Thursday, January 13, 2011

DE REGRESO A CASA (AREQUIPA)

Saludos a todos nuestros amigos lectores, esperamos que hayan pasado una feliz navidad y tambien año nuevo, desde el 23 de diciembre hasta el 2 de enero tuvimos unas cortas vacaciones, estuve en la ciudad de Lima con uno de mis hermanos, Beth y yo ya estamos de regreso en casa, y con muchas ganas de continuar el trabajo que Dios nos encomendo en esta parte de la ciudad, el cercado de Arequipa.
cuando regresamos nos dimos con la sorpresa de que Ana,  tuvo que irse a Mollendo y estará ahi por dos meses es decir durante el verano, ya que ella vende lentes de sol, y este lugar es la parte costa de Arequipa, entonces ella puede vender ahi muchos lentes de sol, entonces ahora estamos esperando realizar nuestra celula del dia martes en la casa de Brigida, una joven madre que tambien vive ahi, a ella la estamos discipulando los miercoles por la mañana.
tambien tenemos otra celula en la familia Mamanai, ellos viven a unas cuadras de san camilo, y son los padres de Brigida, una joven de nuestra iglesia madre y ahi seguimos reuniendonos, recientemente se unio a nuestra celula Katy, ella es la prima de Brigida, ella esta muy animada, tambien iniciaremos las clases de discipulado para los padres de BARIGIDA y su prima katy, sus oraciones por esta familia y para que mas personas se una a este grupo de celula.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Back To Work!

Greetings! We hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Nohemy and I got to spend time with family and friends during our break, and it was very needed and very refreshing. We are so thankful for that time.
We are now back home in Arequipa, and are getting adjusted. We have found out that our cell group in San Camilo will have to be put on hold for two months. Ana whos house we meet in twice a week is in Mollendo selling sunglasses. For those of you that do not know, Mollendo is a hot spot for people that vacation at the beach during these months. Since Ana sells sunglasses, it only makes sense that she move to a location temporarily where people are more apt to buy. We are praying that we are able to find another location to continue this cell group until Ana returns. Two months is a long time, and we would prefer to continue our Bible studies with the people of San Camilo. Please be in prayer for clarity over this situation, and pray that the people in San Camilo will have open hearts in letting us meet in their homes.
We are also meeting every Friday night in Cercado at the house of Brigida Mamani. Brigida is a member of our Mother Church here in Arequipa, Alto Libertad. We meet with Brigida, her parents, and now her cousin Caty is starting to attend this cell group. I have seen the Mamani family open up in these last few meetings, and I see God at work. Please be in prayer for Caty. This past Friday she brought her two nephews with her to our study, along with her 5 month old baby. We praise God for every person that attends, and pray that he will open hearts and minds to what he is wanting to do in these locations.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

We have new, exciting news from San Camilo. This past Tuesday we showed the Jesus film in the house of Ana. I was a little dissapointed in our numbers as we had been talking about the film for weeks, and trying to get as many people in the apartments to come as possible. Ana, her two sons, and a two friends ended up cramming with Nohemy and I in the small one room apartment.. The movie at first wouldn't start, then ended up being in black and white. I think the story is just as powerful without color! I have seen the Jesus Film so many times, and yet every time, I am touched. I think its so important for people to see not only the sacrafice Jesus was for us, but also how he treated people with undying love. There is a scene where Jesus is sitting on rocks with the prostitutes, tax collectors, and people of that time who were looked down upon. I am constantly reminded of Jesus' most important command. The last command he gave his disciples, and the one he said was most important; to love one another. This is something I need reminded of every.single.day here in Peru. I believe that if we strive to be more and more like Christ, the people in our cell groups, and the people we are discipling will see this, and want to know more about this Jesus.
Speaking of discipling, we visited Brigida this past Wednesday. She is a single Mom with a beautful baby boy named Diego. She attends our cell groups maybe twice a month, and has invited us into her home to start the discipling process. She is a woman full of questions and willing to listen. She has told us many times that she is Catholic, and has no interest in "changing her religion." We have told her we are here to simply share God's word, and to help guide her in a personal relationship with Jesus.
Be in prayer for Brigida in hopes that she will change her life around.
And please be in prayer for Nohemy and I was we hit some rough patches of our own. This job, and missionary life is not easy. And nothing can be done without prayer, and our Lord.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

San Camilo might be my favorite place in Arequipa. Its a busy area with stores lining the streets with anything you could imagine. There are so many people on the streets and sidewalks, that its hard to get around. San Camilo is also known for prostitution and many other illegal things. But I feel God is at work in San Camilo, and even if it is just starting with our small cell group. To enter into the house of Ana, we have to walk down the main road, then through a small door that is impossible for me to walk through unless I duck and basically crawl. This leads to an alley way that houses many families that cook, clean, live and eat all together. I feel like this is the perfect place to hold our cell group, and gives us an opportunity to reach many people at one time. When you walk through the mini-door you are greeted by 8 puppies, leaking water, smells that I cannot name, and many kids playing on the roofs. (Make sure you also watch your step) This has been the home of our cell group for the last 5 almost 6 months, and I can feel God there every time. Every time I walk through Ana's doorway I am greeted by Johan, Ana's son who always gives me hugs. I see Christ in this young boy who is always the first to volunteer to pray, sing, clean off the table we study on and is always so excited to have Nohemy and I in his home. If the example of Christ is going to start with little Johan--than so be it. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Please continue to pray for Johan's mother Ana as she struggles with her faith. And pray that our numbers increase. This will be the start of our church in San Camilo.

Friday, November 12, 2010

DIOS ESTA AQUI...

Dios está trabajando en San Camilo! El martes por la noche, tenemos nuestro grupo de células en la casa de Ana. Ana es una mujer joven con dos hijos que entregaron su vida a Dios durante nuestro mega-evento en junio, amor extremo. Desde el momento en que conocimos a Ana, supimos que ella era especial, y que tienen un papel importante en la plantación de la iglesia de San Camilo. Ana inmediatamente abrió su casa para que se desarrollara una ahi, y ya son 5 meses celebrando celula en su casa. Ella vive en un apartamento de una habitación pequeña que a menudo se llena de su familia, amigos y la gente que trabaja. Esto nos da la oportunidad maravillosa de llegar a estas personas. Muchos de ellos deciden quedarse y escuchar lo que tenemos que decir después de un largo día de trabajo. Damos gracias a Dios todos los días por Ana y su fidelidad. Por favor oren por Ana ya que constantemente nos pide que oremos por el fortalecemiento su fe. Ruego a Dios que bendiga a Ana de una manera que nunca ella ha imaginado.Nuri es una mujer que acude a nuestro grupo de células los martes ppor la noche, y es una buena amiga de Ana. Hemos comenzado a discípularla de forma individual, con la esperanza que también pueden aumentar y convertirse en una líder en nuestra iglesia. Ella tiene muchas preguntas, y veo su interes con curiosidad al estudiar la Biblia. A menudo hace preguntas muy importantes, y les pido oren por Beth y yo, para que Dios nos de las respuestas necesarias para Nuri, y para que tengamos confianza en lo que  presentamos a ella.Dios está aquí en Perú, y está trabajando a través de nosotros. No podríamos estar más felices en cualquier parte del mundo. Por favor, mantenga San Camilo en sus pensamientos y oraciones.
Beth and Nohemy 

God IS Here.

God is working in San Camilo! On Tuesday nights, we have our cell group at Ana's house. Ana is a young woman with two children that gave her life to God during our Mega-event in June, Love Extreme. From the moment we met Ana, we knew she was special, and would play a huge part in planting our church in San Camilo. Ana immediatly opened her house to us, and we are going on 5 months now of cell groups being held in her home. She lives in a small one room apartment that is often packed with her family, friends and the people she works with. This gives us wonderful opportunity to reach these people. Many of them decide to stay and hear what we have to say after a long day of work. We thank God every day for Ana and her faithfulness. Please pray for Ana as she constantly asks us how to strengthen her faith, and how to not blame God for the problems in her life. I pray God blesses Ana in ways she has never imagined.
Nuri is a woman that attends our cell group on Tuesday nights, and is a good friend of Ana's. We have started to individually disciple Nuri in hopes she can also rise, and become a leader in our church. She has so many questions, and I see her face light up with curiousity when studying the Bible. She often asks very important questions, and I ask you pray for Nohemy and I, in that God will give us the answers Nuri needs, and that we will be confident in what we are presenting to her.
God is here and Peru, and he is working through us. We could not be happier anywhere else in the world. Please keep San Camilo in your thoughts and prayers.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Welcome/Bienvenidos!

Welcome to our blog for our Church planting district in San Camillo, or El Cercado! We are so excited to see the big plans God has for this area. We have already started a cell group here in San Camillo right in the heart of the city where as many as 20 people attend. God is already working, and we are most excited right now about this district. Continue to check in, and join us as we witness and hopefully begin our first church here in San Camillo. God has BIG things planned for this area, and we are just honored to be a part of it.


-Beth and Nohemy

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Bienvenidos a nuestro blog de deplantación Iglesias en el sector de San Camilo, o El Cercado! Estamos tan emocionados de ver los grandes planes que Dios tiene para esta área. Ya hemos empezado un grupo de células aquí en San Camilo, que esta en el corazón de la ciudad donde aveces asisten hasta 20 personas. Dios ya está trabajando, y estamos muy entusiasmados por lo que Dios esta haciendo en este lugar. Continuen conectandose y unanse a nosotros y sean testigos del cominzó de nuestra primera iglesia aquí en San Camilo. Dios tiene cosas grandes prevista para esta área, y estamos honrados de ser parte de ella.

-Nohemy y Beth