Letters From the Missionary

Family Radio Mission To Trujillo, Peru

April 5 - 16, 2009

LETTER #1

"For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth." (Psalm 33:4)

Sunday, April 5, 2009. Our group of 20 “Ambassadors for Christ” (12 men and 8 women) from various parts of the US has arrived in Trujillo (pronounced tru HEE yo), Peru on another Family Radio tract distribution trip. We are here to proclaim the True Gospel of Christ to the Peruvian people during the next ten days by distributing thousands of the Family Radio Does God Love You? tracts and hundreds of Bibles in the Spanish language.

The tracts were printed locally and contain the current Family Radio broadcasting schedules for this area and a reference to the multilingual website. The Bibles have been purchased here as well. We currently have 125,000 Spanish Does God Love You? tracts and 600 Spanish Bibles (a King James equivalent) in our hotel, and we can order more of both as needed. We also will be handing out many booklets and CDs of Family Radio’s Bible teaching materials in Spanish.

With about 28 million people, Peru is fourth largest country by population in South America. It is located south of the Equator on the Pacific coast. Colombia and Ecuador are to the north, Brazil and Bolivia are to the east, and Chile is to the south. Peru is divided geographically by the Andes Mountains into three sharply differentiated zones: The Pacific coastline is mostly arid and extends 50 to 100 miles inland. The central mountainous area comprises peaks over 20,000 feet, lofty plateaus, and deep valleys. The heavily forested eastern slope of the mountains drains into the Amazon River.

Lima is the capital of Peru and largest city with over 8 million people. It is centrally located on the coast, and Family Radio distributed tracts in that area in July 2005. On this trip, we will be working in and around the city of Trujillo in the northwestern part of the country about 300 miles from Lima . Trujillo is the third largest city in Peru with over 800,000 people, and it is considered to be the economic hub of northern Peru.

Trujillo is located on the Moche River near its mouth on the Pacific Ocean . It was one of the first cities founded by Spanish conquerors in America in AD 1534, and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Trujillo has its seat here. We also plan to work in Chimbote, a city of nearly 350,000 people that is located on the coast about two hours by bus to the south of Trujillo.

The principal languages of Peru are Spanish, Quéchua (pronounced KETCH oo ah), and some other Amerindian dialects. The literacy rate is estimated at over 90%, and more than 90% of the population is identified with the Roman Catholic religion. This trip was scheduled to coincide with the annual Catholic celebration of Easter when large numbers of people from various parts of Peru and neighboring countries will travel to Trujillo and Chimbote to take part in the festivities.

We are looking forward to sharing the Good News of the Gospel of Christ with the people of Peru and visitors from other countries, and we are praying that God will perform a mighty work of grace in the hearts of many in this part of the world.

Monday, April 6, 2009After a long day and night of travel to Truijillo the East and West Coast groups arrived in Trujillo. We had breakfast, and a short conference to discuss the logistics of our ten day distribution efforts here and then after a few hours of rest, the five teams went out in the afternoon to test the waters. The five teams fanned out to various areas around the city, two teams went to markets, one went to the La Ventura Mall, another to a hospital not too far away from our hotel, and yet another went to Trujillo National University.
At the La Ventura Mall the team were not able to gain access; they were told that the principals have to make the decision at their monthly meeting, as to whether to grant the permission, and that meeting is scheduled after our departure. Nevertheless, they took two bundles of the tracts and some booklets and promised to distribute them to their staff. This team however had a backup assignment at a Central Park and they were able to do distribute a lot of tracts and the FR teaching booklets went away like hot cakes. They even met a listener who hears the true gospel on short wave radio and he was very excited at our presence in the country and is most appreciative of the teachings that he receives on the radio, and how God is using Family Radio in a mighty way to bring the truth of the Bible to the world. In their activities of the afternoon they also encountered a procession on the way to the Catholic Cathedral not too far away from the hotel and surprisingly, had a very fruitful distribution to that crowd.

The teams that went to the markets reported that these sites were very crowded and they shared the words of life with the vendors inside and outside of these establishments as well as the vehicular and pedestrian traffic, with the reception of the tracts, Bibles, and literature being in the high 90´s. One ambassador said that when she approached a vendor she saw her reading her Bible and she was happy to receive more from the Word of God. The missionary conversed with her a little bit and discovered that she was very familiar with the Bible and was not suprised when the missionary told her about the end of time. In addition, the missionary saw tha this woman´s Bible was so tiny that she asked the vendor if it was the whole Bible to which the vendor responded that it was only the New Testament. The missionary offered her a Bible, telling her that it was the whole Bible (Old and New Testament), and this woman was absolutely overjoyed and wanted more information, especially about what she read concerning the end of time. The missionary did not have any more copies of the booklet "We Are Almost There!" and told the woman to come to the hotel for that, and other booklets. The woman came, with a friend, and they both received all the teaching booklets and other literature, both thankful to God for His providence.

At the Trujillo National University, though the students are on vacation for three weeks, yet our distribution efforts there were quite productive, because many of the general public were in attendance for specialty and continuing education courses. There was a steady flow of traffic in and out of the college and two team members worked that traffic whereas another worked the many buses and taxis that were off loading passengers. In the space of two hours the team was able to distribute 3000 tracts and we praise God for His mercies.

The hospital team also reported very wonderful activity at their site with the many patients and their families seeking emergency treatment, and also with nurses, doctors, students, and staff personnel that were entering and exiting the complex.

We are happy to report a very productive couple of hours of work here in Trujillo, with a very receptive audience and many delightful conversations with many whom God has readied to receive the gospel of grace. Also, two members of the group who had missed their flight, arrived safely at the hotel, by God´s grace. The group retired early for some much needed rest to prepare for our first full day of work tomorrow.

"Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.” Hosea 4:1"

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru

LETTER #2

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (JOHN 1:14)

Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Today is our first full day of distribution of the words of life to the dear people of Trujillo and its sister city Chimbote (CHIM BO TEH). While three teams remained in Trujillo visiting three different markets, namely, Central Market, Mayorista and Hermelinda, the remaining team traveled to Chimbote (CHIM BO TEH).

Like yesterday, the Central market was a hive of activity with a lot of vehicular and foot traffic, of shoppers, office workers, and school children. The team´s distribution efforts went at a steady pace, with almost everyone taking the tracts. Then one young man, seemingly very irate about the message was yelling at one of the Spanish speaking ambassadors, asking him why is he bringing this kind of gospel, and that it is only scaring the people, because, as he says, the Bible teaches that no man knows the day or the hour. The ambassador spoke with him for a little bit, informing him that there are passages in the Bible that testifies to the fact that we can know the time of Christ´s return. After a few minutes of conversation, this man, like the thief on the Cross who started out reviling Christ and then had a remarkable change of heart, reacted similarly and was begging the ambassador to tell him more and to give him more of the literature to take back to his family and friends who lived in the mountains. We are indeed encouraged by this man´s response and pray that the Lord will perform a work of grace in his heart.

The two teams that worked at the other two markets also reported a wonderful time of sharing this precious gospel that the Lord has entrusted to us. The people graciously accepted the tracts, many of them starting to read as soon as they received it. One vendor was reading the tract so intently, she was totally oblivious to the world around her not even concerned that she did not even make a sale. The ambassador who witnessed this gave her some of the teaching booklets, and she was rejoicing that she was the recipient of so much of the spiritual food that she was provided.

In another instance there was this old woman at her stand selling some apples and other produce. The ambassador approached her and noticed that she was reading her Bible (which had signs of much use), and as others, she graciously accepted the tract. The ambassador told her that salvation is between us and God, directly, and she promptly and knowledgeably responded: "Claro casi, Dios solamente", meaning: "Absolutely, God only". In yet another instance an ambassador gave a tract to an elderly man, who took it, turned it every which way, and was seemed a little perturbed, as if wondering what to do with it. Then suddenly a little girl about eight years old came up and they sat on a bench together and she read the whole tract to him and they were discussing with each other what the tract was teaching. Apparently, this man could not read, but by God´s grace, he was able to receive this wonderful message by which we pray that the Lord would transform his life.

The travel to Chimbote which is south of the city of Trujillo took about two hours of highway driving along winding roads and steep inclines which could be very dangerous, and noted for many accidents. But providentially, we had a very skillful driver, and we reached our destination about noon, and unbeknownst to us, right at the tail end of the activity at the two large markets in the area. Nevertheless, it was crowded enough keep a steady pace of distribution for six people, at the larger of the two markets. We plan to revisit this market on Sunday, when it is expected to be at its busiest.

A mini team of two ambassadors went to the smaller market and was able to share the words of life with the vendors and shoppers. The people were just as receptive here, as elsewhere, and as the crowd petered out, the mini team took a taxi to the bus terminal which is on the outskirts of the city, given that the buses are too large to traverse the narrow streets of the downtown area. Though the bus terminal was not bustling, the team was still able to share tracts and teaching booklets with the passengers. Because these people would be traveling to cities that we would not be able to visit during our time here, the message would be traveling further afield, to reach God´s elect in those distant locations. Both in our inbound and outbound travel, by God´s grace, we were able to share the word with workers at construction sites, traffic police and others we encountered in the villages along the route, for which we are indeed grateful.

Overall the reception maintained its 90+ level and we continue to see God´s hand in preparing these dear people to receive the words of life. We are thankful to the listeners for their financial contribution to the purchase of Bibles, and especially when we witness the joy with which these Bibles are received. We ask your continued prayers for the gracious people of Peru.

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (JOHN 17:17)

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru

LETTER #3

"But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (II Corinthians 4:2)

Wednesday, April 8, 2009. In our second full day, the group maintained a presence in the Trujillo downtown area visiting markets and plazas, while one team´s assignment was to travel to a town called Casa Grande which is an hour away by bus and this is what they reported.

"The town is surrounded by sugar cane fields as far as the eyes could see and, of course, there is a sugar factory which is a major source of employment for the town´s people. Another beauty of this town is that it is a major bus terminal for passengers traveling from various locations around the densely populated city of Trujillo. Moreover there are many schools from kindergarten to high school and even a small college, providing a grand opportunity for sharing the true message of salvation. The team fanned out around the town´s square, capturing the workers at the sugar factory as they changed shifts, the school children as classes were dismissed, the many people that visited the market, and passengers that came into the town for work or other business.

These people are keenly interested in the Bible´s timeline of the end, and so desperate are they to receive those bible studies (especially "We Are Almost There!") that the crowd pressed forward to grab what ever they could get a hold of. Pretty soon the team´s supply of the teaching booklets and Bibles was exhausted. On the return journey the team had only a few tracts to share with the passengers on the bus and one young man who received the tract was intently reading for the entire one hour trip. Our Spanish speaking ambassador went and sat next to this man and asked him if he understood what he read. He shook his head as if mesmerized, saying, "I have never heard this before". May it be that this young man is one of God´s elect in whom He has started the work of grace."

In and around the Trujillo´s city center the teams worked at the Porvenir and Santa Domingo markets, the Espana de Pizzaro intersection and the Central Plaza. At the two markets there was a steady flow of traffic of shoppers, students, and office workers, providing for a productive distribution at these two sites, until about 1.00 pm. Two members of the team that went to the Porvenir market walked all the way up the main street in that little town sharing the words of eternal life with the vendors and shoppers in the many shoe stores (Trujillo is the shoe production center for the country of Peru), with excellent reception. While on the way back to the hotel from the Porvenir market, we saw that an elementary school was just letting out its students from the morning session and, providentially, we were able to distribute to them and their parents, as well as those who were coming in for the afternoon session.

All teams went back out in the afternoon to capture the rush hour traffic at plazas and busy interesections not too far from the hotel. Everyone graciously accepted the tracts, the reception rate was maintained, the people remained inquisitive, many having questions about the timeline and some even gave the "thumbs up", saying that this is a very good message. During the course of the day, one of our Spanish speaking ambassadors had the privilege of witnessing to two pastors who started out refuting the message on the tracts, of course saying that "no man knows the day or the hour". By the time this ambassador had finished with them, giving them scriptures to support the message, they were very pleased, admitting that they cannot deny the truths of the Bible.

We see that the true gospel is really stirring many hearts here in Trujillo. A team was having lunch at a restaurant today and shared a tract with a waiter as well as the manager. The waiter was apparently on break and he leaning against a wall, intently reading the tract. After a while, he came to the table, to inquire more about the details of the tract, he too saying that he had never heard this gospel before, and that he and his wife had many questions. This waiter and one of the ambassadors were in conversation, and pretty soon the manager came over and then the photographer of the restuarant also came over and they were all intently discussing the gospel with our ambassador, being very appreciative of our explanation of the true gospel of salvation and thankful to know that it is all an individual and personal thing "You and God, God and you". We pray for God´s mercy on many of these dear people.

Because of the wonderful reception that we are having, we have ordered an additional 75,000 tracts and expect partial delivery by Saturday. We are indeed grateful for the marvelous opportunity to bring to this message to these dear people.

""For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:17)

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru

LETTER #4

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," (Ephesians 1:13)

Thursday, April 9, 2009. Today is the first day of the Holy Week´s religious activities here in Trujillo and we prepared for this by having the entire group converge at the Cathedral Basilica which is obliquely opposite the Central Park and a few blocks away from our hotel. We positioned ourselves at various locations around the Cathedral, in the park, and a few blocks away to get the crowds from every direction around the perimeter of the Cathedral and we were able to reach the many people who were going to the square to participate in the activities.

We continue to see these dear people eager to satiate their spiritual thirst by drinking of the water of the true gospel, as taxi cabs would cross over from one side of the street to the next, honking their horns to get the attention of the ambassadors so that they too could receive the tracts or other materials for themselves and family. Many recognize that they are not getting the proper food from their churches; they are seeking truth, and are delighted when they receive the tracts and answers to questions and concerns from the Bible.

Also we encountered people from very distant places in Peru and internationally which provided opportunities for the gospel to get to places that we would not be able to reach in the limited time that we have. In one instance there was a lady who told an ambassador that she flew in from Quito, for the Easter celebration. The ambassador was amazed, thinking that she was talking about Quito, Ecuador, but it turns out she came from El Quito, which is in the hinterland region of Peru, by the Amazon River and on the border with Brazil. We pray that God´s hand of mercy would be with this lady who was given a few of the "Does God Love You?" tracts and Family Radio teaching materials so that this message of Salvation could reach her village. In another situation, an ambassador met two ladies from Holland who are serving here in Peru in a teacher exchange program. By divine appointment, perhaps, these ladies were presented with English tracts, and the only teaching booklets in English that the group had in its possession. Praise be to God.

We see God already raising up His people to continue the spreading of the gospel here in Trujillo. Earlier in the week we had met a young man who is a vendor at one of the local markets, and a ardent Family Radio listener. He was very excited to see so many ambassadors in his country proclaiming the warning of impending judgment and Christ being the only means of escape. He joined us today in our distribution efforts and remarked how pleased he was to be allowed the opportunity to participate in sharing this life transforming message with his people.

We continue to have opportunities to witness with the personnel at our hotel, at the eating establishments we visit and generally with people who have read the tract, are indeed very curious about its teaching, and have visited our hotel to get more information and materials. One young man, about twenty five, when he heard that Christ is coming in two years, exclaimed, "O my Lord", what should I do? The ambassador told him to pray and beseech God for His mercy.

There were two incidents where people registered their dislike for the tract´s message, one being at the Cathedral Basilica where the officials were irate and did not want the ambassadors around the area, even though they were on the street about two blocks away from the entrance to the complex. In another case, some men of another religious persuasion were yelling at two of our ambassadors telling them that they are false prophets and that they should stop telling the people that the end of time is 2011. But that aside, the reception rate continued at its near 100% level. The only people that refused the tracts were those who indicated that they had already received it either at a prior date or different location.

We are looking forward to sharing the Good News of the Gospel of Christ with the people of Peru and visitors from other countries, and we are praying that God will perform a mighty work of grace in the hearts of many in this part of the world.

Brethren, we covet your prayers that a mighty harvest will be realized among the people of Trujillo and its environs, and we again express our thankfulness for the financial support of our listening audience.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ," (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:4 5)

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru

LETTER #5

"IFor the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;" (Colossians 1:5)

Friday, April 10, 2009. Today is Good Friday, and even though it is a high holy day in religious circles, it seems that the majority of people of Trujillo are very nonchalant about the commemoration of the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, compared to other Latin American countries that we have visited in the past. Whereas we were expecting huge crowds at the Cathedral Basilica all throughout the day, and especially during the noon to 3.00 pm hours, we were a little disappointed that there were not many people at the location, as was our expectation. Nevertheless, the fact that these people are not zealous about the Catholic faith is a good sign since this could mean that the true gospel has more possibility of penetrating the spiritual consciousness of these dear people, opening their eyes to the truth of salvation, and that it comes from God only, with no help from the Virgin Mary.

There not being many people at the Basilica, except for a few diehards attending services, we realized that these people had to be somewhere, given that it is a holiday and the majority of offices, stores, markets and the like, were closed. By God´s grace, the leader for one team found out from a taxi driver that many people were heading for the beach, so the team proceeded there, which was about a twenty minute taxi ride from the Basilica. The droves upon droves of people there was a sight to behold and the team was encouraged, because this provided a fertile ground for sharing the words of life with such a captive audience. Many were there taking kayak rides, surfing, or engaging in other water sports, others were in the bars and restaurants that lined the beach, overlooking the ocean, and yet others were just strolling along the lengthy pier. The team was able to share the "Does God Love You?" tracts, FR teaching booklets, and Bibles with these dear people, notwithstanding their preoccupation with the festivities at the beach. The team was indeed grateful to God for the effectual door of utterance that He has provided them to bring the message of hope here.

The members of three other teams conducted their distribution efforts at busy intersections around the city, reaching people who were traveling to the beach, or to parks, plazas or other locations where they could have an afternoon of pleasure, including casinos. Many tracts, Bibles, and other literature changed hands with people who are absolutely hungry for truth, and the ambassadors were indeed glad to oblige, when the recipients requested more information. In one such instance, a man received a tract and immediately started reading as he slowly walked along. Then, when he came to the point about the 2011 dates, he jumped back as if startled, pivoted on his heel and walked back to the ambassador and asked, incredulously, "You mean the world would finish in two years? When the ambassador responded affirmatively, the man was speechless. As he regained his composure, he urgently asked, "Can I get some more information about this?" and was presented with the "We Are Almost There" and "I Hope God Would Save Me". Could it be that this man is one of God´s lost sheep who He is bringing into the fold.

We have noticed that the people of Trujillo are very respectful of the gospel and they hold on to the tracts and teaching materials they receive as if their lives depended upon it. Here is a case in point: An ambassador was working at one of the busy intersections, and also at the location was a young man who was attempting to sell some candy and fruit to the taxi drivers and passengers as they stopped at the red light. He did not seem to be making much headway, nevertheless, he graciously accepted the tract that was offered to him. He stood there a little while watching the ambassador weaving in and out of the traffic sharing the tracts (to the same people who were not patronizing him), and he probably sensed that this must be an important message. He then asked the ambassador if she could give him some tracts to take home to share with his family and friends. His face lit up with an appreciative smile when he received not only the additional tracts, but also the teaching booklets and a Bible, and asked in disbelief: "For me?". The ambassador said yes, for you, read them carefully. He neatly wrapped this precious gift in a bag he was carrying, but after a few minutes the ambassador did not see the package and was wondering if he had trashed it. Lo and behold, he had tucked it safely in the waist of his pants and covered it over with his tee shirt, as if to say, "whoever gets this it will be over my dead body". We thank the Lord that these people exhibit such reverence for His word and display a great yearning to embrace the truth of the gospel of grace that we are privileged to bring to them.

Also we see that God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. There was a team that worked at the Central Market and the Central Plaza in the morning and this proved quite productive for them. This is their report for their afternoon session. "After lunch we were not too sure where to go, because activity had not really picked up at the Basilica where we were assigned. We prayed for wisdom and then we learned of another adjacent district called "La Esperanza (which means Hope) that no one had visited before. We took a ten minute taxi ride to the location and when we got there, we saw a large crowd watching a live Passion Play in the plaza. What a wonderful opportunity was presented to us! Two ambassadors positioned themselves on one side of the plaza and the remaining two at the opposite end, preparing to share the tracts to the people as they were leaving, not wanting to be disrespectful to them by jumping into the crowd to distribute. However, after a few minutes, the play, together with the crowd started moving around the plaza and came upon the ambassadors at both sides. By God´s grace, as the play kept moving around, everyone was taking the tract, some even reaching out their hands to get one, even before we offered it to them. We thank the Lord for answered prayers.

As mentioned earlier, Good Friday is one of the most celebrated holy days by all churches, with special pageantry from the Catholic Church; however, in our several visits to the Cathedral Basilica we did not encounter any of this. But, the Lord is merciful, because, just when we had finished for the day and were preparing for dinner, one member saw from his window the people processing to the Cathedral, with the accompaniment of the drums. Not wanting to miss this event, he quickly got his team leader and a FR listener who had volunteered with them all day, they grabbed some tracts and ran out into the street to meet the procession as they paraded around the plaza holding up graven images of our precious Lord and Savior. By God´s mercy, in about thirty minutes they were able to distribute several hundreds of tracts to the people in the procession as well as the spectators. May it be that with the true word of grace that they have received, many will throw away their false garments, and that God would robe them with His righteousness.

We thank the Lord that today we received the first batch of the additional 75,000 tracts that we ordered and we continue to seek your prayers that this mission trip would proceed in the wonderful fashion that we have experienced so far.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8 9)

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru

LETTER #6

"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” (I Thessalonians 2:13)

Saturday/Sunday, April 11 12, 2009. Saturday and Sunday are very busy market days in Trujillo, and on both days we revisited the Central, Mayoriste and Hermelinda markets and encountered thousands of people workmen bringing produce from plantations far and wide, as well as the shoppers purchasing their meat, produce and other delicacies for the Easter celebration. We were on hand to reach these people at the place of their need with the words of eternal life.

On Saturday a group of ten ambassadors together with the Family Radio contact in Trujillo (Fernando) traveled to a city called Chiclayo (CHICK LA YO) which is approximately three hours north of Trujillo. We stopped at villages and towns along the way and distributed tracts and Bibles, in a limited fashion, since we wanted to bring this true gospel into Chiclayo, which is a city of about 600,000 people. When we arrived at the town´s square a treat awaited us. There were thousands upon thousands of shoppers exiting the many buses and taxis, purchasing their produce at the one huge central market in the town´s square, and the two smaller specialty markets within blocks of the square. We were able to distribute about 25,000 tracts, several dozens of Bibles and many FR teaching booklets to the friendly, gracious and very inquisitive people of this city.

One of the many incidents of the day was that there was a little girl playing outside her home with three of her friends. The ambassador shared tracts with them, but this girl, oblivious of her friends, immediately ran into her house, spreading the tract open and reading it with her mother. What a joyous sight! Notwithstanding the high volume distribution in this town, remarkably there were only a few discards, and we are indeed thankful to the Lord for His providence.

On Sunday another group of ten ambassadors made a second visit to the town of Chimbote, where it was expected that the market crowd would be much larger than when we visited last Wednesday. And indeed we were not disappointed; crowds were everywhere, in both markets in the city and again a lot of tracts, Bibles and FR teaching materials changed hands and many people displayed sincere gratitude for being the recipients of the glad tidings. May repentance unto Salvation be realized in the lives of many, according to God´s purpose.

Here is a report of Sunday´s activities for one of the teams. "We started out at the Central plaza a couple of blocks away from the hotel where there was a military exhibition in full swing, with the officers and lower ranks dressed in full regalia and performing before many spectators. The crowd was very reserved because they were in the presence of the military strength of the city, and they were amazed that we were fearlessly moving about the crowd and sharing with them, and also with the security personnel after they had completed their exercises and retired to their buses."

"Then we went to the Huanchaco (JUAN CHACO) Beach, accompanied by two Family Radio listeners, delighted to spend the Lord´s Day in such a spiritually productive fashion. We arrived early so there were only a few people so we made a first sweep of the location. The crowd picked up considerably a little later and we made another sweep of the area. Though there were some refusals (because about one third the crowd were European and American tourists), nevertheless many of the locals still showed a keen interest in the message that we brought to them."

"After the beach, we stopped at a restaurant where the owner kept a library of books. We gave him a copy of "We Are Almost There" to add to his collection and he gladly accepted it, along with some of the "Does God Love You?" tracts. Later in the afternoon we visited a large playground, full with many families out for a Sunday afternoon of leisure. All graciously accepted the tracts and other literature, some perhaps for the first time encountering the true gospel. One man returned to the hotel to receive more books and materials to help him better understand the May 21, 2011 date. And, our two volunteers expressed their appreciation for the privilege to participate in the grand effort of spreading the word in their country."

We continue to witness how excited these people are to receive the message of hope as many, upon reading the tract, would approach the ambassadors requesting more information and asking questions about the veracity of the timeline. When they see the "May 21, 2011 in bold letters on our tee shirt, many react in consternation and disbelief but pretty soon those reactions are replaced by calm acceptance one woman said, “I believe, thank you for coming to tell us this information"; yet another woman declared, “I believe, and I want to help proclaim it.” The reaction displayed by these people reminds us of what Jonah perhaps experienced when he proclaimed to the Ninevites, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4).

On the way to Chiclayo on Saturday, one of our ambassadors was witnessing to Carlos, the owner of the van which was our transportation to the city. At first he had reservations about the message, saying that he was raised Catholic and had never heard anything like what he was hearing from us. But, as he was perhaps moved by the zeal and enthusiasm with which we speedily distributed the tracts and materials at our five and ten minute stops along the way, when we got to Chiclayo, he, without any prompting from us, took some of the tracts and shared them with the people in the market place. Sunday, when he returned to take another group to Chimbote, he was all suited up and eager to participate in the day´s activity in that town. He was even witnessing to the people of that town, telling them that he does not know much about the Bible, but he knows that the message we brought to them is true, that the May 21, 2011 event of the Rapture and Judgment will happen, and he told them, "Read the Bible". As we see the delightful change of heart in Carlos, it brings to mind the scripture: "O that men would praise the LORD for his goodness and for his wonderful work to the children of men!" (Psalm 107:8).

By Saturday we received the full complement of the additional 75,000 tracts, and because our distribution has been at such a high volume, we ordered 25,000 more tracts, so that we could have sufficient for the barrios, the prison, and other areas around the city. We thank the Lord for two very wonderful days of sharing the precious gospel of salvation to a warmly receptive people.

Brothers and sisters, please continue to lift these people up in prayers because we see that God has truly prepared this city for His glory and honor.

"Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus." (Ephesians 6:23 24)

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru

LETTER #7

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (I John 3:18)

Monday, April 13, 2009. We praise and thank the Lord for the many wonderful opportunities that he has provided for us to share the true gospel of grace with the people of Trujillo, Peru. Today we concentrated our efforts at the barrios (poor neighborhoods), with three teams visiting these locations in and around the city and a couple that are outside the city limits.

Here is a report from one team. "We started out our day at the El Barrio Chicago, which is a small community. We made our presence known by calling out at the doors so no one would be surprised, but in some instances our presence was announced by the many barking dogs. Our distribution went well and even in this neighborhood there was much interest in the May 21, 2011 rapture and the beginning of judgment. In our travel through the area, we came upon a small market which services the people of the Chicago and Santa Rosa barrios. We were able to reach many of the residents of these two barrios at this market and they too were appreciative of the tracts, Bibles, and FR teaching materials that we shared with them."

"At yet another barrio (El Alambre) by God´s providence, we met some school children, and they were very happy to see us and graciously accepted the tracts. One man when he received the tract, and also saw the date of the end of time on our tee shirts, was practically in shock, when he realized that the time is so near and that it might really be the truth. His daughter, who happily received a Bible, expressed how grateful she was that we came all the way from the United States to their lowly neck of the woods to share God´s word with her and her people. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised (Psalm 48:1) that He has entrusted us with His precious gospel of Salvation to bring to these dear folks."

In these barrios there is no mistaking the abject poverty (in the physical realm) of the people, and many of the locals treat them as the "cast off" of society, relegating their neighborhood to the "very dangerous" list. But it is communities like the Barrio Florencio del Mora where there is evidence of God´s hand of mercy. Barrio Florencio del Mora is a community of little straw huts built at the top of the sand dunes, and in some cases they are no bigger than an average sized tool shed in the United States. The flooring is literally sand, and the roof is porous straw interspersed with bamboo, making them almost inhabitable when it rains, and, there is no running water or electricity. Yet, the delight with which these people receive the tracts and Bibles that were offered them, makes us reflect on the blessings that God has provided us, even despite our murmurings, and cautions us to spiritual self examination.

For example, a soft spoken elderly woman from one of these huts walked out to the ambassadors and asked them if they could sit with her and her family and explain a little about the message that we brought to her people. She was even apologetic about not having anywhere for them to sit. Nevertheless, they gladly responded to her request, with the Spanish speaking member of the team explaining about the end time judgment, and that Salvation, through the Lord Jesus Christ, is the only means of escape. We pray that many in this community would receive of the riches of eternal life, as God translates them from their physical squalor and spiritual deprivation, to the Kingdom of Christ.

The graciousness of these dear people and their reverence for the gospel never cease to amaze us, increasing our spiritual fortitude. Here is a case in point: At one of the many barrios visited today, there was an elderly man, who, having heard that some missionaries were in his neighborhood, was coming, as fast as his frail and halted legs could carry him, to one of the ambassadors to receive whatever was being distributed, perhaps thinking that it was physical food. The ambassador gave him the tract, and said to him: "De la Biblia" (which means, from the Bible). He held on to the tract and said "O, de la Biblia, muy importante" (meaning that if this is from the Bible, then it must be very important). The ambassador then offered him a Bible, and was very encouraged by his indescribable joy at receiving this precious gift. He kept repeating: Ah, La Biblia! La Biblia! May the scripture that says: "And I will make her that halted a remnant (Micah 4:7), be realized in this man´s life, as he receives of God´s matchless grace.

In addition to visiting the barrios today, for yet another time we visited the El Mayoriste and the Hermalinda markets, because every day there are new people going there for produce and other needs. Also, in all of our prior visits to the El Mayoriste market, the ambassadors had never reached the vendors inside the market, so today they concentrated their efforts in this vast complex with aisles upon aisles of vendors, reaching as many of them as possible.

There was one little fly in the ointment (so to speak) in that a woman, who was very irate about the message, was telling the ambassadors to take their gospel back to the United States, and she was even instructing others around her not to accept the tracts offered to them. Undaunted, the ambassadors shared the words of eternal life with many, some of whom will travel to their distant villages and towns. In that way, and by God´s mercy, the true gospel, which many are hearing and receiving for the first time, will be spread far and wide, to call the lost sheep into the fold.

Today, after a quick turnaround, the printer delivered the additional 25,000 tracts that we ordered. As God allows, and with the excellent reception that we have become accustomed to during mission trip, we plan to distribute these tracts tomorrow.

We again express our thanks to the FR listening audience for their prayers for the people of Peru. In addition we are grateful for their financial contribution to the mission´s efforts, especially when we witness the delight and sincere gratitude with which these dear people receive the Bibles and other teaching materials. To God be the glory.

"“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." (Deuteronomy 32:4)

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru

LETTER #8

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009. This is our final report and we give thanks to God for aiding us in ending on a resounding note.

A team of four worked at two hospitals and this is their report. "Our team visited the Albreht Regional Hospital which is in the Doconte district and where people come from all the outlying areas of Trujillo as well as other states of Peru to seek specialist treatment for their many physical ailments. In addition we conducted our distribution efforts at the Lazarte Hospital, a teaching institution, and a sprawling complex in the downtown area of Trujillo. At both these establishments our team was able to reach thousands of the hospitals´ workers, doctors, nurses, and students, as well as the patients and their families as they entered and exited the complex. We had a very productive day sharing the gospel of Salvation, which is like the balm of Gilead, that could heal sin sick souls.

Another team of four visited the El Milagro prison complex which is about a thirty minute ride from our hotel. The main complex houses about 1,400 male inmates compartmentalized into six pavilions (or cell blocks) and the adjoining complex has 140 female inmates. After the customary security checks, we visited with the inmates of both complexes. The security guards were very helpful, taking us around the various cell blocks and were able to share individually with a few of the inmates, the majority of them being on their work detail for the day.

The team´s Spanish speaking ambassador gave a little talk at the women´s complex and at three of the six pavilions in the men´s complex. The inmates listened attentively as they were told about salvation through Christ, the impending judgment, and that now is the time to cry out for mercy. The ambassador also told them that even though they are imprisoned at the moment, it is possible that they too can be released from spiritual prison, since God is not a respecter of persons. We left many tracts, Bibles and FR teaching booklets with the leaders of the cell blocks and at the women´s complex, and we pray that the materials will be used to bring salvation unto repentance for many of these inmates.

On our first day here we had visited the Trujillo National University but were not able to reach the 14,000 students of this educational facility, being that they were on vacation. Today, we returned there, given that classes have resumed, and we shared with many of the students who were unusually receptive, since it is customary for students of the institutions of higher learning to scoff at the gospel. Many had questions and the team was glad to give an answer for the hope that is in them with meekness and fear.

Some ambassadors worked at a courthouse, a pier nearby where there were many fishermen out for a day´s work and who eagerly reached up out of their boats to accept the tract. Yet others worked the street traffic, walking in a westerly direction from the hotel. In the course of their travels they came upon a school parade with the children carrying the banners and flags of various Latin American countries, and this provided a captive audience for the distribution of the tracts. These ambassadors ended up at the Union Market and another wonderful opportunity of sharing was presented to them, since they were in virgin territory, the group having not visited this area before. During the day, ambassadors were able to reach many school students, laborers looking for work at a new plaza that is currently under construction, or regular pedestrian traffic just engaging in their daily activities. And we continue to experience excellent reception and the graciousness of the people.

On this our last day of distribution, by God´s providence, we were able to share the words of eternal life with a wide cross section of the population. We met and shared with inmates of prisons, hospital staff, doctors, nurses and medical students, school students from kindergarten to high school, university students and faculty, and the general public. The Lord has opened many doors so that His precious word could penetrate the hearts of His elect in whichever group they may be, so that they could realize that peace that passes all understanding.

We are indeed happy to announce that we have placed 225,000 tracts, over 600 Bibles and hundreds of FR teaching materials, CD´s and the like into the hands of the gracious people of Trujillo and its environs, and other outlying cities and municipalities. We thank the Lord for preparing these people to be warmly receptive to His word and pray that many of the people of Peru would be a part of the great multitude that God is harvesting at this time, as He "finishes the work (word), and cut it short in righteousness" (Romans 9:28).

Tomorrow will be a day of rest and relaxation, as the ambassadors prepare for an early departure on their return journey to the United States. After having such a gratifying experience here in Trujillo, we are humbled, and with great expectancy we look forward to the next mission endeavor. Moreover, we are thrilled and thankful that God would use unprofitable servants as we, to sound the warning of judgment, while simultaneously proclaiming a message of hope, and declaring that it is still the day of Salvation. May it be that our experiences in Trujillo will motivate many others to respond to the command to: "Go ye into the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). We again thank everyone for their prayers of support and for their financial sacrifice towards this mission trip, and the Family Radio ministry as a whole.

"Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18)

In Christian love,
Family Radio mission group in Trujillo, Peru