Thank you so much for your prayers for Perú! We have seen the Lord bless exceedingly above all we could ever ask or think!
A New Church Building
On Thursday, October 5, at 5:00, we looked at a spacious plot of land that could become our new church. That night at 10:00, the leaders met with the owner and came to an agreement. The next morning our interim pastor signed the lease. On Saturday we moved, and on Sunday we worshipped the Lord with grateful hearts in our new building! It was my Father’s perfect timing, and our new land is amazing, complete with a green garden for the kids to play in and tall palm trees, which I personally adore. Now we just need to build an auditorium, and we’re good for the next five years. Lord willing, we would love to be able to purchase this land in the future, but for now, we’re so grateful for a beautiful place to meet.
Crunchy Worms
A huge thank you to Liberty Baptist Church for the special gift so that four of my young ladies could travel with me to the youth conference in Iquitos! We had a fabulous time. I ate my first crunchy worm (Yes! A whole one!), and even more importantly, about 40 young people surrendered their lives to Christ. Please pray for this precious city. While in years past, the Gospel ran prevalent with Bible-believing churches in the city, it was immediately apparent that now the light is growing dim. We stepped into a Bible institute that was spacious and beautiful. After searching for months for a big enough building for our church, I was immediately amazed and almost jealous at their spacious facilities. Then we found out that the Bible institute only has five—yes, you read that right—only five students. Please pray that the Lord will once again light many hearts with the flame of His fire.
Pastors’ Conference
We were extremely blessed by two groups who visited us from First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana. During their stay, Team Peru put on a conference to train pastors and leaders. The Lord richly blessed and used the preaching of both Bro. Eddie Lapina and Pastor Gomez in the conference and in our churches. A highlight for me was that during the invitation of Pastor Gomez’s message on Sunday, one young man stood to his feet in tears, eager to receive Christ as his Saviour. I’ve been praying for him for 2½ years now. Seeing God move in his heart brought me to tears, as now his wife and son have a husband and father who will learn to love God and lead their family in His ways.
New Converts
I love seeing the Lord bring new people to our new location! About a week and a half ago, He brought a lady named Martha. I was finishing up in Sunday school with a challenge I had made with our ladies in the month of October. The challenge was to write certain portions of the Bible daily. I promised my ladies that everyone who finished it would be invited to breakfast in my home. She got so excited when I announced the breakfast that she asked me if she could do it with us! Of course, I told her “Yes,” but felt bad that she only had less than a week to complete it. On Wednesday, she brought me her notebook. She was already on Day 23! I looked at her book in shock and congratulated her! Saturday she showed up, having completed the whole challenge and super excited to continue our next one! I love how God is moving and bringing new people to Himself in our midst!
Future Travels
This coming April, I have been asked to speak in a ladies’ conference in Indiana. I realize that it´s been nearly six years since I’ve visited many of my churches up North. If there is anything I could do for you or your church while I am in the States, please let me know. I’m happy to serve in any way.
Gratefully His,
Heather Kokubun
