Praise God for His Opportunities

Greetings in Christ,
On Tuesday October 28th, 2008; myself, fellow missionary Vikki, and Martin had the opportunity to go with Martin's dad, Caleb and two other men from the Gideons. We went to the pueblo (village) of Sauce and another village near there. There is a big lake near the town known as Blue Lagoon in English or Sauce Lake. The day started off from Caleb's house at around 5:30am in the morning. We went from there to pick up the Gideon New Testaments and the other two Gideon men then back to Caleb's house/store for Martin. Along the way we crossed a fast flowing river on a ferry that made its way back and forth using the current of the river while
attached to a cable.
Martin, Vikki, and Caleb on the Ferry.

The next exciting part of the adventure was going up a mountain that proved fairly steep at times. I'm glad we where able to use Delwin's pickup thank you if you helped in providing for this pickup. It has a good diesel engine and if needed high and low 4x4. As we went up the mountain we even passed some clouds. On the other side as we came down we saw bits and pieces of the big lake. We arrived near the first school in the village around 7:45 - 8am.
At the first school we weren't able to hand out Bibles because it was an anniversary. The students where going to a catholic religious meeting. The next school/encampment was military and there the G$ideons left some Bibles for the men. We couldn't go there because they where expecting the inspection of generals. In fact when we arrived it was interesting. Because they came out with a trumpet but didn't play it. The reason they came out with a trumpet is they thought perhaps the general for the inspection have arrived. We headed off to the next school. It went much better there Caleb shared in the first class, and different ones handed out Bibles. (On the way there they said if I wanted I could also share.) Perhaps in the next class is when I had my first opportunity to share from the Bible. The day went fast and I can't remember I think I had the opportunity to share 1 to 2 times in this school. I thank God for the opportunity to share the gospel. God lead me to use the passage in Matthew 14:26-31 about Jesus walking on water which I had learned about from "By This Lamb" a book by Goodseed.com. This passage shows who Jesus is that he is God because of his power over creation. It shows who Peter trusted in Jesus. It also shows that there wasn't anyone else there to save Peter except Jesus.
Which is the same for us, Jesus is the only way to the Father. John 14:6. It was raining heavily, off we went to the next school in the next village close by. Here I had the opportunity to
share 3 times if I remember right. Martin translated every time for me, he is wonderful with language. We were planning to leave and the 1st graders came and said their teacher wanted us to come by. Caleb shared with them, also note he also shared in each class that we personally handed out Bibles in. We tried to get back to the first school two times but it didn't work out. However the Gideons left Bibles there with two Christians to hand out according to the roll sheets. We had lunch by the lake at a local restaurant, went to the police station where the Gideons gave out more Bibles. Saw a local evangelical church and met the local pastor.
Here is a picture of myself and Martin who translates often for me. Please pray for his strength and clarity in translating.
He translates Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday and other times as well such as during this day. Please pray he will look to God in his learning of language. He seems to be a very godly young man. He is a Spanish speaker, good in English, understands Hebrew and is learning German, he enjoys languages.I believe he would like to go to Israel some day.




Here is a picture of the river on the way back to Tarapoto before the ferry crossing. We got back to Tarapoto around 6:45pm.

Possibly I'll have some more pictures, later of this day.
Thank you so much for your prayers and your encouragement.
There are days when your emails/notes mean so much, such a great encouragement.
Thank you also for those who help by providing financially.
Both are important in keeping the missionary on the field thank you
for your faithfulness in this.
Su hermanito in Christ,
Your little brother in Christ,
Jonathan

I Come to you today in Two Ways

1st Way Will you be an intercessor in Prayer?
Please pray for Nilo, for His wife who needs to have a surgery in Lima or she may die. This is a big financial need for him. Please pray for God's glorification in this. That even
right now Nilo would be comforted by God and lifted up in prayer by you all. He is a new Christian but a faithful new Christian. His desire to share the gospel outstrips many older
Christians in the faith. Even today we went to another pueblo where he shared the gospel with two families. Last week he shared with two ladies. He will probably sell his little vendor stand
of Empanda de Yuka's to get more money to go. Another missionary here has helped out. I know many of you would love to help I'm not sure how this is directly possible but I know
that you can pray for God's provision through His way. Please pray for clarity in God's direction. Perhaps the church here may take a love offering for them on Wednesday night.

2nd Way Will you give God praise?
For Nilo and him stepping out to share the gospel. For others in the church being so faithful, and even some stepping forward to perhaps partake in greater responsibilities there may be young adult group
form. Please pray for God's direction and please give praise for the people's willingness. Praise God for the church how some are inviting different people. Praise God for the youth group that is coming out.
Praise God for the opportunities he provides. Will you give praise to the Creator who made the universe nothing is impossible with Him. Praise God that perhaps even today through Nilo's witness that
possibly 3 men Eleser, Raul, Andre, and Eleser wife Elfa perhaps came to Christ. (The names may be misspelled.) Lord willing I'll return with some New Testaments for them. Please perhaps even pray that
Nilo could go and see them again later on.
Please give the glory to God for this is only possible in Him. "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable." (Psalms 145:3 NKJV)
Su hermanito en Cristo,
Your little brother in Christ,
Jonathan

2 New sermons covering Genesis 4:17 - 5:24

Genesis 4:17-24
Genesis 5:1-24

Sunday in Peru

Greetings Here is part of an email sent to my Dad. I thought perhaps others would find it interesting as well.
I hope you have a wonderful day in the LORD.
It was a good day kinda long and different. The sermon was on "Is there Hope in Life" I think was the title. 1. Life is hopeless separated from God. 2. Life is hopeful with God.
Something like that. Talking about Cain's lineage and it doesn't mentioned them calling upon the name of the LORD. Some of Lamech's sons would have so called prestige in the eyes of
the world being the fathers of various things. Then we looked at Adam and Eve, seeing even remembered to give praise to God then after Seth had Enosh it said people called on the name of the LORD.
Which then later tied into Acts 4:12, John 10:31-33 I think, Acts 16:31
The two men I saw in Morales came though the older one wound up sleeping most of the time I think. The other responded during the sermon. I don't know if either are believers. Possibly though. Then we took some people to a restaurant before going to Papito Ricardo's for lunch. Then I went shopping got two shirts I needed to get change, perhaps other ways would have been better but I needed shirts wound up being around 34 soles which is around $12 US. A lot of money for peruvians but not for americans hmms. Then went and picked a couple of those people up from the restaurant, well after coming by the house and changing. Took them back and then took one of Alfredo & Anitta's son to play soccer with me. Went and did that which was fun. One of them invited me to church in the evening Pepe he is somewhat mischievous. However went and he didn't show up until close to the end of the service. But I went asking God to learn about more of the need here. I met the director of the Evangelical Mission for the San Martin, and Loretto area. So got to ask him some questions and he is possibly coming by tonight. Which he speaks spanish and I don't speak it very well so we'll see what happens. Please pray for direction.
After the service met some people, I enjoyed singing there they had some songs I knew but they where in spanish but the tunes where familiar. The sermon was on Acts 10 with Cornelius but I don't know what he talked about other than when he went to different verses. I'm not sure they preach through the Bible verse by verse and book by book or if it is more in this chapter one Sunday and in a different on the next. It is hard to get to know the pastors as far as the language barrier. Pastor Werrin wanted his daughter or someone he knew to practice english with me, I wound up talking with Pepe she wanted to talk with the young guys. So a different evening.
Then I went with Pepe to Ice Cream got to know him a bit better, including that his sister has cancer in the blood Leukemia I think is what he said. That his dad doesn't live there with them. He plays in a bad and will be turning 21 Oct 18. Seems he is directionless right now, not sure if he is a believer but possibly. Perhaps he is trying to forget about things. I feel sad about his sister. But he also said she believes in God, and I think he said she has a lot of trust in God.
After that we went to his house for a bit where he showed me his electric guitar he had made. Shows again the poorness. I was glad he showed me though he enjoys playing. Then his sister and mom came out and talked for awhile. His mom gave me some platino (like bananas) for frying, (and other forms of cooking) and I didn't know how. So she took a little time cut one up and showed me how to fry them.
So I'll probably try that today.
I think it was around 12 by the time I got to bed.
A good day praise God. Please continue to pray for direction in understanding the need here. If God wants me to return and in what form. It seems in shepherding it has really helped me to grow, because it helps me to have a caring heart about other people which I really love that God is creating that more and more in me. Evangelism is good but seems perhaps God is directing more toward shepherding in the sense of longer term relationships.
Thank you so much for praying,
Jonathan