Dec 5th

It was after midnight and the loaded bus would soon be leaving the church for the 5 hour trip to the youth retreat. Jose’s girlfriend called and told him not to go with those “fanatics.” He would have returned home but for the timely intervention by his mother. The first day of the retreat he moped around, but that first night he received Christ. From then on he was a changed person. He said in his testimony that he wished that people had known him beforehand in order to appreciate the difference that Jesus had made in his life! He stopped smoking, and even decided to be called by his second name because he was now a new creature! So we are all excited about this new member of our cell group, Enrique Ferrer.

You would have sat spellbound on the edge of your seat listening to the testimonies of the 15 new believers who were baptized this past Sunday. They have already gotten involved in the body life and have begun to bless us in different ways. Speaking of blessings, some of you may remember Soraima who traveled to the States a couple of years ago for medical treatments. She who can not talk, has become the communicator for the church! Using her cell phone or the cyber, she sends out prayer requests and announcements almost daily.

Fifteen candidates for baptism. Enrique is in back with windblow hair. We request prayer for the new ministry areas that are in the process of forming. We’d like the process to move faster, but we are not the ones in charge of them at this point. (Visitation, member care, special events,local and foreign missions, prayer promoters)

Praise and thanks to the Lord for the tranquil way in which the regional elections were conducted here in the country of Venezuela. We asked for peace and our prayers were heard.

With just 6 months left in Venezuela we are wondering what our next assignment will be.

Thanks again, Your prayers make a difference!

Melissa recuperating from minor surgery for ingrown toenails

Thanks for Praying,

Peter and Sharon