Iglesia Bautista Calvario Celebrates One Year of Ministry!
 

Dear Pastors, Praying Friends, and Family,

We were so blessed to be able to celebrate our church’s first anniversary the second week of August. We had three days of services and four preachers to help us commemorate this milestone. A total of fourteen persons from other areas of Peru came to be with us, including several from the church in Cieneguilla where we first started ministering in this country. Our daughter Christa was also able to be with us and stayed busy helping prepare for the services. In the last service on Sunday, we had one saved and another committed to be baptized. After the Sunday service we had a picnic with food, fun, and fellowship.

Carla and I would like to take a moment and share some memories and advancements of the past year:

• We started this work in a town where we were told that several have tried to start churches before but were unsuccessful.
• We began with 8 adults and 6 kids, and now have over 35 faithful. Many work for the mine so cannot be there every service.
• We have passed out thousands of tracts, knocked on every door several times, and have done in-home witnessing.
• We have seen more than 50 persons saved, 3 baptism services, 17 baptized, and will be baptizing again this Sunday.
• We have been able to provide whole Bibles free to all faithful members and printed our own song books.
• We now have 3 services and a ladies meeting, which Carla leads each week.
• We are training a national pastor and his wife.
• We had property donated to our ministry and the Lord continues to provide funds to construct the first building.
• The theme of our church is “Solamente Predicando la Palabra de Dios” (Preaching Only the Word of God). There are so many false religions teaching their own man-made theology and doctrine. We wanted everyone to know what we stand for.

After a year of winning souls, discipling, and training our new converts, we shared our first service of the Lord’s Supper together on a recent Sunday night. We had a good group and a sweet spirit.

Last month, we had a special visit from Val, Helen, and Wendy from England. This was Val’s second visit after finding our website and contacting us. This year she brought two friends. They were a blessing and we enjoyed our short time together.

We want to thank everyone for your prayers for Carla’s mother who found that she has a cancerous brain tumor. We praise the Lord that she is feeling better. We are waiting to hear from her doctors to see how much the treatments have helped.

Building program update - We praise the Lord that we continue to see progress. The structure is now erected and we are putting in plumbing, electrical, doors, windows, etc. As I said in our last letter, God has blessed us in being able to do this without having to return to the states to present the need. There is still much to do. The contractor under-figured the cost of materials, which I hear is common in this country, and there is no recourse. We are praying for the funds to complete the building and be in it by the first of December. Please consider whether God would have you help us in this endeavor to be rent free. If you can’t help financially, please pray that God would provide the need.

We would love to help you and/or your church to plan a mission trip to Peru. Please contact us for details if you are interested.

It has been a great year and we look forward to many more in this area starting churches, training pastors, and winning souls.

There are new photos on our web site. Take a look! See what your prayers and financial support are doing. May God continue to bless each of you for your faithfulness in prayer and support of our mission here in Cajamarca, Peru.

Serving Him for You in Peru,
Don & Carla Rich
 

P.S.- Happy Birthday to our daughter Christa, Sept. 8!!!