Author: Schrocks4Christ

What’s for lunch?

Published on by Schrocks4Christ1 Comment

What’s for lunch? Or is it for breakfast? See culture tidbit at the end…

April/May 2025

Consider joining our prayer team and receive short updates and prayer request. 
Join by clicking this link.

Please pray for Ruth’s health. When we arrived from the states the 1st of April, Ruth started experiencing exhaustion and lightheadedness and at times pressure in her chest. After running different tests the doctors think she may have atrial fibrillation. This is something that they don’t recommend treating here so we are evaluating our options. She has a remote consultation scheduled with a cardiologist on June 10th.

Pastor Willie and his wife Nancy live by faith. I recently asked him if the church (of 20-30 attendees) supports him and he said sometimes someone gives him a gift. Like most pastors, his daily work is visiting people, sometimes traveling several hours to visit someones relative in a different city. Finding a job that gives this kind of flexibility is difficult.

He doesn’t talk about their economic situation much but his wife Nancy told us how one time someone called from the hospital and they needed to go visit them. Nancy thought that they just couldn’t go because they only had enough gas to get there. But Willie was confident that God would provide. As they were leaving the hospital, someone ran over to their car and gave them some money to get home.

Another time they were out visiting people and did not have anything to eat. Nancy shared that Willie again was confident that God would provide. They went into a cheap lunch place and sat down. The waitress brought them food and told them that someone had already paid for it. They never knew who it was.

During the night Willie does taxi service with Uber. I asked him how much he makes. He said that after paying for gas, he makes about $60 per week, but God always provides. (A common working man’s wage is $150-$200 a week.)

Maybe God is asking you to assist in carrying Pastor Willie and Sister Nancy’s load.

We are starting a “Support-a-Pastor” program for pastors with GNF Peru. The idea is to provide temporary financial assistance until their congregations can help support them. Please consider helping them carry their financial burden by committing to send a small gift of $30 a month. If God is asking you to do this, please send your gift through our church MCF, 245 Tenant Drive, Atmore, AL, 36502 and mention its for Support-a-Pastor.

Culture Tidbit

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” James Beard

This is especial true here. If conversation lags just start talking about your favorite Peruvian foods and they love it! The other day I was buying fruit in our local market and I walked by the meat stall and saw this:

Sheep-head soup anyone? I heard that it is very delicious and makes a good breakfast!

Blessings,
Stanton and Ruth Schrock

Published on by Schrocks4ChristLeave a comment

March 2025

Dear friends,
We left Peru on January 20 and received a very cold welcome, temperature wise, in Atlanta, Georgia. The next day we flew to Cleveland, Ohio and spent several days visiting my mom. We were able to celebrate her 87th birthday with her and visit my youngest brother and his wife as well. From there we traveled south stopping in SC for a speaking engagement and visit relatives, including my oldest brother and his family.

We arrived in Atmore, Alabama our home in the US, on the 26th. We have spent the majority of our time here in Atmore visiting friends and speaking in surrounding churches. We have enjoyed seeing so many different faces and sharing about what God is doing in Peru.

It has also been a joy spending time with our boys. Denver still lives in this area and so we see him periodically. We made a quick trip to Hutchinson, KS, where Austin lives, and shared at Word of Life on Sunday morning. Our time there was way too short and we hope to spend more time the next time we visit!

The end of February found us at Good News Fellowship (GNF) leader’s retreat and conference. The workshops and fellowship were like a breath of fresh air to us. We were also encouraged to hear the stories about the faithfulness of God. Also, during that week end Stan was ordained as overseer for GNF Peru.

Since we have come to the states, one of our renters moved out, so Stan has been busy getting the house ready to rent again. It’s made for a very busy schedule but we are thankful for this side income while we are on the field. It provides approximately 25% of what we need to live in Peru.

Someone prayed that we would have “divine appointments”. In that moment I already knew that this was one of them and I thought of the verse in Isaiah that says:

Before they call I will answer;

while they are yet speaking I will hear.

We experienced many such times like this while here, and we are so grateful to all of you who have taken out of your time to allow us to visit. We also appreciate all the words of encouragement that you have spoken into our lives. It has truly been a time of refreshment, and now we are looking forward to going back to Peru and working alongside our brothers and sisters there.

Blessings,
Ruth Schrock

El hombre propone y Dios dispone.

Published on by Schrocks4ChristLeave a comment

(Man proposes and God arranges.)

January 2025


This is common saying here and depending on the version you use, its Proverbs 16:1. We can make all the plans we want but in the end we need to remember that it is “God who works in [us], both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

We were reminded recently why it is so important to always say “if the Lord wills” we will do this or that. We had plans to return to the states December 26th, the day right after Christmas. Early Sunday morning, the 22nd, my co-leader at José Olaya, Juan Sanz, suffered a heart attack. They got him to the hospital right away and the experts said that because of their promptness, he would be fine. They stabilized him and Monday morning he went into surgery for a procedure that the doctors said was very low risk- “one in a million have side effects,” they said. During the procedure he went into heart failure and passed away soon after.

Juan was a 68 year old man that did all the right things health-wise. He ate right, often walked several kilometers a day instead of taking public transportation and was active in the community. He was ordained with me mid August as elder/pastor to take the place of missionaries Dennis and Ruth. Though we were ordained together, I leaned on him in many ways to connect with the local people. We buried him on the 26th, the day that we were planning to return to the United States.

The church at José Olaya has been through a lot this past year. Dennis and Ruth, life-time missionaries, retired and returned to Canada. They had a complete change of leadership with Juan and I being ordained in August. And now Juan past away suddenly from a heart attack.

For these reasons, we changed our plans on returning to the states. The past weeks have been full with reorganizing and putting leaders in place to carry on the work. Who knows, maybe at least part of God’s purpose is so that local leaders step forward and shoulder the work that needs to be done.

We now plan, Lord willing, to return to the states on the 20th of this month. We also are shortening our time in the states. We are not changing our return date to Peru on the 27th of March.

Please pray for:

       🙏🏻 Glendy, the widow, and her 2 sons Jairo and Benjamín

      🙏🏻 For the church at José Olaya as they regroup

        🙏🏻 For the new leaders that are stepping into the gap

We are experiencing God’s transforming presence,

Published on by Schrocks4ChristLeave a comment

reproducing groups of authentic disciples who follow and obey the example and words of Jesus, and helping new groups of believers grow into thriving churches. -from GNF Mission and Vision Statement

“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. Mark 4:26

In reflection, we have been in Peru almost 7 years doing what the man in this parable is doing, scattering precious seed. The first 15 months we lived in the north jungle area of Peru working at a children’s home while trying to learn the language. When the Chicken Support Project for the children’s home closed while we were in the southern desert region of Peru at language school, we stayed in Arequipa waiting on God to open doors. Then the pandemic came and we were in lock-down for almost 2 years.

As the country started to open we reached out to a small home church across the road from us and invited them to use our garage for several years. We saw the Lord working in this church in many different ways, to the point where they out grew our garage space and are now renting a larger meeting place.

In July, after conversing with Glenn Weber, an overseer with Good News Fellowship, they made application and were accepted into this network of churches. We have been associated with GNF the last 15 years and are missionaries under them here in Peru.

We did an affiliation ceremony with this church, La Esperanza de Vida, at their 3rd year anniversary the last week of September, formally welcoming them into the Good News Fellowship network. Like the man mentioned in the parable, “we sleep, we rise each day, the seed sprouts and it grows, and we don’t know how.”
 

We anticipate what God will do with this church Esperanza de Vida and others that may join this network. What we are doing has not really changed, we continue walking alongside of this church and others, including individuals, scattering seed.

  • Pray for this church and Pastor Willie and his wife Nancy
  • Thank God that His Spirit is moving, saving souls and reconciling marriages
  • Pray for us as we walk alongside of Willie and Nancy
  • Pray for the church at Jose Olaya and its adjustments to the changes in leadership

    Blessings, Stan & Ruth

You may send contributions to:

Missionary Companion Ministries ⬥ PO Box 533 ⬥ Greeneville, TN 37744

Please use our assignment number 4169 in the account/memo field.

Or donate online at http://www.missionarycompanionministries.org/

We love getting mail in Peru. Our address is:

Stanton and Ruth Schrock
Apartido 1293 Correo Central
Arequipa, Peru SA 04001

The Work Continues…

Published on by Schrocks4ChristLeave a comment

June July August 2024

Philippians 2:13 
For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

This verse is a good reminder to us every day. It is God’s work and God’s strength that enables us to be His hands and feet. Not that he is powerless to do it without humans, but He has chosen this method to “reconcile the world to Himself”. We count it a privilege to be part of His work here in Peru.

Visitors From Home

In July our good friends Leonard and Sherrie Hursh and Glenn and Darla Weber visited us from our home in the Alabama / Florida area. Leonard helped install a projector at José Olaya that was donated and which has been a huge blessing.

Glenn and Darla taught two different weekends, three sessions at José Olaya and three sessions at Esperanza de Vida. They also did some marriage counseling on the side. 

Our time is split unevenly between José Olaya and Esperanza de Vida. Ezperanza de Vida has a full functioning pastor and seems to be doing well. We have been joining them in their mid-week Bible studies and occasionally on Sunday.

José Olaya is in the middle of adjustments so most of our time is dedicated there for now. Dennis and Ruth Lacoursier planted this church approximately 30 years ago. It started as a daycare/kindergarten for kids and has slowly evolved into the functioning church that it is today. 

Ruth and Dennis Leaving and Ordination
Dennis and Ruth retired in August and moved back to Canada. They left the leadership to the leadership team, of which Ruth and I have been a part of almost since we came to Arequipa. Juan Sanz and I were ordained as elders to fill the role of pastor because as of now, the church cannot support a full time pastor financially. I see this as a temporary role for me, with the goal of eventually  having a local pastor in charge. We look forward to how God will provide in this situation.

So with the different farewells and goodbye services, garage sales and extra leader’s meetings, we have been very busy and everyone’s emotions have been high. 

Baptisms
The news of Dennis and Ruth leaving sparked a flurry of baptisms. Six people were baptized in the local river one Sunday afternoon. The other Christians in Action church was invited to join us for a joint outing.

This was a first for both churches, but we hope that this joint outing won’t be the last and we look forward to working together with them.

Pray with us:

  • Pray for Dennis and Ruth as they adjust to life in Canada.
  • Pray for us in our new roles at José Olaya.
  • Pray against any unrest that their leaving might cause.
  • Thank God with us for the work he started through Dennis and Ruth, and He will complete through others. 

I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

You may send contributions to:

Missionary Companion Ministries ⬥ PO Box 533 ⬥ Greeneville, TN 37744

Please use our assignment number 4169 in the account/memo field.

Or donate online at http://www.missionarycompanionministries.org/

We love getting mail in Peru. Our address is:

Stanton and Ruth Schrock
Apartido 1293 Correo Central
Arequipa, Peru SA 04001

Newsletter March – May 2024

Published on by Schrocks4Christ3 Comments

“What sin have you done that makes you deserve to go to hell?”

That was the question in our adult class that was posed to a young lady that started attending our church at Jose Olaya. I turned and looked at her wondering what her answer would be. How does the younger generation view this question? I really did not know her well. What does she view as bad sins that deserve eternal punishment? Maybe she would say that she doesn’t believe in hell. I held my breath.

Her answer astounded me!

“You don’t have to “do” anything to go to hell,” she replied. “All you need to do is NOT believe in Jesus.”

She was right! John 3:18 says, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

It is common to believe that we are sinners because we have committed some sin or broken one of the ten commandments. But what we have been teaching at Jose Olaya is that according to Romans 5, we are sinners because we were BORN with Adam’s sinful nature, and because of this, we are in condemnation and we also sin. We can’t “do” sin to become sinners in the same way that we can’t “do” good works to become righteous. Our identity changes from sinner to saved when we are born again, when we believe in Jesus and what he has done for us on the cross, and He gives us His righteousness.

She got it! She understood! And I was thrilled. This is one of the blessings we experience when the light of the gospel shines through and another person understands.

Other things that have happened:


A visit to Punta de Bombon where missionaries Alan and Mary Beth George are planting a church. Alan is a medical doctor that also gives us medical advice.


The city tore up the shoulder and sidewalk on the street in front of our house. They said it would be done within 56 days, but we are still waiting for it to be finished.


Our sons Austin and Denver came to visit us for Mother’s Day. We took a family trip to Cusco while they were here. The 2 weeks that they were here went by too quickly. We wish them God’s blessings as they serve Him in the states.

Blessings,

Stan & Ruth

Missionary Update for January & February – mostly

Published on by Schrocks4ChristLeave a comment


Time sure moves on rapidly. In the men’s group the other night some commented how time moves like a clock. I hadn’t thought of it that way before but I guess that works.


This newsletter report is mostly on things that happened this past January and February but one thing I would like to highlight from December that was VERY special to us was my brother Lamar and his son Delmar’s visit for the holidays. We had a great time, visiting Colca Canyon, the sillar quarry where a lot of the old city’s rock comes from and other places around Arequipa. They also got to experience a Peruvian Christmas.


We celebrated a church wedding at Jose Olaya also. Jonathan has been attending church for several years and Flor has been there since a little girl. They are a solid couple and we were blessed to be part of their special day with them. Ruth made the cakes and I drove the “get-a-way” car after the ceremony. We took them to a beautiful site nearby for photos before returning to the church for the reception.

January and February is our rainy season when we will get our 2-4 inches for the YEAR. It is not unusual to have mud and rock slides during this time, partly because of the unstable terrain and also because it is desert, there is no vegetation to slow the water down. You can click on this link to see a short video that was taken from a dash-cam of a rock slide.

This year there happened to be a mud slide right above where the drinking water is collected for the city and they had to shut off the water until the river cleared up enough to filter it again.

We found out something we didn’t know before. 90% of the population of Arequipa relies on 2 water treatment plants that get their water form this one source! And plan B is 50 water trucks for about 1 million people. Some places people waited in line all day to get water.


Fortunately the water was off only 3 days. I decided to install a water tank on the roof for emergency. So far this rainy season our water supply has been interrupted 3 times because of intense rains further up the mountain that contaminates the water supply to the point where it can’t be filtered.

The workshop has been busy with different projects – an order of stools, kitchen cabinets for the church, a media stand/cart for a different church, 3 in 1 exercise gym for toddlers, etc. The most rewarding has been a stander support for a special needs boy. Though it was ordered through another mission called Latin Link, I was blessed to be a small part of this boy and his family’s life by building this Stander.

We have had several new believers respond to the gospel in our church. It seems we have a lot of different people at different stages of discipleship and it is a challenge to find time that works for them and us to advance the discipleship classes. We hope to be able to have a baptism sometime within the next several months. Please pray for these new believers.

Blessings,

Stan & Ruth Schrock

What’s new in Peru

Published on by Schrocks4ChristLeave a comment

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

Thanksgiving Wishes

Published on by Schrocks4Christ1 Comment

To you, O God of my fathers,

    I give thanks and praise,

blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

    to whom belong wisdom and might.

He changes times and seasons;

    he removes kings and sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to the wise

    and knowledge to those who have understanding;

he reveals deep and hidden things;

    he knows what is in the darkness,

    and the light dwells with him.

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

    and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

    and he does according to his will among the host of heaven

and among the inhabitants of the earth;

and none can stay his hand

    or say to him, “What have you done? 

Verses from Daniel 2 and 4 ESV

Blessings,

Stan & Ruth

commissioned missionaries by Good News Fellowship

Newsletter August and September 2023

Published on by Schrocks4ChristLeave a comment

“Watch to see where God is working and join Him in His work. -Henry Blackaby

Although our time in the states was primarily work, we did get some down time when we visited Austin a week in Kansas where he is working for choice books and also at my family reunion in Colorado. We flew from Denver, CO to Peru with a stopover of 5 days in El Salvador to visit Ruth’s aunt who is a native and lives there. We connected with her on a different level than before since we now can speak her language. We also learned many things that we did not know before about her life and about Ruth’s uncle Menno, who passed away in 2022. We had an enjoyable time of rest, fellowship and encouragement with each other.

We celebrated Jose Olaya Church’s first wedding ever since the +20 years since they have been meeting. Three of them happened within 3 weeks of each other! Two of the weddings were from the youth group and one was a couple that had been living together. In Peru, the state is the only entity that can legally marry, so the civil wedding usually happens first and the church wedding later. While all 3 couples are legally married, we still have 2 church weddings to celebrate sometime in the near future. We are very thankful to see God at work in these couples lives and that they want to honor God with their marriages.

While we were in the states, a men’s and a women’s ministry started up in Jose Olaya. I was especially surprised at the interest in the men’s group with many of the young men in the youth group coming also. Several men have made commitments to follow Jesus through it, including one of the men that got married in the weddings that I mentioned previously. I also took a turn in teaching on hearing the call of God in your life. Pray for this group that there would continue being a hunger for God’s Word.

The women also started a group and are meeting once a month. Ruth has been asked to help lead this group and is weighing whether to accept this or not. We also have agreed to help teach the adolescent Sunday School class. God is working in the men’s and women’s ministries. The carpentry workshop has picked up projects and also people who want to participate. I only do one workshop a week so that I have time to do other projects, study and other ministry. We have completed a cupboard for Ruth’s cleaning lady and also several sets of shelves for a close friend of mine. I have another student lined up to teach during summer school vacation from January through the first of March. There is also interest for Ruth to teach some baking classes again. God is opening opportunities to connect with others.

We consider it a privilege to be part of God’s work here. When I consider myself simply a partner in what God is doing, it takes the pressure off of performing or meeting other people’s expectations. It no longer is our work, it’s God’s work and He has invited us to be a part of it.

Please join us in prayer for:

  • The new marriages
  • Those who recently made commitments
  • For Tiago, an 18 year old young man that recently moved to Arequipa for work.
  • That God would complete the work that he has started in the men and women ministries.

Blessings,

Stan and Ruth 

commissioned missionaries by Good News Fellowship