A Vision for Peru

November 2009 Team

2009-11-20T14:56:00.002-06:00

We are waiting in the Atlanta airport to board our flight to Lima, Peru. So far our trip has gone well. Our next flight is scheduled to depart on time with the airplane at the gate. Please continue to pray for safe travel, good weather, God's will, and open hearts and minds to His Word. Please pray that we are able to obtain Bibles while in Lima and that leaders would emerge in the villages we visit.

Day 3, Exploring Opportunities

2009-06-11T21:25:00.002-05:00

On day one we met a gentleman who was excited to see us and wanted to explore some things with us. He shared with us that there were many believers in town but they had a hard time meeting since nobody really had enough room in their homes for bible study. Today he showed us a building that was available if he could get permission from the local government official. The building needs a new roof and cleaning up but looks to be a good location. He made arrangements for us to meet with the president that evening.
Kat met the local doctor on his way to the local clinic. He was excited about our being there and wanted to come to our bible study that evening if time and patient load permitted.
That evening was a scheduled meeting for the village with the archdiocese for making infrastructure improvements in the village. Most men attended this. The women were attending a "Mother's Club" function. Our bible study did not happen. We did not get to meet with the president as he had been herding goats all day and was tired. We did get to watch Columbia beat Peru in soccer much to the disappointment of the men in the village (and we think Cowboys fever is bad.)

Day 2, Peru Team Extreme

2009-06-11T21:12:00.003-05:00

On our previous day our translator Jerry discovered that a group of youth was heading to the higher peaks for a camping trip. We were invited to come up and have a talk with them.
We awoke early and found that our horses were ready an hour early. Off we headed without breakfast or even coffee for a 3 hour ride to the top of the mountain, an area named Marcahuasi. Along the trail ride we were able to witness to our trail guides. These were amazing women who trotted along with us on foot as we rode the horses.
At the top we were treated to spectacular views, clean air, and a closeness to the earth. It is humbling to see God's creation and know that He created it with a spoken word.
We viewed some of the ruins and headed to a secluded grassy area where the youth were camping. Jerry has a true heart for evangelism and is very eloquent is his presentation of the gospel. We planted many seeds among the youth and our prayer is for them to take root.
It was then time for our decent from the mountain top.
After some rest and food we were ready for our bible study. There was a funeral that evening also and turn out was low.

Day 1, Lost Goat Adventure

2009-06-11T21:00:00.002-05:00

We awoke early and headed out at 5 am to look for Oscar's lost, pregnant goat. Although we didn't have to look for the goat, we did spend some time with Carmen's mom, Isabel, and learned the finer points of Casta potato farming. God blessed us with a beautiful sunrise and wonderful fellowship. This included befriending the family pets (two ducks, two dogs with two puppies, two kittens, two floppy eared goats, and one previously mentioned pregnant goat.)
After lunch we talked with a few folks and scheduled a bible study for that evening. Oscar agreed to allow us to host the bible study in the hotel. However, there was a funeral that evening and most folks were attending it and nobody showed for the bible study.

Day 0, The Trip Up the Mountain

2009-06-11T20:54:00.002-05:00

Our harrowing adventure begins as we make our way up a lonely (sometimes two is a crowd) road (loosely termed). God watched our ways and lit our paths as we travelled at night. Jackie kept reminding Rick to "Honk, honk!" and "Stay to the left!" We were met in Casta by Oscar and Carmen and bedded down for the night after a quick supper.

The first day in San Pedro de Casta

2009-06-08T20:30:00.002-05:00

A phone call from Jackie this evening revealed:
1) The team woke up at 4:30 a.m. on purpose to help Carmen, Oscar's wife look for a goat that was lost.
2) Jackie became a little ill and stayed close to the Hotel while the others were out and about.
3) Jackie also helped Carmen's grandmother sort potatoes.
4) The group will be trying to join the local youth in a very spirited game of Volleyball Peruvian style.

The team plans to take a tour of the local Incan Ruins in the morning while the people are tending to their fields. Then later in the day they they will try to meet with some of the contacts we have there.

God is Great!

2009-06-07T10:16:00.002-05:00

We have trusted in the provision of the Lord and all is well!
All three of us arrived without incident. After a brief night of rest, we have had breakfast and rented a truck. We will be making some arrangements this morning, stock up on some supplies and then head up the mountain.
We know that everything will go well since Rick and Kat had the required dosage of coffee!
Jackie will be on the hunt for a new coat at Wong's.
We will sign on later if the Internet is available from up that high. Somebody put in a call to Al Gore. We'll see if the tin foil hats really work.
Continue to pray for our trip today......

Psalm 25:4 ⁴Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.

Ready to leave!

2009-06-06T10:15:00.002-05:00

Team Peru, June 09
We are awaiting our flight out of SA to Atlanta. We are totally wired on coffee and excitement for the Lord!
We arrive in Atlanta around 3:00 and depart a little after 5:00. We will arrive in Lima at 10:50.
Pray for a safe and uneventful journey!

Summer Mission Team 2009

2009-05-27T20:48:00.003-05:00

Our next team to Peru will leave on June 6, 2009 and return June 13. The team consists of the team leader Kat Lowe, Rick Barnds and Jackie Chandler. This discipleship training team will spend their time in the village of San Pedro de Casta. They will follow-up on the work accomplished by the December 2008 team. Their team goals include reinforcing Bible study with the believers, invite new participants to hear about the Bible and seek opportunities to present the gospel.

Pray for the safe travel of the team and the boldness to meet and witness to those in the villages. Pray for open doors.

December Team Back in Lima

2008-12-14T18:00:00.002-06:00

Our December team posted the following as a comment to an earlier post. We did not want you to miss it so it is being reposted here:

Team is back in Lima. We conducted 9 services in 4 different towns in 9 days. Many lives were transformed and changed including ours. God answered many prayers. Weather was unseasonably dry and beautiful. We are all safe and well. More details to follow. Looking forward to seeing our brothers and sisters in Christ at UBC.

Praise God,

The Dec Team

Ephesians 3:20-21

Team Arrives in San Pedro de Casta

2008-12-09T09:04:00.002-06:00

Mary and Eric arrived in Lima a few days ahead of Brad and Brother Randy. They connected with the ReapSouth team and gathered supplies. Brad and Brother Randy arrived in Lima as scheduled and the team loaded the trucks and headed to San Pedro de Casta. We received word on Sunday that they arrived safely in San Pedro de Casta.

On Sunday a worship service was held with 20 people in attendance. Of that number, 13 were from the village. Praise the Lord! Brother Randy was able to call home on Monday and passed on the news that he had been in contact with those who made professions of faith in August and they are still excited and are meeting for bible studies on Friday. What exciting news! Brother Randy was meeting with some people in the community on Monday night. He remains in Casta while the rest of the team has traveled on to Carampoma.

It is exciting to hear what the Lord is doing in the mountain villages of Peru! Continue praying for the team. Brother Randy and his translator remain in Casta and Eric, Mary, Brad and translator are traveling on to the other villages. Continue to pray for their safety and for the work they are doing in Peru.

Church Planting Team Prepares for December Trip

2008-11-11T08:27:00.010-06:00

The December Peru Missions team will begin their journey to Peru on December 3rd with all returning on December 19th. The team members are Bradley Chandler (Team Leader), Randy Bales (Specialty Coordinator), Mary Wilbur (Medical) and Eric Wilbur (Accountant/Media). As always, their plans are to seek God's will for reaching the Huarochiri People of Peru for Christ. Randy will serve primarily in San Pedro de Casta in order to identify possible church leaders, baptize one or two believers who can baptize others, story the purpose of the church to possible church leaders using Acts as the foundation, establish a commitment to begin a house church, disciple when possible and evangelize always. Randy also intends to vist the other villages and conduct two worship services on December 7th and 14th. Bradley, Mary and Eric plan to spend most of their time in and around the villages near Carampoma following up on professions of faith, seeking persons of peace and points of contact, discipling when called and evangelizing when led. The team will have 2 local translators joining them as they visit the Huarochiri people. Please pray for their safe travel throughout the trip. Bradley and Randy depart Houston on December 5th and return on December 16th. Eric and Mary depart San Antonio on December 3rd and return on December 19th. As you pray for their safe travel, also pray that all flight connections are made and they arrive in Lima on time with all their luggage. While in Peru, please pray for their travel safety while on the mountain roads and arranging local housing. Finally, pray that each member allows the Holy Spirit to work through them as they build the eternal Kingdom of God. Each of the team members is thankful to God for what He has done, is doing and will do through this missions effort. As Jesus said in Matthew 28: 19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spririt, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you to do, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Back in Lima

2008-08-15T13:46:00.002-05:00

We made it back to the Hotel Santa Cruz in Lima about 8:30 Thursday night. Thank yáll for your prayers. We really felt the Hand of God at work. The people here are hungry for the word and fellowship with other Christians.
Between the 3 teams, we saw 19 people come to know the Lord. That was amazing. Your prayers and ours were truly answered. ( Oh, yea, Denny got his luggage Thursday night) (Yea, clean pants)
Most of the team will be headed back Friday with Michael & Denny following on Saturday.
So many stories, so little time.

Safe Arrival in Lima!

2008-08-10T20:56:00.003-05:00

We have received word from the team that they have all arrived safely in Lima. Praise the Lord! There were difficulties in Ft. Lauderdale but they did all make the same plane. The biggest problem right now is that Denny's luggage did not arrive. He is living out of his backpack for now. He says he has clothes but his MREs (meals ready to eat) were in his luggage. Please pray that his luggage will arrive and somehow he will be able to get it while up in mountains.

The team met Arnold and Suzie Austin and their 3 translators in Lima. They were preparing to load up the trucks to head up the mountain. Continue to pray for their safety as they travel.

We are thankful to the Lord for His provisions as they have experienced difficulties in getting to Peru. Pray for the work that will be accomplished through this team. We are looking forward to an exciting report when they get down from the mountain villages.

Lift off!

2008-08-09T20:47:00.003-05:00

W e received word this afternoon that the team has boarded their flight to Peru. They are on their way! Two team members had difficulty getting on the flight, but two other passengers gave up their seats and our team was able to share the same flight. Praise the Lord!

Remember to thank the Lord for His travel provisions in this circumstance. Please continue to pray for each team member as they embark on this exciting mission to the Huarochiri region. We know there are divine appointments awaiting each member in each village. We can't wait to hear what the God has in store!

Initial Evangelism Team Prepares to Go

2008-08-03T17:13:00.002-05:00

The Initial Evangelism Team will be leaving for Peru on August 8 through August 16th. The team members are Denny Fisher, Yancey Walker, Michael Constante, Sylvia Martinez, Cathy Hankins, Hortensia Tellez and Terry Brown.

Their plans are for Michael, Terry and Cathy to serve in Laraos and Carampoma. Yancey and Hortensia will be serving in San Pedro de Iris and Huanza. Denny and Sylvia will be serving in San Pedro de Casta and Huachupampa. They will have 3 local translators joining them in the 3 locations.

Pray for their safe travel. Michael will be leaving San Antonio on the 8th and the rest of the team will be leaving on the 9th. Pray for their flight connections and that all arrive in Lima with luggage as scheduled. Pray for their travel safety while on the mountain roads and arranging local housing.

We are so excited about what God has done in Peru this summer through John and Olga’s time. We thank God for what He will do through this mission team.

Safely Home

2008-08-01T12:33:00.002-05:00

John and Olga have arrived in San Antonio!

They did get the issue of the truck resolved before leaving Lima. They did pay for some damage but not as much as the rental company was originally insisting they pay.

They thank everyone for their prayers and are looking forward to sharing with us what God did while they were in Peru.

Prayer Request from John & Olga

2008-07-31T12:38:00.001-05:00

The Salazars are safe and sound in Lima . They are currently enjoying lunch in a nice restaurant in the city. They are scheduled to fly out tonight at midnight.

They have asked us to pray about a situation they are working to get resolved: When they went to Budget to return their vehicle this morning, the company told them there has been major damage to the vehicle and the Salazars are responsible for paying for it. John & Olga have met up with Bro. Tate, who works for the IMB, and he is helping them. He told them that he has not rented vehicles from Budget in many years because of such incidences. He is going to give them information about going through the local Toyota dealership. He is also going to see that they get a second opinion from an independent mechanic. Pray that this situation is resolved quickly and peacefully, and that a good relationship can be established with a reputable company who can provide our future teams with vehicles.

They send their love and well wishes and look forward to getting home tomorrow.

Update from Peru

2008-07-23T20:18:00.002-05:00

"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Eph3:20-21

John called the church today with the following updates:

On Monday night John taught ESL to some University professors. They had to stop the session because the lights went out.

On Tuesday night they led a Bible study and had 20 in attendance, including children.

Tonight John will again teach ESL to the University professors. He asks for prayer that he will be effective. He believes one of the professors made a profession of faith last night.

On Friday night they will lead another Bible Study.

On Saturday John and Olga will participate in the wedding ceremony of Oscar and Carmen. Oscar is the hotel manager. The Salazar’s led Oscar and Carmen to the Lord last week. In the process of talking with them about their commitment to Christ Oscar and Carmen made the decision to officially marry. John and Olga are excited and he shared about their plans to get a wedding cake and rings for the ceremony.

On July 29 the Salazar’s will travel to another village and share their testimony before returning to Lima to make their way back to the US.

Thus far there have been 5 known professions of faith, including Oscar and Carmen. They have discovered other believers, more than they anticipated. They ask for our continued prayers as they lead the Bible study and witness each day.

Their health has been good but going up and down the mountains has been a little rough on Olga. John said it is very cold there. They send a “howdy” to everyone and look forward to being home soon.

News from San Pedro de Casta

2008-07-21T18:03:00.002-05:00

John and Olga arrived in San Pedro de Casta last Monday and secured housing at the hostel there. This is the location that the previous teams had stayed at. The manager and his wife were helpful to John and Olga getting set up. John and Olga began to establish a relationship with them and John was able to witness to both husband and wife. Both of them prayed to receive Christ as their Savior! Praise the Lord! What a mighty God we serve!

Also, last week there was a young woman that was experiencing complications with her pregnancy and needed to be transported to the hospital. The doctor there did not have anyone to drive the ambulance. So John became the ambulance driver last week. The doctor is one of the believers in the village and he was very happy that John was able to help in this situation.

This Tuesday evening John and Olga will be holding a bible study there in San Pedro de Casta. The manager and his wife, along with the doctor and some of the other believers will be in attendance. This is one of the first bible studies that our groups have been able to hold and the first one for the villagers in a very long time. Please be in prayer for John and Olga as they prepare for this bible study.

Isn't it exciting to see the work that is being done there in Peru?

Safe Arrival

2008-07-13T15:04:00.001-05:00

We have received word that John and Olga arrived safely in Lima, Peru. They are taking some down time to unwind and get ready to head up the mountain. They plan to leave Monday the 14th to travel to San Pedro de Castra. Continue praying for their safety as they travel on the mountain roads. God is so good!

Summer Mission Team - John and Olga Salazar

2008-07-08T20:12:00.002-05:00

John and Olga Salazar are our first summer team headed for Peru. They will be leaving on Wednesday July 8, 2008 and will arrive in Lima late that evening. They will return to San Antonio the first week of August. Tonight they are spending the evening having dinner with their family and finishing up their last minute packing.

The current plan is for them to spend a few days acclimating to the country and gathering the supplies that they will need while on the mountain. They hope to leave for San Pedro de Casta on the 14th. They plan to base in San Pedro de Casta and to spend as much time as possible in the different villages. The emphasis of their trip is evangelism. They hope to build relationships with the people, to begin home bible studies and to establish a point of contact in each village for future teams.

Here are specific ways that you can pray for them:

1. That they are able to build relationships
2. That seeds will be planted
3. Safe travel and timely connections
4. Ability to find adequate housing while they are in the field
5. In country travel arrangements – hotels in Lima, rental trucks, and finding the right supplies
6. Pray for their children as they are away

Message from the Prayer Team

2008-07-08T19:52:00.001-05:00

The Peru Prayer Team would like to thank each of you for your prayers during our trip. We faced many obstacles but God is in control. While on the trip God gave us the following verse –

“You must not fear them, for the LORD your God himself fights for you.” (Deut. 3:22)

Just as the Lord knew the obstacles that Joshua and Israelites would face when conquering the Promised Land, He knew the obstacles we would face on this trip. We knew that no matter what the obstacle the Lord could overcome it for us. There were obstacles but there were so many joys. Meeting people in the mountain who love the Lord, the children who came running to share a song, being able to walk the streets of the villages and pray for those that we met and the villagers who came to our rescue when the truck got stuck were just a few.

We feel blessed that God gave us the privilege of representing UBC on this trip and we thank the church for allowing us to represent them. We know that the task ahead is great but we are looking forward to seeing what God is going to accomplish with the teams that will be going this summer. Each of us can’t wait until we can go again!

Houston Arrival - Part 2; Finally Home

2008-03-25T15:57:00.003-05:00

Walter and Donna are safely home at last. They got on the 8:15 a.m. plane out of Miami and their luggage was waiting on them in Houston. They picked up the truck, headed for home, and got in around 3:00 p.m.. They are grateful for all the prayers.

This was a difficult trip but we praise the Lord for all that He accomplished.

Pray for a great night's sleep and renewed strength for tomorrow's adventures for each of our team members. I know we all will look forward to hearing the stories in the days ahead.

Getting Out?

2008-03-25T08:16:00.003-05:00

Walter and Donna were not able to get out of Miami last night. They did get some rest - without luggage - and are praying to make it out this morning around 8:15 a.m. Luckily, their Peruvian training of wearing the same clothes has come in handy today.

Pray they will make it out of Miami, that their truck will still be in Houston, that their luggage will be easily retrieved and that they can make the drive home with no problems. Finally, pray for rest for them tonight as Walter prepares to go back to school tomorrow.

Praise God for His continued provision for and protection of our Peru Team.

Houston Arrival - Part 1

2008-03-24T18:14:00.003-05:00

Brad, Jackie, Gloria & Linda have safely arrived in Houston, TX! Gloria and Linda are in the process of renting a car and trying to find one piece of missing luggage. They, along with the Chandlers, hope to be back in SATX very soon.

Meanwhile, in Miami, Walter & Donna are still waiting on a flight to Houston. Pray they make it out tonight or first thing tomorrow morning.

Updated Prayer Request

2008-03-24T15:44:00.003-05:00

We are happy to report that God has answered our prayers and Walter has been allowed back into the US! His passport, however, was canceled so he will have to re-apply for a new passport. Walter and Donna are presently on stand-by at Miami International. They hope to get on a flight to Houston later tonight but may not make it out until tomorrow. Walter obviously will not be back at school tomorrow. Pray for Walter and Donna to find rest and comfort while waiting. Pray for Walter to be ready to return to school on Wednesday.

As best we know, Brad, Jackie, Gloria & Linda made it out of Miami and should be landing in Houston later this afternoon. Pray for them as they arrive, retrieve their luggage and determine their next course of action.

Praise God that our team has made it back to the States and has had a very eventful trip. I know we all wait anxiously to hear the first-hand reports!

URGENT Prayer Request

2008-03-24T14:06:00.001-05:00

We just received information that our Peru Prayer Walking Team is facing a few more difficulties. Please pray right now for the following situations.

Walter has been detained by Immigration in Miami after his passport came up reportedly "stolen." Donna is alone in Miami International and awaiting more information.
Brad & Jackie are on the plane and preparing for departure.
Linda & Gloria are still being processed through security and hope to make the flight that departs in about 30 minutes.
The group has been split up again but hope to rendezvous in Houston later this afternoon/evening.

Pray for Walter's passport issue to be resolved so he and Donna can catch another flight to Houston.

Easter Sunday

2008-03-23T14:25:00.005-05:00

We got up early to worship with the missionaries at their church. The church is a satellite campus of Flamingo Road Church based out of Florida. They have two services, one in spanish and the other in english. We went to the english service but we entered late after we spoke with the UBC congregation via telephone.

The rest of the day will be spent in debriefing the Reapsouth team on our trip and updating the blog as much as possible here at starbucks.

We will be leaving very early monday morning for our flight back. Please pray that our return trip will be more efficient since most of our team must be back at work on Tuesday.

Ciao, Hasta Luego.

Good Friday in Lima

2008-03-21T13:44:00.000-05:00

Good Friday in Lima is a big Holiday. Most places are closed and an otherwise extremely busy city is reduced to very light traffic and oddly deserted streets. We took advantage of this day to get rest and reflect on our journey, And fill out some Reapsouth paperwork.

This is the day that we had originally scheduled to return to Lima, and there was plenty to do to wind down the trip. We struggled to fill the rental trucks with fuel and get them washed since there are no do it yourself carwashes. The rental company will pick up the trucks first thing in the morning so we need to hurry and get these trucks cleaned.

San Pedro Day 2

2008-03-20T13:42:00.001-05:00

The sun came out just as expected and the vistas around the town are breathtaking. Walter, Donna Brad, Ana made preparations to visit Huachupampa. Huachupampa is a town that the vision team identified as a potentially difficult town to get into. Our goal was to seek out the Mayor and School official to introduce ourselves.

Jackie, Linda and Gloria were to stay behind and continue visiting and praying for the people of San Pedro.

The team headed for Huachupampa encountered trouble with the roads and had to abort the trip up. In fact the road conditions were worsening as more rain began to fall. There were several vehicles, some larger than our trucks, that were having a lot of trouble navigating the muddy roads.

As the rains began to fall again by the afternoon we decided as a team that we should act wisely and depart for Lima because the roads were only going to get worse. We all had a difficult time with this decision, but in the end we determined that it was the best decision to make.

We arrived back in Lima just before nightfall.

San Pedro De Casta

2008-03-19T13:41:00.001-05:00

Left Carampoma for the town of San Pedro de Casta. The sky was clear and bright as we passed some extraordinarily beautiful scenery. The scene quickly changed as we reached the the summit where San Pedro is located. The town was under heavy fog, much like laraos but this was cooler and there were rain showers that fell. The town was busy making preparations for the Easter celebrations. The town square was bustling with activity.

Were able to meet with Herlinda, she is a Christian lady that is working with a small local group of believers to begin starting a new church. Herlinda had given away her bible so we gave her two new bibles: one for herself and another to give away. Herlinda’s prayer requests right now are for her health and Family.

We continued our walk for a while and coninued to meet some of the town people and prayed over the children’s playground.

The weather was very cold and rainy so we returned to the hotel for the evening, we decided that Thursday would be a much better as the weather usually breaks in the morning. The plan is that we would send a team up to the town of Huachupampa and leave another team in San Pedro to keep talking with people and possibly set up a bible meeting with Herlinda and Pastor Luis.

Prayer walk in Carampoma

2008-03-18T13:40:00.001-05:00

Did some prayer walking in carampoma in the morning and visited Laraos in the afternoon. We found that the people of carampoma are hungry to learn more about Christ and we were able to identify a man who calls himself Abram (not a typical quechua name, probably renamed himself) and identifies himself as an evangelical Christian not catholic. He was in the fields all day so we did not have the opportunity to meet with him, an excellent possible contact for future visits.

We also met Dino, who is a government official in Carampoma. Dino is the communication officer and came up to our hostel rooms in the evening to ask if we would be here Friday so we could tell about Jesus on the radio. Although we will already be back in Lima by Friday we did give him some evange-cube cards and the instructions to use them. He indicated that this would really help him reach more people. His language is a clear indication that he will be a great tool to be used of God in Carampoma.

Laraos is a town that is a little higher up on the mountain, and when we arrived there it was coated in very thick fog and mist. We spoke with several city ladies that were busy cleaning mud and debris from the city gutters in preparation for Semana Santa (Holy Week) activities. We prayed with them and let them know that we were here to see them and not to visit the usual tourist sites.

We also met an electrician from Lima who has been placed in charge of installing electricity to the church in Laraos. He allowed us into the church to see the religious tradition of the people. He also took much time away from his work to show us around the town and eventually introduced us to Sixto who is the City Secretary. Sixto showed us the city Museum and told us about the festivals that occur in June. He is also excited about our future groups coming.

Tomorrow we will make our trip to San Pedro de Casta.

Arrival in Peru

2008-03-17T13:33:00.001-05:00

Finally the entire team has arrived in Peru and we have picked up the rental trucks. We met with the Reapsouth team as we packed the trucks for our drive into the town of Carampoma. Anxieties and expectations were high as well as the altitude. Due to all of the shenanigans by American Airlines we will have to cut our time in the villages but God is definitely going to be moving in the Highlands of Lima this week.

Reapsouth has teamed us up with a college student from Idaho named Kyle. Kyle has been working with the Huarochiri people for a couple of weeks and will be an invaluable asset to our journey this week.

We also had Ana and Orlando two young Peruvians who were excellent in helping us navigate the language barrier. “no hablo castellan” was a phrase spoken often by our group.

Arrival...FINALLY!

2008-03-17T08:13:00.002-05:00

PRAISE THE LORD!! All of our Peru Team members have safely arrived in Peru and retrieved all of their luggage! Donna emailed to say they are "tried" - which may or may not be translated "tired" - and will be sleeping until Noon. I understand Walter and Brad had a fast lesson in Lima driving from the airport to the hotel!

Pray for our team to get the rest they need this morning then to be renewed by God's Spirit for the incredible journey ahead. Thank the Lord again for answering our prayers and providing for our team thus far.

Congratulations guys on your safe arrival!

An Eventful Day

2008-03-16T19:57:00.001-05:00

It's been an eventful day for our Prayer Walking Team. Though everyone had hoped to be on the same flight and landing in Lima around 9 p.m. tonight, our team has found themselves split up again. From the latest accounts, Brad & Jackie were able to get out this afternoon and are hopefully arriving in Peru tonight. Meanwhile, the remaining four members have been meeting various folks at Miami International. Several have commented on the great spirits they seem to have in light of their travels. I think the team is doing walking warm-ups in the airport; no doubt, they are praying!

God certainly answers our prayers and continues to provide for our team. We spoke with the four Miami confined members tonight and prayed specifically for them to be able to make a midnight flight. This flight would send them to Bolivia then on to Lima. Just moments ago, our pastor received information from the team that they had received 4 confirmed boarding passes to depart Miami and fly directly to Lima! Praise the Lord for this miracle. We hope to hear from the team again before they depart Miami.

Here are some other prayer points for you to remember over the next few hours:

* pray for Brad and Jackie who should be arriving in Lima tonight around 9 p.m. (CST); pray they make their contacts and get into a hotel easily

* pray for the midnight flight to occur without any other major setbacks; pray that the remaining team members will be able to rest during this flight

* pray for all the luggage to find its way to each of our missionaries; because of all the flight issues, only God knows where each piece is at this point!

* pray for renewed energy and excitement for the team as they all arrive in Lima and begin preparing for their journey by truck

Thanks for your prayers for Walter, Donna, Brad, Jackie, Gloria & Linda. Praise God for their continued sacrifice and for His undeniable intervention and provision. We don't know when or if the team will have access to this blog, but feel free to post your comments and notes of encouragement. Above all else, continue praying for their adventures!

Travel Begin Stateside

2008-03-16T00:11:00.001-05:00

Please be in prayer for our Prayerwalking Team. All have been delayed in Miami this evening. Four from the group arrived in Miami first and were scheduled to be in Peru by this time tonight. The other two team members were to arrive in Peru tomorrow morning. Airplane troubles delayed the first group. The second group has met up with them now and all are awaiting vouchers for a hotel for the evening.

Pray specifically that the team can get rest tonight and that the contact details with the Peru connections will go smoothly tomorrow. Pray also that the team is able to get out tomorrow and arrive safely in Peru. The team sounded tired but still excited about the work God has for them in Peru. Pray that even through these circumstances, our team will be able to be shining witnesses for Christ.

Praise God for preparing the way for them and providing for their needs during their travels.

Departing for Peru.

2008-03-13T17:05:00.000-05:00

The Prayer walking team has gathered one last time on Tuesday night to go over last minute packing lists and come up with a plan for our first day in Peru. The excitement and anxiety have been building as most of the team departs San Antonio for Houston Friday. Walter, Donna, Gloria and Linda leave for Peru early saturday while Jackie and I get one last night in the comfort of our own home (we depart Saturday evening).

Everyone is feeling healthy and looking forward to the things that God has in store for us on this trip and future trips.

Specific Prayer needs at this time are:
-Uneventful flights
-safe arrival and rendezvous of teams members on Sunday morning
-safe travel (by road) into the village of Carampoma on Sunday Evening
-continued health of team and families that are back at home

We will post to this blog as often as possible, although we are unsure how many internet connections we will find in rural Peru.

Here is a map of where we will be in Peru and some helpful locations for future teams.

View Larger Map

Prayer Walk Trip in March.

2008-01-29T08:29:00.000-06:00

The next step in reaching this region of Peru for Christ is to pray. We are announcing that on March 15th a team of six will be traveling to Peru for the sole purpose of prayer.

We are going on a prayer walking Journey which has a primary purpose of intercessory prayer "on location" in Peru. We don't have to go all the way to Peru to prayer-walk; prayer-walking can be done at church, in our community, on our block or anywhere. In "An Orientation Guide: Part One" by Dan R. Crawford, a missionary couple gave some insight into the purpose of prayer-walking. They said:

We would like to see a spiritual harvest but we are seeing none. We would like to say that we are busy watering seed that has been planted, but neither are we doing that. We'd like to tell you that we are faithfully planting seed for a future harvest, but this has not yet been our ministry. We wish we could share with you that we spend our time breaking up the soil for the planting of seeds. Not so. Quite honestly ours is a ministry of rock moving."

Our job as prayer-walkers is to help in the rock moving. Indeed this trip will allow us the priveledge of walking and praying among the rocks. So please take the time to pray for the prayer walking team as we prepare both physically (for the walking) and spiritually (for the praying).

It's Official!

2007-09-25T18:14:00.001-05:00

It's official! On September 23, 2007, University Baptist Church voted to adopt six villages in the Huarochiri province of Peru in partnership with REAP SOUTH of the International Mission Board! UBC has committed to a 3-5 year church planting partnership and will begin work in the two largest villages (Carampoma and San Pedro de Casta) in 2008. It is the church's vision to equip the village residents to evangelize their surrounding communities with the good news of Christ.

Sunday evening was also the occasion for a Vision Casting banquet. Members of the vision trip team shared information that they gleaned from a week-long trip to Huarochiri. The presentation focused on the following elements: strategy and logistics; the people; and needs and teams. The response of church members to the call of missions in Peru was overwhelming - leaving us with the expectation that all of intended trips for 2008 can and will occur! Many people signed up for multiple trips extending through to 2009-2010.

For more information about UBC's mission partnership and promotional materials go to: http://www.ubcsa.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=26975&PID=477794

For more information about Reap South go to: http://www.reapsouth.org/

For more information about the International Mission Board of the SBC go to: http://www.imb.org/

2007-08-11T14:17:00.000-05:00

"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask
or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in
the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Eph
3:20-21
On behalf of the Peru Vision Team, we would like to say thank you for your prayers over the last few weeks. We have felt your prayers and know for a fact that our feet and hearts have been guided by the Lord. We have finished our portion of the vision trip and have had a debriefing with the IMB missionary personnel - now we just need to compile all our information and begin to work out some recommendations for the church. I foolishly thought the most difficult part of the trip would be traveling to the different villages; but I think the most difficult aspect of our Peru Partnership begins as our church works out through prayer what God's Will for our activity in these villages will be.
To better honor your prayers, we must be honest. After traveling to the villages, we cannot help but feel a bit overwhelmed at the magnitude of needs - both physical and spiritual - that exist. Although we have benefited from the Lord's faithfulness on our trip, our journey has been exhausting. We begin each day very early and walk the city streets looking for friendly faces and striking up conversations. Then we would make our way to the municiple office of each village and request a meeting with whatever village official was available. We would spend time with the major honestly explaining our mission - to share God's love with the people and teach the Bible. In every village except one, the officials expressed gratitude at our arrival and appreciated any help we could give in the area of biblical training. The rest of the day was spent touring schools, meeting with medical personnel. Sometimes city residents would give us tours of the city (museums, cemetaries, local watering holes, crops, etc) and other times officials would present us with the sights. On the days we would research two cities a day we became particularly overwhelmed.
Although we certainly have some insights as to the most effective, we still need prayer. Today, we have arrived in Cusco for a few days to compile our notes and relax. We certainly have gained a heart and vision to see the people of the region of Huarochiri find forgiveness from sin in Christ; but so far we lack the full realization of the vision in determining the best method for evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. We will be spending the next few days in prayer asking the Lord for deeper insights. in response to one of our blog entries, Pastor Randy wrote "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Eph 3:20-21 What a beautiful verse to remind us that although the path ahead may seem overwhelming, it is the Creator God Himself who is empowering our journey and employing our gifts for His service. We only need to be the vessels of His glory.
Please continue to pray for your Vision Vessels,
The Peru Vision Team

Girlfriends in San Juan de Iris

2007-08-10T16:13:00.000-05:00

Mountain top village of San Pedro de Casta

2007-08-10T16:09:00.000-05:00

Climbing the streets of Huanza

2007-08-10T16:06:00.000-05:00

Landslide en route to Laraos

2007-08-10T16:03:00.000-05:00

The streets of Carampoma

2007-08-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

President of San Juan de Iris explains her hat

2007-08-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

Passing out the Word of God

2007-08-10T15:51:00.000-05:00

Praying in San Pedro de Casta

2007-08-10T15:49:00.000-05:00

On a cliff in Huanza

2007-08-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

Pastor Holguin in San Pedro de Casta

2007-08-10T15:43:00.000-05:00

Vision Team with Government Personnel in San Pedro de Casta

2007-08-10T15:39:00.000-05:00

Llama in Carampoma

2007-08-10T15:34:00.000-05:00

Village Tour

2007-08-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

This morning we finished our village tour and we are so excited to get back to the church with our report. We are back in Lima and preparing for a debriefing with Arnold Austin (our guide and IMB missionary) this afternoon. There is so much to tell and so little space on the blog!

Monday we visited our first village, Carampoma and were completely caught off guard by the beauty of the village. Winding cobblestone-ish streets and welcoming people greeted us as we got out of the truck. The city treasurer's wife opened her home to us and cooked for us three days - it was such a joy to be granted entrance into her home.

Tuesday - Wednesday we visited three other villages: Laraos, Huanza, and San Juan de Iris. Each village welcomed us with open arms. The most exciting aspect of entering the villages was seeing God bring specific people into our path with which we were intended to speak. In Laraos, a man named Carlos saw us from his window and took us on a tour of the city. In Huanza, the city manager saw us ride into the city square and spent all afternoon talking with us and showing us the "sights" of the city. San Juan de Iris was the most welcoming village - the people nearly ran up to our truck when we arrived. The president (the first woman president the village has had) provided us with a small breakfast and also toured the city with us. The people of San Juan de Iris stayed close by our sides as we walked around making sure we visited all the sights. Each city had its specific needs - and perhaps we will have time to make a more detailed blog entry.

Thursday, we had cause to celebrate. As we entered into the village of San Pedro de Casta, the missionary personnel said this particular village was a very difficult city to evangelize. It is home to a tourist attraction and therefore, the locals are accustomed to foreigners invading their city and uninterested in any interaction. and as we walked the city in search of men and women of peace, it seemed this was true. But the Lord had specific plans for us. One of our team members suggested we walk down a different road and as we turned around we saw a missionary alliance church (which is very close doctrinally to Southern Baptists). We found a man working outside the church, stacking food products on his roof to dry. It turned out he was a believer and put us in contact with the pastor of the church. This morning we met with the pastor, an elderly man who desperately desired help in evangelizing his city but has been unable to do so for a variety of reasons. He also wanted to have additional bible training. We prayed together and sang together and it was obvious that the Lord was with us as we stood in his one-room house with a dirt floor. In the same city we also found another believer, a woman who kept a small store in the city center. We made sure the gospel message was presented and prayed with her in her store. San Pedro de Casta turned out to be a gold mine for us. Isn't that how the Lord works? He gives us undeserved gifts in the most unexpected of times.

Friday - The Lord knew we would need this encouragement as we visited our last village, Huachupampa. We met with the secretary of the village and found no point of entry for interaction. She seemed very closed to us and declined our offer of bible teaching in their schools. And as the Lord has designed it, Huachupampa is close to the village San Pedro de Casta. We are hoping that if we strengthen the church in San Pedro, that local Peruvian evangelists might be able to penetrate Huachupampa.

In each city, the Lord provided housing, meals, and friendly faces. We could not have asked for a more successful trip. Hopefully in the next few days we can post more specific information and some photos (we've taken 800 photos!)

Thank you for all your prayers! We have been safe, healthy, and completely amazed by the Lord's activity. (although a hot shower sounds nice!)

Love to all,
the Peru Vision team

Safe /arrival in Lima

2007-08-05T10:14:00.000-05:00

Hi all! We safely arrived in Lima last night with no problems! Thank you for your prayers so far. This morning we are headed to our first village - Carampoma - about a four hour drive from Lima. Brother John is driving - so please pray for us...I'm sure some of you have heard rumors about his driving! Just kidding! We had an orientation with the IMB missionary personnel this morning and we are eager to get started. The work before us is large - perhaps larger than we thought, but we know the Lord is good and faithful. Our end goal is simple (to declare the glory of the Lord to the nations in Ps. 96). Please pray for us as we begin our research and our journey...

The Peru vision team!

A Vision for Peru

2007-08-01T15:28:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Vision for Peru blog!

The vision team will be traveling to Peru August 4 - 11. After flying into Lima, we will travel through 5-6 different villages in the Huaruchiri province (east of Lima). We have heard there are interent cafes in many of the villages, although we can't be sure of the sort of connections we will find. In theory, this blog is a wonderful way to keep you updated about our travels.

We hope this blog fulfills three roles:
1. To keep our church body informed while we are on the road in Peru
2. To assist our prayer partners in their daily commitments to pray for us
3. To inspire church members for future service in our Peru partnership

We would also like to express our gratitude to the church for supporting us in a variety of ways. All of the financial support has been an unexpected blessing. Wow! Thank you! As we prepare for our trip, we can already feel the prayers that are being lifted up on our behalf. Thank you again. Please continue to pray for us that we might find worshippers of the King while we are in Peru.

Your Vision Team

A Vision for Peru

November 2009 Team

Day 3, Exploring Opportunities

Day 2, Peru Team Extreme

Day 1, Lost Goat Adventure

Day 0, The Trip Up the Mountain

The first day in San Pedro de Casta

God is Great!

Psalm 25:4 4Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.

Ready to leave!

Summer Mission Team 2009

December Team Back in Lima

Team Arrives in San Pedro de Casta

Church Planting Team Prepares for December Trip

Back in Lima

Safe Arrival in Lima!

Lift off!

Initial Evangelism Team Prepares to Go

Safely Home

Prayer Request from John & Olga

Update from Peru

News from San Pedro de Casta

Safe Arrival

Summer Mission Team - John and Olga Salazar

Message from the Prayer Team

Houston Arrival - Part 2; Finally Home

Getting Out?

Houston Arrival - Part 1

Updated Prayer Request

URGENT Prayer Request

Easter Sunday

Good Friday in Lima

San Pedro Day 2

San Pedro De Casta

Prayer walk in Carampoma

Arrival in Peru

Arrival...FINALLY!

More Answered Prayers

An Eventful Day

Travel Begin Stateside

Departing for Peru.

Prayer Walk Trip in March.

It's Official!

Girlfriends in San Juan de Iris

Mountain top village of San Pedro de Casta

Climbing the streets of Huanza

Landslide en route to Laraos

The streets of Carampoma

President of San Juan de Iris explains her hat

Passing out the Word of God

Praying in San Pedro de Casta

On a cliff in Huanza

Pastor Holguin in San Pedro de Casta

Vision Team with Government Personnel in San Pedro de Casta

Llama in Carampoma

Village Tour

Safe /arrival in Lima

A Vision for Peru

Psalm 25:4 ⁴Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.