An evening with church members and their families

Rick and Joella arrived yesterday morning and participated in some of the activities and tried to catch up on some sleep during others.  We are still waiting for Ricky's suitcase with all his clothes, poor guy.  Hopefully it will be at the Arequipa airport this morning. 
Yesterday morning the group walked down streets near the church and spoke to people along the way to a market praying for them when prompted and passing out fliers about the church inviting them to the services there.  The group found the population of Arequipa very friendly and were amazed how security people and police allowed them to pass out fliers about the church (that also spoke about their need for Jesus) and asked to have one to read themselves.  After lunch and some rest (Peruvian's eat around 1:30 and rest a little while afterwards so they don't get back out on the streets until around 3:00), the group caught a public bus to another larger market and passed out fliers telling people about the new church and inviting them to the services there.  It was a large market with many people and lots of invitations were passed out.  When opportunity presented itself, the team would speak with the people about the Lord.  One young woman rededicated her life to Jesus when Lizzy spoke with her.  Robert and Pastor Moises were approached by men looking for work and Pastor Moises shared the good news of Jesus with them.  Afterwards he bought them large bottles of soda to share in a gesture of wanting to do something for them.  While on the bus to the market, Pastor Estich preached the gospel to the people on the bus.  He has a loud pleasant sounding voice.  The people intently listened and looked over the tract that was given to them.  Could you imagine doing that in the states? Afterwards he told them about the team who had come from the states to bless them and invited them to the church.
After dinner, the team split up into two different groups that went to the homes of people from the church.  In the team I was in, we visited for a while and the family shared about themselves when asked.  It was six women with two from the church and the others relatives they'd invited for the evening.  All the women had different stories about brokenness in their homes, particularly with their husbands.  Robert spoke about how God made a difference in our own marriage that was terribly broken 30 years ago.  He spoke a long time about what God teaches for the marriage relationship.  At the end of the time we all prayed for the women and asked God to break generational sins passed through the families.  Afterwards, when Pastor Estich mentioned some of the women didn't know the Lord, Robert shared the gospel and 4 of the women eagerly said they wanted to ask Jesus into their lives.  He mentioned to Nelvin that it was like picking ripe fruit.  They were all so very obviously happy and hopeful afterwards.
Today there will be more evangelizing in a local market, preparation for children's ministry the next couple days, possibly some sports ministry, and then church service tonight.
We appreciate your prayers.  Bless you!
P.S. Please pray for Pastor Moises' daughter, who had surgery on her damaged tendins and is doing better.