The Countdown is On!

It is hard to believe that in less than a week we'll be settling into a 20th story apartment in bustling Santiago, Chile.  What a change that will be!  Our days have been filled with preparations to once again take up life in another country.  We'll be in Chile for 2 1/2 months to study Spanish.  We plan for Marissa to attend a local Spanish-speaking school and for Alena to go to daycare while we're in class.  Please pray that we adjust quickly to our new living environment and can soak up as much Spanish as possible before we move to Peru in mid-November.

How was the trip to Peru?

As you recall, Becky and I accompanied a team from West Virginia to Peru July 17-27.  It was a wonderful trip.  The team's objective was to hold vacation Bible school and put a roof on a church in the very rural area of Agua de Nieve.  We were also able to spend 2 nights in Tarma, the small city where our family will be living.  It is located in a beautiful valley, and we think it will be a very suitable place for us to live.  The town is large enough to have lots of amenities, but small enough to avoid the smog and traffic of larger cities.  We were especially pleased to spend several days with Pastor Miguel Algorta, the national director for the Free Methodist work in Peru.  We will be working with him very closely on agricultural and small business initiatives.  We are excited by his vision for ministry to the whole person.

neighborhood in Tarma	Agua de Nieve church & W. Virginia team	Pastor Miguel Algorta and wife, Maria

News from Haiti
Just hours prior to leaving Peru we heard about the kidnapping of a Haitian Free Methodist pastor and his wife (friends of ours!).  Thankfully, they were released after paying ransom, but that event was part of new wave of crime and violence that rose up in July.  We received word upon returning to the States that our August trip to Haiti to take care of our belongings and say goodbye was put on hold.  The Free Methodist missionaries assigned to Haiti were also told to hold off on re-entry.  Recently the new president of Haiti, Rene Preval, issued an ultimatum to the gangs causing so much havoc in Haiti, particularly Port-au-Prince...give up your weapons or face death.  A few days ago I talked on the phone with a Haitian pastor living in Port-au-Prince.  He said that things were better this week than weeks previous.  The Haitian government and UN forces are working harder against criminal elements.  Much of the trouble on the streets seems to go hand in hand with drug trafficking according to statements in news articles.

Pastor Georges Valcourt, director of the Free Methodist Bible Institute (Port-au-Prince) gives testimony to God's grace and protection.  His church recently had special meetings.  Over 200 people made a decision to follow Jesus!!  Pastor Georges also reports that $4000 donated for creating revolving small loan funds has been distributed among 8 Free Methodist churces in the south district and in Port-au-Prince.  Approximately 75 people have a new opportunity to create or enhance a small commerce venture.  According to Pastor Georges, the program is designed to mulitply the number of participants, track results, and also has a mentoring component for new entreprenuers after the 1st round of loans is completed. Two additional churches in Port-au-Prince are on the priority list when more funds come in for this project.  We thank God for this provision, especially in light of the suffering and economic disaster caused by the insecurity in the Port-au-Prince area.

Castel Joseph, the administrator of the Free Methodist hospital in Dessalines, is in the U.S. for a hip replacement.  He is recovering well after surgery on August 14.  Gregg & Gail Ennis and Jack & Jeanne Munos have been involved in Castel's care.

Update:  Fund for Peru Vehicle
We are about 1/3 of the way to the goal of $18,000.  We thank the Lord for the many generous people who are responding to this need.