Note - The following is a letter that Ruthie wrote and I thought you may like to read it.

Our Lord is Great!!

Gerry

Casilla 1
Huanta, Perú
Phone: 011-516 683 2188
November 2004


Dearest Friends,

Months ago, when Gerry first put forth the idea of aiming for more than one thousand people in attendance for the second anniversary of our congregation (thus doubling the 507 who were present in last years' celebration), I, Ruthie, thought that he was going "a bit overboard". For a long time, I didn't take it seriously but thought that at least the idea was a good one for motivating us to forge ahead.

The young people, however, did take it seriously. Each young adult leader and each teenager in charge of a group, began to pray and set goals for the increase of their group by Nov. 28th, the date of the second anniversary of the congregation of "The Carpenter of Nazareth" of Huanta.
-Ruben determined that he could double the 25 that attended his meetings in the town of Macachacra, and the 12 or so people that met in his house on Monday nights would double as well.
-Jessica said that her group of mostly market vendors and street kids would try to reach 80.
-Judith thought that her teenage girls' class of 35 could triple to over a hundred by Nov. 28th.
-Way up in the high mountains, the little congregations established by R. Pino and Eliseo began to plan to come... bringing special music and to fill up 2 trucks with highland folk.
-Young people began to invite their parents, friends and teachers.
-Miriam, the main teacher and leader of children's' work...along with Cynthia, Katherine, Enriqueta, -Carin, and Evelyn, who lead children's groups around the city felt that they could reach a goal of 500 children for the day of the anniversary.
-The groups of Omar, Maruja, Wilmar, Caleb, Danilo, Richard...all determined to go out and evangelize and increase their numbers...and some of our orphans studying in Ayacucho planned to bring their friends. Thus...each young leader set his or her goals and began to work and pray.

They also sacrificed from their little monies to help cover the costs of the anniversary; which was contagious in provoking the congregation to break the record the following Sunday in giving to cover the event.

Since our usual Sunday meeting place was not adequate for the numbers we were expecting, we planned the event to be held in the courtyard of the old building "downtown" Huanta, which we use for ministry. It took major effort to find remnant tent material in Lima, have it cut to shape, sent up by bus, under-girded by ropes that were connected to pipes that had to be welded to metal rods in the wall...and finally stretched taut to cover an area the size of a basketball court. A platform was constructed and a curtain fashioned for a border around it; a sound system was rented; a pulpit, keyboard, table and potted plants were brought from our house; huge cooking pots were borrowed from individuals and institutions; and with much hard work, things began to fall into place for the celebration.

Then began the opposition. Saturday night, just hours before the trucks were to start on their journey to pick up the highland people, one driver backed out, and a replacement could not be found without much difficulty and more expense. The Christian congressman from Lima, who was to have a part in the program, had to suddenly change plans.

Many of our young people were obligated by their parents to participate in school functions or to travel elsewhere that day. Gerry and his helpers waited till 11p.m. Sat. night for the rented chairs to arrive from Ayacucho so they could set them up for the next day, but the moving truck had broken down for 3 hrs. on its way. Meanwhile, a woman, totally inebriated, yelled from the roof of the neighboring discotheque, "Mr. Gutierrez, I am a sinner. I'm a sinner, Mr. Gutierrez".

Sunday morning the sound-system men showed up dead tired and dead drunk after an all-night party at that same neighboring discotheque. They misplaced their cables and tried to blame us. But finally after dunking their heads 4 or 5 times in cold water, they were able to finish their hook-up and installation.

Despite these and many other "hitches" (and with much prayer), things were rolling along. Sat. evening 10 blazing fires were built under 10 huge pots (that served 100 bowls each) of "mondongo", (hominy corn and lots of meat) that were tended all night by several willing servants of the Lord. At 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning, a bunch of the ladies came to cut up the trimmings for the mondongo, which was later served along with tamales, purple corn drink and some other goodies...a typical celebration menu.

The time came to start, and a group of soldiers wandered up and stood at the entrance singing along with the praise music that some of them knew. Two trucks arrived loaded with highland people dressed in bright, festive clothing...the ladies with flowers in their hats. Adults and young people began to fill up the seats, and when the program began, hundreds of children filed up to the front to present their special music, after which they were taken...bus load by bus load down to the place where the congregation usually meets.

Gerry gave a clear, powerful Gospel message that was immediately translated into Quechua by a young man with excellent recall and expression. Since most people in Huanta are bi-lingual, they heard the message twice, and many commented afterwards that that enabled them to digest and better understand the sermon. For Gerry and Germán it was a dream come true to be able to preach to their countrymen as Nehemiah and Ezra did after the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

The former mayor and present governor of Huanta told in a testimony how his studies of a lifetime, since university days, have taken him nowhere and have left him empty - but that since he's been attending our congregation and hearing the Word, he is finding hope and fulfillment as he learns to know God.

The service...that included special music from the children, the highlanders and the young people, was beautifully carried out and would have been a triumph had it not been for the 92 degree heat (which no one ever remembers experiencing before in this valley of "eternal spring"), that absolutely "roasted" us, but by God's grace there was some relief during the sermon delivery. We DID reach our goal set for the 2nd anniversary of our congregation, and there were 520 children...and 780 adults and young people that heard the Word of God that day. Praise the Lord with us. (Next time I won't be so doubting). Actually, there could have been more than 2000 in attendance ...but due to lack of facilities, we had to limit the entrance by placing six young men as guards at the door to check and keep the order.

Though Gerry was pleased with the success of the event, he has long since stopped believing in events, and the apple of his eye is...mentoring the few.

Now we will stop making yearly goals and simply ask the Lord to surprise us as we seek to add a zero to the number He has already brought. And when that happens, we will ask the Lord to add another zero...till He returns.

Right now we need to follow up on those who have attended and seriously begin to ask God's people to pray and contribute toward the building of a sanctuary in our old property downtown Huanta. The event is over, but the work continues. As I write, three young people, that include 2 of our orphans, have just taken off in a little red truck on a mission to the highlands. Four others left on two motorcycles to a nearby village to do their work there. Some of the guys are working on the gas pump of the little jeep.

As you see, there are many needs. Please pray as the Lord leads you, and we will report as the Lord answers.

Yours in Christ,