I recently received prayer requests from some of our supporting churches and thought maybe some of you would also like to hear how to be praying for us in the new year. Our prayer list is as follows:
Mills Family
We are returning to the States in late May 2012 as we complete the 2 years that we originally committed. Our plan is to continue raising support to return to Peru for long-term service early 2013. Our goal is to raise $50,000 dollars in one-time support and another additional $1,000 dollars a month of monthly support to be able to return to the field in 2013.
Economic Development: Parish Woodshop
For ministry expenses for the Woodshop: our operation costs are currently at zero. After the transition to close the initial shop and help several carpenters get established on their own self-sustaining business, I am presently guiding and discipling these carpenters. We are selling their products on our website, www.parishfurniture.com. Please pray for growth in marketing and sales for this website to continue providing work for the carpenters as well as their sales in the local furniture market.
For our plans of having a training facility we are regrouping and developing long-term future plans. These plans include establishing a training center with a kiln and sufficient space for carpenters. With my returning to the states in May 2012 we plan to develop this more thoroughly and work towards making progress in 2013 after we return to Peru. A rough idea of what this may cost is $150,000 dollars but these plans are still pending and mostly a prayer request for wisdom and guidance.
Medical Ministry: Arevalo Hospital
A more urgent need is that presently our mission is working on a capital campaign for building a hospital in one poor neighborhood that we work with. You can find out more about this and download a brochure at, http://www.perumission.org/arevalo/. Please consider this opportunity to work with our medical ministry in Peru.
Spiritual Growth and Discipleship
Prayer for the spiritual growth and development of many people we work with as well as for our own family.
Pray for God to raise up a leader for the church small group that meets at the Woodshop. Several men show a lot of promise but are not yet demonstrating enough leadership to lead the small group.
(To be able to give details for prayer without invading privacy I will change the names of the individuals I am about to mention.)
Jim and Jon recently developed a business with Parish Woodshop lending them use of our tools. Pray for their business to make a profit and be able to hire more people to reach out and grow.
Pray for Jon and his wife as they work through marriage counseling and grow in grace as young Christians. Also pray for their baby boy due in March!
Frank is a member of the church and a carpenter but is independent from the Woodshop. The week before Christmas he broke his arm and lost a lot of money in medical expenses. He also has had a long-term struggle in fulfilling responsibilities and paying debts. Pray for the Spirit to heal him completely as he also heals his arm. Also pray for his family as he and his wife are going through marriage counseling and growing as young Christians.
Chris is an English student working at the Woodshop part-time and recently had a return to Jesus conversation after being awakened by sin confrontation
Jeff is another young English student who also worked part-time at the Woodshop for only a short while but is showing more promise as a bible student and possible leader. He is involved with the cell group and bible studies and is very eager to learn more and help in teaching as he learns enough.
Mike is a former Woodshop worker who is a member of a sister church. He is engaged to get married with a baby boy on the way. He recently went through discipline in his church and demonstrates true repentance. Pray for him and his future family and decisions for work and living situation, as he needs to make more money to provide for his family.
Peter is another man who is not a woodworker but attends a bible study that I have been teaching and shows a lot of interest in learning more and growing in Christ. He is very steeped in the catholic church and seems to be studying what we teach in Reformed theology openly and seeking to understand. Pray for the Spirit to work through the Word to give him understanding of the Truth.
