Tarapoto, Peru

Exchange of Responsibility

2010-09-07T05:19:00.000-07:00

In this picture you see the nationals now sharing the gospel. Typically on Tuesday we begin to transfer ownership of the campaign to the nationals we are working with. Please pray for our national team as they are now being asked to do more than just introduce their new friend from the US.

Prayer... a POWERFUL weapon.

2010-09-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night, all the pastors and church leaders from seven churches worshiped with the American team and their translators. We enjoyed spirited music and dance. It was a pleasure to worship with our new friends. After a stirring message by Jonathan Williams, a challenge was delivered to give our "yes" to the Lord and commit to work this week helping to evangelize and disciple. The picture above is about 70 people who attended the opening rally submitting their time and talents to the Lord.

Hurts the Heart

2010-09-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day My team member lead her 1st person to Christ and then her 2nd, and 3rd and 4th ..... Laura did amazing I am so blessed to be able to watch God use her. We have had some amazing things happen but today God truly broke our hearts. The pastor ask me could we visit a woman who had been in his church for 13 yrs but had not been able to attend for the last 6 months because she has arthritus really bad to the point she can no longer walk. I said we would love to visit her so we did. We arrived at her house and I knew from what i saw in the conditions she lived things were going to be heart breaking. The sweet lady was so cute but her body was losing the battle it was fighting. My translator Adin knows her and when he saw her and her condition he began to cry because she looked so hopeless. God softly told me sing to her. I had Adin ask her what here favorite song was and she said it was I have decided to follow Jesus. She then said I want you and the lady to sing it talking about Laura and I. Well if you know me a singer I am not but I told her we would love to sing to her as a group and that we did. We stood around her as she sat in her chare and we sang her two favorite songs. God really moved and we all began crying and praising HIM as we prayed for her. I ask her what her greatest need was and she said that everyone tells her she needs a wheelchair but she said no because she knows God is going to heal her. ( I truly believe he will ) I ask her if she would like a new chair to sit in because the one she was sitting in was wow just look at the picture. She said she would love a new rocking chair to sit in and then we saw she didnt even have a matress to sleep on and God truly began to break my heart. I then ask her whats her favorite food and drink and she said seafood and coke. Guess what Laura had to drink yep you guessed it a coke so we gave it to her. If God allows us we plan to go get a matress and a new chair for her tomorrow and take them to her along with a cold coke and a seafood lunch. Its just a small thing we can do to make her comfortable I just pray God allows us to serve her with a few gifts of comfort. Praise God he changes me with experiences like this and he allows us to be a blessing to her the rest of this week as we go back to her house and sing and praise God with her.

Posted By Paul Colburn

God is Amazing

2010-09-06T19:09:00.000-07:00

My first International Mission Trip is ministering and changing me more than I could ever imagine. Before I came on this trip, I prayed to ask God to break my heart with the things that breaks His! I quit praying that prayer. God has answered in a way I cannot explain, I can only feel. The first amazing answer is that my mom agreed without a question to be my prayer partner. That has changed my life, Thank you mom, you will never know what that means to me. Well, the first lady that I witnessed to had not heard about Jesus, I shared the story with the cube, and she prayed to receive Christ (my very first time witnessing). Guess what? Her name is Patricia, that is my mother's name, I just wept. Mom this one was a joint effort. Thanks for the prayers. Another amazing answered prayer was when my best friend in Tennessee said that she would join me on this venture. If you know my friend Cathy, this is truely a miracle. The mission team is calling her "princess" need I say more. I could go on and on, and we still have the week ahead. Thank you to all my family and friends that made it possible for me to come. I will share more when I get back.

Posted By Laura Troutman

Does Your Church Have A Vision?

2010-09-06T19:07:00.001-07:00

This was one of the questions asked to the pastors in their training on Friday. On Saturday, I went to do prayer walking with some of the church members in the area where we were to plant the new church. When we walked in the mother church, the pastors wife was nailing this picture on the back wall for all to see what their churches vision is.

The Mission Begins

2010-09-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

The team arrived safely in Lima last night and right now are in the air in route to Tarapoto. This team comes from three states and represent four churches. Our mission this week is to work with seven different mother churches in Tarapoto and they desire to each plant one new church. So, if all goes well, we will see seven new congregations planted in small villages around the city of Tarapoto this week. Would you please stop and pray for us right now?
below is a picture of the seven pastors and some of their leaders who were trained yesterday. They are all very exceited about what God will do this week. Keep checking the website daily for more updates.