Hi folks,

Here is a quick update on what has been happening during the months October and November.

Baptisms in Umacollo

The sister church to our Jose Olaya church celebrated 7 baptisms from youth to aged in October. We closed church at Jose Olaya so that all could attend. We had lunch and fellowship together afterwards.

Denver’s visit

Denver came to visit us for several weeks the beginning of October. We took an overnight trip with him to visit friends in Moquegua, a city about 4 hours south of Arequipa. He also did some landscaping in our small yard.

Jear’s Graduation

One of my first students that started in my workshop, Jear Anchante, went on to get a degree in carpentry at a local vocational school. We celebrated his graduation from that school with him.

Youth’s prayer breakfast

The local youth in Jose Olaya started meeting for a prayer breakfast on Sunday mornings. They try to meet at different homes each week. Each person brings something to contribute to the meal if they can. After a time of fellowship they each share something that they are reading in their personal devotions and a prayer request. We hosted the breakfast several times.

GTO Team

We had an Ultra team (5 girls) join us for 10 days the end of October into the first of November. They were busy helping in kid’s club, helping with English at a local Christian school and even got into digging ditches. They were a big blessing to us and the community. We wish them God’s blessing as they seek His direction in their lives.

Projects

I completed several work projects the last several months. This included a set of shelves and also a stand-alone kitchen cabinet for our local cleaning lady. I also helped install a waterline at a church in a community called Ciudad de Dios located in the outskirts of Arequipa. The GTO girls had dug the trench for this waterline by hand.

Rainy season will soon be here – when we will get our 2 inches of rain for the year. Everyone makes sure that their roofs are waterproof- at least if they can afford it. Several people in our church need help sealing their roofs. We have painted one, have another one to paint, and a third that will require a new metal roof. Hopefully we can get it done before it rains.

Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving this year with different American missionaries and their spouses. A total of 11 people came with each family bringing a dish. We had plenty of food and fellowship afterward.

And of course we had the regular teaching in the church, Sunday school, and helping in the men’s and women’s ministries. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

From Arequipa, Perú, Christmas blessings to everyone and a Happy New Year!

Blessings, 

Stan & Ruth

commissioned missionaries by Good News Fellowship