What a difference a day makes. From one day to the next carried the difference between having a locale and dreaming about all that could take place in the new space and then being told that the decision to rent it out had been retracted and we were back at square one.
We continue teaching Abel and Zelmira. We're in the middle of membership courses and it's really neat to experience this process with them. When we met Zelmira she had just given birth to Camila 2 months prior and was living alone. Abel has since then moved in and they are currently taking care of her boys for "summer vacation". They are both in the same sales program and growing together as a pair and as Christians. Nilda and Jessica continue with discipleship courses and their teenage girls and now Meri's boy and his friend are coming to discipleship/youth group every week.
The elderly group at the health post are always a good time. This month we took a trip with them on our free day and went to the beach. I'm still recovering from a bad sunburn. It was a pleasure to pass the day with all of them. The doors have finally opened to do a Bible study with them and the psychologist is offering the meeting room next to her office. Many people here in Arequipa are traditionally catholic, but non-practicing and more so superstitous than anything. I would say that the majority are not what catholocism intends for them to be. Many are closed to considering anything new, so the time we've had singing, dancing, exercising, sharing and so on for the past year has made many of them comfortable enough to say that they're coming for sure next week.
We've started back up with the Joves. Always interesting. Always something. This past week we spent time with Señora Cristina and Señor Julio, just the two of them. Señor Julio whined about missing us terribly and said that next week he's going to make a typical pasta and cheese dish for us. He was drunk, but I have a 5 minute video of him promising to be sober the next week and wanting to hear the word of God. He repeatedly asked me not to take his photo. I do plan on showing it to him next Sunday evening. In all, there has been a great change in the family and we continue praying for more.
We started visiting Laura who used to be at the Jove's house, but for a new business and frustration with Jimmy's drinking habits she rarely goes anymore. While Wendy talked with her about emotional healing and partnership from a biblical standpoint, I held grandma's hand and listened to her lonesome repetition of a hard life and little to hope for. I prayed through our conversation that this widow would find the hope that Christ offers and could maybe feel it in her bones and know it deep in her soul before fading out of this world.
These days are varied and blessed. I ask that you join us in prayer for Nilda's nephew that is hospitalized for drug use and for her father that is currently in the hospital for health problems. Also, a lady from the elderly group has had horrific back pain for 2 weeks and can't sleep; she wept as I asked her how she felt and if we could pray for her. The strongest meds she's been taking are not helping. Pray that we can continue to use the municiple center even though they don't want to show favoritism by letting us use it with out paying. We need to find a permanent place to meet and are down to 2 months. Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for supporting Hunter and these lovely people with your prayers.
