First update from Chacapampa (the mountains)

Hi brothers and sisters

 

This is my 10th day in the mountains and there is a lot going on. I'm so privileged to be serving in this place, the mountains, the beauty, the daily hiking to get around is amazing. Concerning the mission work, it's humbling that i thought that I came to use my gifts and knowledge to talk about God's Grace but I see myself in more need of it. People are receptive because the culture here is mostly polite, but they are not willing to let their traditions go. 

The mission work to be honest can be exhausting, there may be days you will or won't do a lot but the spiritual burdens wears you out physically. Being here can also be hard and joyful, humbling and an opportunity to learn. In the little time I'm here there. Has been amazing things going on, and I will list them as pray requests.

1. Rita and Espiritu: they are a couple whom lives in Antacocha (another little village 20 minutes away in a bus from where I am). They had marital problems from years ago, and there is a lot of hurt from each other, mostly from Espiritu. I've visited them last Friday and I went straight forward the Gospel with Espiritu, it seems that he responded well, since then my other last 2 visits had been encouraging to see him changing a lot. There has been time when Rita and Espiritu has been together peacefully, there has been times where Espiritu has been praying. I can't affirm for sure in this little time I've been there if he is experiencing salvation, but if it is, pray that this becomes more real. Also Rita is a believer, and she has been hurt by Espiritu, but pray that she have a forgiving heart, because it seems that when Espiritu tries to express spirituality positive, she questions him and this is discouraging him, because he is trying. Also please pray for a married couple who can disciple them, because they need to see what a biblical marriage looks like, and that's a limitation I have. They acknowledge their problems also is because they haven't been taught different concerning relationships. 

2. Jhonatan and Franz: they are 2 high School guys that I'm connecting with, we are starting a bible studies on 1 John, we started today, then we watched a movie and had dinner together. They seem very receptive and they want to keep the meetings on, pray that they can come to repentance and faith.

3. Mission house: the lady who rents the mission house, is a lady who lives in the city with her daughter and most people in the town don't get along with her, and she is giving a lot of nonsense problems about the house, electricity, things. Pray that we can find another house, and that we can be encouraging to her and she can come to salvation, her name is Gilda and her daughter Christina.

4. Liz: she is a missionary lady who has been here for almost 7 years I guess, and she had some legs problems, pray that she can be healed. Also pray that she can still encouraged in the Lord and she can find another lady she can relate to and she can pray with, and have a friendship with. Something she is longing for. 

5. Henry: he is a married man who comes once a week and stay for 2 days, I do a lot of work with him when he comes, and as well we are going through a bible studies/ disciplining him in some doctrines of the scriptures. Pray for his marriage, he have a lot on him. 

6. Connecting with people: I've been here several times and is cool to see how God has preserved some of the friendships I had, and there has been a lot of good conversations about the Gospel, but pray that I can be bold, loving and humble. We are doing a church service (there is no church building here) tomorrow 8 am. Pray for me as I give the message and pray people may go and even if is one person whom just goes, pray that person gets saved. 

7. Spiritual warfare: there has been times where we had been sharing and there has been a lot of ongoing distraction that just showed up while we were sharing the word. There has been personally a lot of unnecessary worries, and discouragement and I believe this is part of the mission work. I see the need to keep spending in the study of the Word and prayer, because I need so much grace.

There is a work to do that is hard but also there is a fragility in ourselves, there is power In Christ but In Christ must always be our sight to keep doing the work that God has called us to do.

Thank for your prayers and feel free to ask any question.

Love you all

Edher

In the process of growing there is always learning

Hello brethren 

The last month has been a time of encouragement and learning for me. Coming out from school and being in the field has taught me a great lesson, I still know nothing, I still can't do ministry, I still no sufficient but all provision is found only in God. 

5 weeks ago Caleb (a classmate who graduated with me) came to Peru, we worked in missions together at puerto Maldonado as well in Lima for the last week. He gave a interesting perspective to the trip, because of how he saw his people in a different setting and as well my people. It was so encouraging working along with him, as well his encouragement to value what really matters, edifying one another as brothers in Christ. Sufficiency in Christ was a big theme, being surrounded by people with a balance of personalities like some where loving, bold and humble and a few were prideful. Serving and recognizing that your work won't be always recognizing by the people around you was a great lesson, my work recognition is not as important as the extension of the kingdom of the Lord.

Ministers are really fragile, and there is more people are looking at them because of their position. May some people say this is peer pressure to live a "holy life", but no, this is a task of love. To love enough so you live a life that leads others to Christ, requires courage. You can please yourself and do things that in your Christian life are just fine and not sin, and you may not care if others may stumbling with this, but if this is your mindset please DONT DO MINISTRY.  Seeing missionaries living in a loving way in puerto was a great encouragement. I love the mission field and as I get closer to it, I came to the conclusion that even if I teach, the times I learn are so much more. 

God gave us a great chance to share the Gospel with others, many good conversations that we pray they may lead to salvation one day. Professions that prayerfully will be evidenced by a changed heart. I can talk about numbers and say this number of people got saved and get you excited but let's be honest I can't determine that in 3 weeks. I don't care how much you love numbers, I love people more than numbers. Pray that everyone who we had contact with be saved, those who doubt can be affirmed in Christ and those who professed faith can be assured by ongoing fruit in their lives not by their profession

I know there is things that I still learning and other that I'm not really good at, but this is evidence of God's grace in my life. I'm leaving to the mountains on August 19, I'm leaving to Chacapampa to help some local missionaries as well to evangelize. There is not church there, and there is people who still had not heard a solid presentation of the gospel. Pray for strength, love, humbleness, patience and joy. This first term will be until October, looking forward being there until December.

Pray requests:

1. Character: pray for my character, that I grow in maturity and likeness of Christ. I'm not enough for all I want to do, only Christ is. Also to be wise in some decisions that I have to reconsider for a long term. And for spiritual dependence always in Christ.

2. Chacapampa: it's going to be an interesting time to do missions but as well to keep using my time wisely to keep studying the word of God, and keep preparing myself for the mission life. Pray that I can do this please for the sake of God's name and others.

3. Puerto Maldonado: I'm praying about planing to go back next year to do a quick training program for 3 months, training pastors and leaders on essential matters like attributes of God, the doctrines of Salvation, and Christ's life, nature and the riches we find in His life. Pray that of the Lord confirm this desire in my heart.

4. My family: pray that the Lord saves them. My mom is doing well but things are getting slow with her. Pray that she may be hungry for discipleship, also my brother always ask questions about God. Pray for my relationship with my sisters Kyara and Nicole, I really love them and I want them to have a picture of a man according to the bible standards. Nicole and me are getting closer but is being a little slow because she is shy, and I haven't been most of her life with her. Pray that God's love and kindness be shown to them through me.

5. Visa and trip to the USA: I'm planing to go back and speak to present my missionary project in churches around the states. I will be posting the missionary project as soon I can, pray that I can have a visa to travel back, for churches interested in my project and if you think your church may be interested let me know.

6. Finances: has been really encouraging to see the Lord provide for His work. Pray that the Lord provides and I can be a good administrator. Also I'm doing fundraising by collecting old smartphones or tablets that people don't use, electronics take longer here to lose value so I could still selling them with a decent price, so if you would like to donate  them answer this email back. If you would like to support me financially, I strongly encourage you to pray first and make sure you are doing God's will by it. If so, you can donate by

PayPal: edhermanuelle@gmail.com

TD Bank account: ask the account info 

The great commission (tax deductible): ask for the address

Feel free to ask any question about this email. I won't be online for a while so if I take long to reply is because the lack of Internet. After Thursday 20 a good way to reach me would be Facebook or what's app

Thank you for your prayers

Edher