If you are like us, you too may have just found yourself on the brink of another Christmas season asking just how this year could possibly have gone by so quickly. Last year at this time, we were living in Trujillo, having recently made a trip to the jungle; still only contemplating work in this part of the country. Now, here we are. Sitting around our easy-to-assemble Christmas tree adorned with lights, and we're sweating. The tendency is languish in such temperatures of 95* during the day, yet things do seem to liven up as temps sink to luxurious lows of 86 degrees at night... quite without air conditioning. One's body does acclimate after all and we've decided that sweating IS healthy :)
After two very full weeks in Trujillo, we are back to work here in the jungle. Not that we stopped for a moment in Trujillo! Thankfully all travel was relatively uneventful, unmarked by car problems or major delays. During the first week Micah taught 1&2 Peter, loading the students up with LOTS of valuable info and helpful tools to use in their own further studies of the books (he has the reputation of giving many assignments, hehe). Each day as a family we ate lunch with the students, hopefully in some small way making up for lost time as we were unable to be away from Tarapoto for the majority of this latest module. On the weekend, Micah led a mission trip to nearby Cuidad de Dios, and although nothing went as originally planned, a sovereign design was evident. Another highlight, IBEM graduated its second group of students this module, which brings the total to seven graduates. We are encouraged by the brothers and sisters who have worked so hard to finish this phase of studies with the aim to increase effectiveness in their respective ministries. Our second week in Trujillo was equally full, with car-work, meeting with people to whom we continue to minister, the year end IBEM evaluation/planning meetings, and touching base with most co-workers and friends. We even squeezed in a late but very DELICIOUS Thanksgiving dinner with the Elliots and Pam Zarek. We had a great time.
In the months ahead, we plan to forge forward with activity focused on the establishment of the work here in Tarapoto. Our main needs are: co-workers, leaders, and the finished meeting place. The LORD knows that each is significant, which are most urgent and we trust Him to provide for every one. Please pray with us to that end. Pray also that we would faithfully look to Him in everything.
It has been encouraging to be able to look at the work in 3 month segments and to set tangible goals for those periods. Over the next several months, the plan is to work with two men giving them charge of teaching Sunday mornings, and Micah taking the teaching on Sunday evenings himself. This is a welcome change from the last three months when there was no choice but for Micah to lead all the meetings. The mid-week Bible study will be going through a basic discipleship course. With the coming year, Lord willing, we will start monthly meetings for women. We also hope to make a serious advance on the building project. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.
Honestly, we consider the last months an intense trial period, and we continue to learn from the memory of the experience, as well as all we are currently facing, this being our motto: “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God, who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.” God. Who delivered and doth deliver, He will yet deliver. Woohoo! It just does NOT get any better! Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ and makes manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ. Glory!
Our sincere thanks to all who prayed for us during these recent months. Please continue to intercede with and for us, for the work here, that His body would be nourished, and that His church will be firmly established in this region.
We hope and pray that this season will be marked by remembrance of the only and precious Savior Jesus.
With much love,
the Tuttle family
