Happy Winter Solstice

FYI, this year's winter solstice happened on December 22 at 6:08am.


The Spirit's touch: (essentials for the skimmers)

WWLMD? shirts are still selling. Getcha some of them apples!
Christmas was nice. I ate a lot.


My human words: (extras for the non-skimmers)

Dear brethren,
I wish there were words to describe how refreshing it was to spend a few hours with Bobby Lane. He passed through Pucallpa on his was to Lima and home to Pto. Maldonado. We didn't sleep that night. If you know my sleep habits, you know that is a miracle. I turn into a pumpkin about 9-9:30pm and there's no stopping it. The ball is over. But not that night, thanks to God.
Christmas was spent with fellow missionaries here in Pucallpa. We exchanged regalos (gifts) and even ate a big ol' turkey.

I want to personally thanks all of you who have given or pledged to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering which sends missionaries like myself overseas. May God bless those who support overseas Great-Commission-minded missions, no matter what mission organization!

I'll let you know that the Spring '08 Xtreme Training is just around the corner. Thank yall, who wrote letters of encouragement and sent training supplies to your brothers and sisters. Once again we're planning on having the biggest Xtreme Training ever. We expect no less than 25 students, mostly Latins or indigenous! The first wave will arrive with the new year. Please keep them in your prayers. Please don't hesitate to encourage them through letter writing. Please send supplies, if you can (see attached document for a list). I want to encourage yall to encourage these missionaries-in-training through you family, small group, Sunday school class, or entire church. A list of names is coming soon.


PrayeRequests:
Lisa Taylor, a fellow IMB missionary in Peru from my home church, Mt. Vernon, was abducted at gunpoint for several hours and robbed. Here is the story that appeared in the Watauga Democrat. Pray that she and her team would seek the Lord in handling their mission in the wake of this incident.
The quickly approching Xtreme Training.
The direction of the rest of my life is likely about to change at the Lord's command. I'm seeking His Will. May God be glorified. Time to pray.


Quotes of the Weeks:

I saw a sign beside the oil base that said "128 DAYS WITHOUT ACCIDENTS," and i thought about my current bowel complaint and told Jeff, "I wish i could say that."

"Go go eat something before you get too skinny and fall through your butt hole and hang yourself." -my sister, who else?


"No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
'Til He returns and calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ i'll stand."


Amor, 'ahab, amour, liebe, حالة حبّ, amore, влюбленность, liefde, φιλέω, kuyay, love,
†il the whole world hears,
corey reid pendergrass

In the beginning God created awama and allpa…

...awama (Quichua for "heaven") and allpa (Quichua for "earth")

The Spirit's touch: (essentials for the skimmers)

• Pictures posted! Sadly, about half were lost when my card reader fried my camera's card. grrrrr.
• Travel was very slow going into the community.
• We stayed a month in the Tigre Quichua community of Paiche Playa sharing stories.
• We had 6 baptisms*!
• We flew back, courtesy of Plus Petrol.

My human words: (extras for the non-skimmers)

Dear brethren,
There is so stinkin' much i want to share. Bare with me.

Upon setting foot in the Tigre River i was quickly reminded why i broke my 7 year no-insect-replent streak the last time i was there. The gnats are vicious!
While on the Tigre, my 1-year-milestone of being out of the States passed. I realized it has been a year since i've donned a kilt, had a cross in the back of my head, savoured Lexington BBQ, tasted Marble Slab ice cream, heard the sound of a race car, sat listening to the wisdom of a grandparent face-to-face, seen an American football game, or fought someone just for fun.
I miss it.

Upon returning to Intuto i was thinking about how people act so weird around us just because we have less melanin in our skin. It's really frustrating. What if people acted this way to minorities in the States? People would greet strangers in broken ebonics all the time, offer to sell them fried chicken, chitlins, and malt liquor while calling them "negro" or "brutha" and for the sake of their eternal souls the minority would have the task convincing them he isn't some kind of legendary monster or assassin, but rather, a non-aggressive regular guy.

Sometimes i write "Remember-the-time" letters to friends in the States to reminece about the good ol' days. Even though none of you were there, it seems fitting to say...

REMEMBER THE TIME...
...we attended a wedding in Intuto and "The Wedding March" finished playing before the bride got to walk, and therefore she walked to "The Blue Danube?"
...Jeff gave me 7 stitches when i slice my hand open with my own machete?

...Jeff was bathing alone in the creek one night and a panther walked by about 15 ft. from him?!
...a puppy came in the house while Jeff was teaching a story and the little boy peed on it?
...i told a few people in Paiche Playa that Jeff and i are virgins and the looked at me in wonder as if i were singing like David Hasselhoff?
*...Jeff taught the story of the baptism of Jesus and, to demonstrate, Jeff baptized me in the creek each time he retold the story? I got dunked 6 times! PTL!

...the oil companies (while trying to keep good PR with the indigenous as they destroy their rainforest and rivers in exchange for new clothes) gave us a free ride in a Boeing 737 to Lima from the jungle 'cause we made friends with some Quichua chiefs?

...i lost 20 lbs.? Time to eat some beef again!

In summary, we stayed in the community of Paiche Playa, where there is no church, yet (When i say "church" that means a group of believers seeking the Lord together. It has nothing to do with bricks and wood.). We were able to teach about 6 stories from the Bible with the Quichuas. Sadly, acoholism is severe in this area and prevented several of them from coming to hear the stories. I can't blame them, or rather, i can't expect anything better. They are lost. They act like they're lost. I read in a book this morning, "Don't blame the darkness for being dark. Blame the light for not shining in the darkness." We hope to go back to the same community in the future, hopefully next month.

We are now taking a break 'til the first week in January, enjoying the town of Pucallpa and Xmas presents folks send via mail.

PrayeRequests:

• Carlos and Giovani (our man of peace) showed the most interest in learning the stories. Pray the Spirit would increase their desire for His Word.
• Pray heaven would come down to Paiche Playa.
• Pray for an elderly new believer (so we were told), Frederico, in the town of Doce de Octubre. Even though some of you won't understand this, he's under a spell from a socerer and is sick on the brink of death. Frederico was a socerer himself and knows that there is real power there (however satanic it may be) and is tempted to seek healing through the same magic that has inslaved him. True healing will not come to him 'til his full trust is in Christ.

Quotes of the Weeks:

"Peru: South America's Alabama with Bolivia as it's Mississippi." -Jeff

"I need my blanket." -Jeff, a day within his 25th birthday

"There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For i am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ"

i love you, Church; i miss you,
†il the whole world hears,
corey reid pendergrass

A Phone Call From Koriwawa

Dear Friends,

I got to talk with Corey Reid last night and tonight. It was a blessing to be able to talk with him! I ask for your prayers on behalf of him in the following ways:

-->Traveling: It seems that Corey and his partner have several options for their voyage from 12 de Octobre, Peru (the town they are in now) to Pulcallpo, Peru (the city that they are based out of). They will be leaving tomorrow. Pray that they are protected during their voyage back to Pulcallpo.
-->Health: Corey and Jeff have lost weight. Pray that their bodies would hold up well.
-->The Tigre Quichua: Corey and Jeff got to share memorized Bible stories with them. Pray that God would stir the hearts of these Tigre and that they would be drawn to the Person of Jesus Christ.
-->Pray for the Church in 12 de Octobre to have unity, and that it would be the fragrance of Christ. Pray that, also, for our local churches.
-->Pray for God to continue to encourage Corey and Jeff, teach them and give them wisdom as the Lord continues to reveal His love to them
-->Pray that God would grant them the grace to proclaim the most beautiful & precious story ever told, the Gospel!

Depending on how Corey and Jeff get back to Pulcallpo, you may hear from him again, soon.

Praise God for y'all!

Love,
Lena
www.teote.com