Martin Family Prayer Letter for September 2011

Dear Praying Friends, October 1, 2011

Greetings from beautiful Alaska! As I write this letter, we have just finished our first of four weeks in Alaska. This is a trip we have been looking forward to for a very long time. I have said it before, but I often wonder how many of these wonderful trips we would have taken had it not been for deputation. Besides the wildlife, snowy mountains, and vibrant fall colors, there are many great churches here with an amazing burden for missions. So glad this trip has just begun!

There is so much this fall season brings. Many churches across the country seem to have their missions conferences between September and November. Conferences are always exciting to take part in. I’m glad we are able to attend many this season. Besides these, our schedule is full of several individual meetings as well. Prasie the Lord! In September our travels took us to eight churches in Maine, Connecticut, and Alaska. We enjoyed being able to spend some time with many of our dear friends from college, great pastors, sweet missionary families, as well as making many new friends at each church.

I wanted to share an amazing story with you. While in Maine one Saturday, we were out bus calling. As we got to the end of our street, there were a few apartments around a small courtyard. As we knocked on one of the doors, a young lady and her two young boys came to the door. As we introduced ourselves to her and handed her a tract, she said, “You’re the one that can answer my questions. I’ve been waiting for you!” To make a very long story short, Jessica and I spent about 45 minutes in her home answering a lot of questions and dealing with a ton of hurt. I’ve never had someone who had never been to church quote the plan of salvation along with me. She had been searching for so long but would not believe that Christ would take her just as she was. She did not get saved but promised to come to church the next day. Sunday morning came, and we picked her and the boys up on the bus and took them to church. At the invitation, she asked if Jesus really would take her just as she was. Yes!! With tear-filled eyes, she put her faith in Christ! Glory to God! Aren’t you glad that He took you just as you were! I wish I could write more, but there is simply not enough space! Overall, we were able to see 13 people saved this month. God is so good.

Thank you again to all of our faithful supporters. Deputation and our ministry in Peru would not possible without you. To date, we are at 55% of our needed support. God continues to supply! I am so grateful to the many churches and people who have caught our vision to get the Gospel to South America. I would like to especially thank our most recent supporters, Blessed Hope Baptist Church in Michigan and Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Kansas. We are that much closer!

On a final note, I would be remiss if I neglected to mention one very
important event from this past month. Any man in the ministry knows that an essential part of every ministry is a good wife (Proverbs 18:22). One may think he is a great, productive man of God; but if he does not have a supportive, holy, encouraging, and Christ-honoring wife, his ministry will always be hampered. I am so very thankful that God has blessed me with a wife who is all those things and many more. At the beginning of this month, Jessica and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary! Nothing I do now on deputation or one day in Peru would be possible without her by my side. God has been so good to me.

Your ambassadors to Peru,

Junior and Jessica Martin
Romans 9:3

Szabatin Update September/October 2011

Dear Pastors and Friends,                                                                                   September/October 2011

Spring has arrived as we begin to celebrate our second month in Peru. The sun has been out more, everything is not soaking wet every morning, and the air is warming up. This has been a great encouragement.
Our language school continues to go well; Hermano Victor Ocampo is a very good and patient teacher. He takes the time to help us understand not just what we are saying but how and why we are saying it. As well, we have been working on the Romans Road in Spanish, and we almost have it down. This has been a point of frustration, as I love sharing the Gospel, but here in Peru I have felt like a man standing in the desert unable to tell thirsty people I have a water truck.

We go soul winning every Saturday; and my soul-winning partner, Hermano Alfredo, and I have shared the Gospel with many people. We have also seen some get saved, and a couple of them have come out to church. The Devil is very active in South America. Last Saturday as we were re-visiting some of our new contacts, there were almost a dozen Jehovah’s Witnesses out passing their heresy. I almost felt outnumbered, but Scripture came to mind. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

We continued on, and in a half hour we were sitting in the living room of another man rejoicing that he was asking Jesus Christ to save him. Getting around Peru is usually accomplished in a combi, which is a van not much bigger than a minivan with the ability to seat as many as 25 (very tightly). This also gives us the opportunity to pass out tracts and speak to people. Talk about a captive audience!

Josiah has been adapting very well. He has been participating in the Teen Department in many different ways. He helps on a bus route on Sunday mornings; he was in a drama at the recent youth conference. He had many late nights helping them get things ready. His school material just arrived the other day, so he will also be starting school in the next few days. (He is so thrilled!)

We are looking forward to celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving in October. We plan on getting a turkey and all the trimmings. This will be a busy month for celebrations, as it is Josiah’s 15th birthday on the 2nd, Danica-Lee’s 20th birthday on the 5th, and Andrea’s !! birthday on the 14th. (Sorry, but I can’t tell you how young she is.)

We have had a few people ask us about sending things down to Peru for Christmas and what we miss or would want. While we do not want to have anyone feel obligated, I thought I should put this list out all at once for everyone.

Andrea: Christmas decorations; Orange Chocolate; Junior Mints; Snickers; Mars Bars; Almond Joys; Kettle Corn Popcorn; chocolate chips; peanut butter (creamy); Advil; running shoes, Size 7; knee-high trouser socks (no, she doesn’t wear trousers); flat, black dress shoes, Size 7; slippers, Size 7; Scrabble; Clinique liquid cover-up, color-fair; Clinique eye shadow, colors-brown, mauve, and plum; Clinique mascara, color-brown or black.

Paul: Fast Break Chocolate Bars; Hershey Chocolate Bars; Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups; Icy Squares; pre-sweetened Kool-Aid; running shoes, Size 12 wide; men’s white undershirts, large; Reese’s Puffs cereal, Lay’s Ketchup Potato Chip (yes, this is a real Canadian thing); men’s white tube socks; black dress tube socks; black dress shoes, Size 12 wide; slippers, Size 12; Jelly Belly Jelly Beans; left-handed baseball glove (to play catch with Josiah; he has his own already).

Josiah: men’s white tube socks; black dress tube socks (just what every teenager wants for Christmas); men’s white undershirts, small to medium; running shoes, Size 10 ; men’s dress shirts, 15½-inch neck, colored; Milky Ways; Reese’s Pieces; peanut butter (creamy); hot chocolate; Earl Grey Green Tea (or regular); camera (his last one died); slippers, Size 10; jeans, size 30-inch waist, 32-inch length; basketball; men’s lightweight winter coat, medium.

Danica-Lee will more than likely be spending Christmas in the United States. As a college student in her third year, she has many different needs. Her e-mail address is curiousgeorge_008@hotmail.com. She would know best what she needs.

Family needs: Bounce dryer sheets; queen-size bed sheets; twin-size bed sheets; bath towels; tea towels; face cloths; and hand towels. We love getting letters, Christmas cards, and pictures of you all.

Our mailing address in Peru is: Danica-Lee’s address in the USA is:

Paul Szabatin
Apartado 18-1280
Lima 18, Peru
South America

Danica-Lee Szabatin
8400 Burr Street
Box 746
Crown Point, IN 46307

Thank you again for your love, your friendship, your prayers, and your support. We appreciate you so much.

Because of Him,

Paul, Andrea, Danica-Lee, & Josiah
The Szabatin Family
Your Missionaries to Peru
I John 5:20