March 5, 2004

God’s Hand of Protection

And

Just One More Soul!

Dear Pastors, Praying Friends, and Family,

 Thank you for your constant prayers.  We have received encouraging emails stating that individuals, Sunday school classes, and congregations are praying for us.  We know that it works because of God’s hand of protection that has been on us.

 In January, I was robbed on the street in daylight of my cell phone.  A young man came from behind and grabbed my cell phone case which was on my belt.  We wrestled to the ground but he still got the phone.  Praise the Lord for His protection and our insurance!  No one was hurt, although the robber ran across four lanes of heavy traffic to make his escape, and the replacement phone was only ten dollars.  Please pray for this individual.  He was a young man around 20-25 years old.  These are the type of people we hope to reach when they are young with the New Life Children’s Home before it is too late.  If he had been taught that there is a better way and that His name is Jesus, this might not have happened.  There are so many that need to be reached.

 Last month, I sent out a letter for all of our email prayer partners to take to their pastors as a request for help for a dear lady in our church, Lidia, who needed urgent surgery.  I would like to say thank you to all of those who helped. The surgery went well.  She went into the surgery nervous and shivering, and the doctor told her she needed to relax.  She started praying out loud, her body warmed, she calmed down, and a nurse said that after surgery she wanted to know about our church.  Yesterday, Lidia was singing in the hospital room. She cried when I told her of everyone who wrote emails and said they were praying for her.  Please keep her family in your prayers.  They are asking more questions about Christianity.  We are excited to watch God work in this situation.

 Language training is coming along well.  Carla and I are enjoying the classes and we understand many conversations in the streets and at church.  Please pray that we will learn quickly so that we can effectively minister to the lost souls in Peru.

 Carla is enjoying learning how to prepare different Peruvian foods.  She also enjoys going to the open air markets for fresh fruits and vegetables.  Christa started her last semester of high school this week.  She will graduate on July 2 of this year.  She is doing well with the language and helps out in a Sunday School class each week in church. 

 Vida Nueva, our church here in Cieneguilla, continues to see people saved each week, spiritual growth of our members, and new commitments made.  We had the privilege of baptizing six last Sunday after the morning service!

I want to end this letter with a praise of the best kind:

Recently we were going to visit another location for possible ministry.  Our radiator boiled over at a high altitude and we had to turn around without making it to our destination.  We still enjoyed the trip and all agreed that there must be a reason for not making it.   After returning to our home, we had to have the radiator replaced.  The mechanic asked that he be allowed to go with me back over the mountain to make sure everything worked well.  A Peruvian friend and I went by to pick him up today and he said he couldn’t go but was going to have one of his other mechanics go with us.  To make a long but wonderful story short, God’s providence was at work.  While we were out, my friend and I led this man to the Lord.  I wish there were more room to tell this story.  It was wonderful to watch God work.

May God bless each of you.  You are all in our prayers.

                                                                                           Don Rich & family