Wow! God has been so good to us! These past several weeks have been jam-packed with blessings, and we’re excited to share them with you. One of our favorite aspects of working with Team Peru has been the open door to reach new villages with the Gospel, as well as to help train national pastors across the country. This we do simultaneously while working in the churches that have been started here in Lima.
At the end of June, we were able to take a trip once again to the jungle city of Iquitos. There we hosted a Pastors’ Conference, traveled to five new villages with the Gospel and water-purification systems, and had medical training for the local health officials. The Lord did great things! About 40 pastors were in attendance throughout the week, and several hundred people came to the conference or our open-air meeting. During the week, over 700 people made a profession of faith!
We can’t say thank you enough to my parents and to all those who worked so hard to make this trip a success. We are extremely grateful for Dr. Eric Grindstaff and the people of Grace Baptist Church of Marion, North Carolina. They have been such a blessing to us and have made such an impact here in Peru. Dr. Dan Siemer headed up the medical training, which was a huge help to those local villages that have so few resources. It was also a great form of outreach, helping us to get the Gospel into more areas of the jungle. We are also very grateful for Bro. Dave Rogers, who was such an encouragement! Lastly, it was great to be able to work with our friend, Bro. John Hays, and his team again; they have made a difference around the world with their water-purification system.
Shortly after returning from the jungle, I was voted in as interim pastor of our church here in San Gabriel. Many know that my dad has been pastoring two churches over the last several months: our church here in San Gabriel and the church in Surco that Bro. Mark Rader faithfully pastored for so many years. We are very grateful to be able to serve in this capacity. It has been exciting! Please pray for our churches here in Lima!
Next, we made a brief trip with my parents to Belize to help Missionary Israel Alvarez and Bro. David Boyce as they hosted a conference in their church and worked to get the Gospel and water-purification systems into new villages. On our layover in Panama, I was able to lead a man named Jose to the Lord. We took a cab into the city, and Jose was our taxi driver. Once in Belize, we were able to jump right in by going to two villages with the water-purification system and giving a Gospel presentation. Bro. Alvarez’s church has bus routes reaching these villages. Many accepted Christ, and I personally led a man named Kelan to the Lord. We had a great time helping out with the conference through singing, translating, teaching, and whatever else was needed. We are very grateful for Bro. Boyce, Bro. Hays, and their team, who made it possible for us to come. It was such an encouragement to see many friends from home on this trip as well!
Cassandra and I flew back quickly from Belize to a city called Chiclayo on the northern coast of Peru. Bro. Armando Anaya is a missionary from Mexico who has a thriving church there! I was invited to preach for their Independence Day service. We had a great time! We also held a teen service the following day. Their church was such a blessing to us, and we were grateful we could be there!
The following week back in Lima, I had the opportunity to preach a Youth Conference for a pastor friend, Pastor Victor Palo, who has an exciting ministry on the northern side of Lima. Many churches sent teens from across Peru, including the church in Chiclayo, which we were in the week before. They drove 12 hours to be there. The first message I preached was a salvation message. One young man named Bruno, whom we were with the week before in Chiclayo, raised his hand for salvation. I was able to lead him to the Lord that evening! God is good. Throughout the conference, several made a profession of faith, and five were baptized. We had split sessions for the young men, and Cassandra taught the ladies, along with Mrs. Palo. It was great to see Pastor Joel Castillo from Mexico there as well.
We have several prayer requests to share! Please pray for the upcoming Pastors’ School in September. My parents and Team Peru have done an excellent job putting on this conference for many years, and Cassandra and I are grateful to be a part of it. Please pray as well for our church in San Gabriel. Pray first for the growth of two new converts, Melissa and Hernan, and pray secondly for our church to be able to purchase 30 new hymn books, as our attendance has risen. The cost will be about $850. Please pray that the Lord will supply this need. Lastly, please continue to pray for our visa and residence situation; pray that we could get through the process without too much of a headache.
We can’t say thank you enough for your prayers and support for us! We are grateful to have so many wonderful churches and friends behind us.
God bless you all!
Zach and Cassandra Foust Jr.
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- These pastors came to the conference in Iquitos.
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- I am preaching for Pastor Anaya in Chiclayo.
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- These pastors came to the conference in Belize!
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- Cassandra is teaching the ladies at Youth Conference.
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- We were happy to see our pastor, John Wilkerson, in Belize.
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- My dad and I were grateful to give a water system and a Gospel presentation in Belize.
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- The Lord did a great work on Iquitos!
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- I am preaching at the Youth Conference for Pastor Victor Palo.
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- We were grateful to serve with many friends in Belize.
