Nope, this is their first time.
About two months ago, my hair clippers lost the battle with our pet dog Annie. It was hard finding a barber shop in Lima where they only focused on men’s hair. Unisex shops and barber shops with extremely loud rock music and modern haircuts are in abundance. However, I finally found one! I started to go to this barber with my boys. My boys really only knew one barber—me. I wanted to show them the place I had always talked to them about, a place where men could share clean conversations and get a great haircut—the barber shop. This would be the fourth time we visited, and my barber Flavio was asking more and more about what we teach in church. Thirty minutes later, I was able to lead Flavio to the Lord.
The following day, Saturday, my soul-winning Sunday school kids were commenting on my boys’ haircuts. A few kids in particular showed much interest in the haircuts. You may remember them from my last prayer letter: Nayely, Felix, and Jhonathan. I asked the boys if they would like a haircut. They looked perplexed and nodded with a curious smile. I assured them that I was serious but that I would only take them if their mom gave them permission. They quickly ran to their house and asked. Being that I didn’t have enough money with me, I told them that they would have to wait until the next week. I told them that they would have to ensure that their hair was washed and not just wet. To my surprise, they were “clean,” well, as clean as I have ever seen these little kids. We finished soul winning and were able to see 4 trust Christ as their Saviour. We continued to work our way down to the barber shop. The boys, Felix and Jhonathan, wanted a man to cut their hair. They said that they wanted to get their hair cut just like my boys. Felix jumped into the chair, pointed to Joaquin, and told the barber he wanted it cut just like him. Jhonathan said the same. While Felix and Jhonathan got their haircuts, I asked Nayely who cut the boys’ hair in the past. She looked at her feet and squeaked out, “My mom.” I assured her that I wasn’t poking fun at them and only wanted to know if they had ever gone to a shop to get their haircuts. She looked at me and smiled, “Nope, this is their first time.” She added, “My mom just uses their school scissors on them. That’s why it’s tickling them when the barber starts using the machine.” They were very happy and proud of their haircuts. I gave them the money to pay the man, $3 for both of them. Then I asked them if they thought the man had done a good job. They smiled and nodded their heads, “Yes.” I told them that they should tip the man for a job well done. They gave him a tip and a tract. Cesar, the barber, also trusted Christ as his Saviour that afternoon. As we walked back to the church, I bought them all a soda. They smiled and said, “Thank you.”
I wish I could keep them forever.
The days had gone by so fast. Soon the Foust family would return from furlough. In their absence I had been tasked with filling some of the needs in the church. I had encouraged my eldest Marco to get more involved in the church. He had volunteered to lead some of the congregational songs and expand his responsibilities in the Sunday school class. By the end of September, I could see that they were a little tired. I told them how proud I was of them and their dedication to helping us, their parents, reach our family goals as missionaries. They smiled and said, “I love you.” I wish I could keep them forever, but I know God has something special planned for them. I pray God may keep them safe and lead them to the right decisions they will soon face.
To be continued . . .
I am thankful for praying and giving friends such as you. If it weren’t for you, my family and I would not be able to be here in Lima, Peru. We love you and pray for you often. I pray that the Lord continues to bless you and your family.
I have included links below for more information and pictures of the various ministries of Team Peru (IBI). Please feel free to share them with friends and families who may ask, “Hey, what is Team Peru up to?”
https://www.facebook.com/teamperu
Prayer Requests
• Safety for our family, our team leader Bro. Dan Hubbard, and the other families of Team Peru
• Additional monthly financial support
• Health for the families of Team Peru
• Bro. Hubbard’s health
• My dad’s recovery
Blessings
• We saw 39 souls saved.
• Sunday school class children are soul winning and bringing visitors to church.
• We were able to repair our vehicle to 100% of its functionality, thanks to Jeff and Bev Bollman from NEXT DAY PLUS www.nextdayplus.com.
Thank you once again for your prayers and support.
Your co-laborers to Peru,
Abraham, Fabiola, Marco, Leilani, and Joaquin Avila
