From Brother Moises' house I was able to make contact with Brother Pedro Pineda, Jorge Scabarrozi, Santiago Reyes, and Cristóbal Quispe vía email. The brothers arrived at the house around 12:00 noon to pick me up.
At the Famesa church I spoke about the status of my father's health, and the spiritual force that he is. I shared with the church that although the body ages and weakens, the spirit grows stronger within.
After church everyone mobbed me outside, they were so excited to see me again because it had been a few years that I had not visited them.
The young kids are now teenagers and they were so happy and respectful towards me. I enjoyed the fellowship with them.
After a long time, we excused ourselves and left to find something to eat arriving just in enough time to convince the owner of a Chinese food restaurant (called Chifa in Perú) called the Yen Yen to let us be their last customers of the day—they were closing up when we arrived.
I was then taken to Brother Santiago's house and shown to my room on the second floor.
September 3, 2009—Thursday
After waking up I went to the bank to update the information for the missionary account there and ordered a new debit card. Praise the Lord everything worked out well.
After more fellowship I was driven to the land that we are purchasing to see the progress of the building of the new tabernacle. The land is very adequate for our current and future needs, and the tabernacle being built, while simple, should seat at least 250 people.
I was taken to the airport to board my flight to Arequipa where Brother Quispe and Jorge Scabarrozzi along with others from the church picked me up. We went to Brother Quispe's house where I was shown my room—very nice with personal bathroom—that I was to share with Brother Jorge.
September 4, 2009—Friday
Early in the morning we pick up Brother Pedro Pineda, Santiago Reyes, Lalo Santana, and Dr. Montoya up from the airport.
Service tonight was an awesome beginning to the convention. I decided that I would continue with an idea that we have been working with at our last few conventions. We sing one song and then have a teaching message of about ½ hour. After the teaching we start the regular service where we then have an hour evangelistic type sermon.
I decided that I would be bringing the teaching everyday. I started today with an update on Brother Bernabé G. García's health and mental state. I mentioned the evangelists that he is now training.
I then began to speak of the different testimonies of my life and the ways that God had manifested Himself through my life.
For the evangelistic message, I myself began by preaching/teaching on Leadership, Brother Jorge, and Pedro preached on the Jesus being the same yesterday, today, and forever. They tied in their thoughts with my words on Leadership.
September 5, 2009—Saturday
Morning Service
Service this morning was very good. I continued the teaching on Leadership—using the quote in paragraph 115 (07 Dec 1965) “Now the Word of God...sometimes you have to put it in its right place, or it is not the will of God.” That is a mouthful if you carefully consider it.
For the evangelistic sermon, Jorge, Pedro, and Brother Dr. Montoya did an outstanding job. Dr. Montoya invited ten people with great needs to come forward if they wanted to accept their healing. About thirty people came forward.
He handed out about twenty checks (the ones printed by Voice of God Recordings, Inc. of Jeffersonville, Indiana). He explained what they meant and told the people to consider what they wanted as God would be cashing their checks that evening.
It was touching to see how the people loved and cherished the fact that they had received a check.
Evening Service
I continued on the teaching from Leadership—how we accept the person of Jesus Christ. For the evangelistic sermon Dr. Montoya spoke a few minutes on the check. He spoke words to increase their faith, and then called a prayer line for healing.
The prayer line was amazing. The testimonies that have come as a result of that line continue to pour in, including on elderly lady and her husband glorifying God for the instantaneous healing and disappearance of a huge tumor that had been on her leg.
Also there seemed to be a groundswell of testimonies of how the teaching portion was transforming lives and opening up the understanding of many on what their relationship to Jesus Christ should be like.
September 6, 2009—Sunday
Morning Service was absolutely amazing. I began to close the thought on Leadership and planned to speak about twenty minutes. We stepped into eternity, and when after speaking for about ten minutes and came back to my senses and asked how I was doing on time.
I was told that I had been speaking exactly an hour. I told the brethren that enough had been said. Everyone was on the edge of their seat. No-one had felt the passing of time. I left to a thunderous applause.
Brother Montoya preached about 40 minutes during the evangelistic service and then called a prayer line for those wanting to receive the Leadership of Jesus Christ in their lives. The prayer line was unlike any prayer line I had ever participated in.
Many people were delivered and received Jesus Christ into their hearts. Many were long-time believers who had never known Christ in their hearts. The Message of the Hour had been to them a system of conduct, and not a love letter.
Very notable was a very young lady of about eight or nine years old, who passing through the line drew so much virtue from me that I almost fell. She stayed there, refusing to move on through the line for more that twenty minutes just bawling her little heart out and hugging brother Jorge as the others moved on through the line.
At one point, about six young girls all received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at one time before they could get prayed for. Truly it was one of the greatest times of deliverance that I have ever been privileged to be a part of.
No evening service, but during the evening we had fellowship with the brothers at the house I was lodged at. After eating, we called Brother Demetrio Hualpa to arrange a meeting with him.
Brother Pedro Pineda, Dr. Montoya and I spoke with Brother Demetrio from about 11:00 p.m. to almost 4:00 a.m. It was a very good and fruitful conversation and helped clear up some issues that we had.
September 7, 2009—Monday
We took the four brothers that flew in Friday to airport and they departed to Lima.
At Brother Quispe's house many people came over to visit hoping to hear me talk. Instead I asked those that were there to speak to me and share any testimonies that they wanted to about the special meetings that we had just finished.
There were many, many testimonies, and we will be posting a synopsis of them in the testimonies section of our blog site. There is one testimony that I want to share here though.
One sister, in particular, while giving her testimony mentioned ,at the very end, that she 'knew' that “One day God will give me my new birth.” While I was closing the testimonies fellowship a little later, I brought that statement up and said, “No, we will not talk about somedays. TODAY God will give you the assurance of your new birth.” When we prayed to dismiss, God brought those words to fullfillment.
September 8, 2009—Tuesday
Brother Cristóbal Quispe asked me permission to schedule a special service today since I would be leaving early Wednesday morning to return to Lima. I said of course.
We visited the house of Brother Alejandro Calluchi, a believer that had left the fellowship about five years ago. They were considering returning to church. They asked me what to do. I told them to find a church that they could be happy serving the Lord in.
I asked to speak to their children alone. I asked the children what they thought about returning to church after such a long absence. Bilma, Elizabeth, and Abel were very unsure of how they would be received at church. They were not sure if they wanted to go back to the same church they left or another church.
They shared that they felt like strangers in the world. They were neither Christians nor of the world.
I explained that I could not advise their parents what church to go to. That I did not care what church they went to. But, I did want to know if they knew how to accept Jesus Christ into their hearts.
They said they did. That said, “by being good.” One said, “By obeying what the church has taught us.” Another said, “I can't until I am good enough.”
My heart broke as I realize that this 21 year old lady, her 17 year old sister and 13 year old brother had never learned how to accept Christ into their hearts.
I shared the gospel with them for about five minutes, and they each eagerly agreed to accept Jesus Christ into their hearts, and invite him to be their Lord. I called for Brother Jorge to come back in the room, and he prayed for those precious souls as they tearfully and joyfully gave their lives to Jesus Christ.
We prayed for a family that lives about two house down from this family, and God also made himself present there.
Evening Service
Service was very wonderful. I honestly can't remember what I spoke on, and since I rarely use notes and I don't have notes to reference. But the Spirit of the Lord made itself present and the people were greatly blessed. About six people accepted Christian baptism. Brother Alejandro and his family were in attendance.
September 9, 2009—Wednesday
Today is 9/9/09. that is 999 or 666 upside down. Funny. I don't like to travel on days that religious fanatics can try and justify their acts of violence on. I pray that God keep me safe as I travel this morning.
Brother Santiago along with Pedro, Jorge and Moises Eusebio picked me up in Lima. It was a good flight. We went to Brother Moises' house and there celebrated the birthday of Sister Maria Eusebio—Brother Moises' wife.
That evening I preached at Brother Moises' church on Jesus standing at the door knocking. After service we had a quick coffee and some bread and departed to try and catch the brothers from Famesa for some fellowship.
Service for them was already over, but we did gather at the Yen Yen restaurant for some good chow and fellowship. Afterwards we went home arriving about 2:00 a.m. I talked for a few minutes and then we departed to the airport because my flight was due for 5:33 a.m. Thursday morning...
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