Dave and Michele Mahon
August 2024
Peruvian Baptist Convention's First Missions Retreat
Hello Everyone! We hear that it is hot and sunny over there. Hope you are somehow managing to stay cool and healthy. It's cooler here in Trujillo, sometimes dipping into the teens which means we need to wrap up and sometimes even turn the heating on! The children recently had three weeks off school, and we had the privilege of visiting Iquitos for a few days. It was great to see our previous home, reconnect with friends and neighbours and visit the churches and the Nauta training centre. Please be in prayer for all our friends there; that they will not give in to discouragement and receive a fresh vision for God's kingdom purposes there.
Upon our return, we took part in a retreat for Mission Workers based here in Peru. It lasted for three days in the middle of August and took place at our regional conference centre in Shiran, in amongst the mountains close to Trujillo. The Baptist Convention's Missions Board which are a group similar to BMS and whom we support, have been going for three years now and this is part of their vision. The board is made up of a group of pastors and missionaries who enable and encourage Peruvian Baptist churches to raise up, pray for and financially support home grown missionaries. The Brazilian Baptist Convention also support the board. Your prayers for the Missions Board would be appreciated, for them to remain united and be successful in achieving their strategic goals, working together with several regional and international mission partners.
(Here is a picture taken after the Pastors' prayer and fellowship meeting in Iquitos)
The event was entitled 'In the Shoes of the Missionary'. We had visitors from Ecuador and Venezuela as well as Peruvians, who shared their wisdom and experience on topics such as Cultural Sensitivity, Evangelism and Discipleship, and Building Teams. Dave taught on the privilege of being called and set apart for God, like Abraham was. There was also time for open questions, testimonies and lots of praise and worship. We prayed together and got better acquainted with several sisters and brothers. The delegates also had fun playing games together and there was a dentist as well as a hairdresser available for styling and helping the ministers to look and feel good. There were a handful of children there for Ruth, Jonathan and Phoebe to play with.
The retreat was great encouragement for the delegates, and there was a tangible element of excitement and hope because it was the first of its kind here. Plans are in place to make it a yearly event. There is also an opportunity to prepare and send a young missionary couple to a country in Northern Africa. Since it is illegal to openly evangelise there they will be developing community football whilst he is there as part of an existing team. Please pray that everyone who was involved in this retreat will be able to build on what they have received from this special time together.
In particular, we would appreciate your prayers for Carlos and Betty Rodriguez, a Venezuelan couple who have been sent by the Baptist Convention of Brazil with BMS funding, to support and help develop the Peruvian Mission Board. Carlos has developed this opportunity to send the Peruvian missionary couple to North Africa. From South America to North Africa with English support - a good example of global partnership for the Kingdom of God - to show the world just how much God loves us all!
We are together playing our part in being part of Jesus' answer to His prayer to the Father just before He left as recorded in John 17:23 'I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.' Thank you for jointly holding us up in this!
The Lord bless you,
Love
The Mahon Family