August 2002 - Our Work Through Ruthie's Eyes

July 2002
Casilla 1
Huanta, Peru

Dearest Friends,

A few weeks ago, a young girl took me by night to talk to her parents about receiving Christ as their Savoir. We felt our way cautiously through the dark alley that divided rows of small, wooden kiosks that were all attached to one another. Each kiosk is a one-room miniature restaurant consisting of a stove, a little sink, pots and pans and plates, and a long table at which clients are served. There are calendars on the walls, mostly picturing half-nude women; and every kiosk has a radio or tv.

Their work finished for the day, Jessica's parents and her 2 teenage brothers sat waiting for us in their tiny restaurant. As we talked, the glaring paint on the walls and the blaring music from the surrounding kiosks began to really "get to me". It was hard to shut out the cacophony of many radios and tv's, screaming kids, yelping dogs and loud voices, and the spiritual battle of that evening was made even more difficult with all that noise.

But we talked for a few hours about Jesus, and both parents nodded their head in agreement with most of what was said. The 14-yr.-old son was cold and indifferent. He hangs out with a gang here in Huanta. The 17-yr.-old brother seemed very interested. All agreed that Jessica had changed marvellously for the better since coming to the Lord, and the parents wished such a change for their sons as well. However, when asked if they would like to commit their lives to Jesus, both parents stiffened and became uncomfortable. The mother felt she couldn´t make such an important decision on the spot, and the father wondered what changes would be expected of him and if he'd have to stop going to "fiestas". I told him that if he came to really know Jesus, he wouldn't want to go to fiestas to seek for happiness, in what are the dirty cisterns of this world, because he would have found true joy in the Fountain of living water.

At 9 p.m. I wanted to rush off to say goodbye to one of our orphans who was leaving by bus to go work in the jungle, but this conversation was a matter of life and death, and I hoped Lucila would understand (or that maybe God would cause her bus to be late in leaving). However, neither parent was ready to give in to Jessica's tears or to our pleas to yield to Christ, and we were about to leave, when suddenly 17-yr.-old Jon, leaned across the table ­ and with intense emotion he said, "What about me? I want to give my life to Christ". And that's what he did, confessing his sins openly and asking Jesus to save him. We left the little kiosk rejoicing that God had brought to Himself the one He had chosen, and as we went, a huge bus roared by at 9:30, and there was Lucila hanging out the window yelling, "Goodbye 'tia'" (aunt). We were so touched and felt that the Lord was showing us His grace by granting my desire even in that small detail.

Now Jessica, who is one of the core group of Gerry's mentoring program, is discipling and overseeing her brother's spiritual growth. Her parents promised to come when they are ready to commit. (May the Lord bring that about quickly). Each young person in the mentoring group is working to see his or her family come to Christ, and some already have. The kids have been going out to villages and communities with the Gospel, and here in town they are mentoring in the faith younger teens who meet each day after school.

Jessica herself has gone on 4 or 5 trips back into the mountains and has led many people to the Lord. She is straightforward and intense and speaks with wisdom and clarity in presenting Christ. She has climbed steep mts., walked for hours between villages, talked with women in their kitchens as they cooked, played with children and taught them Bible truths (and later faced some angry parents, handling their protests with wisdom.) Many people will be in heaven because of her faithfulness to God's command. You may think, "Well, It's probably easier to evangelize poor Quechua people than to witness to one's own family or friends." Yet Jessica has travelled to Lima to witness to her former high school classmates, and 3 of her best friends have committed their lives to Jesus. Not content with having led them to the Lord, Jessica has written and called long distance to make arrangements for the girls to be followed up and discipled. She has also led one of her older, married siblings to the Lord. PRAY for God's grace upon the young people in Gerry's mentoring group, of whom Jessica is one example. She is 20 years old and has only been a Christian 3 yrs., but she has led more than 30 people to the Lord.

It is so good to be back here doing God's work, and it is a joy to be overwhelmed with so much to do. There is great response to the Gospel, and there is no time to deal with all of those who show interest. At the same time, it is of grief to us to see many who seemed to be true followers of Jesus, wandering off like the prodigal son or turning their backs on the faith altogether. Now, I find myself wondering when someone makes a profession of faith,"Which heart, described in Matthew 13, the Parable of the Sower, is this person going to turn out to be?" Only God knows, but we must be faithful in speaking the Word whether they "hear or fail to hear".

Posted - September 2, 2002