February 2024
It's Good To Be Back...
Hello everyone!
It was so good to see some of you when we visited England from December to February. Thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome. We were greatly encouraged by your prayers and uplifting words and deeds!
We are grateful to God for protection during our many journeys both internationally and around the country. It was quite an adjustment for us to be in England during winter. We haven't experienced that for many years. Still it was very special to spend some quality time with some of you who faithfully pray for us and enjoy mutual encouragement, especially around food! How good and how pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! Ps 133. That's certainly how it felt. We have created some memories to treasure!
Now we are back to summer in Peru. It's great to be in our own home again with many more familiar things. The school year starts in a few days so we are busy preparing uniforms, books and everything else. Please would you pray for a good start? Beginnings are so important in setting the tone for what's to come. We all rely on God's wisdom and guidance for this and every part of our lives. As some of you know Dave and Michele are also pursuing postgraduate studies - Dave is doing a Masters and Michele a doctorate, so we are all students for now! Your prayers for us all to keep up with our academic requirements whilst working and looking after the family will be greatly appreciated.
There are also a couple of significant people we would like you to pray for. Pastor Nilton Valverde is a good friend of ours who we have been mentoring for two years now. He is from the city of Cartavio, renowned for its sugar farms and mills, one hour north of Trujillo. He is married to Kari, an American missionary who serves alongside him here. He teaches Worship Ministry at the Trujillo Baptist Seminary and pastors a church in Huamachuco, a town 5 hours north of Trujillo up in the mountains. He was recently appointed as the Director of the Department of Theological Education for the Peruvian Baptist Convention, as a leader of the seminaries within the convention. Dave and I meet with Nilton and Kari regularly to mentor and encourage them in their ministry. Please pray for them to be able to prioritise their various ministry tasks so that they can be more effective with their time and energy.
We would also appreciate your prayers for Rebecca Zambrano (on the right wearing red), a mission worker with Campus Crusade for Christ serving students from the National University of Trujillo and helping them to grow in their Christian faith. Her role involves evangelism, leading small groups and one to one discipleship with students. She speaks English and serves as a translator sometimes. She is a member of our church in her twenties and recently took a bold step in serving God full time in this role. We had several conversations with her about her big decision as naturally her family and friends had many questions. She needed and still needs support as she takes these steps of faith.
Finally, we are so privileged to join you in prayer as together we 'rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you' 1 These 5:16-18. Thank you all so much!
Love,
The Mahons