In 2004, EFA felt God calling us to make Peru the focus of our missions endeavors. We began traveling to Peru multiple times a year to host pastor training conferences and youth camps. As we began funding churches and missionaries there, we were given the opportunity to purchase ocean-front property. Our work teams, comprised of men, women, and youth, jumped on board and began building a pastor's retreat center and a youth camp. Now we have churches being birthed from these endeavors and facilities used regularly.
As the projects of southern Peru wrapped up, God opened an unreal door to us in the northern region of Peru. All along the Amazon and its tibutaries there are villages in which the gospel has yet to be preached. We have been given the opportunity to team up with Terry Wiles and his church in Connecticut to help train pastors and reach these villages for Christ. Terry had been training new pastors up and down the river using a three-year curriculum similar to our Berean Bible Schools. Not having training facilities was a difficulty. Many travel days on the river by boat to attend.
We have purchased two hundred and twenty five acres of land on the river. Our work teams are in the process of building a complete campground. Here we will train these pastors twice a year. 60 have completed the training, 75 are in the process and 100 more have enrolled. Wow! Upon completion these pastors return to their villages and jungle church and preach the Word. We are going to see a great harvest and revival. Eventually, in addition to the training and camp facilities, we plan to build a teen challenge, a clinic, and a school. Our hope for this property is to build each of these pastors and their congregations a church building.
Over 200 people from our local congregation at EFA have made the trip to Peru to work and share the gospel. Whether in the northern or southern part of this country, the people are very receptive not only to the gospel but also to the power of it. The message of a Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for them.
As well as building the camp, training pastors, and building churches, we focus on three things: bibles, glasses, and clean water. Each trip, our team will deliver Bibles to individuals in a local village. These villages have a pastor who is involved in our training program. They eagerly hear and study the word of God. Next, reading glasses are provided to help those whose eyesight is diminishing. Preventative care will be provided in the villages. Then, we continually see the effects of unclean water on the children and elderly. This challenges us to provide clean water to each village.
The task is monumental but we find EFA is cutting into this darkness each trip we take, each relationship we form, each pastor we train, each Bible we give. Being faithful in little God is blessing with much.
We thank God for His blessings and for our wonderful partners, both in the north and south who have found their place in our family at Enid First Assembly.
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