It is amazing how fast three months can go by! We are now back in the U.S. and working on finishing our deputation. While we are happy to be back, we are also missing our new home and friends in Peru. We can’t wait to get back there permanently! The end of January 2016 is when we plan to leave for Peru. We were excited to personally see 40 souls come to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus during our trip.
We had the privilege of working in all three of our team churches while there. It was a blessing for us to see the results of all the hard work put in by our teammates. Seeing Peruvians we had met over two years ago still in church and actively serving and growing was wonderful! We met the Brabo family on our survey trip. Luis’ first day at church was our last Sunday there. He had come to see his wife get baptized and then decided to trust Christ. Since then he has grown in the Lord greatly and started a church in San Genaro 2, way up on the hill. They are starting the process to build their own church building instead of renting.
In San Gabriel we enjoyed visiting with the Foust and Avila families and the church there. One Saturday we were out soul winning and passing out tracts. On the way back from a visit, the Fousts saw some children holding and reading some tracts to each other. When asked about the tracts, the children told the Fousts that they had found the tracts on the ground and knew that church things shouldn’t be on the ground. They picked them up and took them home. Their mom Emilia poked her head out the door, and the Fousts were able to invite them all to the church for the afternoon classes for kids. She came that afternoon and brought her three children. Irene was able to lead Emilia to Christ while her children were having fun. God’s Word does not return void!
The church in Surco was meeting in a small storefront and had no room to grow. God provided a new location that is five times larger and is in a great location. We were able to assist them with cleanup and preparation of the new location and then help with the move. After the move was complete, we started out improvements by building a half wall in the nursery room. When we get to Peru permanently, we plan on working at this church with the Raders. The Surco church is in an exciting time of growth and will be celebrating its second anniversary about the time you get this letter.
The first steps to getting our seminary up and running have been taken. Classes started with a week of teaching by Jeremy Snipes, a former missionary to Lima, HAC teacher, and FBMI staff member. We recorded all class sessions on video and will be building a full set of classes over time. Ongoing classes are being recorded every Saturday. Many church people are attending the live classes and are enjoying this opportunity to learn. We expect these courses to impact many Spanish-speaking people throughout South America and the world.
It is with great sadness that we say “See you later” to Daniel Kokubun, one of our fellow team members. He had a fall at home that ultimately took his life on May 5. He is now with our precious Saviour. Daniel was our music director, youth pastor, office administrator, and more. He was involved in almost everything, including the seminary. I was privileged to be able to work with him in the set-up and start of the seminary and, specifically, the video-recording portion. We had the opportunity of living in the apartment above his for two of the months we were in Peru. The teens would come and gather at their apartment and have such a good time. You could see the effect he and his wife Heather had on their lives. He is already greatly missed. Please pray for Heather, their families, and the team as we continue in the work God has called us to do.
Thank you for your prayers,
Chris and Irene Williams
