Friday, September 07, 2007

Routing the Enemy

As I said in my last post, we are in the process of upsetting the opposition. The workers are finding such an openness to the good news of Jesus Christ. We have a number of areas where our workers are sharing the gospel, where we have been asked specifically by the people to start some kind of work. God is truly at work.

We are feeding over 18 thousand people, more than 4 thousand families. Each person our teams encounter have a moving story to share. Some of those stories are miraculous. Some are heart-wrenching.

I have been here in Lima for most of that. My presence here enables others to minister there. I want badly to be there; but things just are not working out to be there.

Still, I have a story to share. One of our newest works is Torre Fuerte (Strong Tower) Baptist Church. It's been in existence since April. Now listen: there are 30 - 40 adults attending each week. Most of them have made a profession of faith in Christ, but have not yet been baptized. Yet, they are there.

Strong Tower is in the community where we helped to build a retaining wall. That project earned its money the day of the earthquake. The residents there earn just about $100 a month. That's $1,200 a year.

They asked me last Sunday if they could participate in our disaster relief in Ica. This church of very poor people have collected food, clothing, and other goods. Next weekend six of them will travel to Ica to deliver these goods to our team; they will help distribute the food and minister in those ravaged communities.

It is going to be an exciting moment in the life of a brand new church. They are starting out right. They are thinking upward and outward, not inward and downward.

The enemy is being routed. What happened in Peru has resulted in spiritual and numerical growth in the Family of God.

To God be all the glory....

Monday, September 03, 2007

A Lesson in Faith

This story will be told in full at a later point. For now, get ready to be rocked. Our relief team in Ica found yet another community that needed help. They are already helping over 18,000 people. But it seemed that this community was one that the relief team needed to be in. So they went in to check it out. They found a group of very hungry people. There was no food to be had.

The missionaries told the people to get ready, that they would be back. When they came back, the pots in the common kitchen were washed; the people were lined up in an orderly line; there was firewood under the pot; and the lady in charge was holding a match in her hand. They were ready. Everyone present was moved to tears. It was a divine appointment.

How many times are we ready when we have asked God to meet our needs? How many times do we have the pot ready for the food and the match in hand?

Oh, to have such a faith every single day!