Sitting in a small storefront church on a Sunday morning, I gazed across a congregation of people as they partook in the Lord's Supper. Some had a tear in their eye, others a peaceful look on their face, but all the joy of salvation in their heart. This Sunday morning, God's people participated in what has become one of my personal favorite times in our young church. Young Christians realizing how great a Savior they have, what it took to save them from eternal hell, and how much God really loves them.
More and more our little church on the corner is becoming like a family. Many Wednesday evenings are filled with laughter, good teaching, and fellowship. Preacher always asks for a short time where we get to share blessings that have happened to us that week before we pray. I enjoy so much hearing our people praise the Lord.
We have gotten particularly close to one family: Carlos, Anita, Alexandra and Lucas Alvites. What a joy it has been to teach them the Bible every Thursday in our weekly Bible study. Their hunger for truth has been humbling and amazing to me. There are few things I like more than explaining the Bible to them.
It all started with a visit from Anita to our church. Anita had heard the buzz of the new church in Chorrillos, but being Catholic was a bit skeptical of Iglesia Bautista International. Finally one Sunday night about three months ago, she casually
walked in and sat in the back of our service. Her husband Carlos stayed outside the church walking back and forth scared to enter this "new" church. An invitation from the pulpit cured him as Preacher in the middle of his announcements compelled Carlos to enter. They were hooked. Both received Jesus Christ as their Savior that night. After the service both thanked preacher for his kindness and asked him to pray for
their daughter who was giving them trouble at home.
The very next Wednesday Alexandra attended our services. My wife had the wonderful
opportunity of sharing the Gospel with her. Alexandra was sweetly saved. Over the next week something incredible happened. I do not know what kind of girl Alexandra was before she entered our church building, but her parents say that she was completely transformed as a result of finding the truth. Jesus completely changed her life. She was no longer a rebellious teenager, but now a child of God with a sweet joyful spirit. She is now one of our core young people in our growing youth group.
There is something special about winning someone to Christ, but there is nothing like seeing your convert lead another person to the Lord. What a happy day it was when I looked down the street and saw my wife witnessing to a little girl and just across the way, Alexandra winning her first soul to Christ.
Our youth department is slowly growing. God's timing in our lives has truly been perfect. It seems the more of the Spanish language I am able to understand and speak, the more God allows me to do with our young people. We have started our youth choir this month who will be singing in church in a couple of weeks. We also had our first youth activity. The couple you see on the left of the picture are Anita and Carlos. They have and continue to change my life with each passing week. Carlos has a desire to teach and preach the Word of God. Their family has been a blessing to us in so many ways. It is funny, so many times when you are working to give a blessing whether through our Bible study, soul winning, or working with our young people, that I many times am the one receiving the blessing.
We also feel this way about you and your church through every kind word that is messaged, every phone call made, and every dollar given. We know that we represent you and God to these people here in Chorrillos, Lima, Peru. We do not take that lightly. Thank you never seems to be sufficient to say for all you have done for us. But, Thank You.
Always in our prayers,
Daniel & Heather Kokubun
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