Dear Praying Friends and Family,
I’m typing this update to you all while sitting outside our school enjoying the coolness of a summer evening. Around me float the sounds of passing traffic, distant music, the neighbors children’s voices, a few barking stray dogs, and the laughter drifting from my friends’ houses. Gazing upward I see the dark outline of the dusty foothills of the Andes silhouetted against the orange glow of an evening sky illuminated by the lights of this great city. Looking at these mountains brings to mind the verse that our church memorized during the month of February. (I’ll be kind and share it with you all in English :-)
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90:2
What a privilege it is to serve this everlasting God. He is so good to use us, finite humans, in the outworking of His eternal plan.
Life is settling into a somewhat “normal”, albeit busy routine as we near the end of the first month back in classes. I am enjoying continuing to teach my Junior High English class about grammar, vocabulary, Literature, and other things which they find equally as fascinating. :-) This semester I am also teaching piano to five students and flute to two students, which keeps me busy several days a week after school. Please keep the students of our school in your prayers. MKs need encouragement, support, and spiritual growth as much as any of us. Pray for those of us who are teachers, that we would be Christ-like examples to our students and teach them with love, patience, and passion.
Please continue to pray for my church, Iglesia Bautista El Manantial. I have been especially challenged recently to be faithfully and fervently praying for the growth of my church and the faithfulness of the members. Please join me in that prayer. Also, pray for the young ladies that attend my Sunday School class and for me as I seek to teach them from the Word of God.
Several of you have written to ask details about my plans for next year, finances, coming home, etc. Allow me to answer some of those questions. My plan is to return to the States during the first week of July and come back to Peru around the second week of August. I am greatly looking forward to spending some time with family and friends, but will also be anxiously awaiting my return to Peru for the following school year. (And in case any of you are wondering, yes, I plan to also return home in October for two weeks to attend the wedding of my dear brother! :-) Next year I will be continuing my ministry at Fetzer and also will be involved in various ministries within my local church. My financial needs for the year will be basically the same as they were for this past year. I will need to raise around $1200 dollars for airfare, and roughly $610 dollars a month to cover insurance, rent, and living expenses. Please pray for the Lord’s provision in His perfect timing.
As always, I covet your prayers! Please feel free to e-mail if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to answer you (and I love to get mail ;-). God bless each one of you as you serve Him faithfully!
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Monday, March 21, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
February Update
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Tonight as I stood in my kitchen and packed my lunch for the first day of school tomorrow, I thought to myself, “Where did the summer go?!” However, looking back over the last month, it is easy to see how summer slipped by so quickly! Tomorrow begins the second semester at Fetzer Memorial Christian Academy, and those of us who are teachers have spent the last few days putting the finishing touches on classrooms and lesson plans and preparing for the return of our students! Please keep us in prayer this week as we return to our school schedule and seek to serve one another and our students.
Now please allow me to recap the highlights of the past four weeks:
Junior High (Adolescentes) Camp- I had the privilege of counseling thirteen girls ages 13-18 for a week. It was not a week without challenges, however, it was a blessing to get involved in the lives of those teenagers and see some of them make decisions to change and grow in their walk with the Lord.
Pastors Camp- Three of us teachers from Fetzer spent the week working with the children of national Pastors. We held a VBS of sorts for the children while their parents were in special meetings. It was a busy week, but a lot of fun to sing and play games with the children, as well as get to know other families in ministry from all over the country.
Missionaries Camp- Always a highlight of the summer! All of the Baptist Mid-Missions missionaries and their families come together for a week of fellowship and fun. (The adults also have business meetings, but we get to play with the kids!) The five of us Fetzer teachers and the two ARRIBA students held VBS for the MKs during the mornings. We enjoyed turning the dining hall into an underwater world (complete with a submarine), hiding treasure for the week long treasure hunt, playing with the kids, swimming, teaching the Word of God, and enjoying the chance to invest in the lives of these special children. The entire week was an encouragement.
Vacation Bible School at Manchay- This past week marked a special milestone for Iglesia Bautista El Manantial. We held our first ever Vacation Bible School! How exciting to be a part of what God is doing in Manchay! I had the opportunity to teach the 10-12 year olds. We had up to 19 kids in our class and over 50 children attended in all. Sunday morning we had a closing program and many of the kids returned. Pray that some would continue to attend Sunday School, bring their parents, and make decisions for Christ.
That was the “short” summary of what has been happening down south. As the Lord brings them to mind, please keep the following requests before the throne of grace.
1) The start of the new semester at Fetzer. Wisdom for the teachers and adjustments for the students. (We have two new families this semester)
2) Ministries at El Manantial and follow-up from VBS. Growth in our Jovenes and in my girls Sunday School Class
3) Opportunities to encourage other believers and witness to unbelievers.
4) For my walk with the Lord, that I would be faithful to seek Him through His Word and prayer, to be led by the Spirit, and strive to have an attitude of servanthood.
5) For financial provision for the coming year.
Thank you all for your faithful prayers!
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Tonight as I stood in my kitchen and packed my lunch for the first day of school tomorrow, I thought to myself, “Where did the summer go?!” However, looking back over the last month, it is easy to see how summer slipped by so quickly! Tomorrow begins the second semester at Fetzer Memorial Christian Academy, and those of us who are teachers have spent the last few days putting the finishing touches on classrooms and lesson plans and preparing for the return of our students! Please keep us in prayer this week as we return to our school schedule and seek to serve one another and our students.
Now please allow me to recap the highlights of the past four weeks:
Junior High (Adolescentes) Camp- I had the privilege of counseling thirteen girls ages 13-18 for a week. It was not a week without challenges, however, it was a blessing to get involved in the lives of those teenagers and see some of them make decisions to change and grow in their walk with the Lord.
Pastors Camp- Three of us teachers from Fetzer spent the week working with the children of national Pastors. We held a VBS of sorts for the children while their parents were in special meetings. It was a busy week, but a lot of fun to sing and play games with the children, as well as get to know other families in ministry from all over the country.
Missionaries Camp- Always a highlight of the summer! All of the Baptist Mid-Missions missionaries and their families come together for a week of fellowship and fun. (The adults also have business meetings, but we get to play with the kids!) The five of us Fetzer teachers and the two ARRIBA students held VBS for the MKs during the mornings. We enjoyed turning the dining hall into an underwater world (complete with a submarine), hiding treasure for the week long treasure hunt, playing with the kids, swimming, teaching the Word of God, and enjoying the chance to invest in the lives of these special children. The entire week was an encouragement.
Vacation Bible School at Manchay- This past week marked a special milestone for Iglesia Bautista El Manantial. We held our first ever Vacation Bible School! How exciting to be a part of what God is doing in Manchay! I had the opportunity to teach the 10-12 year olds. We had up to 19 kids in our class and over 50 children attended in all. Sunday morning we had a closing program and many of the kids returned. Pray that some would continue to attend Sunday School, bring their parents, and make decisions for Christ.
That was the “short” summary of what has been happening down south. As the Lord brings them to mind, please keep the following requests before the throne of grace.
1) The start of the new semester at Fetzer. Wisdom for the teachers and adjustments for the students. (We have two new families this semester)
2) Ministries at El Manantial and follow-up from VBS. Growth in our Jovenes and in my girls Sunday School Class
3) Opportunities to encourage other believers and witness to unbelievers.
4) For my walk with the Lord, that I would be faithful to seek Him through His Word and prayer, to be led by the Spirit, and strive to have an attitude of servanthood.
5) For financial provision for the coming year.
Thank you all for your faithful prayers!
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Saturday, January 22, 2011
January Update
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Summertime has officially arrived here in Peru! And while summer means warm temperatures, trips to the beach, and the start of camp season, it also means that the bug population is has begun to wage an all-out attack on humanity, and that the "close to the equator" sun is shining at full brilliance. For this reason, I am arming myself with plenty of bug spray and sunscreen as we continue on in the summer months! :-)
Quite a few things have been happening around here since my last update in mid-December. We finished out the school semester at Fetzer with a special musical Christmas program. It was a nice end to the first half of the school year. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were spent celebrating with the BMM missionaries here in Lima. On Christmas Eve at midnight, the tradition in Peru is to shoot off LOTS of fireworks. The five of us Fetzer teachers climbed on the roof of one of our buildings and enjoyed the luminous (and loud) show in all directions as people celebrated in the streets all over Lima.
The week after Christmas, the Fetzer teachers, along with the Freys and their son Christopher, were able to take a 4 day vacation to the mountain town of Huaraz. We enjoyed the time away from Lima, seeing some of God's creation, and fellowshipping with one another. We returned to Lima in time to celebrate New Years Eve at our various churches. At El Manantial we had an evening service with songs, preaching, and a movie, and brought in the New Year with a chocolatada (Peruvian fruitcake and hot chocolate). It was a special time of fellowship as a church family.
I continue to praise the Lord for the opportunity to be involved at my church, Iglesia Bautista El Manantial, in Manchay. Last weekend we celebrated the church's 13th anniversary. We had special meetings Friday through Sunday evenings filled with the preaching of God's Word, special music, and of course, lots of food! Our speaker challenged us about being a church after God's own heart, a church that recognizes the sovereignty of God in all things, and a church with a passion for God.
Please continue to pray for my Sunday school class of teen girls. I have 3-5 girls in my class every week. We have been going through the book A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. Pray that these girls' hearts will be tender, and that they will desire to grow in their walk with the Lord. Pray that I would be led by the Spirit in teaching them, and show them Christ's love. Lord willing, I will also be starting a discipleship with a girl that has recently begun attending our church. Pray for Rut and her spiritual growth.
This past week a Medical and missions team from Origins church in Ohio came to Lima to hold a medical campaign in four different area churches. At each church people were offered free medical care (foot, dental, general health), medicine, as well as haircuts, fingernail painting, and face painting for the kids. A special team from one of the churches did nothing but witness to people as they waited in lines throughout the day. Each person who came received a New Testament, tracts, and various Biblical literature. Every afternoon a kids club was also held for the many children in attendance. I had the privilege of helping out for two of the days as a translator or doing odd jobs. Translating for the American podiatrists was a fun challenge. My medical vocabulary has certainly increased, especially if the words have to do with feet. I will spare you further details. :-) It was exciting to see and hear about how God was at work throughout the week. Many people made decisions for salvation, and many good contacts were made for further follow-up in the churches. Praise the Lord!
This brings us to the next four weeks before school starts. For the next three weeks I will be working at the BMM camp about 2 hours away from Lima. Next week, January 24-29th, I will be counseling for Adolescents week. The following week, Jan. 31-Feb. 5th I will be helping with children's classes at Pastor's camp. The final week Feb. 7-12th is our Baptist Mid-Missions missionary camp where all the BMM missionaries in Peru gather to have their annual meetings and a week of fellowship. During the mornings the five Fetzer teachers and two ARRIBA students will be holding a VBS for the children! Please pray for everyone involved in these various weeks of ministry. As you remember these weeks in prayer, I would appreciate prayer for physical strength and energy, spiritual focus and growth, and a heart prepared to serve.
That brings me to my final news. In my last couple of prayer letters, I have asked prayer about the Lord's will for me regarding future ministry. Through much prayer and godly counsel, I feel that God is leading me to stay here in Peru for another year to continue working at Fetzer and increasingly get involved in missions ministry and outreach through my local church! God has given me a deep desire to serve Him here for this time and an incredible joy in knowing that this is where He has placed me for this stage of life. Please be in prayer as there are still many details to be worked out.I will need to raise enough support to provide my living expenses and airfare for another year. Also, please pray about how God might have you be a part of this ministry, whether through prayer support or financial giving.
It has been a joy recently to be reminded of the truth of these verses, "Delight yourself in the Lord; and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." Psalm 37:4-5
I thank the Lord for each one of you and the vital part you play in my ministry here in Peru.
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Summertime has officially arrived here in Peru! And while summer means warm temperatures, trips to the beach, and the start of camp season, it also means that the bug population is has begun to wage an all-out attack on humanity, and that the "close to the equator" sun is shining at full brilliance. For this reason, I am arming myself with plenty of bug spray and sunscreen as we continue on in the summer months! :-)
Quite a few things have been happening around here since my last update in mid-December. We finished out the school semester at Fetzer with a special musical Christmas program. It was a nice end to the first half of the school year. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were spent celebrating with the BMM missionaries here in Lima. On Christmas Eve at midnight, the tradition in Peru is to shoot off LOTS of fireworks. The five of us Fetzer teachers climbed on the roof of one of our buildings and enjoyed the luminous (and loud) show in all directions as people celebrated in the streets all over Lima.
The week after Christmas, the Fetzer teachers, along with the Freys and their son Christopher, were able to take a 4 day vacation to the mountain town of Huaraz. We enjoyed the time away from Lima, seeing some of God's creation, and fellowshipping with one another. We returned to Lima in time to celebrate New Years Eve at our various churches. At El Manantial we had an evening service with songs, preaching, and a movie, and brought in the New Year with a chocolatada (Peruvian fruitcake and hot chocolate). It was a special time of fellowship as a church family.
I continue to praise the Lord for the opportunity to be involved at my church, Iglesia Bautista El Manantial, in Manchay. Last weekend we celebrated the church's 13th anniversary. We had special meetings Friday through Sunday evenings filled with the preaching of God's Word, special music, and of course, lots of food! Our speaker challenged us about being a church after God's own heart, a church that recognizes the sovereignty of God in all things, and a church with a passion for God.
Please continue to pray for my Sunday school class of teen girls. I have 3-5 girls in my class every week. We have been going through the book A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. Pray that these girls' hearts will be tender, and that they will desire to grow in their walk with the Lord. Pray that I would be led by the Spirit in teaching them, and show them Christ's love. Lord willing, I will also be starting a discipleship with a girl that has recently begun attending our church. Pray for Rut and her spiritual growth.
This past week a Medical and missions team from Origins church in Ohio came to Lima to hold a medical campaign in four different area churches. At each church people were offered free medical care (foot, dental, general health), medicine, as well as haircuts, fingernail painting, and face painting for the kids. A special team from one of the churches did nothing but witness to people as they waited in lines throughout the day. Each person who came received a New Testament, tracts, and various Biblical literature. Every afternoon a kids club was also held for the many children in attendance. I had the privilege of helping out for two of the days as a translator or doing odd jobs. Translating for the American podiatrists was a fun challenge. My medical vocabulary has certainly increased, especially if the words have to do with feet. I will spare you further details. :-) It was exciting to see and hear about how God was at work throughout the week. Many people made decisions for salvation, and many good contacts were made for further follow-up in the churches. Praise the Lord!
This brings us to the next four weeks before school starts. For the next three weeks I will be working at the BMM camp about 2 hours away from Lima. Next week, January 24-29th, I will be counseling for Adolescents week. The following week, Jan. 31-Feb. 5th I will be helping with children's classes at Pastor's camp. The final week Feb. 7-12th is our Baptist Mid-Missions missionary camp where all the BMM missionaries in Peru gather to have their annual meetings and a week of fellowship. During the mornings the five Fetzer teachers and two ARRIBA students will be holding a VBS for the children! Please pray for everyone involved in these various weeks of ministry. As you remember these weeks in prayer, I would appreciate prayer for physical strength and energy, spiritual focus and growth, and a heart prepared to serve.
That brings me to my final news. In my last couple of prayer letters, I have asked prayer about the Lord's will for me regarding future ministry. Through much prayer and godly counsel, I feel that God is leading me to stay here in Peru for another year to continue working at Fetzer and increasingly get involved in missions ministry and outreach through my local church! God has given me a deep desire to serve Him here for this time and an incredible joy in knowing that this is where He has placed me for this stage of life. Please be in prayer as there are still many details to be worked out.I will need to raise enough support to provide my living expenses and airfare for another year. Also, please pray about how God might have you be a part of this ministry, whether through prayer support or financial giving.
It has been a joy recently to be reminded of the truth of these verses, "Delight yourself in the Lord; and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." Psalm 37:4-5
I thank the Lord for each one of you and the vital part you play in my ministry here in Peru.
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Saturday, December 18, 2010
December Update
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
The Christmas season is in full swing here in Lima! Schools are wrapping up their classes and finals before the summer break, the weather is progressively getting warmer, Christmas lights and decorations are appearing on houses and in windows, and churches are preparing for special Christmas programs and events!
This week was our final week of classes at Fetzer! For the last couple of weeks we have been celebrating the "Fetzer Twelve Days of Christmas" with a different dress-up theme or activity each day. We have seen angels, Bible characters, Christmas presents, Ebenezer Scrooge, and even the Grinch walking around the school campus! This has been enjoyable for the students as well as the teachers. Friday brought us to the last day of finals, a Christmas party for the Elementary students and the final closing Christmas program for the school in the evening. The students did a great job preparing for and presenting various instrumental specials and the musical "A Peanut Butter Christmas". It is quite unbelievable that the first half of the school year is already finished! It has been a great experience to work with the children and other teachers. Even so, everyone is excited for Christmas/summer break!
Things are also quite busy at my church, El Manantial, as we get ready for special Christmas events! Today we are holding our "Christmas party" for the jovenes (youth group) which includes a Chocolatada. This is a fellowship where everyone eats paneton (a Peruvian version of fruitcake, only much more delicious than fruitcake!) and hot chocolate! We will also have some Christmas themed games and songs. Tomorrow evening is our church Christmas program. The children's Sunday school classes are singing, the Jovenes are presenting a short drama, and the adults will be singing several choir numbers. I will be involved with singing in a couple of small group ensembles and playing for the choir.
This time of year is so joyful as we celebrate the wonder of our Savior's birth. Celebrating Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere is always a different feeling. All of the normal things we North American's associate with Christmas, like snow, cool weather, coats, hats, and scarves, etc... are replaced with sunshine, summer weather, and trips to the beach. :-) It can be easy to fall into the trap of enjoying the Christmas holiday because of all the "warm, fuzzy feelings" that we associate with this time of year. Being away from all the typical "warm fuzzies" is a great reminder to me that those feelings are not at all what Christmas is about. At Christmas I celebrate the birth of Emmanuel, God coming to earth in the flesh to die for the sins of mankind. How thankful I am for the reminder of the true reason for the season! I pray that you all take time out from the busyness of the holidays to focus on the real reason we have to celebrate!
As we enter our two months of summer break here in Peru, please keep the following items in prayer!
1. My teenage girls Sunday School class. Please pray that there would be faithful attendance and many opportunites to invest in the girls' lives and point them to Christ.
2. Camp ministry- I will have the opportunity to help at a camp near Lima for three weeks during the summer. One week counseling for Junior High camp, the second week working at a camp for national pastor's and their families, and the third helping run VBS for missionary children at the BMM missionary camp. Pray for the preparations and for fruit to come from these weeks!
3. Further opportunities for outreach and service at my church and in the community. The summer break is a great chance to spend more time investing in people's lives since more of the day is freed up for ministry opportunities. Pray that I will use my time wisely and look for the opportunities that God presents.
4. Pray for God's continued guidance and direction as I seek Him about plans for the future.
5. Pray for growth in my walk with the Lord, and that my relationship with Him would always be my top priority.
Thanks once again to each one of you for your faithful prayers and encouragement. May God bless you as you celebrate the season of our Savior's birth!
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
The Christmas season is in full swing here in Lima! Schools are wrapping up their classes and finals before the summer break, the weather is progressively getting warmer, Christmas lights and decorations are appearing on houses and in windows, and churches are preparing for special Christmas programs and events!
This week was our final week of classes at Fetzer! For the last couple of weeks we have been celebrating the "Fetzer Twelve Days of Christmas" with a different dress-up theme or activity each day. We have seen angels, Bible characters, Christmas presents, Ebenezer Scrooge, and even the Grinch walking around the school campus! This has been enjoyable for the students as well as the teachers. Friday brought us to the last day of finals, a Christmas party for the Elementary students and the final closing Christmas program for the school in the evening. The students did a great job preparing for and presenting various instrumental specials and the musical "A Peanut Butter Christmas". It is quite unbelievable that the first half of the school year is already finished! It has been a great experience to work with the children and other teachers. Even so, everyone is excited for Christmas/summer break!
Things are also quite busy at my church, El Manantial, as we get ready for special Christmas events! Today we are holding our "Christmas party" for the jovenes (youth group) which includes a Chocolatada. This is a fellowship where everyone eats paneton (a Peruvian version of fruitcake, only much more delicious than fruitcake!) and hot chocolate! We will also have some Christmas themed games and songs. Tomorrow evening is our church Christmas program. The children's Sunday school classes are singing, the Jovenes are presenting a short drama, and the adults will be singing several choir numbers. I will be involved with singing in a couple of small group ensembles and playing for the choir.
This time of year is so joyful as we celebrate the wonder of our Savior's birth. Celebrating Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere is always a different feeling. All of the normal things we North American's associate with Christmas, like snow, cool weather, coats, hats, and scarves, etc... are replaced with sunshine, summer weather, and trips to the beach. :-) It can be easy to fall into the trap of enjoying the Christmas holiday because of all the "warm, fuzzy feelings" that we associate with this time of year. Being away from all the typical "warm fuzzies" is a great reminder to me that those feelings are not at all what Christmas is about. At Christmas I celebrate the birth of Emmanuel, God coming to earth in the flesh to die for the sins of mankind. How thankful I am for the reminder of the true reason for the season! I pray that you all take time out from the busyness of the holidays to focus on the real reason we have to celebrate!
As we enter our two months of summer break here in Peru, please keep the following items in prayer!
1. My teenage girls Sunday School class. Please pray that there would be faithful attendance and many opportunites to invest in the girls' lives and point them to Christ.
2. Camp ministry- I will have the opportunity to help at a camp near Lima for three weeks during the summer. One week counseling for Junior High camp, the second week working at a camp for national pastor's and their families, and the third helping run VBS for missionary children at the BMM missionary camp. Pray for the preparations and for fruit to come from these weeks!
3. Further opportunities for outreach and service at my church and in the community. The summer break is a great chance to spend more time investing in people's lives since more of the day is freed up for ministry opportunities. Pray that I will use my time wisely and look for the opportunities that God presents.
4. Pray for God's continued guidance and direction as I seek Him about plans for the future.
5. Pray for growth in my walk with the Lord, and that my relationship with Him would always be my top priority.
Thanks once again to each one of you for your faithful prayers and encouragement. May God bless you as you celebrate the season of our Savior's birth!
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Monday, November 22, 2010
Chinchil Photos!
Part of our group at the bus station, preparing to leave Lima!
Mrs. Carlton and me, seatmates for two 24 hour bus rides!
My first taste of "Caldo de Cabeza"-- Sheep's head soup!
A few samples of the indescribable beauty we witnessed in the Andes!
We hiked for hours over trails in these mountains to arrive at the village!
Nothing like living above the clouds!
Our group with Pastor Josue and his wife!
Pastor Josue Tinta, his wife Sarela, and their new daughter! What a sweet, faithful couple.
Two little girls we got to know and their adorable 3 day old baby goats!
A precious little girl at the kids club, dressed in traditional mountain woman garb.
One of the highlights of the trip for me, getting to teach a Bible lesson to the children!
Teaching about the Lamb of God
We also had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of four ladies of the church!
Looking out on a glorious display of God's grandeur. One can't help but pray, 'Come quickly, Lord."
Yet another beautiful sunset
Hiking away from Chinchil. The four hour uphill climb required much "Pressing on" and was a fitting reminder for the need to do so in the race of the Christian life.
Friday, November 12, 2010
November Update
Dear Praying Friends,
Every so often in life, God has a way of shaking us out of the ordinary and presenting us with an entirely new experience in order to teach us greater lessons about Himself, His Word, and the joy of serving Him. Last week I had the privilege of having one of those experiences. Some of you may be thinking, "But she's already in PERU, what more could there be to experience?!" Believe me, there is much. :-) I am referring to the week long missions trip with eight other members of my church to the remote mountain village of Chinchil.
Thank you to each one of you who prayed for our trip. I look forward to finding out one day in Heaven about how God used each one of your specific prayers for protection, for growth, and for spiritual fruit. Our team departed by bus from Lima at 8:30 am on Sunday, October 31st. So began a LONG trek to our destination. Twenty-four hours (and several stops later) we arrived in the town of Huacrachuco. The trip itself was fairly uneventful, but God's hand of protection was clearly evident. The last 12 hours of the trip took place on a dirt road, barely wide enough for our bus at times, over switchback mountain roads in the middle of the night. It was not until the return trip that we saw in daylight just how precarious the road was at times! :-) We have some incredible pictures of scenery!
After arriving in Huacrachuco we ate breakfast (another new experience...sheep's head soup! Which contained many more parts than just the head, I'm afraid) and set out in a van for the next leg of the trip. After traveling several hours in the van, and having to get out to walk when the road became too difficult to pass with a full load, we finally reached the last leg of the journey. After all that time sitting on a bus, a hike through the mountains would feel great, or so we thought! The final road to Chinchil involved hiking for about 4 1/2 hours over mountain roads. Thankfully, most of the rain held off until we reached the village.
Once we arrived in Chinchil on Monday evening, we began preparing for the whirlwind week of ministry. Monday evening we had our first service there in the church. A deacon from our church, Timoteo preached in each evening service, Monday through Thursday, and shared clearly with the church and numerous visitors about salvation. Our group helped in providing special music and performing several dramas throughout the week.
On Tuesday through Thursday, the majority of us participated in holding various kids clubs in the local school during the morning and outside during the afternoon. Each day's Bible lesson had a theme, Creacion, La Caida, Cordero, Cristo, and Cielo (Creation, the Fall, Lamb, Christ, and Heaven). During the club times we sang fun kids songs with the children, played games, had crafts, and many of us had the privilege of teaching a lesson. I had the opportunity to teach the lesson about "The Lamb". It was so exciting to be able to share with the kids the story of Abraham offering his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice and how God provided a substitute so Isaac would not have to die. I was able to tell the children about the Israelites sacrifice of animals like goats, and sheep, and how this was a picture of Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God, and the only perfect sacrifice for sin. In the mountains villages everywhere you look you can see a variety of animals ranging among goats, sheep, chickens, donkeys, ducks, pigs, and guinea pigs, so the children understood the concept of sheep and killing them (since a lamb is a very common meat for them to eat). How we pray that the truths those precious children learned will plant seeds that will one day produce the fruit of salvation in their lives. Nearly every day we had close to 100 children at the clubs and in the schools, so many souls heard the message of the gospel.
On Thursday, our final day in Chinchil, our team presented a program in both the High school and Elementary school during the morning, witnessed the baptism of 4 sisters in Christ during the afternoon, wrapped up our final kids club, and had the last evening service complete with a baby dedication. It was a marathon day, but such a blessing to witness the faithfulness of this small church and the work that God is doing in this village.
Throughout the week, something that God continually kept impressing upon my heart was the privilege of serving Him, and the necessity of being a servant at all times and in whatever situations with which we are presented. There were many times throughout the week where it would have been easy to complain because of certain inconveniences or physical discomforts. However, God kept reminding me that "Life is for Service". I am not here on earth to please myself or to do what is comfortable, but I am here to sacrifice my life for the indescribable joy of serving my Savior; to point others to Him, and to encourage other believers. What a humbling reminder and a lesson I pray is not easily forgotten.
On Friday, we departed from Chinchil...another 4 1/2 hour hike UP several mountains :-), another 3 hour van ride, and another 24 hour bus ride back to Lima. God gave us safety in spite of two flat tires on the bus on the return trip. Thanks again for your heart-felt prayers. There are many other stories which could be shared, but this letter has already gotten far too long. If you are interested in more details, send me a personal note. :-) Lord-willing I will be putting up some pictures of the trip on my Peru blog http://www.perspectivesfromperu.blogspot.com/ soon so you can see some of the adventures for yourselves.
In closing, let me mention a few prayer requests:
1. Pray for Maxmiliano, a man who accepted Christ after the Monday evening service in Chinchil. Pray for his continued spiritual growth.
2. Pray that the seeds of the gospel planted in Chinchil and on the trip will take root.
3. Pray for the students and teachers at Fetzer as we finish out the last month before Christmas/Summer break!
4. Pray for the health of our students and teachers. There are several of us who have struggled with sickness over the last few weeks.
5. Pray for new opportunities for service at "El Manantial", my church in Manchay.
6. I have been approached by the administrators of Fetzer about staying on in some capacity at the school for another year (2011-2012 school year). Will you please pray with me about God's direction in this regard? My desire is to serve where the Lord wants me. Please pray that if it is His will for me to stay, that He will make it abundantly clear.
Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement. God bless each one of you for your faithfulness!
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Every so often in life, God has a way of shaking us out of the ordinary and presenting us with an entirely new experience in order to teach us greater lessons about Himself, His Word, and the joy of serving Him. Last week I had the privilege of having one of those experiences. Some of you may be thinking, "But she's already in PERU, what more could there be to experience?!" Believe me, there is much. :-) I am referring to the week long missions trip with eight other members of my church to the remote mountain village of Chinchil.
Thank you to each one of you who prayed for our trip. I look forward to finding out one day in Heaven about how God used each one of your specific prayers for protection, for growth, and for spiritual fruit. Our team departed by bus from Lima at 8:30 am on Sunday, October 31st. So began a LONG trek to our destination. Twenty-four hours (and several stops later) we arrived in the town of Huacrachuco. The trip itself was fairly uneventful, but God's hand of protection was clearly evident. The last 12 hours of the trip took place on a dirt road, barely wide enough for our bus at times, over switchback mountain roads in the middle of the night. It was not until the return trip that we saw in daylight just how precarious the road was at times! :-) We have some incredible pictures of scenery!
After arriving in Huacrachuco we ate breakfast (another new experience...sheep's head soup! Which contained many more parts than just the head, I'm afraid) and set out in a van for the next leg of the trip. After traveling several hours in the van, and having to get out to walk when the road became too difficult to pass with a full load, we finally reached the last leg of the journey. After all that time sitting on a bus, a hike through the mountains would feel great, or so we thought! The final road to Chinchil involved hiking for about 4 1/2 hours over mountain roads. Thankfully, most of the rain held off until we reached the village.
Once we arrived in Chinchil on Monday evening, we began preparing for the whirlwind week of ministry. Monday evening we had our first service there in the church. A deacon from our church, Timoteo preached in each evening service, Monday through Thursday, and shared clearly with the church and numerous visitors about salvation. Our group helped in providing special music and performing several dramas throughout the week.
On Tuesday through Thursday, the majority of us participated in holding various kids clubs in the local school during the morning and outside during the afternoon. Each day's Bible lesson had a theme, Creacion, La Caida, Cordero, Cristo, and Cielo (Creation, the Fall, Lamb, Christ, and Heaven). During the club times we sang fun kids songs with the children, played games, had crafts, and many of us had the privilege of teaching a lesson. I had the opportunity to teach the lesson about "The Lamb". It was so exciting to be able to share with the kids the story of Abraham offering his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice and how God provided a substitute so Isaac would not have to die. I was able to tell the children about the Israelites sacrifice of animals like goats, and sheep, and how this was a picture of Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God, and the only perfect sacrifice for sin. In the mountains villages everywhere you look you can see a variety of animals ranging among goats, sheep, chickens, donkeys, ducks, pigs, and guinea pigs, so the children understood the concept of sheep and killing them (since a lamb is a very common meat for them to eat). How we pray that the truths those precious children learned will plant seeds that will one day produce the fruit of salvation in their lives. Nearly every day we had close to 100 children at the clubs and in the schools, so many souls heard the message of the gospel.
On Thursday, our final day in Chinchil, our team presented a program in both the High school and Elementary school during the morning, witnessed the baptism of 4 sisters in Christ during the afternoon, wrapped up our final kids club, and had the last evening service complete with a baby dedication. It was a marathon day, but such a blessing to witness the faithfulness of this small church and the work that God is doing in this village.
Throughout the week, something that God continually kept impressing upon my heart was the privilege of serving Him, and the necessity of being a servant at all times and in whatever situations with which we are presented. There were many times throughout the week where it would have been easy to complain because of certain inconveniences or physical discomforts. However, God kept reminding me that "Life is for Service". I am not here on earth to please myself or to do what is comfortable, but I am here to sacrifice my life for the indescribable joy of serving my Savior; to point others to Him, and to encourage other believers. What a humbling reminder and a lesson I pray is not easily forgotten.
On Friday, we departed from Chinchil...another 4 1/2 hour hike UP several mountains :-), another 3 hour van ride, and another 24 hour bus ride back to Lima. God gave us safety in spite of two flat tires on the bus on the return trip. Thanks again for your heart-felt prayers. There are many other stories which could be shared, but this letter has already gotten far too long. If you are interested in more details, send me a personal note. :-) Lord-willing I will be putting up some pictures of the trip on my Peru blog http://www.perspectivesfromperu.blogspot.com/ soon so you can see some of the adventures for yourselves.
In closing, let me mention a few prayer requests:
1. Pray for Maxmiliano, a man who accepted Christ after the Monday evening service in Chinchil. Pray for his continued spiritual growth.
2. Pray that the seeds of the gospel planted in Chinchil and on the trip will take root.
3. Pray for the students and teachers at Fetzer as we finish out the last month before Christmas/Summer break!
4. Pray for the health of our students and teachers. There are several of us who have struggled with sickness over the last few weeks.
5. Pray for new opportunities for service at "El Manantial", my church in Manchay.
6. I have been approached by the administrators of Fetzer about staying on in some capacity at the school for another year (2011-2012 school year). Will you please pray with me about God's direction in this regard? My desire is to serve where the Lord wants me. Please pray that if it is His will for me to stay, that He will make it abundantly clear.
Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement. God bless each one of you for your faithfulness!
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Monday, October 18, 2010
October Update!
Dear Praying Friends,
Greetings from Lima! Here in the Southern Hemisphere we are enjoying slowly warmer temperatures and increased amounts of sunshine each day. This can only mean one thing...spring has arrived! Even though this time of year brings along with it the occasional craving for a Pumpkin Spice Latte (which, alas, cannot be found here in Peru), the prospect of summer outweighs this minor loss. :-)
This weeks finds us officially starting the second half of the semester here at Fetzer. To unofficially celebrate this event we are holding a "Fetzer Family Fun Night" this Friday in which any family and/or teacher may participate with music or skits. The school choir has been working hard to prepare three songs as well, and the evening promises to be an enjoyable time for all.
God has continued to bless with many opportunities to serve, particularly at my church. I mentioned in the last letter that we have been working to start a Saturday night service for our Adolescentes and Jovenes groups at the church. This began three weeks ago and we have had an attendance of around 30 or more each week. Praise the Lord that many new teenagers have been attending. Many of these kids either do not know the Lord as their Savior or are lacking discipleship and we are grateful for the opportunity to reach out to them. Please pray for their continued attendance. Each week we have a different theme for the game time and we have already had many hilarious moments from "Candy Night", "Backwards Night", and "Crazy Hair Night."
One of the greatest upcoming opportunities, for which I greatly appreciate your prayers, is a missions trip that our church will be taking in two weeks. I have the privilege of going, along with Pastor Jim and Becky Carlton and five or six other members of our church, to Chinchil, a small village in the mountains. We will be leaving on October 31 and returning on November 7. The trip itself will be something of an adventure as it requires a bus ride of approximately 24 hours and then another 6-7 hour hike on foot through the mountains in order to arrive at this village. Once we arrive in Chinchil on November 1st we will be holding Bible Clubs two times a day for the children as well as evening services at the church. I am told we can expect around 100 children to attend the clubs. Currently we are in the middle of planning games, songs, skits, Bible lessons, and crafts to do with the children. While most of us are busy with this throughout the day, Pastor Jim will be teaching men's Bible studies. He will also preach at the evening services and the rest of us will help with special music and skits. Please be in prayer for the trip as we make the final preparations. Also pray for safety during the long hours of travel. Most of all, pray that God would work in hearts through the power of His Word and His Spirit. I look forward to sharing with you of our adventures and what God is pleased to accomplish through us in this endeavor.
In closing, I would like to share a verse that God recently brought to mind...
"He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord."
Psalm 40:3 (ESV)
It is my heartfelt prayer that my life would be a "song of praise" to God which, when seen/heard by others, would point them to Him. Thank you for your prayers to that end.
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
Greetings from Lima! Here in the Southern Hemisphere we are enjoying slowly warmer temperatures and increased amounts of sunshine each day. This can only mean one thing...spring has arrived! Even though this time of year brings along with it the occasional craving for a Pumpkin Spice Latte (which, alas, cannot be found here in Peru), the prospect of summer outweighs this minor loss. :-)
This weeks finds us officially starting the second half of the semester here at Fetzer. To unofficially celebrate this event we are holding a "Fetzer Family Fun Night" this Friday in which any family and/or teacher may participate with music or skits. The school choir has been working hard to prepare three songs as well, and the evening promises to be an enjoyable time for all.
God has continued to bless with many opportunities to serve, particularly at my church. I mentioned in the last letter that we have been working to start a Saturday night service for our Adolescentes and Jovenes groups at the church. This began three weeks ago and we have had an attendance of around 30 or more each week. Praise the Lord that many new teenagers have been attending. Many of these kids either do not know the Lord as their Savior or are lacking discipleship and we are grateful for the opportunity to reach out to them. Please pray for their continued attendance. Each week we have a different theme for the game time and we have already had many hilarious moments from "Candy Night", "Backwards Night", and "Crazy Hair Night."
One of the greatest upcoming opportunities, for which I greatly appreciate your prayers, is a missions trip that our church will be taking in two weeks. I have the privilege of going, along with Pastor Jim and Becky Carlton and five or six other members of our church, to Chinchil, a small village in the mountains. We will be leaving on October 31 and returning on November 7. The trip itself will be something of an adventure as it requires a bus ride of approximately 24 hours and then another 6-7 hour hike on foot through the mountains in order to arrive at this village. Once we arrive in Chinchil on November 1st we will be holding Bible Clubs two times a day for the children as well as evening services at the church. I am told we can expect around 100 children to attend the clubs. Currently we are in the middle of planning games, songs, skits, Bible lessons, and crafts to do with the children. While most of us are busy with this throughout the day, Pastor Jim will be teaching men's Bible studies. He will also preach at the evening services and the rest of us will help with special music and skits. Please be in prayer for the trip as we make the final preparations. Also pray for safety during the long hours of travel. Most of all, pray that God would work in hearts through the power of His Word and His Spirit. I look forward to sharing with you of our adventures and what God is pleased to accomplish through us in this endeavor.
In closing, I would like to share a verse that God recently brought to mind...
"He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord."
Psalm 40:3 (ESV)
It is my heartfelt prayer that my life would be a "song of praise" to God which, when seen/heard by others, would point them to Him. Thank you for your prayers to that end.
Serving the Savior,
Heidi Robbins
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