MADE Week 5

This is week 5 of RMCC's series based off the MTV show Made where Pastor Jeff will be discussing what is our purpose in life. We will be hitting several areas, lifegroups, where real life happens, worship encounters, where we get to experience God, and volunteer teams, where we get to serve the body and people of our community. Join us as I get to coach Cougar McSangston on life and how to get made into what God has him to be.

This week I get to coach Coug in the area of serving. He decides to help me out in making some food for a homeless shelter. Of course there were challenges along the way. Enjoy!

...read more on "MADE Week 5"!

TXT MSG THAT MEANS SOMETHING!

I got a text message from one of our Lifegroup leaders and she sent out a text to all her students and I was fortunate enough to get included in it. She said:

Thought for the day: Relationships aren't built by sitting together but by serving together. Be in prayer for your cause.

That was a great challenge. Are we trying to just have relationships or trying to build relationships. Think of the value of something that you invested in. Listen to the difference between the value of these two statements; I have a house, or I built my home. We take pride in what we build. The value comes from the work that you put into it. Don't just be a part of something, create something, be a change agent.

Serve your friends. Serve your neighbors. Serve complete strangers. Here is one, serve your enemies. It is a simple thought but a very powerful one.

Today, who are you going to serve? What relationship are you going to build?

...read more on "TXT MSG THAT MEANS SOMETHING!"!

Money, Missions and PART 2

Why do we keep sending out missionaries when our own country is failing in the Mission Field?

Well Jesus said that we were to go into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, then the other parts of the world. Well maybe those places represent people groups.

• Jerusalem being your home turf, your city/community
• Judea being your state/country, anything outside of your community
• Samaria being the people groups that are considered less thans, the homeless, the hurt, broken, impoverished.
• Other parts of the world being exactly as it says.
  

If that were the case then at home is the biggest need. When other countries are sending missionaries here it should shoot up a flag to warn us of our predicament. In our district we recently got a missionary from another country here in Arizona. Guess what, flags went up! This is much like the pastor who over exerts himself in his ministry neglecting his very family. The family end up being second place to ministry, the wife feels unloved the kids have their soccer games only with mom. Dad is restless and complains and is bitter. Could America be creating this exact problem as a country as it's missionaries are leaving? We are not producing enough young pastors to keep up with the pastors retiring, something needs to be done fast. I guess at the present time the best option is welcoming missionaries here!

This brings up a whole other point with me, a sort of semantics. I hate the term missionary, it seems to devalue every pastor who feels called to the mission. I feel in a sense how much America is growing in a post-modern mindset that the American pulpit pastor is becoming a missionary and requires the same cross-culture training to enter his world then one going to a foreign country. They must learn the language of their people, of their tribe. America is so multi-cultural with so many sub-cultures. Am I wrong? Is the term missionary slowly adapting it's definition to the American pastor?

----

In AGWM (Assemblies of God World Missions) a missionary typically raises money in their own district but because the churches are so financially strapped and have committed to so many missionaries the missionary needs to go to 18 different districts basically and fly all around the country spending money to make money.

One thought, what about missionaries study the cross-culture issues then work in that country a couple years to become indigenous? Then the argument is that is less time they get to minister. Then I would say, no time is wasted time, as you live and work in the market place you build relationships. But Paul was financially supported? You got me there... but then again our abilities to be more manageable with money has got to be a little better than 2000 year ago! We have millions of inventions, powerful banks (no pun intended), business minds and MBAs, etc, I would hope that the modern age would be able to solve some financial issues. Could it be that we venture to bring in the big dogs, the professionals? I really feel that we as Christians need to step it up some and be the answers and the advocacy to the worlds problems. That they come to us for answers and direction. That happens when believers begin to give in abundance and remove the strain from the local church.

A great friend of mine that I have known for about 13 years said (and I will leave them anonymous)...

That's one of the reasons that I changed my major from missions to teaching...I think the A/G method of funding missionaries is one of the most inefficient models out there. Someone needs to overhaul the system!

So if finances and providing funding is the problem, what's the answer? Any thoughts? We need a full restructure but I don't have the answers! Do you have any solutions?

...read more on "Money, Missions and PART 2"!

Money, Missions and Responsibilities PART 1

This is just a bent of mine that I am not angry about nor upset but am open to figuring out a better way to manage the issue. This is a two part post. Now I want to discuss where a church funds their missions program then the next post will discuss the missionary at large, the terminology and how they personally raise support. Hope not to offend anyone, I got a great few friends in mission work and love them dearly. I just want to throw out my thoughts no matter how wrong I am, correct me if needed, thanks.

Should missions giving come out of General Funds or just what the people give and pledge to missions? This was a question that popped in my head this morning as I sat in a staff meeting as we debriefed about the previous night's board meeting as they discussed the financials for 2009. As we look at MANY churches across the nation they reflect the financial depression of America. Now don't shoot me, I don't say depression as the 1930's, I say depression in reference to the depressed nature of people, they are mentally feeling that we are in dire straights. So again, I propose the question, should missions giving come from General Funds, meaning the general tithes that people give back to the church, or should the people see the needs and become more missional in their giving?

The difference is the heart of the giver. IF people believe in giving to the need AND believe in tithing then churches don't need to give to missions to cover the peoples shortages, they would reach all the needs both communally and around the world.

As I referenced in a previous post, The Pareto Principle explains how 20% of givers counts for 80% of the general income, the other 80% only make up the last 20%. Now our personal church has taken about a 15% hit which is not huge compared to the overall downturn for a lot of churches, but when you look at the Pareto Principle in relation to our situation we are pretty close to the expectation. That means the 80% are not doing their 20% efforts. Now how can I say that the 80% are responsibile of the 20%? You can refer back to my previous blog, Within Reason...

"...the Pareto Principle, the law of the vital few. It is based off the principle of factor sparsity, basically 80% of consequences build from 20% of the causes, the vice versa is true. 80% of greatness is created by the 20%."

Tippers and Tithers:

• Tippers give $10 or $20 a week (typically what's in their pocket or available at the given time).
• Tithers give a percent of their income.

Most church's givers that are tithers are committed and understand the value of stewardship and know that giving isn't an option, it is all God's to being with and he has given it to us as stewards and we are merely giving it back to him. The next MADE series video will address this so keep tuned for the Part 2 of this post and next week and for the video! Your 20% are your established, understanding, experienced people that are faithful, now in this economy no doubt they are affected and might give less or as often but you can still count on them. The tippers are the ones who are project/need oriented. Great people, again, dependable but do not tithe, just give what's in their pockets, $10 here, $20 there. If a need is presented, a project, a mission then they drop that money in for that. The tough thing is they give regularly just not to the same area so the church can not be dependent on that and when things are tight like our economy they are the first to stop giving. They simply are not your 20%.

Maybe we need to be investing in people and projects and allow the congregation to invest in missions? This is a statement that is new to my thinking but I am slowly feeling it may be appropriate. We invest in the people monetarily, spiritually, emotionally, etc, and then present the missions needs and allow them to give to that above and beyond their tithe.

Tell me, am I wrong? IS there ONE correct way? Does this idea help solve any problem or produce its own kinds of problems?

...read more on "Money, Missions and Responsibilities PART 1"!

Apple Store

WOOOOWWWW

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Apple Store"!

Broadway Community Soup Kitchen

Our team is at a soup kitchen around 116th upper Mahattan to feed the homeless. This is a tough area with some tough people. This area doesn't really have a lot of legal accountability. It is kind of a don't ask, don't tell society here. There are drug dealers, gang affiliated people, hard life guys, etc. We are instructed to not openly discuss God and our testimony. We have to be in one accord and trust the Holy Spirit to guide our speech, body language, etc. The hope is that they ask us questions but no matter what we are here to serve!

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Broadway Community Soup Kitchen"!

Rock The Block Teen Challenge Outreach

We are at a park in a tough area doing an outereach with about 500-600 people. Stomp, breakdancing, preaching and a rap fest. Teen Challenge does an incredible job with these Rock the Block outreaches. Their teams are incredibly abled; we are glad to be able to be working with them. The pastor is sharing the story of when he was 26 he loaded his brother's arm with 3 hits of heroine and he watched his brother die in his arms. God revived his brother in the ambulance and has changed his life ever since. His story, like ours, has the testimony of changing lives because of what God has done. About a hundred responded for salvation and many for healing. The students are getting the ability to pray at the altars, hand out bibles, and walk people throught the salvation prayer. God is showing up and moving in this outreach and with our team.

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Rock The Block Teen Challenge Outreach"!

The Bowery Mission Chapel Service

We are at a homeless mission/church. This is the 3rd oldest church in New York with an almost 40' pipe organ. This missio was founded by Rev. Albert G. Ruliffson in Nov. 1879 and was active in it's work until Sept. 1895 and was laid to rest in May 2nd 1897. This mission seats approx. 225 people and serves as a homeless mission. This truly a beautiful mission with detailed architecture in stone and wood.



Our group will be conducting the service this morning. Lukus will be leading in worship with the team singing with him. Chris R. will be preaching and Chris G. Doing the closing prayer and altar service.



LOL Moment:

We were at Gino's (possibly the best NY Pizza here).

Aubrey went to go get a fork and knife to eat her food. She grabbed them out of the cups that was near the napkins and salt & pepper. As she retuned to her seat to eat she realized that her utensils were VERY dirty and used. What she failed to realize is that the cup for utensils was structly for dirty ones. The actual clean ones were in thew drawer in your typical silverware drawer at home.



Come one Aubrey everybody knows the dirty ones are in the cup and clean ones are in the drawers. That's what drawers are for.

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "The Bowery Mission Chapel Service"!

Prospect Park Outreach Survey

We went out to Prospect Park to ask questions in a survey that hopefully leaves with students asking about if they would like to know more about Jesus. The weather is awesome and it is a beautiful park. I asked each student to pray for each person as they go to them. Prayer and trusting in the Holy Spirit is the only thing that we have as a tool. It is through the HS that comes conviction, the knowledge of our mistakes and knowing that we have failed God's expectations for our lives.

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Prospect Park Outreach Survey"!

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Synagogue

We went to a couple parts of New York that are Jewish communities. It is a very different world then we had thought about. We approached three Jewish guys in front of a synagogue and our approach was that we were hear to experience their culture. Our leader is a Jewish missionary and is very smart. We dialogued for a while then asked if we could go inside.



I have NEVER truly understood deeply the issues that Jesus had to deal with when he would debate an challenge the pharisees. It seemed that they were always out to get him and never listen, but that was because everthing that Jesus the Messiah is for was against their legalism.



"I am a Pharisee" was the first words out of the mouth of one of the guys who was quick to try to eat us apart and simplify our beliefs to everything short of the gospel and Jesus the Messiah. I was baffled at how much they are against Christians. I spent another 45 minutes dialoguing after I was called an infadel and terrorist to Judiasm. It actually was a very good conversation and an eye opener for us all.



The particular Synagogue was Lubavitch and they believe that Schneerson was their Mosiach, their messiah. "Long live our Master, our Teacher, our Rebbe, King Moshiach Forever and Ever. Very interesting!!!



LOL Moment:

We were going to go to Brighton Boardwalk/Beach to minister to Jews.



Caitlyn: Beach?

PShaun: Yeah, NY is on the ocean!

Caitlyn: What, are you serious?!?

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Synagogue"!

Chinatown Fresh!

We arer getting to experience Chinatown. This is a very fun place. We split up our team and are shopping. One group waved us into Teariffic, a chinese fingerfood and exteme tea bar... I think without alcohol, just kidding, teenage safe.



LOL Moment:

Brandyn: Shaun, this is good, do you like it?

PShaun: It tastes like b.o. Smells

Brandyn: So do you like it?

PShaun: Oh yeah. I love it.

Brandyn: Wow

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Chinatown Fresh!"!

Ground Zero

We are at Ground Zero. This is a very sobering place. It is crazy to see how life goes on and people moving and hustling and bustling. Two years ago I was here and this place was literally a 7 story hole. There is much progress. The building wrapped with mesh in the background is the same as I saw two years ago. The building had a huge mold problem and nobody was allowed to go in to remodel and it appears they are making some progress but still is wrapped and boarded up.



We should never forget the loss on Sept. 11, however let's be reminded about the lives that are lost everyday to evil and sin and death apart from God. We are here in NY to help make a change, maybe very small but our hope is to make an impact; to disturb what Satan is trying to destroy.

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Ground Zero"!

Helping @ a Cerebral Palsy Center

Our team got the great opportunity of going to a cerbral palsy center in Brooklyn southeast of Manhattan. We got to sing some worship songs like Amazing Grace, How Great Is Our God, The Lord Reigns and of couse the old classic, You Are My Sunshine as one of the ladies grabbed Ranissa to dance.



We also brought crafts and helped all the ladies make butterflies out of paper plates. The ladies had more love for us and was so happy to see us more than I have ever seen. It truly was a memory maker in our hearts.



BTW... The other team went to do ministry too. At least that is what they are calling it. They went to Central Park and did a survey; asking people questions. Did I mention there was a free outdoor Bon Jovi concert?? I don't think they are ministering... I would call it walking around talking at a concert... Lemme know what you think ;)



LOL moment:

As we were putting stickers on the butterflies. There were different size of stickers.



PShaun: Wow, those stickers are miny (my-nee).

Aubrey: Pastor Shaun, I think you meant mini.

PShaun: No, miny (my-nee), you know like tiny and mini all together.

Aubrey: Oh, ok whatever you say...

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Helping @ a Cerebral Palsy Center"!

Subway, Ride Fresh

Here is our first subway. Our team of 19 students got split into two teams. We are on our way to our first outreach. Going to set up a booth, doing clowning, face painting, balloon animals.



LOL moment:

Leader: we will be going under the Manhattan River.

Caitlyn: Awesome. Will we get to see fish, like in a big tube?

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Subway, Ride Fresh"!

NY Missions Team Orientation

Our group of 97 students and then leaders. There are some amazing things that are amazing on the schedule this week. "Ministry begins when the thrill leaves" - Brandon Watkiss



Just got subway cards, going through House Hot Thoughts (tricky words that mean house rules) and common sense rules/safety. I have never been on a missions trip that is this full of ministry. We will be bringing home tired kids, keep 'em in your prayers. This team is an amazing group.



LOL (laugh out loud) moment:

On the airplane at the bathroom door.

Caitlyn: Vacant, does that mean someone is in it?

Chris G: No, that means you can use it.

Caitlyn: Oooohhhh!



Love you guys.

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "NY Missions Team Orientation"!

Welcome to New York!

We made it and here is the first pic in state.

Mobile post sent by shaunMayfield using Utterz. Replies.

...read more on "Welcome to New York!"!

New York Missions Trip// Day 1/2 of 1

Well we always hope to get a running start. This trip was a bit of a stumble at first but the team is doing awesome. Arizona is one of those states where when it rains nobody knows what to do. The first bit of news was that we would be about 30 minutes late. No big deal, we had 1 hour and 5 minutes for our connection flight. Well 2 hours later we actually took off.

As Ray M so eloquently put it, "It was a lesson of patience of God." In that meantime Joe T had fell asleep as the plane was backing out, about an hour and a half later he woke up to the plane moving again still on the tarmac and he thought he was already in Atlanta, not realizing that it would be light out. They quickly assured him NOTHING has happened since he fell asleep.

Currently we are sitting in Atlanta Concourse B waiting for our flight out at 240p, which puts us into New York around 5ish ET tonight.

Check back often, we will be updating this blog whenever we have time or anything changes, we will also post pictures too. Don't forget to follow my twitters of this trip HERE, or you can text message 40404, and type "follow shaunmayfield". Those updates will be sent out much more frequent.

Oh yeah, Jared B Told me to say "hi, everybody".

Love you all,

The eikon missionary team!

...read more on "New York Missions Trip// Day 1/2 of 1"!

Cultural Clarity de Peru: (Times) of the Culture

A really interesting observation that I made that I already talked about in my previous post I will expand a little more on is the time. Another funny thing with Peruvians is time is really just a philosophy or great idea but a poor invention. As the week started we would set times to be ready and be waiting for 20 minutes to an hour for them. Our leader, Doug, expressed his concern that we always be ready on time no matter what. Well by the end we were being pushed by them. So as we are getting more tired and slower and run down the local Pastors seemed to sense our eagerness to follow the clock so as we were beginning to slow they were there to push us.

By the end of the trip I heard “rapido” more times than I wanted. However I feel they were respecting us and our time consciousness. I began to think about the differences of culture. Are they wrong for being late all the time and not caring? Are we wrong for always holding the clock as a higher priority then relationships? I feel the root of this is true, there are differences of culture and that carries much of the weight however I feel a sense of blame and ownership. As two cultures collide, I believe our eyes are opened up to our shortcomings.

First off I will point the finger because there is less there to deal with, actually I truly want to focus on the American rush. If you are like my Peruvian friends, look at your watch, focus a little more, care a little more, be a little more courteous of others. If a car is about to run you over instead of forcing him to slow down pick up your pace, simply move.

So before I point the finger I am first to say, SLOW down America. Don’t shortsale relationships because of your over-exhausted time schedule. Don’t neglect your nature of relationship, we are relational by nature. Stop to say hello, slow down to have time to bless someone, don’t run so fast so that you can have a meaningful conversation of hope and purpose, don’t miss opportunities that are God appointed. Allow yourself to be in the moment and present for what God has intended instead of putting on the game face all the time and running. I realize that many times I speed when I drive and am not even in a hurry. I have accustomed myself to always be on ‘rush mode’. I seem to always be late for things even late for events that are not even scheduled, figure that one out. I want to sloooow down, I want to catch my breathe and breath a deep sigh of relief that the earth will still spin even if I’m not pedaling it. Did you hear that, our little planet will still keep spinning without you pedaling it and running on it.

Here’s the bottom line, you will always have more to do, more to finish, more work to do… set it down and relax, kick your legs up and enjoy the simple life all around you that is waiting to be explored. We make so much complication of God’s simplicity and make ourselves tired and God is saying rest in me my child.

...read more on "Cultural Clarity de Peru: (Times) of the Culture"!

Cultural Clarity de Peru: The Kiss of Innocence

After the first conference a young lady approached me with Oscar, my translator, and she had a question for me as well as a prayer request. Her prayer request was that her father was a pastor for eight years and he quit and walked away from God. I could tell in your heart she was hurt and broken. Her question was that she felt very shy but had a heart to share her faith and she didn’t what to do. I encouraged her that it is okay that she is shy but I shared with her that when we receive that baptism of the Holy Spirit we receive power to be witnesses and I encouraged her to seek God for everything that He has for her. I spoke life into her and told her that she is perfect in every way, that her life has purpose and that God has a destiny for her. I told her that she was wonderful and amazing. I told her that when she shares her faith with people and they reject her they are not really rejecting her; they are rejecting God. She seemed to be very encouraged and lifted up by those words.

Let me step you back to the moment of her approach, as she neared me with Oscar they seemed to be pretty close and as I stood it was very awkward so the only way to make it not awkward was to turn the stand into a standing hug. When I went to hug her she hugged me face to face and then I heard her kiss me. At first I was very nervous and couldn’t understand why she did that. Then I realized that I had been seeing that from different people throughout the previous day. As the rest of the week every woman or girl hugged me as well as any person with a kiss.

Now the funny thing is I hate touching people’s hands, sure call me weird. To me it is gross and I wish we in America did not do the hand shake. Many times I will hit fists instead of shake hands. You know what also bugs me is holding hands to pray, call me unholy or what but I do not like it. Think about it for a second, the longer the prayer the hotter and more sweaty it gets, gross. To me the kiss is a little weird but in a strange sense beautiful. I remember our last night our bus on the way to the airport had to drive through the drive-thru and we sat there looking inside as three girls were finishing there meals and one had to leave and then she kissed her friends on the cheeks then left. Over and over I saw this happening and it brings the idea of trust and love as well as a personal relationship. I think it is a personal way of greeting inspiring love that a hand shake can’t do…. wait, wait, I guess we do have that, we have the clasp of the hands, snap the fingers, hit three times, hit the fists up then down, spin around, high five, then hug. We also have the gangster hands clasp, fist to fist, hug the side shoulder.

I must say that the love of the innocent kiss is beautiful and makes our hand shake quite pathetic. Here is my solution, I don’t think that we can ever change the culture of America to the kiss, at least not easily. However how can you show love more? How can you express the love that God has given you to the people in your world? God has given each of us our own circle of influence and our own world if you will. Are you able to affect your world in a positive way? I hear many times from people that would say, “I can’t change my world”. The truth is maybe you can’t, maybe that is too big of a task, but I believe in you. I believe that you can change your circle, your own ‘world’, your area of influence. So how will tomorrow be different than today? Will you begin to affect the destiny of others by loving more? Let’s see it.

...read more on "Cultural Clarity de Peru: The Kiss of Innocence"!

Reports From Peru

Peru is a beautiful country and I have cherished every moment here. After the dozen or so mission trips to Mexico I felt very comfortable in Peru. One of the funnest and scariest parts is the driving, much like Mexico. There are really no rules, well at least rules that are followed. Stop signs are optional, red lights are recommended and the horn works as a tool for communication. Yet in the midst of seeming chaos and almost complete traffic jams, Peruvians seem to still stay positive and there are also no accidents, at least not in the week we were there and believe me, after watching the driving for 5 minutes I expected to see at least a few accidents daily. Another funny thing with Peruvians is time is really just a philosophy or great idea but a poor invention. They do not seem to be too worried of the time. Many times we would wait a while for the different local pastors and leaders.

There was a couple interesting things that happened. The first night we were still in a state of euphoria with the idea of being in a new country and the excitation of the days ahead. We were given our room keys and go to our rooms. My room was on the side of a VERY busy road not to mention all the honking. I could not sleep at all and it was a very good thing I brought some Sleep MD. Chicken is the main staple food, more prevalent than good clean water, no joke. So we literally ate chicken for every meal, now my first point is the chicken is the best chicken I have eaten in my life. It is all rotisserie and amazing. However after the first nine times in a row it became out of control. Now I must mention that there was a Starbucks only a parking lot away that I frequented every morning to do my "vanille latte con hellado" as well as the most amazing cinnamon roll that cost about $0.80 US. So finally ten meals in, that is lunches and dinners we end up at a high end outdoor mall that was pretty cool. Finally a food court, anything you would want including American fast food, yessss! No, because all the meals were included in our trip and they paid for them all at once, so guess where we found ourselves? Pardo's chicken, 10th time in a row. It will be a good month of Chicken Sabbatical for me.

The leadership conferences were amazing. God always does the unexpected. We were expecting about 200 at the fist conference and about 300 or so at the second, totaling 500-600. I personally was expecting about 70-80 youth pastors and leaders total. The first conference totaled just about 500 and the second was 500+. So with a total of over a thousand combined, I had about 100 pastors/leaders at each conference. They were hungry for learning and philosophies on ministry. I really felt that God had given me some great leadership ideas and strategies to give to these amazing people. One of the neat things is a couple days later when we were doing a children’s program at a little village a lady came up and told me that she was at one of the conferences with me and that it was 'excellente'. It was amazing to see one of the people in their own area of influence and that they were blessed by the conference.

At the second conference there was a homosexual couple that came in to see what was going on and got convicted so they returned that night for the service and wept knowing they were living in sin. Pastor Larry who was on our team who had been a missionary to Ecuador for many years ministered to these two guys and through tears of shame found God and left new 'men' of God.

I have never been so stretched in my life. The two conferences were in two days in different city/states, the first one in Lima and the second in Ica. These were about 5 hours away. The first conference was Tuesday, it began at 8:30am and ended at about 7:30pm then we all went for dinner, chicken. Rode the cab to the bus terminal (like our Greyhounds) and left about 10pm. We arrived in Ica at about 2:30am and then found our hotel and got only a few hours of sleep to make it to the next conference that started at 8:30am. This same schedule repeated that day ending with the drive back to Lima. Then the next morning up at the same time around 7ish to head to do some street ministry with the team that was here doing ministry while we were at the conferences. That day lasted until 11pm with a couple chicken meals in there for our pleasure. So three days of about 4-5 hours and then standing and walking for about 13 hours and ministering is one of the most exhausting things I have done. I ran my body to fully empty relying on fumes then ran out of fumes by Saturday.

Then Saturday was a day to shop and eat and see the country, it was great and beautiful. Then Sunday I preached at a church in Lima with a couple hundred in attendance. On my way the Book of Hope leader in Peru told me that the mayor goes to this church and will be there, nothing like pressure, eh. God really moved on me and even though I felt too sick to minister I always depend on God in those times and as I approached the pulpit the sickness was not able to follow. I poured my heart out with a message that God gave me for this church talking about how the gift of God, His son, is effective in our life. Myself, the church and the pastor all seemed blessed. Prior to the service the pastor led us through the church introducing us to all the teachers and pastors and as we were entering the Sunday School class for the teenagers the Sr. Pastor told my translator that I would be teaching the class, again nothing like pressure. I had nothing prepared but God led and I followed. When we are sick and at the end or feel great and have high energy God always comes through.

This trip was amazing and everyone that supported us in prayer, thank you. I was invited back again next year and really hope to return. The burden of leadership burns in me to return again. So be praying about considering helping me get there next year monetarily and in prayer. Oh and an interesting bit of knowledge, where we stayed the last rumored time that it rained was about 10 years ago, other than that it hasn't rained for hundreds of years even though it is on the coast, it just mists a lot.

...read more on "Reports From Peru"!