Tuesday 28 December 2010

Mission Rescate IV

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

This is the first blog post of Mision Rescate 4 and I write to you from a cosy living room, in front of the fire as the snow melts in Northern Ireland. My case is almost packed and there's just the essentials to take care of .... getting a hair cut, picking sweets for the plane, oh yes, and saying goodbye to the family for a while.

It's great to be able to continue this blog from last year and my prayer is that Mision Rescate 4 can continue on the work of the great teams that have worked in Peru in previous years. As I leave on Thursday, I will be spending January helping in camps at the camp centre in Ete. In February the team will travel around the churches supporting their summer outreach programs, working with children and young people and getting involved in anything needed. Its an exciting time as I think that in 3 days i'll be meeting the Morrows (the missionary family i'll be working with) in Lima, joining the rest of the team and getting settled into the work to come. I've been told that its so warm in Peru at the minute that people dont go out in the afternoons, thinking the heat is going to be a shock to the system considering that its been subzero temperatures keeping us inside in Ireland.

We've had a lovely christmas in our house and now that the festivities are over, I'm ready for the next adventure. This team has came together in its own way and in its own time, and its great to know that God has brought things together according to his perfect purposes. Thinking of the Christmas story, I was reading in Galatians 4
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit if his Son into our hearts, crying "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

God has brought the team for Mision Rescate 4 together in His own time and with the purpose of sharing the news of his Son, whose birth we remember at christmas and whose life brings us hope. The time has come for the team to start work and we trust that God will help us in all that we will do, in the difficulties we will face and teach us as we serve him together.

Please pray for us
- For safety as I travel
- For the team as we meet and get to know each other
- For the missionaries and team as we plan for camps
- For the people we meet, that we will share Christ faithfully
- That God would be glorified in all that we do

Thank you so much for you support and prayers! Please keep in touch over the next months with whats happening in your lives and stories from home.

God bless
Jud

Wednesday 25 August 2010

Farewells after an amazing 8 months....

Sorry its taken us so long to get our final update on!! We spent our final week in Tacna (based in the Brew household) in a 'Pepe' nursery school teaching English. This was a challenge to say the least, we were going well when we managed to get the 25 4/5 year olds sitting on their chairs! However, by the end they had learnt colours, numbers, fruits and animals along with listening to a number of bible stories and songs.
In the evenings we held 2 sessions of English classes (both primary and secondary level) in the Brews home. It was great, all the students were so enthusiastic about learning and were even able to present themselves by the end of the week. We had the opportunity to share some bible stories during the lessons too, with the older group doing a question and answer session!
The final week was spent saying lots of farewells to many of the people we met over the previous 8 months. We had a special farewell service in the church in Ite, where a number of the team shared about their experiences on Mision Rescate. It was really encouraging to hear how God has been working in each persons life and all the things that each person has learnt.
Later in the week we travelled to Arequipa for some 'team time'. We were able to meet up and say goodbye to some of the people from the church in Arequipa (where we spent our first 3 months). Finally on 5th June we bid farewell to our fellow team members and a number of people from Moquegua (who came especially to 'see us off'). Over the past 8 months we have met some wonderful people so it was pretty difficult leaving!
We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank-you to you for your continued support during our time in Peru. We have been totally overwhelmed by how generous people have been- sending cards, gifts, donations not forgetting your continued support in prayer. It really does mean so much and got us through the last 8 months!!

Points for Praise
-work of Baptist Missions
-Gods constant provision during our time in Peru
-a wonderful experience and for all the things we have learnt

Points for Prayer
-team members as they settle back into life

Thursday 20 May 2010

Spiderwoman Returns!

Hello everyone!! The team is now complete again with Lynne and Shirley coming back to the campsite last Sunday although we´re having a hard time keeping Lynne on the ground and controlling her random sprays of web!




Ilo went really well. We did not realise that we had to go until a few days beforehand but we were able to take the women´s meeting, the youth meeting, a kids club, the church service and get into two primary school classes. Thanks for all your prayers.

Next week we´ll be heading to Tacna at 5 in the morning...that´s ridiculously early!!! We´ll be helping out in a children´s school, church planting (with Manantial), and we´ll be working in the a little in the Peschay Church where John and Lourdes Brew go. It will be a full week so please pray that we´ll have the strength and energy to keep up!

Thankyou for all your prayers - they´re very much needed.

Thursday 13 May 2010

After our week in Tacna we headed back to base (Ite camp centre). We finished the Amazing Journey 6 day kids’ club activity sheets and perfected our acting skills for the ‘Amazing Journey’ presentation. We helped out at the ladies meeting ‘May Sale’ (700 soles was raised for the work of the ladies meetings and Sunday school ministries of the church), Friday night youth meeting and Sunday services.
On Monday we returned to Moquegua for a very eventful week! The first evening we took the kids club in Costa Verde (it’s like a mission area of the church) it turned out to be the 3rd anniversary so the evening finished off with lots of food, cake and sweets!! On Tuesday, we presented the Amazing Journey in the Mitchell and Porter school, and were even invited back to take a kids club the followind day and to judge a ‘best decorated classroom’ competition (sadly we didn’t have time to judge the classrooms!) One evening we experienced our first strong earth tremor, this time it was more obvious than any of the others which we have slept through, or just didn´t notice!!
During the week we were able to run kids clubs in ‘Las Vegas’ and ‘Las Americas’ (no, we didn’t board a flight to the U.S.) these are two areas were the church is trying to start up a ministry (like the Costa Verde project). We had a great turn out considering we just arrived and started the club (they don’t do the whole publicity thing here).
During the week we helped the youth of the church prepare and sell ice-cream type things in the market (they are trying to raise money to buy instruments and get a music group in the church). Over the weekend we participated in a youth night and Sunday service Mothers Day Specials (Mothers Day is huge over here they provided meals during the services and people sang songs etc for their mums.) After an incident with a spider bite on Friday morning, Lynne has had stayed on in Moquegua (with Shirley). They bid farewell to the other members of the team on Sunday afternoon, (so she can continue to receive the necessary treatment). Thankfully it seems to be improving and they are both being well looked. They will hopefully be reunited with the team on on Friday.
Please remember the team this weekend as they will be in the Ilo church. They return to Ite on Sunday to lead the Sunday school and participate in the Church service. The following week will be spent in preparation for helping out in ‘Pichi’ church in Tacna (this will be a new adventure, Mision Rescate teams havn’t previously been involved with this church), doing kids activities and English classes in a ‘Pepe’ school and helping out in the Manantial De Vida kids Missions project!

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Manantial de Vida happenings.....

Sorry for the recent lack of updates, we have been busier than ever!!! We finished a great week in Manantial de Vida church in Tacna a couple of weeks ago. During our time we were able to do lots of door to door visitations inviting kids who had attended the kids holiday bible clubs to the sunday school. We also did an open air in the market and helped out at a Christian concert! It was great being able to see the various ministries within the church, they have a great crowd of young people who are willing to get involved (if the truth be told they didnt need our help, but it was great to see the work they are doing). We also had the chance to 'star' on the radio 'El Sembredor' which is part of the mission!! It was great to see this work after hearing so much about it back home in Ireland.

Monday 19 April 2010

We´ve been round the mountians (minus the pink pyjamas!)

The last couple of weeks have been really busy (nothing new there then!). We had the oppurtunity to return to the Andes with the Baptist Womens team. (A team of 8 women - who were very loud!) It was brilliant being able to return to the churches where we did the kids sunday school project (before Christmas). Some of the pastors gave us an insight to the work of previous missionaries over the years.

This weekend we have been able to help the church in Ilo. We took part in 2 youth nights, 2 kids clubs, prayer meeting, 2 church services - and Pastor Marios Birthday Party - which was an experience to say the least!

Please pray for us this week as we return to Tacna - Manantial de Vida until monday.

Sorry it has been a while and this is a short post ... more will be added later in the week (we hope!)

Monday 5 April 2010

The past few weeks we have been back to base- this doesn’t mean rest time, we have been busier than ever. No two days have been the same! We began with a big ‘Spring Clean’ (even though its not Spring time) and cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom…literally, everywhere was sparking after 8 hours (yes 8 hours with 9 people)! The following 2 days saw the girl team members carrying (outside), washing, drying and returning 500 chairs and 50 tables, whilst the boys cleared out the Macen (shed type of thing) which could only be described as Aladdin’s cave, it contains anything and everything, by the end it was unrecognisable!
The week finished with the ‘National Workers Conference’- an opportunity for the entire mission family to come together for a series of meetings. It was brilliant catching up with Pastors, their families and some people who attended summer camps. We held a kids club and got to know and share with the children of the workers.
The 2nd week was spent working on the amazing journey (El Viajé Increíble). It’s a presentation which takes listeners though the entire Bible from creation to revelation in 40 mins! People dress up as biblical characters and tell their ‘story’. We learned how to assemble and dissemble the panels and were guided through the story. We received scripts for performances over the next few months. We spent time planning and constructing ideas for the amazing journey ‘packs’ that kids will receive at the end of the presentation. The vision is to make it into a ‘3/5 day club’ presentation, we have been working on making up activity sheets for 3 separate age groups for each day, its been a really exciting venture to be involved with it.
Gordon Darragh the ‘Baptist Missions Director’ (a.k.a. The Boss/Hermano Gordon) came to visit us for a few days. It was great to see him again; he kept us entertained with his video camera and music selection, it also nice to have another English speaker for a few days!
We also had an opportunity to take a youth night in Ite, we arranged a sports night (football and volleyball) in the local school. Around 35 attended and were able to listen to the Gospel. On the Sunday we were responsible for Sunday school in Ite. It was brilliant seeing lots of the kids from the EBDV which we ran in January
More recently, we had another Spring clean for the arrival of the Baptist womens team/ ‘Easter Churches Congress’. We cleaned windows, camp centre walls, weeded and rebuilt the giant obstacle course amongst other activities! It was well worth it, there were around 150 campers for the Congress. It was excellent to meet the womens team and seeing lots from the summer camps returning again.
Next week we head to the ‘Sierra’ with the womens team, we will visit churches (same ones we attended with the Christmas Project.). This time travel may be a little more difficult as we are travelling from coast to the altitude….lets just say everyone is packing the sick bags!!

Points for Praise
-Great turn out at Youth night and Sunday school
-Successful Churches Congress
-The entire Mission Family and Baptist Missions

Points for Prayer
-That we would be an encouragement to ther churches in the Sierra
-Travelling to Puno and the surrounding churches

Friday 26 March 2010

An Amazing Journey ... around the Auditorium!!

We have been preparing for the Amazing Journey. All week we have been walking around the auditorium preparing and thinking through the display. The Amazing Journey is an exhibition which eplains the entire message of the Bible in around 45 minutes. It´s incredible! Children, young people and adults get the chance to hear the entire Bible story and of how Jesus is the centre of it all. This week we have been learning script, practicing our parts, brain-storming ideas (or to be politically correct - doing a thought shower,) and trying to develop a pack that children can take away with them at the end of the exhibition. It has been a great opportunity!
Please pray for these packs that they´d be exciting and fun and full of good teaching to reinforce the story of the Bible

Friday 19 March 2010

From 11th-14th March we were in the Palabra de Vida Church in Tacna. We managed to pack in a whole host of activities including- two door to door visits (inviting locals to the various events), two open air kids clubs, one primary school visit, one secondary school visit, one youth night, one Sunday school and two church services. We seemed to be on the go non stop, but it was brilliant working along with the church. Taking part in the school assemblies was a new opening for the church being able to share the gospel and to have contact with the Catholic school. Over the next two weeks we are back home in the Camp centre. This weekend sees the missions ‘National Workers Conference’ which will be followed by a ‘Churches Congress’. This is open to anyone from the various Baptist Mission Churches (the ones we have been working along with). It will be great to meet up with many of our friends from the churches! We will also be leading the ladies (well the girls will be taking part) meeting and the youth night in the Ite church.

Points for Praise
-the Pastors and their families
-Contact with the Catholic school
- Gods constant provision for the team

Points for Prayer
-The Palabra de Vida Church
-The workers conference and churches congress
- Ladies and Youth Meetings

Tuesday 9 March 2010

From Tacna to Tacna....

Last Thursday we headed back to Tacna to work alongside the Pan de Vida church. We only went for a long weekend, however it was packed with a variety of activites. The first day was spent doing door to door, inviting kids to the 2 open air clubs and the sunday school. On the Friday and Saturday it was really encouraging to see around 30 kids attending each day. On Saturday evening we were responsible for leadning the youth night, which turned out to be an age range of about 12-80, but as the saying goes 'age is only a number'! It was great to see so many people coming along. Sunday morning was to be a 2 hour Sunday school programme followed by a church service, which was changed at the last moment (nothing unusual for Peru) so that it was cut short.

It was great to see the enthusiasm of the church which has suffered much over the past few years. Being able to meet young enthusiastic christians, people who wanted to learn more and a church with a desire to move forward was very encouraging.

This Thursday we are heading back to Tacna...again! This time to work along with the Palabra de Vida church. The plans are not yet concrete, but hopefully we will be able to enter a secondary and primary school, do a kids club, youth night, sunday school and 2 church services.

Points for Prayer

-Pastor and members of the Pan de Vida Church

-Jonny, one of the young people from Pan de Vida who became a Christian 3 weeks ago

-Preparations for Palabra de Vida

-Team unity

Friday 26 February 2010

This past two weeks we have been non stop with more EBDV’s (Escuela Bíblica de Vacaciones….Holiday Bible School). The first week we were in the Luz de Vida church in Tacna. They have a team of enthusiastic young people who regularly work with kids in the local area, so we were assisting them throughout the week. Each morning was spent doing door to door giving out invitations for the EBDV which was held each afternoon. Every day we had an average of around 60 kids, (although it was difficult to count as the meetings were held in the local plaza, many kids and parents dropped by at some point during the week). Once again, throughout the course of the week we looked at the theme ‘Dios es Todopoderoso’ (God is all powerful). On the Saturday morning we did a big clean up in the church, which turned into one giant water fight, well, at least we now know that the floors will all be sparkling clean with the amount of water that ended up being brushed out of the building!!! Saturday evening was an opportunity to lead the youth night, there were around 20 people, it was a great chance to get to know some of the youth from the church. The week finished off on Sunday morning with a special service where the kids were presented with prizes for learning memory verses etc.

We literally stopped by the campsite to do washing and get a few hours sleep before setting off for Moquegua. We were welcomed into the church (which was filled with balloons and great illustrations for the EBDV) and got stuck in right away. Each day we had an average of around 45 kids coming along. We again followed the theme of ‘Dios es Todopoderoso’ but changed the stories and verses for some variety. We were only supposed to be here until Friday but the church has asked that we stay on, so, this weekend we will be taking an open air kids club in the surrounding area, followed by a youth night on Saturday evening. On Sunday we will take part in the morning and evening services, squeezing in the final session of Kids Club in the afternoon. The hospitality has been amazing; it has been great working in both churches, meeting up again with many of the people who attended the summer camps in January.

We head back to Tacna- Pan de Vida Church from 4th-7th March where we will be taking part in 2 open air kids clubs, door to door work, youth night and the Sunday services.

Points for Praise
-Enthusiasm/commitment of members of the churches
-Number of kids attending various meetings
- Gods constant provision

Points for Prayer
- Continued motivation
-Next week in the Pan de Vida church
-preparations for Tacna

Saturday 13 February 2010

¡¡¡Es Increeeeeíble!!!

Yesterday we finished an "Incredible" Holiday Bible Club in the church in Ite. The theme was "Jesus is all powerful," and each day the children were taught a different story about one of the miracles of Jesus. We had on average 35 children each day with 60 different children attending at some point throughout the whole week. The club lasted 2 hours with the usual mix of games, songs, memory verses, lessons, quizzes and worksheets. In total, at the end of the week 7 children could say all 5 memory verses word perfect. Spanish was definitely put to the test as each of us had to take part part each day from the front.



Tomorrow is a family service where we are responsible for the whole program. All the parents have been invited to a special service which will show them what the children have been doing throughout the week, the children will also receive prizes for memory verses and attendance. It is an opportunity for us to evangelise to the parents. It was great see some kids coming along that have not had any connection with the church or sunday school before.

On Tuesday we head to Tacna to "Luz de Vida" to help with their holiday bible club.



Please pray for us with;Holiday Bible Club (In the plaza)

The youth meeting on Saturday night

The special parents day service on Sunday

A Busy Rest

Last weekend we got the chance to go as a team to Arequipa for two days. We left on the Friday after a "shovelled in lunch," jumping on a bus for our 5 hour journey. In Arepuipa we stayed at the church where we lived for 3 months during our time there although this time we had to share the building with a team of young people called "Los Radicales." They´re a group of 7 who are recieving training in Arequipa before leaving to do 4 months of missions. It was great to get to know them and share in their devotionals.
On the Saturday night we went to the young people´s meeting which was full. There used to be around 8-15 people every Saturday but the group has grown to around 40!
We decided to walk home afterwards and stopped at the plaza which was full of people. There were bands playing on a stage as huge "firework laden towers" of bamboo were lit up. The firework display was amazing. It was soon obvious that all firework rules and regulations were out the window as people walked around with burnt jumpers and as small bits of flaming bamboo fell. It was awesome!
But the highlight was definitely the Sunday morning service. It was a baptismal service where Nelson (along with another person) gave his testimony and was baptised. It was really encouraging.
It was great to see everyone again and to have the chance to hang out as a team.
Thanks for you prayers!!!

Saturday 30 January 2010

Wake me up when it´s tomorrow

We had no sooner bid farewell to the campers from the young adults 18+ camp before it was time to welcome 46 campers from Tacna, Moquegua, Ilo and Ite for the youth camps.

Once again the theme of the week was ‘Decisions’. The messages were brought by Pastor Felipe (Argentinean) and his wife Ester, they both work with the Alliance church in Tacna. The theme focused on relationships with family, friends and God. Many were affected by what was said.

The young people also completed similar activities to the first week; visiting the beach, completing the obstacle course, a table quiz, making videos of famous films and taking part in the talent night etc.

This past week saw the commencement of the Family camp. Last year there were only 15 people from 2 families, however after a successful camp they returned to their towns and invited more friends and family members, so that this year we had around 40 people ranging from 3-80 years old!!!! However, as the saying goes age is only a number, it doesn’t seem to have hindered anyone. Everyone has been fully involved in the activities. Even the 80-year-old Don José ran through the obstacle course!

The speaker was Pastor Pedro from the Christians in Action church in Arequipa (Pedro is also head of the language school we attended!) During the morning seminars Mision Rescate were responsible for the kids club. The theme was ‘God is Powerful.’ We had the opportunity to look at some of the miracles of Jesus, learn verses, sing songs and play lots of fun games.

This week is a chance to ‘rest’, however most of the time will be spent in preparation for the following week when we will be holding a 5 day holiday Bible club in the church in Ite and a football club (for 3 days).

Points for Prayer
-For the many of the young people who are returning to difficult home backgrounds
-For those who don’t know Christ, that they will have been impacted by the messages
-Our preparation for the holiday Bible club and football club

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Baptist Youth... Eat Your Heart Out!

Summer is here, the camp centre has been converted into one giant obstacle course, the cupboards are packed with food, so, this can only mean one thing…..its time for the Baptist Centre Valle Azul Summer camps! It all kicked off with the young adults 18+ camp on Saturday 9th January. It wasn’t long before the place was buzzing with excited ‘campistas’.

The theme of the week was ‘Decisions’. We had the opportunity to learn from two speakers from Lima- Pastor Rino and Santiago. They brought various biblical messages on finding your true identity, relations in your community, relations with friends and choosing Jesus or the world.

The young people also had the chance to take part in lots of fun activities- visiting the beach, the obstacle course (for which Pastor Byres will forever be remembered!), a table quiz with a difference, completing a photo safari, performing on the talent night and taking part in lots of other silly games.

On the final night we had the last of the ‘decisions’ talks, after which a number of non- Christians gave an encouraging response. This was followed by a bonfire and a time of reflection where a number of people give their testimonies. It was great to hear how God has been working in their lives.

Points for Prayer...

- A young guy called Jesús- who made a commitment to Christ. That God would protect him as he begins a new job in the Police and that he would find a church.

-For those who don’t know Christ will have been impacted by what they have heard

-The teenager camp this week-Pastor Filipe (Argentina)

-Teenagers attending the camp

-The leaders maintain enthusiasm after a tiring week

Friday 8 January 2010

We moved to the campsite in Ite (this will be our base for the remainder of our time in Peru) on Sunday 27th, meeting up with our fellow Peruvian Mision Rescaté team members: Maria Del Karmen, Diana and Raúl. (Enrique who is an Argentinean will be joining us on 16th January). We were introduced to the church in Ite on Sunday 3rd where we received our team tracksuits.

Over the past 2 weeks we had various classes (in Spanish) on homiletics, oratory, leadership, Baptist principles, children’s ministry and evangelism. Each of us had to prepare and deliver a 15 minute sermon (again, in Spanish!!). It’s been great to learn from the various Pastors and locals who work with the mission.

The 9th January sees the beginning of summer camps in the campsite. We will have 2 youth camps followed by a family camp which will bring us up until the end of January. During any free time (which isn’t much) we have been trying to squeeze in some preparation for the 3 camps. This included designing and building an obstacle course around the entire camp centre, weeding, painting a house among other jobs!

Points for Prayer
Mision Rescate team (unity)
That God would be glorified in all that we do
Youth and families coming to camp
Camps: speakers, leaders, youth, families