Arthur & Mary Alice Ivey
Jr. San Jose 454
Urb. San Carlos
Huancayo, Perú
011-51-64-21-21-52
E-mail: acivey@mindspring.com
Website: www.iveymission.org
May 31, 2008
“I am a free man, nobody’s slave, but I make myself everybody’s slave in order to win as many people as possible. While working with the Jews, I live like a Jew in order to win them... In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles... Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-22
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We praise the Lord God for all He is doing in our lives and in the ministry here in Peru, for filling us with His Holy Spirit to guide and direct each of our steps, and for pouring out His grace upon us through His precious Son, Jesus Christ. We hope and pray that He has been blessing you wonderfully during this past month and that your life has been filled with His glorious riches and mercy. We want to give you special thanks for your continued prayers for us and support of the ministry in Peru. We definitely see the results of your prayers for us and for the ministry here. You are special people called by our Lord Jesus Christ to minister to His children. Thank you for your faithfulness to His calling. Thank you for your love for Him, for us, and for His children.
May was a very exciting and productive month for us. Pastor Alberto and Arthur led another leadership retreat for leaders from the discipleship work in the area of Iscosazin in the jungle. There were ten men and one woman there, and as always, they were very encouraged in leading discipleship groups and in growing in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, Mary Alice led a Kid’s Club workshop for ten ladies from this same area in the morning, and in the afternoon, they conducted a Kid’s Club in the park. The ladies in the workshop and the children that participated in the Club particularly enjoyed singing and doing the motions to the songs. Our national missionaries that work with us in the jungle were a big help in the workshop and in the Kid’s Club. Edwin and Haydee, the leaders of the missionaries in the jungle, have found several youth that would like to teach in a Kid’s Club, and they will probably be starting one soon. Also, they will be encouraging the ladies that came to begin a Club in their community. We praise God for the opportunities that He gives us to encourage and teach other people what He has taught us. Please pray that God will fill the leaders that came to the leadership retreat and the ladies that came to the Kid’s Club workshop with the Holy Spirit, as they seek to do these ministries in their communities.
Leadership group and national missionaries in Iscosazin.
Left to Right Front: Biatrice, Ñaco, Silvia, Oswaldo, Juan, Roxana, Jose, Edwin, Genaro
Rear: Victor, Arthur, Mary Alice, Enrique, David, Jose, Valerio, Alberto, Ricardo Francisco, Alberto
In addition to the leadership retreat, we had a wonderful blessing from the Lord Jesus Christ this month, because a group of youth from the University of Georgia Wesley Foundation came and helped us pray, evangelize, and disciple in areas around Huancayo. The Peruvian youth are very interested in talking and getting to know the youth from the US because they can identify with them, and as a result, more will come to know Jesus. The American team and the Peruvian team joined together and performed fantastic concerts in a park in Chilca, in The Station downtown, and in a park in San Jeronimo. The youth that came were singing, dancing, and jumping to the music, and seemed to have joy. That was very exciting for us to see! The American team did several dances, shared testimonies, sang, prayed, and ministered to people, while the Peruvian team played the music, translated, and shared the gospel. Also, the team visited three English schools, the main park downtown, and a hospital to evangelize. We don’t know exactly how many people accepted Jesus, but there were a good number.
Sharing Christ in Parque Huamamarca
The team also visited a school that only had children with special needs. They performed several dances, shared the story of Noah’s ark, and helped the children make a rainbow for a craft. The children were very excited to receive love and hugs from the youth. One of the teachers told us that she had not seen smiles on the faces of the children for a long time, but the day of the visit they were smiling. The team also did the same thing at the Kid’s Club in Pichcus, and the children enjoyed it, especially the skit that the team did for the story of Noah. Also, the team did several prayer walks praying against the strongholds that exist in this city. The last night that they were here was very special. Each person on the American team encouraged the Peruvian translators that helped them during the week with Bible verses, encouraging words, and prayer. We praise God that He used this team so effectively here in Huancayo and that they brought the joy of Jesus with them. Please pray for the people that accepted Christ, that they will be able to grow in Christ and be discipled. Also, please pray for the team, that God will continue to use them in a mighty way wherever they go.
Children in special needs school watching dance by Wesleyan Fellowship UGA group.
We praise God for our Peruvian translators. We can’t always go to every activity that the teams do, but we have a great team of translators that are always available to help us. Many of these youth received scholarships to study English from the money that you provided. It has really been worth it! Please pray that Paul, Verenice, Rocio, Milca, Ricardo, Susan, Karen, and Lucia will follow God’s will.
Some of our translators.
Left to Right: Joshua, Rocio, Joel, Susan, Richie, Verenice, and Paul
When the team was here, the Friday night concert and the sharing time with the youth went very well. Please pray that many youth will continue to come and that they will feel free to praise God however they like. We are in the process of trying to buy lights to hang up in The Station, so that more youth will be attracted to come. Please pray that God will help us to become like youth, so that we can win many youth to Christ, just as Paul became like a Gentile to win the Gentiles to Christ. Please pray for wisdom for Pastor Alberto and the Praise Band, as they lead this special time of worship and celebration. Also, pray that God will continue to pour forth His Spirit over those in Huancayo, so that all people will come to know Him.
Milca and Lisbeth are Peruvians that work with us, and they have gone to Bermudez and Palcazu in the jungle for two months to minister to the people there. Please pray for them as they share about Jesus and disciple people in these small towns.
Please be in prayer for each one of our workers and for each one of the ministries and projects, the discipleship ministry, the evangelism and church planting ministry, the prayer ministry, and the work to self sustain these ministries. Please continue to pray for financial support for the ministries both from Peruvian sources and U.S. sources. Please continue to be in prayer for the continued growth in the ministries in the Canta Valley, Palcazu, Pelmaz, Bermudez, Shiringamazu, Villa América, Iscosazin, Huánuco, Panao, Molinos, Ambo, Acamayo, Tinahuani, Puno, San Martín de Pango, San Ramón, and Puente Paucartambo. Also, pray for the ministries in Huancayo, especially the Friday night Prayer and evangelism ministry, the Colegio El Camino and the Jesus Es El Maestro High School. Please continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to awaken and change hearts among the young adults of Huancayo. Please give praise to the Lord for bringing us additional persons called to be part of the missionary team in Peru. Covenant with us to continue in prayer for the young adult leadership team and their continued ministry to the spiritually lost and dying youth of Huancayo. Please pray for the leaders of the churches in Peru, and for their spiritual protection and growth in the Lord Jesus. Also be in prayer for Obed and Cynthia Alvarez, the head of NEWMA, as well as their other leaders and national missionaries. Please pray for our safety as we travel, and that we will boldly speak God's Word wherever we go.
We pray that God is drawing you closer and closer to Him every day. God bless you. We love you.
Yours in Christ,
Arthur, Mary Alice, Benjamin, Joshua, and Mary Beth Ivey
The Mission Society Missionaries to Peru
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The Mission Society P.O. Box 922637 Norcross, Georgia 30010-2637