped forward by telling of her faith in Jesus Christ, why because of her religious background. Praise to God for this courage He gives.

Above to the right is Daniel Melendez
and Jonathan Koehn.

From left to right we have Patty Ramierez, Katy Melendez, Sergio, Techy Fowler, Marcos Fowler, Delwin Fowler, Lucas Fowler, Abraham Melendez, Paola Melendez, Sarah Fowler, and Jonathan Koehn.

• Bible studies – God gave the opportunity to teach in two Bible studies in Spanish while Pastor Delwin was on a short vacation in Lima. The first one was a Wednesday evening one where we looked briefly at humility in Philippians 2:3-8. The second opportunity was a Thursday evening men's Bible study where we looked briefly at Colossians 2:6-10. It was wonderful to hear brother Hugo emphasize that we must beware with His voice as we looked at the command of "Beware" in verse 8. This passage addresses the truths that we must walk in Christ, we must beware of false teaching, and we are complete in Christ.
  

• Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ – God gave the opportunity to talk more with Frank, my Spanish teacher. He opened up more but I'm still uncertain about his salvation.
  I so want to see him in heaven some day. There were also opportunities to talk with Techy (to the left) who works for Santo (to the right), the philosopher and I also got to talk with two of her nieces. Please pray for Santo who expressed that he and his wife Rosa would like to do a Bible study like when I get back from the U.S. Praise to God! Continued on next page . . .

Getting ready for Travels:

The delay for this newsletter is because of the excitement of the trip ahead and the many things to do in preparation for it. Just to let you know, I will continue renting my home in Peru because of its close location to the missionaries' (Fowler's) home, and its good renting price. The other factor is that then there will be a home to come settle right back into. Also, such things as telephone and internet can be a bit harder to get set up and running here in Peru. Therefore, since I already have these in this home I will continue to rent. Please be in prayer for the home and its protection during that time. Some of the things I brought to Peru will remain here as well as some of the things that I have bought to set up the house (Which, by the way, has a way to go but one step at a time).

Travels to United States and Back (roughly February 4^th – June)

Lord willing, on February 4^th I will begin my journey to my parents' home in Sigurd, Utah. It will start on the 4^th at, roughly, 12:55PM. The journey will include 4 different airplanes and various layovers. I will, Lord willing, arrive in Salt Lake City International Airport around 8:06PM on February 5^th. Then, I'll still have another 3 hours in the car before arriving at their home sometime later that evening, depending on all that happens. I would appreciate your prayers as this will then begin my friend raising/deputation schedule. That same weekend we have, roughly, an 11 hour drive to LaGrange, Wyoming where, Lord willing, I'll get to be involved in the missions conference. Thank you so much for praying. Lord willing, I will be returning to Peru sometime in the month of June.

Friend Raising/Deputation

This is when a missionary visits different churches to share about the ministry they are involved with. Often missionaries are supported through gifts of faith from local churches and individuals. Thank you so much for supporting the ministry of God through these feeble hands and feet.

Lord willing, I'll be visiting churches and individuals in Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, Montana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. I'm looking forward to the ministry opportunities, the wonderful times to get to know more and more Brothers and Sisters in Christ and the privilege of meeting new people along the way. Please pray for this time of sharing and for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ along the way.

Praise:

• For God's working in my life during these 7-8 months on the field.

• For God's wonderful provisions.

• For opportunities God has given to share His Word.

• For the increase in Spanish understanding.

Pray:

• For Delwin, Techy, and Vikki as they continue to minister in Tarapoto, Peru.

• For travel to the states and for travel in the states.

• For God's provision through His children by means of friend raising/deputation.

• For evangelism opportunities in the planes, in the airports, on the road, visiting, and all along the way.

• For the salvation of Frank my spanish teacher, Santo, the philosopher, and his wife Rosa and Techy (not to be confused with Pastor Delwin's wife, Techy), who works for Santo and Rosa.

• For continued learning and growing in Spanish.

• For me as I readjust to a different culture and as I as "Goodbye" to the people here, for a time.

1 John 5:14-15; James 5:16b-18 ~ Prayer is a wonderful tool of the Lord's. Thank you so much for your prayers.

Thank you so much in Jesus Christ.
I hope to see many of you during the time I'm in the States!
    Jonathan G. Koehn

--  Jonathan G. Koehn  serving in the San Martín Project in Peru.   Serving God with http://www.tentmakersbiblemission.org If God has directed you to support please go to  https://tentmakers.webconnex.com/giving/southamerica Skype: jonathan.g.koehn Facebook: Jonathan G. Koehn Email: Jonathan@customgraphicwork.com Website: http://jonathankoehn.customgraphicwork.com ----If you would like to be removed ----from my emailing please let me know, ----thank-you.