Dear Praying Friends and Family,
The Christmas season is upon us once again, and one can’t help but become more sentimental this time of year. We have now lived in Peru for six months, and we can only praise the Lord for the journey we’ve traveled this year. My cup runs over with gratitude to every individual who brings our names or our team before the Lord in prayer. I am overwhelmed by the faithfulness of so many to support us monetarily each month. I am humbled that God Almighty saw fit to put me in His ministry to shepherd His believers here at Iglesia Bautista Internacional. He is an awesome God!
We’ve been extremely busy since our last letter. To God be the glory . . . our container with all of our personal belongings and ministry belongings finally cleared customs and was released from the port just after Thanksgiving! It was a long, tedious job but worth it to see the joy reflected in my children’s eyes and on
the face of my wife! It has been tremendously helpful to have these things to make our home more like home and to have resources in abundance.
The church continues to steadily grow, not only in number but also in rooted disciples. We’ve had a number of families complete the ten-week home-discipleship program we’ve established and are now moving on to help various team families
begin and teach new Bible studies.
Another victory has transpired in recent days, as the Lord has finally opened a door for us for a larger facility for our church to meet! The family whose home we’ve been using to hold our bi-weekly baptismal services owns a large, walled, open-air area behind their house. They have agreed to allow us to rent it for use for an auditorium. There is space enough for us to put prefabricated rooms along one side for use as Sunday school space, children’s church, and a nursery. It is only a block and a half from where we meet presently and is on a main thoroughfare. I can’t tell you how excited I am about the next level we can now push toward.
As a Christmas present to our Saviour, we will begin our second church. It will be located in a prime area up the mountain, about 20 minutes from our present church. We have a number of families that come from that area that will form the core of the church. We’ve been busy looking for a facility and laying the groundwork. We hope to have our first service just after the first of the year.
I don’t often mention my family in our letters, but this month I wanted to give an update on how we are doing. Our children are growing like weeds. With the arrival of our container, we were finally able to begin school. We’ve had a late start, but a plan is in place to catch them up in a reasonable amount of time. We’ve been
blessed with good health and are enjoying the change of weather, as we are seeing the sun more and the temperatures are beginning to climb. (Because we are south of the equator, our seasons are opposite). I wanted, too, to share the news that Christy is expecting our fifth child in April. Her pregnancy has been smooth so far, and
the children are excited about a new sibling. Ivana is praying for a sister!
In recent days I’ve been consumed with a thought: The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
As we begin a new year, I am renewing my passion and vision of church multiplication. There is so much need for a Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching church in every urbanization of Lima, in every city of Peru, in every country of South America, and in the entire Spanish-speaking world. I am committed anew to being a worthy investment of your time in prayer and your monetary investment. We press toward the mark.
We trust that you and yours will enjoy a wonderful Christmas season and a blessed New Year! We love and appreciate you!
For His glory,
Dan Hubbard
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