Praise Him for His Mighty Works

(From Aaron and Debbie Karr)

Dear Friends,

Ps 150:2 Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

That is what we desire to do as we share our praise prayer report from January and February. January through March are the summer months here and things have been very busy. January we had our Field Team meetings here in Arequipa. All the Coastal Peru missionaries came together for Bible study, prayer, business, planning and fellowship. We had a great time visiting with our colleagues. During this week, Zack was invited by one of our colleagues to make a trip to the US to take a tour of Christian colleges. After much prayer, God showed us that this was what He wanted Zack to do, so we began planning.

The day after these meetings ended, Aaron and Debbie took a group of teens to the Word of Life Camp just south of Lima. The Lord did a great work in the hearts of the teens and one of the girls, Cynthia, was saved that week. We had prayed for her many years; she would sit in our service and cry because she knew she needed the Lord in her life, but would never take the step of faith to give her life to Christ. Praise the Lord, she finally came to Him.

After camp, Debbie returned to Arequipa with the teens and Aaron stayed in Lima for a special leadership conference. After the conference, Aaron had three days of prayer, Bible study and seeking the Lord’s will for the church and other ministries.

At the end of the three days, Zack arrived in Lima to travel to the US with our colleague. Putting him on a plane to another country and continent was very difficult, but we knew it was time. It won’t be long now before he will be staying in the US for his college education. As parents we had to ask ourselves if we love God more than our children? That is a question we all need to continually ask ourselves. God MUST be the priority, even over our own children.

Zack returned to Peru just last week and had a wonderful time, met lots of people, and had many adventures. The Lord really got a hold of his heart during that time and taught him some lessons he never would have learned otherwise.

Aaron arrived back in Arequipa 4 days before we were scheduled for a pastor’s retreat in Camaná. This was such a special time with the national pastors and their families; ministering to them and being ministered to by them. They are a wonderful group of godly men and women being used mightily by God in this area. being able to minister and be ministered to with the national pastors. We all had a great and spiritually-refreshing time. Wednesday, the pastors left and the campers from our church and our colleagues’ church arrived for 5 days of family camp.

Debbie was in charge of the kids program. She taught them Bible lessons, verses, songs and crafts. Aaron was responsible for the 12-16 year olds and had a great time with them.

One day at lunch, one of the teens called Aaron to their table to help him explain the rapture to a new girl and her brother. We knew that neither of them were Christians, so Aaron changed the subject to salvation. After about 30 minutes, the girl, with tears coming down her cheeks, said that she needed to give her life to Christ. Right around the table, with the other teens watching, she bowed her head and went from being dead spiritually to having new life in Christ. Those around the table were so excited to see this young girl give her life to Christ right in front of them.

Aaron preached the final message at camp on being committed. When the invitation was given, the altar was full of people praying and rededicating their lives to Christ. There were about 80 people at camp that week and there were six salvation decisions and many commitments and rededications.

At the beginning of the summer, Debbie had felt led of the Lord to do a kids’ Bible Club at our church. However, with 3 camps, Zack’s trip and Field Team meetings, it was hard to fit it in. When we arrived back from camp, Debbie really believed we should do this before the kids headed back to school the first week of March. So we made plans that week and printed up flyers. Sunday we canvassed the area around the church.

We have always believed God gave us the building He did so that we could reach the area around our church. It is such a closed and difficult area, but we have to try. Monday we had 10 kids come (8 from around the church), Tuesday we had 20, Wednesday we had 30, Thursday we had 36 and Friday we had 32. The week was great! There were 6 salvation decisions for the Lord and many children from the neighborhood came to the church for the first time ever.

Sunday night, we had a closing program and invited the families. The rain kept a lot of people away, but we had a good crowd nevertheless. We were especially thankful that 3 families from the neighborhood came to the church. After the kids sang and quoted their verses, Aaron gave a gospel challenge. There were a number that responded to the invitation and we will be following up on them in the next weeks.

Most Peruvian schools start classes this week, so summer is officially over, but what a tremendous summer it was. We know that God is not done working and we look forward to this year and what God will do in our lives and the ministries. We finish this update thanking you for your support in the ministry here in Peru. Everyone who gives and prays is participating in the harvest of the lost. For that we, and our Peruvian friends, are eternally grateful.

Blessings,
The Karr family

Prayer requests:

1. Personally we need wisdom and to be more Christ-like
2. For the Abundant Life Baptist Church as they call a Peruvian co-pastor probably in April.
3. Youth workers training workshop March 2-4; the 3rd will be an all-church youth rally and gospel presentation.
4. March 7-14 we are hosting a mission team of 20 students from Liberty University. We have a packed schedule including a trip into the mountains to help with a new church plant. Pray for our safety, as it is the rainy season, and that they don’t get altitude sickness. Throughout the week they will be ministering in schools, churches, retirement homes, parks and having a kids Bible club on Saturday the 14th at the Abundant Life Baptist Church.
5. Seminary begins March 16. Aaron will be teaching Cults and Roman Catholicism every Monday night for the next 16 weeks.
6. March 28-29, missionaries Don and Vivian Bond will be with us, teaching from the book of Revelation.
7. Holy week we are going to have special evangelistic campaign Wednesday through Sunday.
8. April 22-26 we will be having a special family campaign with our colleagues Steve and Debi Douglas, culminating in a renewal of marriage vows on Saturday.