November/December 2008 Newsletter

November/December 2008 Newsletter
Life; an adventure, a journey with Jesus
Here in Duluth & There in Peru

Dear Family & Friends:
Earlier this month we spent a week in San Juan De Lurigancho ministering with a TEAM from the Atlanta, GA area part time and beginning the process of applying for our VISAs. It was wonderful to see familiar faces, friends, and co-workers in the Peruvian church. There were conferences held where many, many requested prayer; conferences for men, women, and the pastors and lay leaders of their churches. There were a couple of days where manual labor was called upon at the new complex, and visits to Hope House, Pat’s Place and a local boys’ orphanage, Shama House. During the two days of medical clinic the TEAM saw about 400 people, with 97 of them professing faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for the church leaders as they follow up with these contacts.

We spent three mornings with Rory (a Christian taxicab driver) taking us, along with Carmen our translator, to and from the many places we needed to go to get all the paperwork submitted. We went to a notary public, attorney, and office to apply for a power of attorney to assist us through the process. We had VISA photos snapped, paid fees at three different banks (specific banks required for individual reasons – one didn’t accept cash!) had to make copies several times at a local shop, submitted paperwork to immigration, and went to Interpol (International Police) to complete an application, submit fingerprints and have a dental check, which then had to be mailed to the FBI in W.VA. We learned another step was required and that was to secure a permission to travel (leave and re-enter the country) which has never been part of the procedures before. With all this finally completed, we realize the Lord was ahead of us each and every step. There were snags in the process, but we didn’t have any major issues to resolve. Without knowing we needed the permission to travel, and that it took 48 hours to process, we were so very thankful to have discovered this on Wednesday morning. Friday morning we returned to the immigration office and it took almost two hours to get the much-needed piece of paper. Our flight was scheduled for that night! We now ask that you pray with us that the VISAs arrive before the end of January, as that is our anticipated departure date.

As we have shared with you in previous personal conversations and/or newsletters, we are scheduled to go to immersion language school in February for four months. We ask that you begin to pray for us in this endeavor. First of all, it’s a challenge to go to school at our age. It’s even more of a challenge when it will be in a foreign language! We will be living out of a suitcase and with a Peruvian family for these four months. We need to cover our expenses, which includes education, room and board. Your prayers for these needs are coveted. Our flight reservations from Atlanta to Lima to Arequipa and back to Lima are yet to be made because the fees have risen over recent months and we are monitoring the availability of affordable tickets.

We need you, now more than ever. Your prayer and financial support is essential to us to fulfill what we believe is our purpose! We have not shared the financial picture we are facing, but feel led to do so at this point in time. Why now? We were at a lunch meeting recently and were challenged when seeking Godly counsel, to put the facts out on the table, allowing the Lord to meet the needs through fellow Christians.

- Language school tuition is $5,000.
- Airline tickets approximately $1,750.
- In June we will need to set up housekeeping and a home office.
- If our home in Duluth is not leased, we will continue to pay the mortgage.
- We will need purchase health insurance in Peru.

Please consider a one-time year-end donation to assist us.

You are part of our TEAM and Together Each Achieves More. All you do for us, you do in the name of our Lord Jesus for those we serve together in Peru. We hope that you will continue to pray for us, and want you to know we pray for you and your ministry stateside.

As the month of November brings us to reflecting on what we have to be thankful for, we want to share with you that Bridgeway just had their annual Global Impact Celebration (Missions Conference) and we received additional funds to sponsor the 5th AWANA Club in Peru. This is truly amazing! The first club started in October with 54 children registering the first night. Three more clubs have since started. We can’t wait to tell them about the funds made available just this weekend. The pictures given us are not very clear, but we wanted to share one with you anyway. Note the banner in the picture. In Spanish, AWANA is OANSA!

Our Bridgeway AWANA kids recently learned a little more about the children in Peru, their living conditions, neighborhoods, family units, education, churches, Sunday School and AWANA. We shared with them the location of Peru on a map, some of the children’s toys, Peruvian money, photo albums, and prayed for the boys and girls in that country. We want to stay in touch with these children with the hope that they will recall what little they have learned about the needs of children with whom we will be working.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, a national holiday, a traditional family time, and a time to truly focus on being thankful, our weekend will be spent with our youngest two children and their families. We will miss them while we are in Peru. The grandchildren are growing up so quickly and the distance will prove to be difficult. JT (12) & Kyla (10) have been with us in Peru so they have memories to reflect upon. The younger three, Andrew (7) Maranda (3) and Phillip (2), will receive lots of pics through email and skype! We are truly thankful they have been close by and that they are happy and healthy children. Our other children are scattered throughout the U.S.A. and we do wish we could spend some time with them before we leave, however, it just isn’t possible. Today’s techie tools sure do help, and they share pictures with us on Facebook that we fully enjoy. We are also very thankful to have you as a friend. We will be separated by miles and may at times feel as though we are on an island, but knowing a friend sticketh closer than a brother, and hearing from you will always be welcome and such an encouragement.

Looking towards the celebration of our Savior’s birth, we are excited to watch the sparkle in the children’s eyes, the anticipation of goodies to taste and their opening that one special gift. We know it may be one of the last that we share with friends and family here, however, we will try to make it truly special as we spend time with those near and dear to us. In preparation for our move, we will have a unique Peruvian Christmas tree and invite you to stop by and see it! Please plan on doing so. It will give us an opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with you. If you are in a hurry, and who isn’t during this time of year, we understand and will welcome you for a visit as long or as short as you can spend with us. We want to wish each and everyone one of you a very happy holiday season from Thanksgiving, through Christmas and into the New Year.
January we will be in the final packing stages, thoroughly cleaning the nooks and crannies of the house, and bidding farewell to those who live close by. Our plan is to write one more time while stateside and at that time we will have our schedule finalized and praises to share with you.

Because of Him – Together Each Achieves More
Don & Joy