Tuesday began with an orientation meeting led by our group. We shared what´s gone on so far, what some challenges have been, praises, and what this week could look like. Plans here in Peru seem to change daily, even hourly, which can be frustrating for a large group that is here for only a short time. But this team has been incredible so far – very flexible, excited, encouraging, and bold in their witness for the gospel.

This morning Melva & Ashley took the girls around to visit with different acquaintances. We met with the mother-in-law of a good friend who says she´s a believer but doesn´t want to be at the church due to hypocrisy of the past. We shared the truth of God´s word. You can pray that Aria would desire to be a part of the body of Christ here in Alis. We had a few other gospel conversations and spend some time with a very old believing woman named Irene. She was complaining a lot about the unfaithfulness/hypocrisy of some people who call themselves evangelical here. We are continually talking with people who say they don´t want to be a part of the church due to the hypocrisy of the past. Our response is often just to share straight from scripture on not neglecting to meet together and that we are called to fight sin together as the body of Christ and to reconcile one to another. The challenges here to the growth of the church are great, but God is greater still and we see his work every day. Also we invited believing women to a women´s group for Wednesday afternoon.

Our guys spent most of the day helping with some construction, while Aaron took the men from the other churches to visit with the pastor in Huancayo.

We just played a game of volleyball – U.S. vs. Peru! We put up a good fight for a while, but in the end got creamed!

Tonight there is a gathering of believers for prayer and afterward we are cooking spaghetti over our camp stove at the hotel. Please join us in praying for the church of Alis.

Also, thank you all so much for your encouraging notes to our team here. We are calling it our ´fan mail´, ha! Seriously, we are so encouraged by the faithfulness of Concord to love & pray for us and for God´s work here in Alis and the surrounding region. Thank you for ´holding the ropes´ back home and sending your loved ones to serve with us for a week.

Love & prayers from Alis,

Ashley, Chris, Colby, Nick, & Melva

Tuesday began with an orientation meeting led by our group. We shared what´s gone on so far, what some challenges have been, praises, and what this week could look like. Plans here in Peru seem to change daily, even hourly, which can be frustrating for a large group that is here for only a short time. But this team has been incredible so far – very flexible, excited, encouraging, and bold in their witness for the gospel.

This morning Melva & Ashley took the girls around to visit with different acquaintances. We met with the mother-in-law of a good friend who says she´s a believer but doesn´t want to be at the church due to hypocrisy of the past. We shared the truth of God´s word. You can pray that Aria would desire to be a part of the body of Christ here in Alis. We had a few other gospel conversations and spend some time with a very old believing woman named Irene. She was complaining a lot about the unfaithfulness/hypocrisy of some people who call themselves evangelical here. We are continually talking with people who say they don´t want to be a part of the church due to the hypocrisy of the past. Our response is often just to share straight from scripture on not neglecting to meet together and that we are called to fight sin together as the body of Christ and to reconcile one to another. The challenges here to the growth of the church are great, but God is greater still and we see his work every day. Also we invited believing women to a women´s group for Wednesday afternoon.

Our guys spent most of the day helping with some construction, while Aaron took the men from the other churches to visit with the pastor in Huancayo.

We just played a game of volleyball – U.S. vs. Peru! We put up a good fight for a while, but in the end got creamed!

Tonight there is a gathering of believers for prayer and afterward we are cooking spaghetti over our camp stove at the hotel. Please join us in praying for the church of Alis.

Also, thank you all so much for your encouraging notes to our team here. We are calling it our ´fan mail´, ha! Seriously, we are so encouraged by the faithfulness of Concord to love & pray for us and for God´s work here in Alis and the surrounding region. Thank you for ´holding the ropes´ back home and sending your loved ones to serve with us for a week.

Love & prayers from Alis,

Ashley, Chris, Colby, Nick, & Melva

This past Sunday was bittersweet for the team here in Alis. It was joyful to once again gather around the Word of God with saints from a different culture and to sing praises to the same God for the same redemption we have in Jesus Christ. What grace! However, it was also a little sad to be nearing the conclusion of a summer in which we have all seen God move mightily for His name among this people of Alis. And a little sad to think about saying goodbye to people we have come to love.

Sunday recap:

Yesterday morning, we gathered to think over 1 Cor. 11:17-34 and to discuss the place of the Lord´s Supper here in the life of church. In the past few weeks, we have been trying to think of and model an effective and practical method to leave the currently leader-less church here with for digging into and applying God´s word faithfully. We have found that reading the passage a few times out loud together and then starting a discussion or “group exposition” has been fruitful. Here´s a taste of what the discussion has looked like:

-What do you like about this passage? What stands out?

-What questions do you have about the passage?

-What does this passage teach us about God?

-What does this passage teach us about man?

-How should we respond to this passage?

The discussion yesterday morning was encouraging as questions were raised like, “What does the phrase ´This cup is the new covenant in my blood´ mean?” and “What should be going through our minds as we take the Lord´s Supper?” Praise God for the gospel and that hearts were turned directly toward the cross!

Later in the evening, Juan Vilchez taught briefly from Mark and from 1 Cor. 11 again about the Lord´s Supper and led the church to partake in it in response to the Word. It was awesome to celebrate the body and blood of our Savior with the people we have come to love this summer – what a foretaste of heaven!

Afterwards, we were surprised to find out that a cake had been brought in from Huancayo (a bigger city somewhat close by) to celebrate our time with the church and God´s grace this summer. So we enjoyed that surprise last night along with large amounts of the local favourite tea, muño!

The team was also able to give final encouragements to the gathered church (even though this week still remains for us). Faithfulness in prayer for one another (Col. 1), remaining faithful to the gospel message itself and trusting the promises of our faithful God (Phil. 1), not neglecting to meet together, forgiveness and resisting the devil (Eph. 6) were all on our heart last night. Pray that God´s truth would take root and abide in their hearts!

While it feels like the end of the summer is near, please continue in constant prayer for us, Alis and God´s glory this last week:

• Gospel conversations/salvation – Hayde and her family, Sarah, Andrea and her family, Saturino and several workers we (Lord willing) will have the opportunity to work with this upcoming week
• New team! As of 4:47pm peruvian time, the team has yet to arrive. We are eagerly awaiting to see them and be encouraged by their presence and gifts! Continue to ask God for wisdom in how to effectively use such a big group and for their energy as the road from Chattanooga, TN to Alis, Peru is often not a restful one.
• Godly men – while God has continued to be faithful in blessing his Word during our meetings and “group exposition” discussions, continue to pray that God would raise up godly men eager to serve the body here in Alis through leadership soon.

Hope to have more updates from the new team soon…stay tuned!

-Chris, Ashley, Nick, Colby & Melva

(Originally written/attempted Saturday, 7/18)

 

Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

Proverbs 25:25

 

• Women´s Group – Praise God for answering our prayers! Four believers gathered together this past Wednesday with Ashley and Melva and cafĂ©. We discussed Titus 2 relationships and shared how we could pray for one another. Pray that this type of gathering would continue after we leave!
• Prayer Meeting – Also this past Wednesday several believers gathered together to pray at Juan & Delia´s house. Prayers were centered around the future of the church here in Alis and around the person and work of Jesus Christ. Pray that this gathering of believers would continue looking to Christ and His glory for encouragement and purpose in the days ahead.
• Thursday Night Bible Study – The church has been working through 1 Peter on Thursday nights. This week Juan Vilchez led the study and discussion and it was a blessing to see him initiate leadership in the Word. Continue to pray that God would raise up and sustain godly male leadership in His word for the benefit of the church!
• Group from Concord – We are excited about the group joining God´s work here in Alis in a couple of days and we´ve been brainstorming how to most effectively use their time and gifts for God´s glory. Pray that our all-wise God would be pleased to give us wisdom!
• Tomorrow, Sunday – Tomorrow, we will teach on the Lord´s Supper and will celebrate the gospel together at 5pm by taking the Lord´s Supper. Please continue to pray for the gospel-centeredness of the believers here and for our time in God´s word and increased understanding of it.

 

Be encouraged that gospel conversations are taking place every day with believers and non-believers alike.

 

Just tonight, Ashley and Chris were able to meet again with Luzmila and encourage her from Hebrews 7:11-12 about faithfully inheriting God´s promises and also from Psalm 104. She also shared her testimony with us and the fact that she is unable to read or write. It was encouraging for us to hear how God brought her to Himself despite these (and other) difficulties.

 

The rest of the team was able to spend time hiking today with a believer, Margina and her unbelieving husband, Simon. He is open about rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ but open to conversation nonetheless. Pray for his salvation tonight before you go to bed!

 

We look forward to sharing in more detail soon of what God´s been up to here in the Andes! Please persevere in prayer with us to the end!

 

Love and Prayers from Alis,

Chris, Ashley, Nick, Colby & Melva

Last Saturday, Colby, Nick and Chris stumbled into a shop of a woman named Luzmila. Her tienda might be the only tienda in Alis that stocks “mantas” in abundance (blanket wraps used for warmth). After briefly scoping out her selection, we invited her to the church gathering on Sunday.

And she came! However, afterwards, it became clear that she had difficulty in particpating because of her hearing. She literally couldn´t make out what we were saying without us being right next to her ear. Colby asked if we could come visit her next week in her home to discuss the message.

So yesterday, Colby, Nick and Melva went to her home and found out the she is a believer and is 88 years old (you wouldn´t think it either)! Wow! She asked that we would pray for her husband´s salvation (Eugenio Rodríguez), that her faith would be strengthened until she is with the Lord and that she could be baptized (and that her husband would let her).

Even more exciting: while they were there, Melva was able to share and explain the gospel to Luzmila´s granddaughter, Julia Rodríguez. And she accepted the gospel for the first time and said she wanted to come to our Bible study Thursday night; praise God! Please pray for Julia´s continued understanding of the gospel and for Luzmila (Heb. 6:11-12).

Other ways Concord can pray for Alis today:

• Woman´s gathering – this afternoon around 4pm, Ashley and Melva will be leading a woman´s discipleship meeting aimed at rooting the believers deeper in the gospel of Jesus Christ and at encouraging Titus 2 relationships between the believers. Pray for attendence, gospel clarity and gospel receptance. (Julia is also planning on coming!)
• Prayer meeting – there will also be a prayer meeting this evening around 7pm at Juan & Delia´s house. We long to see the believers here in Alis (and us) grow in humble dependence on our Savior and pray that this would be a means to that end.
• Sabino – a believer that has been regularly attending, has decided that he would like to be baptized in obedience to this past week´s teaching on baptism from Acts 8:26-40 & Rom. 6:1-11. Praise God! Pray that this would be a public encouragement to the believers here and a public invitation to the rest of the people in Alis to join in praising and obeying Jesus Christ!
• Existing relationships with unbelievers – the team has been blessed to be able to have consistent relationships with several people and families here: Hayde (cooks many of our meals), Saturino, Sara (peace corps worker here in Alis), and several teachers (Jackie, Ophelia, Pilar, Medi). While we have had some conversations relating to the gospel and they know why we´re here in Alis, the team desires to be much more intentional with our remaining time here. Pray for opportunity, boldness, gospel clarity and receptivity.
• Darwin Juan de Dios RodrĂ­guez & Kevin Beltran Conde – the two new young believers Colby and Nick met on the way back from Laraos. Continue in prayer for these boys that God would connect them with godly men able to disciple them as we are unable.
• Believers in Tomas – Daniel and his wife Marina, Rigoberto, Ibanez, Ilda, Catolina, Olimpia. Specifically pray for the leadership, their pro-activity in obedience to the gospel and for their meeting tomorrow, Thursday night. This past Monday on our visit to Tomas, the believers that gathered expressed these concerns as well as others. It seems as if the church there has been devasted by poor leadership/no leadership and has drifted from a joy in the gospel and grown accustomed to neglecting to meet together. Pray for God´s mercy.

Thank you for your continued preservance in prayer on our behalf and partnership in the gospel of Jesus Christ! We look forward to sharing more of the Lord´s work with you soon and face-to-face!

-Chris, Ashley, Nick, Colby & Melva

Last Tuesday, we visited Tómas for the day.   Most of the village was in a mandatory meeting for the night (which we were not expecting), so our plans for a Bible study were altered.  We met at Pedro and Auria´s house and talked with them for a good while.  Pedro is hard of hearing and his eye-sight is failing, so reading the small-print of the Reina Valera Bible is very difficult.  Instead, he has taken to reading a Jehovah´s Witness booklet entitled, ¨What the Bible is ´really´ about.¨  We tried reasoning with him from Scripture about the deity of Christ, but he wouldn´t listen beacuse we didn´t have any large print literature for him to read.  His wife is a believer.  We prayed for them and sang worship songs together, and then left to visit another believer, Marina, who would greatly appreacite your prayers.  She gets dizzy spells and longs for Christian fellowship.  We prayed for her health together and then left to walk the 2 hour road through the moon-lit darkness. 

Thursday night, we continued in Alis with our group study of 1 Peter.  Nick shared a summary of ¨the priesthood of believers¨beginning with the OT sacrificial system to Christ as our priest and sacrifice, once and for all.  We read 1 Peter 2 and discussed its riches together.  Praise the Lord, it was the first time the hotel manager, Jorge, came to join us.   Thursday nights are always a great time of digging in the Word and always encouraging!   

Schools teaching Bible…

Thursday morning we continued teaching English in the primary school in Alis.  Now, since Ashley is here, we have two ¨fluent¨speakers, so we split into two groups.  Nick and I taught 3rd and 4th grade.  Chrish, Ashely, and Melva taught 5th and 6th grade.  The school director, Johnny, said beforehand that we could use that same hour for a talk about the Bible.  However, he did not communicate this to the teachers.  Pilar, the 3rd and 4th grade teacher, helped Nick and I teach the Bible.  Ashley was met with tension when the teacher heard her start teaching on God.  The priest has a strong presence in the schools and any resistance to what he teaches can cause problems.  We are hoping to start an after-school program soon where we are free to speak of the Bible. 

Friday was a relaxing day of chores and sweet visits.  We four gringos woke earlier than normal and started our day with a run.  We didn´t last long in the altitude, but we were all happy for the exercise.  Perhaps more exahausting…we did our laundry aftwards.   Later that day, we met with Juan and Delia to discuss storying, as method, to accompany Thursday nights.  We modelled what storying looks like and discussed it together.  At this point, we see storying to be a helpful method to get people engaged in the Bible and to think (from the Bible) what it tells us about God and man, and how we can apply it to our lives.  Many questions still remain in our own minds, but we are seeking the Lord´s direction as we continue on.  Our day ended with a sweet visit at a believer´s house, Margina, and her family.  They made arroz con leche for us with pre-honey-ed bread.  It was a treat! 

Saturday, we left for Laraos (45 minute ride) to take part for a day in the IEP Evangelical conference.  We went with the greetings of Alis.  Upon arrival, we were split up into two groups.  Nick, Chris, and Ashley joined the believers in a session led by a pastor from Huancayo (large city 3-4 hours north east).  Melva and I were asked to join the Synod meeting (the gathering of the North, Central, and South Presbyteries and other joint organizations).  We sat and listened to the reports and were able to report on what the Lord was doing in Alis and Tomas.  In essence, I reported of the lack of workers and the need for faithful teaching to train the people to lead themselves.  This is our mission, I told them.  It was wonderful to be in the meeting, yet also sad to see the lack of workers in the whole area of Yauyos.  The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few.  We joined the believers for lunch and dinner.  I shared with the believers  a talk that Nick, Chris, and I prepared on ¨Guarding the good deposit¨ from I & II Timothy.   We guard the Gospel by guarding our doctrine, guarding our testimony, and faithfully entrusting the Gospel to qualified leaders.  The Lord is gracious with my spanish.  We ended the night with a large meeting in the town local center for a time of praise and a gospel message from a local leader. 

The next morning we ate breakfast with them. I shared a devotion from Hebrews 10 on not forsaking the meeting together.  Then we left to return to Alis.  Our trip was fruitful and enjoyable!  It was a blessing to be received with such kindness.

On the trip home, our bus broke down which the Lord used to bring two young children to himself.  Nick and I shared the Gospel with Darwin and Kevin and they professed faith in Christ!  Pray for these two, as we will not be able to disciple them. 

More to come on this last Sunday´s service.  Pray for us we go to Tomas today to share with them.

Ashley had a bit of altitude sickness when we first arrived but we are both well now. Ashley is enjoying getting to know Melva, a Peruvian who has been working with Nick and Colby. It is kind of a slow process to get to know the town and meet people, but we’re getting there. It is a little strange not having a formal job when people around you are doing their daily jobs. Ashley is trying to get over the feeling of being an outsider/intruder into a tight-knit community.

Ashley had a chance to teach yesterday in the 5th and 6th grade class in the primary school. She had prepared four English and four Bible lessons with the news that she would be able to teach them all. She was told by the principal that she could use 45 minutes  to teach English and was approved to include a “chat” about God. With Chris and Melva as helper she began to teach even though the teacher was not present. The teacher arrived about 30 minutes into the class and discovered us teaching Revelation 4:11. She was very upset. Apparently the principal had not communicated with her and we had not taken the initiative  to find her before teaching (even though we did not know where she was). We talked with her afterward and once we talked through the situation things were much better. However, it seems that we will only be allowed to teach English from now on. Please pray for opportunities to use the Bible lessons we prepared which clearly teach the Gospel. If our presence in the school is only to teach English, pray that God would use the team as a witness.

We had our first meeting with the church last night (Thursday) and we studied 1Peter 2. Jorge, the owner of the hotel where we stay, and his mother Raquel, who both call themselves evangelicals, coame. It was Jorge’s first visit and Raquel’s first time to come at night. Raquel and Ashley have developed a fond relationship quickly. Raquel also attends the Catholic Church and has rosaries and statues in her home. Please pray for her full understanding of the Gospel.

Tomorrow we will go to the regional IEP (evangelical church in Peru) in Laroas. We are supposed to give a one hour presentation on training church leaders. On Sunday Juan and Delia will be teaching the church using the storying method supported by REAPSouth (IMB). They are excited about it and we think it will be a tool for ministering to some of the believers who have vision problems or are functionally illiterate. Next week are the Olympics in Miraflores (?) and we are very excited about this opportunity.

How can you pray for us?

1. Pray that we would be creative with our time and think of new ways to meet people and share the Gospel.
2. We often feel fatigued. Pray for our energy so that we might be useful to the Kingdom.
3. Pray that our team would be Spirit-led and devoted to prayer.
4. Pray for the leadership of the house church in Alis, Juan and Delia specifically, who host the meetings. Pray also for those who are attending.

We thank you for your prayers and we send our love in Christ!

Chris and Ashley RobbinsA

Nazca also proved to be a very valuable time to reflect on our approach to ministry in Alis.   Thus  far, we have been meeting with the believers on Sundays and Thursdays.  Sundays have been very similar to what must of us are used to: pray, music, sermon, offering, music, etc.  Thurdays have been much more informal: music, group discussion of Scripture, prayer, etc.  We travelled to Nazca feeling encouraged by what the Lord has done in both Alis and Tomas, while also realizing that we need to make a few adjustments.  

If we continue preaching as we are doing, what will the church in Alis look like once we are gone?   Juan would probably start preaching, yet who would take his place once he is gone?  Two words that we are thinking hard about:  independent and reproducible. 

Independent…we desire for the church of Alis to be independent in the sense that it no longer needs missionaries.  It meets regularly, partakes of the  sacraments, and acts without having to lean on others for its weekly existence.  Our prayer is that the church of Alis remains faithful to the Word, teaching and admonishing old and new believers to seek, know, and love Christ with all their hearts, souls, and strength. 

Reproducible…we desire that the church of Alis be gospel sharing and durable onto other generations.  This is where we have been doing a lot of thinking.  Are my sermons reproducible?  Once I am gone, who will speak?  Our challenge has been to re-think Storying as a method.  This means that we are thinking it is best to use stories (ex. tell the story of David and Goliath without using Scripture, although studying it beforehand), then to ask those present a series of questions about the story, and then read the passage from Scripture.   Perhaps repeat the story 2 or 3 times.   This way the gospel can go out in a memorable fashion.  After all, Jesus used parables.  He was not talking down to his disciples, but rather doing what was effective: stories.   Pray for us as we think more diligently about this method. 

Also, pray as we think together as a rather new team (with Kelly L. now gone, and Chris and Ashely now here).  We need to engage the people of Alis with greater creativity and more intentionality, all the while realizing that it is only because of Christ that any work we do has merit.   He has delighted to use us!  He does not need us.  He likes to use his children! 

Again, we praise the Lord for Chris and Ashley, for their excitement, and fresh legs!  Also, we pray the Lord for a fruitful weekend with other ReapSouth missionaries.  It was very encouraging to hear their testimonies and to hear how big the Lord we serve is!  Praise Him for the increase!

A personal praise… I was able to talk with my fiancee for the third time since I have arrived here in Peru.   We were able to have two conversations that were not pressurred by the limit of 5-minute phone cards.  Praise the Lord!

The whole team is feeling better now.  We had a Bible study last night (Thursday) with a few belivers, and Saturino, a man seeking God, also came and participated.  It was very encouraging.  We decided after much deliberation and prayer to use 1 Peter for the Bible study.  Because it is a shorter book, we will be able to finish going through it before our team leaves at the end of July.  We also want to help the believers have confidence in their ability to read and understand the Word of God through the help of the Holy Spirit.  Hopefully, some of the believers will be comfortable leading similar studies when we leave.

Yesterday Colby and I also helped some of the construction workers in the village by taking up loads of cement onto the top of a bakery that is currently being constructed.  It was very hard work, but the men were glad to have our help.  Saturino was working as with us as well.  He told us later that is was good that we worked with the men and that they would respect us for it.  Two days ago, Colby and I helped a lady named Mariella carry two calves partway down a mountain and across a field.  This was also a first for me.

Today (Friday) we have started preparing for Sunday services and are also looking forward to visiting the believers in Tomas again on Monday.  During the day, it is sometimes hard to find things to do.  We look for people to help and talk to and sometimes are allowed to teach English in the school.  Pray that God would continue to guide us and show us who to minister to, and pray that we would take advantage of the opportunities He gives us to talk about Jesus.  Also continue to pray for Saturino, as well as a man named Simon, that they might know Christ.

Sunday was awesome.  We were visited by the leaders of the IEP regional presbytery who were very encouraging.  We had a great service and great time of prayer with the believers both in the morning and evening.  Delia (the woman who has opened up her home to us for the church meetings) cooked us fresh trout.  The IEP leader asked Juan, Delia´s husband, if he would lead the church.  Please pray about this and what role God has for Juan.  Also, please pray for Abel who was a first timer in one of our services.  I don´t think he knows the Lord, so pray that he Spirit would move in his heart and that he would return to future services.

Monday we went to Tomas and had a great time of fellowship with the believers there.  We finally met Daniel whom we had heard about from the previous Concord team, and a new man named Ivanez came as well.  We looked at Genesis 1 and John 1 and the connection between the Word and the creation of the world.

Yesterday I played basketball with some of the kids and was invited by one of the teachers to help out again today since the class is preparing for a local Olympics that will be held in July between neighboring villages in the district.  Tomorrow we are leaving for Nazca, a city in the south of Peru to meet up with the other summer missionaries and fellowship with them.  It is a fairly long trip and we are going to have to take a few buses, so please pray for our safety.

Que Dios les bendiga,

Nick

Thank you for your prayers over the past month.  Our team here in Alis, Peru has felt God´s direction and encourangement every step of the way.  As many of you know, there is a church now meeting in Alis every Sunday, once in the morning and once in the evening, and every Thursday.  We arrived to Alis unaware of any believers, but the Lord has surprised us with a faithful remnant.  There used to be a strong evangelical church in Alis, but because of hypocrisy, the church has not been meeting for 10 years or more.  Yet, God has continued to work in Alis and is now growing his church again.

Nick, Kelly, Melva, and myself have enjoyed our days here.  Sundays are very exciting.  It is quite a new experience for me to preach, and yet the Lord is calling me to do so in Spanish.  I´ve definitely felt the Lord´s grace in this regard.  Continue to pray for us as we seek to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ faithfully to the old and new believers here.

On top of Sundays, we have started traveling to Tómas once a week (a beautiful walk through a deep, luminous canyon) to share the Word with them as well.  There is a faithful few that truly desire to meet together but lack leadership.  It has been great to fellowship with them and see the Lord grow their desire to meet together.  Pray that this desire continues to grow abundantly in them.  Pray Philippians 1:9-12 (I believe that is the right passage).

The rest of our weeks are scheduled almost on a day to day basis.  We are teaching English in the primary school once a week, meeting at believers´ houses (helping them with chores or simply visiting and encouraging), helping others with needs that arise (carrying calves down the mountain, helping with computers, teach the kids how to play basketball, etc.), and trying to meet more people and invite them to our Sunday and Thursday meetings.  Pray for us as we evaluate our daily schedules and seek to revise it in the next few days.  We are hoping to start a weekly prayer meeting with the believers, an after school game time with older students (maybe lead some hikes up mountain trails), and a few other ideas are stewing in our heads. Pray for us, that the Lord would continue to guide us.

I think often of you all, my family and friends, and pray for you.  Please let me know how I can be lifting you before the Lord.

In His Guiding Hands,

Colby