What’s their NAME?
My wife and I started a Kids’ Club for all the Saturday soul-winning kiddos a few weeks ago. Little by little the attendance has grown. This particular Saturday I had told the kiddos to personally invite and bring a visitor to the club. My eldest Marco has always been particularly shy when it comes to talking to people. Since arriving in Peru, I had made it a training matter that I would further teach my son how to start and carry on a conversation with perfect strangers like I was taught. One thing I remember my bus workers telling me when I was a kid was that no one will listen to you unless they know you care about them. They would tell me “Abraham, don’t just go straight into the plan of salvation. Get to know them first.” They would always ask me probing questions after witnessing to someone: “Where are they originally from?” “How long have they lived there?” “How many children do they have?” “Where do they work?” And the most important one, and yet almost always overlooked, “What’s their NAME?” We were out soul winning and handing out tracts when we spotted a group of kids. My group and I walked over. Marco was looking at this one kid, and I could tell he wanted to talk to him. I elbowed him and leaned in and whispered, “Let’s get to know him.” We both walked over and started a conversation with Carlos. I worked my way out of the conversation and watched as Marco took over. In a few minutes, Marco took out a tract and started witnessing to Carlos. Carlos received Christ and soon was meeting up with Marco at the Kids’ Club that same day. Not only did Carlos show up, but he brought his cousin, Jose Luis, as well. I later asked Marco how he felt when he was witnessing to Carlos. He said, “I felt like I had butterflies in my stomach.” I told him that that was normal, that it was a good thing, and then I told him a little secret: “I still get butterflies in my stomach.” I pray we never get too used to witnessing for the Lord that we lose the butterflies in our stomach.
The smell of freshly baked dough filled the air.
Most of the pastries here are pleasing to the eye but are lacking in taste and texture. Missing from the Peruvian streets are the bakeries I grew up on—no Cermak Road Polish bakery serving warm Paczkis or cheese puff pastries like in Cicero. The countless Mexican bakeries that line 26th Street in Chicago that serve warm conchas, chilindrinas, and empanada de camotes are nowhere to be seen here. My wife Faby decided to give the Kids’ Club not only a taste but also an experience of American-baked goods. We sent all the kids to wash their hands. They surrounded a little table placed before them and watched as we mixed simple ingredients into a mixing bowl. They took turns mixing and pouring into a baking pan. With the dough baking in the background, they sat quietly as I explained the importance of ingredients and mixing them exactly as the recipe calls for. A few minutes later, the familiar ding of a timer told us that the dough was done baking. The smell of freshly baked dough filled the air as Faby pulled out the freshly baked cupcakes. “Oohs” and “Ahhs” came out of their mouths, followed by a “Can I have one?” Needless to say, they were a big hit. Some kids didn’t even want to eat theirs because they were “so pretty” they wanted to show their parents. I continued to explain to them the importance of following a recipe. I told them that tomorrow in Sunday school I was going to teach them what recipe God had for their lives. In my next prayer letter, I will show you what I taught them and a beautiful commitment made by one of our Sunday school girls.
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 Dan Hubbard, and the other families of Team Peru
• Additional monthly financial support
• Health for the families of Team Peru
Blessings:
• 24 souls saved
• Sunday school class children are soul winning and bringing visitors to church.
• We were able to start a Kids’ Club after our soul-winning time.
Thank you once again for your prayers and support.
Your co-laborers to Peru,
Abraham, Fabiola, Marco, Leilani, and Joaquin Avila
