Here in Peru, we began June faithfully busy with our institute and new Bible studies started on a new bus route. We have been privileged to see souls saved every week and baptisms almost every other week. We have been busy preparing ourselves and the church for our upcoming furlough in July. The biggest highlight of June for us, of course, was our 16th wedding anniversary. We celebrated by visiting our favorite restaurant and taking a relaxing walk along the shore.
Two weeks before leaving on furlough, we had one last food drive for the community. We had 24 volunteers serving the 97 who came. Of these, 63 received Christ as their Saviour.
The following week, we started our Ladies’ Conference. Sarah got to lead the singing and teach some of the sessions. Many of our ladies expressed how God had blessed them through Sarah’s teaching. The conference had more than 200 ladies in attendance. Some of the ladies of our church came back and gave some of the most powerful testimonies in our church service on Sunday morning. The tears were flowing, hearts were broken, and we had revival that morning.
On July 4, our family flew to the States. Our first full week in the States, Savannah and Paul made great decisions for the Lord at First Baptist Church’s Youth Conference in Hammond, Indiana. During the Youth Conference, Sarah and I attended the Missions University at FBMI. We then attended their first Missionary Marriage Retreat. The following week, we made many good memories with my family. For the rest of the month, we visited churches in Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
While on the furlough trail, God set the hearts of our church members and Lima, Peru, on fire! Our church participated with other soul-winning churches in Peru to share the Gospel with as many as possible in the month of July. Almost every day of the month, our church members were soul winning on buses and in the parks. They won family members and coworkers to Christ. By the end of the month, they had won more than 250 souls to Christ. They also had an open-air meeting; 70 people came, and 40 received Christ as their Saviour.
God has been so good during these months. Please pray for our family as we travel. Please pray for our church to keep their eyes on Christ. Please pray for Team Peru and our Bible institute.
Thank you so much for your faithful partnership and love for missionaries. The pleasure is ours to bring fruit to your account. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. God bless you.
In Christ,
Mark, Sarah, Savannah, Paul, Samuel, Rebekah, Luke, and Timothy Rader