Dear Praying Friends,
January was a great start to our first year living in Peru. Our church moved into our new property. Our first Sunday at the new property, we had 138 in attendance, 24 visitors, 13 saved, and 4 baptized! Brother Zach Foust started church #2 for team Peru. Plans are for two other churches to be started within the next few months. One of these soon to be churches is currently a Bible Study being held in Surco; my family and I have had the privilege of helping this Bible Study. Sarah and I have been providing trumpet and guitar music for the congregational singing. My sister and brother-in-law have now arrived in Peru. Ezequiel is now leading the Bible Study to become a church and the attendance is over 30 now.
We have been privileged to take on several new responsibilities that have alleviated our teammates to allow them to proceed forward in starting and building churches. One new responsibility is a Saturday morning soul winning team of Peruvians. One week as I was winning a woman to the Lord on the sidewalk who was being very patient with my Spanish, my soul winning partner stood right behind me and won someone else to Christ simultaneously. Another week I approached Jorge with the gospel. He requested that I come back later in the afternoon when he had more time. That chance never happened because Carlos on our soul-winning team came right behind me and led him to the Lord. Jorge was the first soul that Carlos won to Christ. Amen and Hallelujah!
My wife has a story from this month that definitely must be shared. (As my husband handed one of our recent taxi drivers a gospel tract and invited him to church, the driver asked, “So, what do you think about the Word of God?” Well, was I ever happy to answer his question! The entire ride home I shared with him the good news of the Gospel. As we pulled up in front of our apartment building I asked the man if he would like to put his faith in Christ and ask Him for salvation. – His answer was an
enthusiastic, “Yes, of course!” After we prayed together and we said our goodbyes, he thanked us for sharing God’s Words with him. What a joy and privilege we have to plant seeds in such hungry hearts!)
What an amazing wife I have. I failed to communicate with her properly one day concerning dinner plans. She made too much food, so we needed to invite someone over to help eat the extra food. We have neighbors who are new Christians. They came for dinner at 7:00 and stayed for a Bible study until 10:00. As they were leaving, we all agreed to make it a regular Bible study every Thursday night. Wow, God is good!
Thank you to all of you who helped us recognize Savannah’s birthday. A lady Sarah led to the Lord took us to a play land for Savannah. It was a great day. Thank you for your prayers for our family and ministry; we feel them every day. Please continue to pray that God will continue to do a great work here. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. God bless you.
His for souls,
Mark, Sarah, Savannah, & Paul Rader
No comments:
Post a Comment