Dear Praying Friends,

High in the Andes Mountains, above the timber line, where small planes don't dare to fly, where your head aches, your nose bleeds, your ears get clogged up, you feel like throwing up (altitude sickness) and the air is so thin that you gasp for breath and have to walk slowly for fear of passing out; there is a building plastered with white stucco that proudly bears the name, "Church of Saint Phillip" (Iglesia San Felipe).

You will notice that there is not a single tree around. It is cold and dry. Only the Llamas, the Alpacas and the Vicunas are happy on the ground but the mighty Condor flies over those high peaks. But even the Condor cannot fly unless there is an up or down draft of air where its 13-feet wing span can negotiate its flight plan. If it lands on a plain, the Condor becomes a "Sitting Duck" (Sitting Condor). People know very well that the condor gets tired easily and can flap its wings only one or two more times for take off; and after that the Condor can be caught in a bag.

This town is a world-famous place. Its name is Uchuraqqay. During terrorist times, seven journalists were killed by the whole town. They were all declared guilty of the crime by the nation, but no one took responsibility for the deaths.

What you see in the picture is a small church building (all paid for by the love offering of our kids), where the children's meeting is over and everyone is going from the church in all directions -- into the world. The picture seems to say, "We gathered together to know Jesus and then scattered to spread the Gospel among our families and friends." This is one of our seven churches.

We thought you might like to see a picture that is worth a thousand words.

Gerry and Ruthie Gutierrez

P.S The second picture is of the first members of the church four year ago when our supervisors visited us.