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CHRISTIAN
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CHRISTIAN
NEWS |
A Day to Remember - Update from the Trzos (Missionaries in Peru)
Dear Brother & Sister in Christ - precious family
Greetings in the lovely name of our Saviour & Protector Jesus Christ!!
Yes - indeed, this title of our Lord Jesus becomes more & more real to us.
Almost daily we encounter situations where the helping & protecting hand of our Saviour is clearly displayed. Yet we know that your part is as vital as ours perhaps even more, as God moves & acts by the prayers of his children. Only together can we advance against the evil forces and be used by Him!! Thank you very much for your support, prayers and intercessions and Glory to God as He excepts our humble efforts.
On Monday the 25.03.02 many of you must have been busy interceding for us! How else can one explain the love & protection I (Herbert) experienced on that day!? It started at 3 am and carried on through the whole day till I arrived safely at about 8 pm (South Africa 10 am - 3 am next day). On that day I had to go to Ayacucho, and to be back the same day I decided to leave very early. Due to strikes & protests the bus-service (Kombi) was irregular. I was not allowed to enter in the first bus at 3 am, as it was only for "La comision" (organizer & partaker of a march in Ayacucho). I had to wait over an hour for the next one. After travelling for over 2 hours we spotted a Kombi badly damaged about 20 meters off the road. It must have rolled at least once and we were convinced that it was the one I wanted to enter earlier on. Needless to say that I was grateful for being stopped earlier on. Praise the Lord for his goodness!!
Ayacucho is very busy, as it is "Semana Santa" again. Walking with two backpacks and protecting ones pockets is no easy task! After a bump by a person I sensed trouble! Immediately I checked my pockets and noticed that the back pocket was slit open and my passport was gone. What a disaster!! I hurried forward in search of that person but it was an impossible task among the crowds. All the problems I will encounter now (in 2 weeks we have to go again to Chile for our visas) came into my mind while I was slowly walking back. Suddenly a person pointed ahead to the floor and there in the middle of the pavement was my passport laying. What a miracle -- Praise God!! Normally we don't carry passports with us, but it was some sort of registration time for the people, as inspectors came even the night before to the Church to check all papers.
Later on Pastor Hugo made sure that nothing further happens to me and accompanied me to the bus stop. Another miracle happened, as about half an hour before Cangallo the left front tyre busted!! Perhaps that is not worth mentioning under normal circumstances, but here on top of the Andes it turns mostly into a disaster. Praise God, we just happened to be on an easy part of the road.
Over 90% of the mountain roads are a single lane and one side goes high up while the other side goes deep down. This was truly a day to remember! Our supposed 4 days of celebration, unification and revitalizing the Churches in Huancapi came to nothing!! Our friend Pastor Hugo visited us over Easter and together we went to Huancapi but there was no evidence of any evangelic activities. Those activities ceased years ago, and the "J-Witnesses" are now strongly represented there. This city is much bigger than Cangallo!! One can only guess how much worse it will be in the smaller towns around. A much greater combined effort is needed to stop the enemy from taking control of this region! The three evangelical Churches in Cangallo have a combined congregation of no more than 10 (ten - this is no misprint), others ceased to exist.
Please pray:
for a revitalization of the Churches that ceased and protection for the Ones that struggles to exist.
- for an combined effort by the evangelical Church to bring the Word of God and proper teachings to this region.
- against the powers of darkness that are much in evidence everywhere, ---- for much needed transport to make this work more efficient,
- and unity, unity & unity.
The Churches here in the Andes are in a state of decay. At the heights of the terrorist activities, Churches were founded and many people streamed to the them to find comfort in religion. The support and prayers of the Saints eased the situation and brought peace, yet the side-effects are often a provocation to the name of Christ. Here in these outlying areas the true Gospel was probably never taught, and therefore a "personal relationship with Christ" and being "born again" is hardly known. Often the whole service is just a monotonous singing, chanting and clapping of hands, with an occasional scripture-verse thrown in, yet no explanation or exposition is given of that verse. May God grant us the necessary knowledge, wisdom and resources to rectify this situation and not be found guilty one day of the loss of many precious brothers & sisters. Today I can see so much clearer why God called me years ago with the scripture-verses: Acts 8:30/31 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?"... Much prayers are needed and more Saints to do the explaining!!! Thanks again for your love & support and keep pressing on
Much love
God bless
Herbie & Elaine
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