Last week we had another garage sale at Doug's house. There were about 9 different families that contributed to the sale. Not to mention the 2 families that helped out by watching our kids the whole time. Thanks, everybody. I am always amazed at how the body of Christ works. So many different people all helping out together can really accomplish big things. Praise God! La semana pasada tuvimos otra venta de yarda a la casa de Doug. Habia 9 familias que den por la venta. Y tambien, habia 2 familias que ayudaron con nuestros ninos durante la venta. Gracias a todos. Siempre estoy pasmado con el cuerpo de Cristo. Muchas personas trabajando juntos pueden realizar cosas grandes. !Gloria a Dios!

Tomorrow we are getting together with Brian and Betty VanderKodde and their kids. They are missionaries in Lima, Peru that we are going to work with for our first 2 years in Peru. They are on furlough in the U.S. with their 3 kids. My daughter is excited to meet them, she's been drawing a picture for them as a present, and counting the days until they come. It will be very good to talk with them and plan our coming to Peru. We are planning on leaving for Peru as full time missionaries in June, 2007, a little more than 7 months from now. Manana vamos a visitar con Brian y Betty y sus ninos. Mi hija esta emocionada conocerlos, ha estado dibujando una pictura por ellos por un regalo. Ella esta contando los dias hasta vienen. Va a estar muy bien hablar con ellos y hacer planos con cuando vamos a llegar en Peru. Queremos salir por Peru en junio, 2007, un poquito mas que 7 meses de ahora.

News Noticias

Today we had a marriage conference at the church. There were some great testimonies. We had a lot of laughs, too. Thanks everybody for helping out with all the kids!! Hoy tuvimos una conferencia por los matrimonios a la iglesia. Hay unos testimonios buenos. Nos divertimos, y reimos mucho tambien. !Gracias a todos por ayudando con todos los ninos!


Yesterday was Kilaine's birthday. She turned 5. We had just the family over. It was a nice time. Ayer fue el cumpleanos de Kilaine. Cumplio 5 anos. Nuestro familia vino a casa. Fue un buen rato.

We are continuing to get the house ready to sell in January. Last week we had a new door put on in our kitchen. We haven't finished it yet, you can still see outside! Estamos continuando hacer lista la casa por veniendo en enero. La semana pasada, pusimos un nueva puerta en la cocina. Ya no terminado, !todavia puede ver afuera!

Getting ready Haciendo preparaciones

We have been getting ready for Peru. We're almost done with our informational brochure that tells about our mission to Peru. Yay! The kids had fun going and getting their passports done. And it's exciting to sell some of our furniture and things. We're having another yard sale on Oct. 21 at Doug's house (he went with us to Peru last summer). Thanks Doug! The other major thing we are working on is getting our house ready to sell. We want to put it on the market in January. Hopefully it will sell pretty quickly (by April). Then, we intend to do the bulk of our support raising from Jan. to around April. There is a missionary training school that lasts 3 weeks in Mexico that we intend to go to also. It's from April 22 to May 11. (That's why we want the house to be already sold). We are planning to leave for Lima, Peru sometime in June.

Brian and Betty Vander Kodde will be here soon on furlough. They are the missionaries in Peru that we are going to serve with. We are going to get to visit with them and talk about us serving in Peru. I'm really excited to see them.

Our regular ministries are continuing well. We will begin to step down from some of them around January in order to spend more time studying spanish and doing other things to get ready to move to Peru.

Hemos estado haciendo preparaciones por mudandose a Peru. Casi terminamos con nuestro papel informacional sobre nuestro mision en Peru. !Yupi! Los ninos tuve divertido haciendo sus pasaportes. Y esta emocionado vendiendo nuestro mueble y otras cosas. Tuvimos otro vende en el 21 de octubre a la casa de Doug (el fue con nosotros a Peru el verano pasado). !Gracias, Doug! Tambien, estamos trabajando en nuestra casa para que sea listo por vendiendolo. Comenzamos a venderlo en enero. Esperamos que venda pronto (antes de abril). Luego, levantamos fondos de enero hasta abril. Hay una escuela misionera en Mexico por 3 semanas, de abril 22 hasta mayo 11, que queremos asistir. (Por eso queremos la casa sea vendido antes de abril.) Hacimos planes salir por Lima, Peru en junio.

Brian y Betty Vander Kodde estaran aqui pronto por furlough (no se que palabra en espanol). Ellos son los misioneros en Peru que quien estaremos trabajar. Visitaremos con ellos y hablamos sobre los planes por Peru. Estoy muy emocionada verlos.

Nuestro ministerios regulares esta continuando bien. Dejamos de trabajar unos do los ministerios en enero para que pasemos mas tiempo estudiando espanol y haciendo otras cosas para sea listo mudarse a Peru.

...Whew! That was hard!...

Peru trip

Here is the story of our missions trip to Peru. Sorry it took so long (a month and a half) to write. I was having trouble getting the pictures onto the blog. Aqui esta la cuenta de nuestro viaje misionero. Lo siento que yo tome tanto tiempo (un mes y media) para escribirlo. Yo estaba teniendo dificultad poniendo las fotos en el blog.

Day of Departure -Thursday

Thursday we left for Peru. We met at the church around 10 in the morning, but we didn't arrive in Peru until around midnight or so. We were so excited! En jueves, salimos por Peru. Nos reunimos a la iglesia a las 10 en la manana, mas o menos, pero no llegamos a Peru hasta aproximadamente medianoche. !Estabamos muy emocionado! I got sick on the plane. Fun... Yo estaba enferma en el avion. Divertido...

Day 1 -Friday

Friday... our first day in Peru. We started out by working on the church building in Surco. I cleaned all of the bathrooms. Yippie! El viernes, nuestro primer dia en Peru. Comenzaron con trabajando en la iglesia en Surco. Yo limpie todos los banos. !Yupi!
This is Surco. Este es Surco.
Jose, Doug, Bobby, and Joseph went to a ladies house to replace her roof. It was a good day of helping out. Jose, Doug, Bobby, y Joseph fueron a una casa de una senora de la iglesia para componer su techo. Estaba un buen dia de ayudando.

That night we made chocotejas, a chocolate that the church is selling to raise money so they can take a missions trip to Ayacucho. Esa noche, hicimos chocotejas, una chocolate que la iglesia esta vendiendo para levantar fondos para hacer un viaje misionero a Ayacucho.

Day 2 -Saturday

On Saturday, we went out on the streets and sold chocotejas en the morning. That was an adventure! In the afternoon, we went to Villa Maria to do an outreach. We did worship, dramas, testimonies, and teachings for kids and adults. There was a team there from Oregon also. They did their ministries, too. It was definitely a group effort! That night, we set up the church back in Surco for the service the next morning. En sabado, en la manana, ibamos en las calles y vendimos chocotejas. !Que una aventura! En la tarde, ibamos a Villa Maria para hacer un alcance. Hicimos muchos ministerios; musica, mimos, testimonios, y estudios para ninos y adultos. Habia un grupo de Oregon alla tambien. !Definitamente estaba un efuerzo del grupo! Esa noche, arreglamos la iglesia en Surco para el servicio la proxima manana.
Me and Luz. Luz y yo

Day 3 -Sunday

On Sunday, I helped out with the worship team for the church service. I love singing worhip songs in spanish! En domingo, yo ayude con las alabanzas por el servicio. !Me encanta cantando alabanzas en espanol!

In the afternoon, we all went to Santa Rosa de Villa, outside of Puente Piedra to have another church service. I taught the youth kids with Americo and David. Matt & Cole helped out with a drama, too. Cole shared a great story about "poofies" in the cake to illustrate sin. En la tarde, fuimos a Santa Rosa de Villa, afuera de Puente Piedra para tener otro servicio de la iglesia. Yo ensene los jovenes con Americo y David. Matt y Cole ayudaron con un mimo tambien. Cole dijo una cuenta sobre poofies en la arroz con leche para ilustrar pecado.

Some of the other guys taught the little kids. This is where we spent most of our trip last year, building a church, which they are now using part of it for the youth to meet. Unos de los otros hombres ensenaron los ninos. Este es el lugar donde constuimos un edificio por la iglesia el ano pasado. Ahora, estan usando parte del edificio por los jovenes.
The little girl in the middle is Liset. She lives next to the house they rent to have the church in. She is the sweetest little thing! Last year, my daughter sent her favorite toy to give to a little girl in Peru. Liset is the one that received the toy. We have a picture of her in my daughter's room holding the toy. Kilaine always says that she is her best friend. So cute! La nina en el medio se llamada Liset. Ella vive al lado de la casa que alquilen para tener la iglesia. !Ella esta tan bonita! El ano pasado, mi hija mando su juguete favorite para dar a una nina en Peru. Liset recibio la juguete. En el dormitorio de mi hija tenemos una foto de Liset con la juguete. Siempre Kilaine esta diciendo que Liset este su amigo buena. !Tan linda!

Day 4 -Monday

Monday was our free day. We went to 2 museums in the morning. Martes estaba nuestro dia libre. Ibamos a 2 museos en la manana. A class studying english stopped us to ask questions in english. Robin even sang them the national anthem. Una clase estudiando ingles, nos paran para hacernos unas preguntas en ingles. Robin los canto una cancion de nuestro paiz. Then, we had anticuchos for lunch (that's beef heart on a stick). That night, I went to visit some friends. Luego, tomamos anticucho por almuerzo. Esa noche, iba a visitar unas amigas.

Everyone else stayed at the church to make more chocotejas. I'm sure that's Americo giving Cole a hard time. Much fun. Los otros se quedaron a la iglesia para hacer mas chocotejas. Estoy seguro de que Americo estaba molestando a Cole. Mucho divertido.

Day 5 -Tuesday

On Tuesday, we took a bus in the morning for 2 hours to serve with Pastor Jaime Inga in San Vicente, Canete. He does an outreach in Playa Hermosa with the kids every Tuesday. We played with the kids, did a drama and some crafts. En lunes, llevamos un autobus in la manana por 2 horas para servir con Pastor Jaime Inga en San Vicente, Canete. El va a Playa Hermosa cada lunes para ensenar la biblia a los ninos. Jugabamos con los ninos, hicimos un mimo, y una manualidad. Robin did a teaching with a puppet. Robin enseno las ninos con una tetera.
That night, back in San Vicente, we went out on the street to do an evangelistic outreach. I prayed with 2 girls, Erica & Faviola, to receive the Lord that night. Pray for them, that they will truly be seeking the Lord. Esa noche, despues regresando en San Vicente, ibamos en la calle para hacer mas ministeros. Yo ore con 2 chicas, Erica y Faviola, que reciban el Senor esa noche. Ora por ellos, que buscen verdaderamente por el Senor.

Day 6 -Wednesday

We stayed in San Vicente on Wednesday and served another day with Jaime. In the morning, we set up the church, then delivered some groceries to a lady that lived on the hill. Nos quedamos en San Vicente en miercoles y servimos otro dia con Jaime. En la manana, hacemos listo la iglesia, luego trajimos comestibles a una senora que vino en la cerro. After lunch we did the children's church and then played with the kids over at the soccer field. Despues almuerzo, tuvimos el servicio por los ninos y luego jugamos con ellos a la losa deportivo.

In the evening we did the adult church. Robin did the teaching that night. Then we took pictures of the families as a ministry. We took the bus back to Surco after everything was cleaned up. We got back at 1:00 in the morning!! En la noche, tuvimos la iglesia por los adultos. Robin enseno el servicio eso noche. Luego, sacamos fotos de la familias como un ministerio. Llevamos el autobus a Surco despues todo la limpiando. Llegamos a la 1:00 en la manana!!

Day 7 -Thursday

On Thursday we went to Santa Rosa to work. Last year, we started building a church there. It was cool to get to work more on it this year. El jueves ibamos a Santa Rosa para trabajar. El ano pasado, comenzamos contruir un edificio por la iglesia. Estaba bueno podria trabajar mas en el edificio este ano.
That night, we had another church service back in Surco. Esa noche, tuvimos otro servicio en la iglesia en Surco.

Day 8 -Friday

On Friday, we returned to Santa Rosa to continue working on the building. At the end of our work day, we went and played soccer with the locals on the soccer field. That was a blast! Then, we played worship on the bus the whole way home. That was fun. Robin and Matt were being silly. En viernes, regresamos a Santa Rosa continuir trabajando en el edificio. Al terminar el dia de trabaja, ibamos y juguemos futbol con los hombres que vivan alla en la losa deportiva. !Estaba muy divertido! Luego, tocamos alabanzas en el micro hasta llegamos a casa. Robin y Matt estaban estado chistoso.

Day 9 -Saturday

On Saturday morning, we had a ladies breakfast. It was a nice time of worship, teaching, and prayer. And good food, too! The guys cooked and served that morning. En sabado por la manana, tuvimos un desayuno por las mujeres. Fue un tiempo bueno de alabanzas, estudias de la Biblia, y oraciones. !Y comida rica, tambien! Los hombres cocinaron y servieron esa manana.

In the afternoon, we went to Villa Maria again. It had been raining a little and there was water where we would normally set up. So, we set up facing this big hill of houses. It was cool. I kept praying that the songs and testimonies would reach all the people on the hill. The Bible says that the word does not go forth void. En la tarde, fuimos a Villa Maria otra vez. Ha estado lloviendo un poco y habia agua donde pondriamos nuestro equipo de la musica. Entonces, pusimos enfrente de este cerro grande de casas. Estaba bueno. Yo estaba orando que las canciones y testimonios alcanzaria todos las personas en el cerro. La Biblia dice que la palabra de Dios no vaya adelante nulo.

This is Jimmy. He serves in the church. He played keyboard most of the times we did worship. He has a really sweet spirit. Este es Jimmy. El ayuda en la iglesia. El toco las teclas casi todo el tiempo que toquemos alabanzas. El esta muy agradable.

Me and Luz, a friend from the church in Surco. I love talking with her. Yo y Luz, una senora de la iglesia en Surco. Me gusta hablando con ella.

The group photo. This is our team of 9 and the missionaries and some of the peruvians in the church there. We are missing Javier, he had already gone home. It was a great trip. El foto del grupo. Este es nuesto equipo de 9 y los misioneros y unos de los peruanos en la iglesia alla. Nos falta a Javier, ya ha ido a casa. Fue un viaje maravilloso.

A torturer Repents

'I don't have much time to tell you all the beauties of the underground church. I should perhaps tell you just one episode which I have lived. We were in a prison cell; some 30 or 40 prisoners. The door was unlocked and the guards pushed in a new prisoner. He was dirty like we were. We had not washed ourselves in three years. So he was dirty, and we were dirty. He was shorn and had the striped uniform of a prisoner. In the half darkness of the cell, we did not recognize him, but at a certain moment, one of us exclaimed, "This is Captain Popescu, I recognize him!"

Captain Popescu had been one of the worst torturers of Christians. He had beaten and tortured even some of us who were now in the same cell with him. We wondered how he had become a prisoner of the communists and how he had been put in a prison cell reserved for Christians. So we surrounded him and asked him his story.

With tears in his eyes, he told us that as he sat in his office, a few months earlier a soldier on duty knocked at the door and said, "Outside is a boy of 12 or 13 who has a flower for your wife." The captain scratched his head. He did not remember that it was his wife's birthday, but in any case, he allowed the boy to enter. The boy entered with the flower in his hand, very shy, but very decided, and said: "Comrade Captain, you are the one who has put my father and mother in prison. Today is my mother's birthday. I have the habit every year on this day, out of my little pocket money, to buy a flower for her. Because of you, I have no mother to gladden today. But my mother is a Christian, and she taught me since I was a little child to love my enemies and to reward evil with good. I thought to give joy to the mother of your children. Please take this flower to your wife and tell her about my love and about the love of Christ."

It was too much even for a communist torturer. He was also a creature of God. He also has been enlightened with the light which enlightens every man who comes into this world. He embraced this child. He could not beat any more. He could not torture anymore. He was no longer useful as an officer of the communist secret police. He came to suffer together with the children of God and was happy for this new state. Let us have before our eyes the love of Christ, who saved us. Continue to simply believe in love. (Edited extract from If Prison Walls Could Speak by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, -Voice of the Martyrs)


I realize that not only do I need to teach my own children to love like that, but I need to learn as well. How affective children can be for the kingdom of God!

Peru

Here are some pictures from our trip to Peru. On Saturdays, we went to Villa Maria. We did worship, dramas, and teachings there. It was my favorite place we went. We also went to Santa Rosa in Puente Piedra to do ministry with the kids and adults. They are so beautiful. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we took a bus for 2 hours to Canete. We did ministry in Playa Hermosa and San Vicente with the pastor there, Jaime Inga. San Vicente is Robin's favorite place. I will post more pictures later.

Aqui estan fotos de nuestro viaje a Peru. En sabados, fuimos a Villa Maria. Estabamos hecho musica, mimos, y estudios alla. Estaba mi lugar favorito que fuimos. Tambien, fuimos a Santa Rosa en Puente Piedra para ministrar con los ninos y adultos. Ellos son muy bonitos. En martes y miercoles, sacamos un autobus por 2 horas a Canete. Ministramos en Playa Hermosa y San Vicente con el pastor que vive alla, Jaime Inga. San Vicente es el lugar favorito de Robin. Ensenare mas fotos despues.

Jimmy in Villa Maria

Villa Maria

Santa Rosa, Puente Piedra