Lima, Peru
December 26 - January 3, 2005

Update # 1

Greetings to our family and friends in the USA!!

After 24 hours of traveling we finally arrived in Lima, Peru. I am writing this Tuesday morning and will send another update this evening. Once we arrived at Juan's compound, many of the team took a short siesta (nap) to try to refresh. Some of us can't take naps and wound up being awake for 40+ hours before getting some much needed shut eye.

The campers arrived Monday afternoon and we have between 50 and 60 youth between the ages of 12 and 16 yrs old. We begin our sports clinics at 10am and have the second at 3pm. Alexis Loyoza (our first SportReach employee in another country) says that many in the group are unsaved, so we would ask that you pray for us during the next several days that God would use us along side of Alexis' Team to draw many of these youth into a personal relationship with Christ.

In His Service,
SR Peru Team

 

Update # 2

Dear family and friends,

We conducted our first round of clinics today (Tuesday). We broke up the youth into three teams and they were sent to basketball ("basket" as it is called in Peru), volleyball and football (soccer). We had approximately 16-18 youth in each clinic. The morning clinics went very well and Kirk Hovendick shared about the importance of the 'Mind' in the Total Athlete Model of SportReach. SportReach believea a total athlete should care for his mind, body and soul.

Alexis Loyoza shared with us that at the start of the camp there were 43 non-believers. During the time last night and this morning, 28 of those non-believers became "Children of God'. As of now there are 15 youth remaining as non-believers who will hear the Gospel presented through our testimonies and the Gospel presentation from Alexis' Team. Pray for these young souls that the Word of the Living God would penetrate deep into their hearts and cause them to surrender their lives to Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Continue to pray for our health and energy. We have sore muscles, a sprained ankle, a broken little finger and many many insect bites. Hannah has the record with more than 70 and counting. As I write this I am hearing the youth praise God in Spanish. It is a beautiful sound. Time for me to go and join in the worship.

Enjoy the pictures from Day 2 and we will write again tomorrow.

In His Service,
The SR Team in Peru

Update # 3

Dear family and friends,

We are to the halfway point of our trip. It's hard to believe it is already Wednesday night. We had a great day with our sports clinics. It seemed like the youth were much more receptive to participating in the clinics. Our team is
doing a great job connecting with the youth. During the non-clinic times many of the youth are seen congregated around one or two of our team members. It is amazing that many on our team do not know spanish, but it seems as though they are able to communincate in some special way. They are always laughing together or nodding their heads like they know what each one is talking about. What a great sight it is.

Many of our Team have had the opportunity to share their testimonies. Today Caleb Knot shared about the "Body" and tomorrow (Thursday) Mark Geist will share about the "Soul." Continue to pray for those who have yet to make decisions.

I (Mark Geist) have made great friends in the Kitchen. Many have been here the last two years. I requested a special soup and today they made it for me. The picture with today's report will explain what kind of soup it was.

Thank you for your prayers.... we are feeling definately feeling them.

In His Service,
SR Peru Team

Update #4

Dear Family and Friends,

I a write this, I have a song running through my mind.

Our God is an Awesome God,
He reigns from Heaven above,
With wisdom, power and love,
Our God is an Awesome God.

Thursday was a great day at La Roca. Several of our team members shared, and the third "Mind, Body and Soul" message was given. This message was on the Soul. An invitation was given at the end of the message and at least four people indicated a decision for Christ. When the meeting was finished, seven youth were being counseled by their cabin leaders.

In the afternoon, we had team competitions. The Peruvians played a soccer match to determine who would play the SportReach team. The SportReach team was allowed to have Juan, Alexis and Jonathan play with them so it wouldn't be a massacre. It was a competitive match and the Peruvian team won 4-3. Then we moved to the basketball court where the Sportreach team was much more competeive. SportReach won both basketball competitions in a hard fought battle. The way we look at it is that we are all winners!

Thursday evening we had a very nice banquet followed by a bonfire where Alexis Loayza shared a message from the Word followed by an invitation to throw a stick into the fire signifying their desire to follow Jesus. Almost every camper threw their sticks into the fire.

Alexis told me the lastest news is one camper has yet to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. Pray for this young man that he will respond before the camp is over at 3pm eastern time.

Thank you for your prayers!

In His Service,
SR Peru Team

Update #5

Dear Family and Friends,

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

God drew the last remaining camper unto Himself this afternoon. Carlos, a young boy who has come to Iglesia La Roca church in the past, was the remaining camper who resisited making a decision for the Lord until today.

Kirk Hovendick approached Carlos with Alexis Loayza and shared his testimony again. Then he shared with Carlos that he had three children, and all three of them have made decisions for the Lord and that made Kirk very happy. He told Carlos that he would like him to be like his children and make a decision for Christ. Carlos didn't think that he could because he had sinned. Kirk shared that we all sin, and that by accepting Christ we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us that helps us to sin less and less as we grow closer to God. Kirk shared through Alexis that if Carlos were to walk out onto the street today and get killed by a car what would happen to him. Carlos said he would go to hell. Carlos indicated that he did not want to go to hell so Kirk told him the only way to avoid that was to accept Jesus into his heart. He acknowleged that he needed to do that and Alexis, Kirk and Carlos prayed together as Carlos accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. What a blessing!!!!

The campers spent most of the afternoon exchanging email addresses with our team members.

Tonight we will have a dinner at 10pm with the La Roca church family and then Brother Juan will bring the Word. After that we will celebrate by lighting off some fireworks.

Tomorrow we will be suffering for Jesus on the beach south of Lima. We are going to the beach with the church family to have a celebration day. Sunday we will worship with the La Roca church and then we will depart Monday morning at 12:55am and arrive back into Omaha at 11:30am.

We want to thank each of you for praying for us. It has been a wonderful experience witnessing God at work here in Lima, Peru. Please know your prayers were felt and we all gained strength as the week progressed.

In His Service,
SR Peru Team

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