Dear friends and family,

OK, normally I would try not to write in discouraging fashion... I don't want to discourage, but after thinking it through for several weeks I've decided that I will share some of our stressful situation so that you can pray more fervently and with more knowledge.

For these past two months of construction, we've been living with the neighbors, a Canadian woman married to a Peruvian. They are adopting a baby boy whose mother had abandoned him. Two weeks ago the mom came to the house and kidnapped him from right under Bria's nose. Everything turned to pandemonium, screams and commotion.  I ran to the car....  and the chase was on.  Four of the construction guys were with me as we caught up to the kidnappers at a gas station about two miles down the road.  We couldn't really do anything as she screamed at us and to everyone around that we were the bad guys.

We didn't touch her, or the baby, we couldn't do anything except just try to stay with her.  She switched motor cars about 4 times to get away. Finally she hid out in a friends house.....   
 
When our friends showed up they went into the house to rescue their adoptive son. Once again it was pandemonium, screams and commotion.   The police came, and not knowing the truth they hit and kicked the dad and took him to the police station.  Since then our host family is commonly either in court or with the lawyers either trying to stay out of jail or trying to keep their son.

For a few days we were expecting the police to come, who have a warrant for our host couple's arrest. One night they even went to a hotel to escape, and here we were left in the house waiting for the police to come and search the house. This is all new to us and seems to get more interesting (complicated) every day.  We know that God put us in the middle of all this for a reason..... but we are beginning to feel uncomfortable. It has been very stressful for our family.  

To add to it all.... one of the workers fell in the big hole! From the very top... 20 feet down. He dislocated a bone in his wrist, had a big gash on his head and several bruised ribs. But when I first saw him, I thought he was dead at the bottom of the pit. After much difficulty getting him out I ran him to the hospital where he spent a day and a half.  Now he's recuperating at home.  He'll be out for at least a month.  It could have been a lot worse. But even through this difficult time, I have had many chances to share the gospel with him and pray for him too.

The day the brick-layer fell, someone on the job-site stole 160 soles (+/- 5 days wages) out of another workers' wallet. Since then there has been a lot of distrust between workers. 

Through all of this we really feel the spiritual battle and much prayer is needed. I can't mention all the details, but I can say that I don't remember ever having such a time of serious trial... Things are quite difficult right now.... Pray that we would trust God moment by moment, putting all things into His hands.  Please pray... really pray. 

-Micah for the Tuttle's