Ventanillla school update- Multiplication!

The multiplication continues in Ventanilla. We started with 7 students in 2008, went to 11 in 2009, 33 in 2010, and this year there are over 90 students. God has really blessed the work going on. Allison and Peck went with Julian (my father in law) and I to see the work and I asked Allison what she thought, as it was her first visit to Ventanilla. She responded ‘it looks like a normal school’. This is a wonderful step forward considering where the school has been for the last 3 years. There are now 9 teachers, more children in each class than there was in the whole school two years ago, and kindergarten/nursery, and a class of secondary school children.

Some of the kids lining up after s chool had finished.

Numerical growth is fantastic, but what is even better is that the same spirit that has been in the school is still present, even though there is three times the number of children.

The faith of Alfredo still continues to challenge me and encourage me. He is a great man to work with, one who completely trusts in God for the provision and advancement of the vision of having a Christian school, which is not like the normal education here in Peru.

The teachers in the meeting we had after school to encourage them, and pray for them

Added to this the Australian government have donated money to build a brick building for the school, which is more amazing provision. Alfredo started with nothing and still continues to build. Next year he wants to start a new school!!!

Maybe in Pacifico or in Pucallpa!!!

Alfredo in one of the red tshirts worn by the staff.

Taronga Zoo and Sydney

Cool Uncle Ben and cooler nephew Daniel!

Granddad and youngest grandson

Well we had an amazing holiday in Sydney after the madness of the UK. The UK was an amazing time, seeing so many people, so many places and really being filled up again, but we were drained physically, following possibly the most stressful and busy month of our lives in December.Grandma Sue with her 2 grandsons.
It was great to see Anna's family and just to have the space to reflect on what had happened in 2009 and what 2010 may look like. We didn't do very much but we did visit Taronga Zoo in Sydney which was great fun. Los 2 amigos or brother in laws.

Pucallpa Feb 09- Part 2- Arrival and Day 1

So the plan was set, Monday arrived and Julian and I left with good time to spare. We went to Eduardo and Cecilia’s house to pick them up, and only waited 25 minutes for them, not bad for them!
We arrived at the airport with no problems, as I had already checked us in online. Therefore we had time to have a coffee. No problem as we had plenty of time. This is of course before you send your coffee back because it is lukewarm and have to add so much sugar to make the coffee taste like honey. (Peruvians generally have coffee with their sugar, and not the other way round). Anyway we arrived back with the coffees after an age and then realised we need to board, but couldn’t with more than 100ml of liquid. Drinking piping hot coffee is no problem for Eduardo and Cecilia, and it went in 2 minutes. For me I had a choice leave it or burn my mouth, I went for the latter!
Anyway we landed in Pucallpa without any problems, and went out for dinner with the senior leaders of the main church.

Julian sharing a word, translated by Jen
Jen was our main guide and she took us to the Shipibo church the next morning, to start at 8am. We arrived only 40 minutes late and many people had not arrived at the church. It was a great to be a part of something so unique, for a long time the Shipibos have not wanted to associate with the Spanish speaking Christian church, so this was a great honour. So straight away our plans went up the wall when the pastor introduced us and then passed to his worship leader, and Eduardo had to follow on the keyboard, a lesser man would have really struggled. Eduardo accompaning the enthuastic Shipibo worship leader.

This was followed by one of 3 dances by the Shipibo teenage girls. These girls are amazing examples of Christians as they are persecuted for their faith, as their parents are not Christians and make it very difficult for these girls to follow their faith in Jesus. When we were returning to shower and have dinner before the evening session Jen told me that these girls would have been very happy with lunch, as may have not eaten for 2-3 days. Also I was told by Cecilia it would be great to do a medical campaign with these girls and others like them as they are very affected by parasites, and probably malnourished. How I count my blessings. The Shipibo girls dancing and singing for us
All the sessions went really well, although massively extended due to the pastor summing up each session in Shipibo for some time. Also endless songs and offerings in between each thing we did. The time with these people was a real inspiration, people with nothing, wanting to come and share the little we had to offer. It is amazing how God uses us.

Eduardo leading his worship workshopJulian leading his workshop
The evening session went well, although we arrived more than a hour late, as we stopped at the hospital to pray for someone, had a sleep to recover, and had a wonderful jungle dinner. The hope was that we would miss some of their special bits, and just preach and minister. God has a sense of humour. We still had all of the ‘special bits’ and finished at 10.30 ready for our pick up at 6.45 the next morning. The plan was to continue till midnight, but Jen had a word!
Great start to our 3 days.

Pucallpa Nov 08 Part 4

Following the business and leadership seminars we did, Julian preached
in the main church with Jennifer an American missionary translating, and I went to another Pucallpa church plant called 'Cordero' or 'the Lamb'. Again following my preach God healed people and people had powerful encounters with God.

Praying with the people of Cordero church.

Preaching at Cordero church.

I also had an encounter of a different type as I met a tarantula of the non friendly pet’s corner type. This was promptly squashed and the majority of the praying kneeling congregation unaware. Those who did see it took it in their stride. Just what is normal in a jungle service?

My little spider like friend was just left of the keyboard player.

When I arrived back Julian told me that they had see healings in their service when the congregation prayed for each other. One of the people healed was Antonio a Shibipo pastor full of faith who is still going strong at 70. He has travelled the entire world and has a unlimited visa to go to the US at anytime. This is unheard of here in Peru as people often get refused for a 2 week visa for fear they will stay after the 2 weeks to live. Antonio went to his interview at the embassy and saw many young people crying because they had been refused their visa. Antonio was feeling very apprehensive when the embassy official came out. She asked Antonio: 'Are you from an indigenous tribe?', he said ‘yes’. She said ‘come this way pastor’. He was given an unlimited visa without an interview to visit the USA whenever he wants.How good is God?

Myself, Antonio, and Julian

Antonio is a pastor of a church 19 hours by river from Pucallpa, and has invited me to go and minister there and the 56 church plants as well!! If God lets me, I’m there. We plan to go back in early 2009, so watch this space.
My time in Pucallpa was again a real blessing. Next time we hope to more training, especially of the pastors and leaders, part of our vision, but I cannot take anything way from the amazing things God has done through us in these 4 days. I would say its back to normal, but things very rarely are. I love it. What a privilege to be here living out our calling.

Pucallpa Nov 08 Part 3

Wow day 3 arrives (Saturday) and we have already preached and taught 6 times in 36 hours. We began the day with going for a roadside breakfast again, Oseas having cockrel soup for breakfast, while we had a more 'normal' egg sandwich for breakfast with fresh juice, picked from the nearby trees! Following breakfast we went to another church plant called San Fernando stopping off at the house of Oseas and his family. While we were there we had juice from the Cocona tree grown in their garden, which is different! Ceci, Oseas' youngest sister (one of 11) who is 14 asked Julian to be her Padrino (godfather) next October when she turns 15, the magic age here in Peru. This is a great honour as people ask people to be padrinos as they are people of good reputation in the community who can help with the preparation of the young senorita financially, emotionally, and in our case spiritually. Julian has accepted, so we will see what happens next October!

Oseas' mum, Ceci, me, Julian and Oseas outside the house of Oseas and family
We arrived at San Fernando and again Julian shared a word on the grace and peace of God. Again we prayed for healing and saw the people praying for each other. What a blessing this was.

Praying in San Fernando
After lunch we took a taxi 50km down the road to another of the church plants called 9th February (yes really) which was in a remote village, where we were to stay overnight. We found out the next morning that this was the anniversary of the church, and this was the reason there was over 200 people there. Communication differs in its form here in Peru, and this seems to especially be the case in the jungle.

Anway following a couple of hours sleep we went for dinner and waited for the service to start, which it did about 2 hours late at 9.30pm. After requesting not to preach too late, as the service would be going on for sometime, I preached on the love of God and then we asked for those who wanted to recieve healing to come forward. Again God healed people there. One of the visiting leaders testified later that her stomach had been healed physically, and the depression she had had been lifted. God is good.

Preaching in 9th February (not on)

A Brazilian lady then met Jesus for the first time and felt the power of God come upon her.

Some of the 200 people at the service in 9th February

I slept well that night, which cannot be said for Julian, who had 4 hours sleep. I only found one giant cockroach in my room that night!

My companion for the night!
The next day we set off back for Pucallpa and I preached at the main church, before having lunch and then Julian doing another business talk which was again really good, and also really inspiring.It was partly inspiring as 2 men attending gave testimony of their businesses. The 1st was a middle class business man who owned several businesses including a restaurant that helped support the TV station. He said he had become a Christian recently but since he had become a Christian he had changed the way he did business and God had really blessed his business.

The other man was a member of the Luz Divina church and he had had several problems with previous business and had lost all his money. He then told a story of how God had blessed him as he had had faith in God to provide for him. He works with jungle medicinal plants, and was asked to provide few thousand tonnes of these plants for a client. He did not have the money to buy them or the money to go and get them. However he found a warehouse that wanted to sell several tonnes of this plants. He asked the client who wanted the plants if they could pay 50% of the money up front and they agreed because they trusted him. He then delivered the plants and made a tremendous profit without spending any money, not that he had any to do it!