January 8, 2004

Another Year, Another Opportunity to Serve Him!

Dear Pastors, Praying Friends, and Family,

     We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  This was our first one away from family and friends.  We found God's Word true in Mark 10:29-30: "There is no man that hath left .for my sake, and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time.".  God has truly supplied us with a wonderful Peruvian church family and good Peruvian friends.  Although we missed our own family greatly, we enjoyed celebrating with our brothers and sisters-in-Christ.

     We are blessed to have our son, Shawn, here for a week.  He arrived on January 2 and leaves tomorrow night.  We enjoyed celebrating a late Christmas and his birthday with him.  Since it is warm here, we had a cookout and invited several of the young people from our church here in Peru.  All had a good time.  He is also enjoying trying the foods such as ceviche (raw fish), cuy (guinea pig), and avestruz (ostrich).

     Christa has finished half of her senior year of high school here in Peru and will graduate in July.  Carla and I try not to think about how, in only a matter of months, she will be going back to the states for college.  But, we praise the Lord for the time we have with her here.  She is a sweetheart and a blessing.

     In Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva, more souls continue to give their heart to Christ in each service.   The church celebrated its first year on Sunday, Dec. 7!  We enjoyed a picnic at a local park after the service with a baptism in the river where 2 were baptized.

     We had our Christmas services in Cieneguilla with over 300 in attendance.  Because of some wonderful supporting individuals, there were gifts for everyone.  We enjoyed a Peruvian tradition of eating Paneton (Peruvian fruit cake) and drinking home made chocolate milk.  It is called having a "chocolatada".

     We praise God for those who sacrificed and sent extra support for Christmas.  We also are thankful for a special gift that will allow us to repair the church bus.  The mechanics are working on it as I type this letter.  We are anxious to have it back in service.

     We are going to change our prayer letter schedule beginning this month.  We will be sending it out every other month.  We appreciate your prayers and support and want you to stay updated, so it will always go out no less than every other month.  For those of you who have asked to be on our email prayer letter list, we will send out updates all along between prayer letters.  Also, please don't forget to visit our website at www.rich2peru.com .  I will be adding new photos all along and pray that they will be of interest to you.

     I am enclosing a brochure of the New Life Children's Home for each of our prayer letter recipients.  Bro. Mike may have already been to your church to present this part of the work we have here in Peru.  If so, you know our burden and the need to complete the construction and get these children in a safe, loving, and healthy environment.  If not, please take the time to prayerfully read the brochure and contact us with any questions.

     As we start this new year, our prayer is that God will tremendously bless your ministries and your lives personally.  You are all a wonderful encouragement to us and we appreciate your prayers and support.


Serving Him for you in Peru in 2004,

                                                                                           Don Rich & family