The Holy Spirit LIVE in Peru!

Every Wednesday, Jason and I, along with a couple of members of Iglesia Emanuel, lead Bible studies and sing with the people of the community of San Ignacio. The pastor of Iglesia Emanuel hopes this will become a new church in that area. Almost all of the people in that community, or at least the part of the community we go to, are related. Last Wednesday, we did not meet together because it was the anniversary of the death of one of the women's father and everyone was going to the cemetery. But the week before on March 12, God moved in a mighty way.

Jason and I were thinking that day of what we could do or speak about at the service but were not real sure. I had written out something that I had wanted to get traslated into Spanish so that I could speak to them in Spanish with out translation, but I was never able to do it. We ended up deciding that I would talk about what I had written down and get Desi to translate. After I spoke, we did a drama called "Walk the Line" that I had done in the Philippines (I'll try to get a video on here the next time we do it). The skit involves only three people who represent Jesus, Man, and Satan. It uses no words and shows how Satan has us bound in Sin but Jesus came and took our place and defeated Sin once-and-for-all. Jason spoke to the people explaining the skit and giving an invitation for anyone who would like to accept Christ in their heart.

I love it when Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:1,4-5:

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

This is exactly what happened that day. After we had spoken and did the drama, the Holy Spirit moved and called five people (their names are listed below so you can pray for them) into a faith relationship with the Father. It was a very beautiful time. One thing that has been difficult for us in San Ignacio and Peru, in general, is that it is very difficult for Jason and me to talk about Biblical things to the people. I can't do it at all in Spanish and Jason is very limited. But the awesome thing about it all is that despite our insufficiency and weakness in certain areas the "demonstration of the Spirit's power" completes the work regardless. I mean it is always God that is doing the work through us, but it is amazing to watch the Holy Spirit work right before your eyes and know there was absolutely nothing you did or could do. I thank you all for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray each week for our meetings at San Ignacio (about 5 pm central time every Wednesday) and for the following people who started to follow the Lord a week and a half ago:

-Maria Julia

-Carmen Tasayco

-Mirtha muñayte

-Carlos Pachas

-Carmen Gutierrez