Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

     Greetings in the name of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We praise the Lord God for having sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who has wonderfully blessed us, and for having sent his Holy Spirit to guide and teach us. We hope and pray that He has been blessing you wonderfully during this past month and that your life has been filled with His grace and mercy.  We want to give you a 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.  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.

 

     We have been traveling a good bit in April, but have really enjoyed forming new relationships and renewing older ones.  We have been loved, blessed, and encouraged by may of you in the churches we have visited.  The children and Mary Alice have adjusted to home school, and the children's English is improving rapidly.  We have adjusted better to being back, but still miss our friends and Christian family in Peru.  Our support raising to return is progressing, and has reached a level of approximately 65% of our projected budget for our return to Peru.  We have had the chance to talk with more potential missionary candidates about working with us in Peru and ask that you be in prayer for them as they seek God's guidance.  We still have work to do with the home office to prepare for the future work of the Mission Society in Peru; Please pray for Arthur to have time to complete this.  Please continue to prayer for our support raising, and for the recruiting of additional missionaries. 

 

     We have been sharing about the ministry in Peru with our individual and church partners, and will continue to do so throughout our time here.  During April we shared at Red Bank United Methodist Church in Lexington South Carolina, and Covenant United Methodist Church in Greer, South Carolina.  We also shared at Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Harvest Centers Church near Newnan, Georgia and at Berkmar United Methodist in Lilburn, Georgia.  The last part of the month we traveled to Paintsville, Kentucky to meet with people and churches involved in the medical ministries with us in Peru.  While we were there, we were able to share in the Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church, Paintsville First United Methodist Church, and with the Paintsville Kiwanis Club.  We were blessed to enjoy the hospitality of many generous folks who opened their homes to us and provided a place to stay and meals while we were traveling.  In May we will be sharing at Rock Springs United Methodist Church in Rock Springs, Georgia, Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church in Evans, Georgia, and Owl Rock United Methodist Church in College Park, Georgia.

 

Mary Beth and the children of the church helping the Mayo Memorial Medical Team

 

     Benjamin and Joshua have been active in sharing with the youth groups of the churches we have visited.  We do not always get to enjoy hearing them share, but the reports we have received indicate that the boys have been a blessing to both youth and adults, alike.  Mary Beth usually participates with the children of her age group and when asked participates by answering questions.   

 

  

Joshua sharing with youth at Red Bank United Methodist Church.  

 

      We have worked hard this month with the medical teams and those in Peru to arrange for this years medical mission teams.  We believe that by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have met this year's challenges and the importation of medical supplies will move ahead.  Genaro Puente, Luisa Cardenes, and Obed and Cynthia Alvarez have worked hard to arrange all of the logistics in Palcazu and Canta.  The Peruvian support, translation, and evangelism teams are forming.  The Peruvian part of the teams are usually 1 1/2 to 2 times the size of the US contingent.  Contracts for food, lodging, and transportation are being finalized.  Please be in prayer for all of the persons and the planning involved in these events.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare the way, and to prepare the hearts of the people to be served to receive the Lord Jesus Christ.  

 

  

Typical patient waiting line during 2004 Medical Mission in Puerto Bermudez.

 

     We have a wonderful opportunity to further the work in Peru and all of Latin and South America coming up in late August.  The World Parish Division of the Mission Society will be conducting its first Latin American Mission Mobilization event in Costa Rica.  Arthur will be there hopefully with some of the folks from Peru.  This event has been given a matching funds grant.  These funds will provide a way for participants from all over Latin and South America to attend.  Please pray for this event, and, if the Lord Jesus leads you to give an extra one time gift for this event, please do so as it will be matched dollar for dollar.  You can send gifts made payable to "The Mission Society" and designated "World Parish Ministries - International Ministry" to the address at the bottom of this letter. 

 

     Please continue to be in prayer with us as we continue to raise support to return to Peru.   If the Lord leads you to partner financially with us in this ministry, you can send gifts made payable to "The Mission Society" and designated "Ivey Support  254/IA" to the address shown at the bottom of this letter.  Please also pray that we can find 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 in the churches in Peru, and for their spiritual protection and growth in the Lord Jesus.  Also be in prayer for Obed Alvarez, the head of Mision-AMEN, as well as their other leaders and 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