Dear friends,
The month of September was very busy. Not only were we preparing for Denver and a group of friends from the states to visit us in October (more on their visit next newsletter), we also did a lot of fixing up on our garage to get it ready for a new church!
Last newsletter I reported how that Ruth and I were invited to a church that was meeting in a house across the road from our house. We eagerly accepted the invitation to have church in person because Christians in Action did not have any plans at that time to open their doors. We were overwhelmed emotionally to have church with Peruvian believers for the first time in a year and a half!
They were meeting in a living room of the pastor’s house. From the first Sunday they were already praying that God would provide a bigger place. We watched as the attendance grew from around 15 the first Sunday to around 20 the second Sunday, and 24 the third. From the first Sunday, Ruth and I were both struck with the thought that maybe this is why God miraculously provided us with our BIG house.
So after 3 weeks of praying and considering how it would impact our private lives, we decided to offer the use of our garage to the church La Esperanza de Vida. I approached Pastor Willie about the idea, thinking that they would want to consider it and talk it over with the others. But immediately he was excited about it and talked to the other leaders. They all trooped over to our house that morning to take a look.
The garage was a mess! It still had several hundred bricks and about 4 ton of sand left in it. But they saw it as a miracle, as an answer to their prayers. They immediately organized a work day for the following Saturday, bought material (besides the sand) to pour the floor, installed ceramic, bought decorations and installed a sign. The following Sunday we had church in our house!
Several days later Ruth and I were talking with Pastor Jose. He told us that a missionary that he was working with returned to the states in 2016. He immediately started praying that God would send someone else. That was the year Ruth and I felt the call of God to come to Peru!
In life, we often cannot see what God has planned for us, we just need to take the next step in faith. And then sometimes God gives us a gift, in the glimpses of the past, where we can see Him working it all out!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
The church Esperanza de Vida is asking for help! They would love to have someone come and do some intense Bible teaching. Is God asking you to come for a week to teach?
â–» Pray that God would send Bible teachers.
â–» Pray for the marriage classes that Ruth and I will soon be starting.
â–» Pray for the church Esperanza de Vida and the pastors Jose Choque and Pastor Willie.
Blessings,
Stan and Ruth Schrock
Stan Schrock Family Serving in Peru 