January News

It has been nearly a month since I last wrote, so I thought I would update you on what is happening in the place where God has us.

We spent Christmas and New Year’s in Chiclayo. Christmas was quite quiet here, and yes most people eat turkey here too (we had chicken). New Year’s on the other hand was very different. They have a custom here of stuffing old clothes with straw and fireworks and burning them in the street at midnight. This is besides the fireworks everyone sets off. Between the fires and the fireworks it made the street seem like a war zone.

Early in January a group of men from the United States traveled down and began construction on two classrooms for the school. These will house grade one and two in the new school year. The current grade one classroom is very cramped. School will commence here March 8. We are still looking for a qualified Spanish teacher for grade two.

Two weeks ago during our Sunday school the visiting group of men shared their testimonies. After the meeting a young man (David) who has been attending the meetings for two years said he had put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. We had a baptism planned for the following Sunday so he asked to be baptized as well. My youngest son Jonathan also had requested to be baptized so it was my privilege to be able to baptize him and to see a number of others baptized. Please pray for these believers as they seek to follow the Lord’s guidance.

We received notice that the children’s paperwork is ready so we will all be traveling to Lima in early February to pick up their visas. These visas will need to be renewed once a year.

Please pray for us as we continue to learn Spanish. It is coming slowly but surely. Our watchman has been a help as he enjoys talking and speaks clearly. I have spoken to him about the Lord and fortunately he is good at repeating and rephrasing things so I can be sure what I said is understood. Please pray for our progress in the language and for us as we try to share our faith, that it would be clear.

Please pray for the following:

· New believers and those recently baptized that they would grow

· Wisdom as we learn the language and speak it to others

· A second grade teacher

We wanted to thank you for your prayers and emails, they truly are an encouragement.

In Him

Mark Kim and family