YURIMAGUAS

For the last few days we’ve been in the town of Yurimaguas where I’m presently teaching Evangelism and Eschatology at a training program for young people. The students have been “all in” and it’s been really fun to invest in them. Aside from the six hours of classroom time each day we’ve been doing some evangelism in the afternoons, soccer in the evenings and group prayer in the early mornings. Please pray for as we continue our rigorous schedule through the rest of this week. 

TARAPOTO

The present training program comes just a few days after having a fantastic mini-capacitation course for the river church leaders at our house in Tarapoto. Whily Cacho came in from Cajamarca and did the heavy lifting with most of the teaching load as he really challenged the students to carry out their leadership roles in a biblical and Christ centered way. There is a massive need for men that can serve and preach and teach and shepherd the flock in their local assemblies.  Both last week and this week you could see the interest on the faces of the students. There’s nothing better than teaching men who really have a hunger for the Word! 

TRUJILLO

A few weeks ago we did an exciting mini-missions trip to the coast where we began our ministry in Peru 25 years ago. Amy and I and the girls and our three Iowan disciples boarded a bus and traveled a total of 22 hours from the steamy hot jungles, over the Andes mountains and across the desert to the city of Trujillo. We had an awesome time attending a workers and elders conference there and it was fun to see precious brothers and sisters that we hadn’t seen for many years. 

EVANGELISTIC ENCOUNTER

Near the end of our time in Trujillo we made a visit to the main square.  Upon arrival a man came up to me and said: “Hey gringo, I haven’t seen you for about ten years…. You gonna preach?”  I immediately recognized him… he was my main heckler and mocker when I used to preach here every Saturday.

I replied: “Hey! It’s my favorite mocker! I’ve thought about you and prayed for you many times over the years….. You a Christian yet?” 

He said: “No, no, you Christians are all a bunch of hypocrites”

I said: “Man, I was really hoping that you were a free man by now…. As to hypocrites… Yes, at times we’re all pretty hypocritical…. It’s a good thing we look to Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith and not to the church or a pastor or any other person.”

He said: “You gonna preach?”

I said: “No, not today I’m just gonna go share the love of Jesus with that homeless guy over there.” 

As I walked toward the homeless guy my heckler friend mumbled: “Free? what’s that supposed to mean anyway?”

QUOTE FOR THE DAY: “I desire no other service but the service of God, laboring for souls on earth and doing His will in heaven. I wish for no other heaven on earth than preaching the precious gospel of Christ to immortal souls. There is nothing else in this world for which I would wish to live except that God might appoint me some work.”  -Henry Martyn 

Micah for the Tuttle’s 

Upon arrival in Tarapoto Mya and I headed straight to the convención of river churches where I had the responsibility of preaching for 5 hrs a day for 5 days…. I preached my heart out and ended up exhausted but joyful, Tired but thrilled, Drained but full. This event is really the most important event of the year as far as pouring into the river churches goes. There were 500 brothers and sisters that showed up and the Lord did great things. 

After the convention Amy and Ellia arrived in Tarapoto and they brought three young men with them… Jacob Bloomquist, Chase Gartin and Peter Costello. We are very excited to have these three guys with us in discipleship until May.  We have a lot ahead us as we attempt great things for our great God. We’ve planned four river trips, one coastal trip and one mountain trip… in all that will be 30 mini missions trips to 30 different villages here in Peru. Without doubt there will be much adventure along the way! 

We hope to spend a lot of time in prayer, bible study and physical exercise during these next few months…. Our book list will include Spiritual Disciplines by Donald Whitney, The Holy War by John Bunyan, Shadow of the Almighty by Elizabeth Elliot and the entire New Testament by God. Please pray for us! 

Missions quote of the day by Leonard Ravenhill: “Oh that believers would become eternity-conscious! If we could live every moment of every day under the eye of God, if we did every act in the light of the judgment seat, if we sold every article in the light of the judgment seat, if we prayed every prayer in the light of the judgment seat, if we tithed all our possessions in the light of the judgment seat, if we preachers prepared every sermon with one eye on damned humanity and the other on the judgment seat—then we would have a Holy Ghost revival that would shake this earth and that, in no time at all, would liberate millions of precious souls.”

Micah for the Tuttle’s

Missions quote for the day by Leonard Ravenhill: “The gospel is not an old, old story freshly told. It is a fire in the Spirit, fed by the flame of Immortal Love and woe to us, if, through our negligence to stir up the gift of God which is within us, that fire burns low.”

Micah for the Tuttle’s