| Dear all, I feel fairly well acclimatised to Lima now, and it’s weather and culture (although it’s quite different from Moyobamba - especially the grey and humid weather!) Things seem more ‘normal’ now, and am beginning to get used to the public transport! I finished my Spanish classes at the Catholic language institute at the end of June, and successfully completed the module (which focused on the Spanish ‘subjunctive’!) I’m now studying the next module of the same textbook, but with a private language tutor, ‘German’, who is a brother from Julia Castle’s (LL missionary) church in southern Lima. The classes are going well, and I’m able to practice conversing much more, and feel that I’m progressing faster in the grammar studies. With respect to my Church placement, I’ve been shadowing a Peruvian Church youth and discipleship worker called Jesús, mainly in youth and discipleship work in a poor area of Surco, close to where I’m living. It’s really a privilege and blessing to see how he works in the outreach/discipleship project (which was started about 2 months ago), and his commitment and enthusiasm. On Friday afternoons there is a friendly football match between the youth group from Jesús’ Church (who travel an hour to get there) and local lads from Surco - most of whom have a traditional catholic background. Jesús invites them to a meeting in the evening in a local house to watch a Christian video. On Thursday afternoons there’s a discipleship class with about 4-5 of the youth from Surco. Before the class Jesús visits different lads he has befriended through the football, to invite them to the class. The regulars in the class are new Christians who are very committed to the study and have a lot of questions. Jesús asked me to prepare and lead the class on Thursday, with his help, on ‘The work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’. The class went well, and Jesús assisted by putting things in more concise Spanish when it was needed! So far I’ve used my time of orientation to visit different Churches in Lima, rather than attend one of them regularly. I’ve visited a few of the larger Churches in the city, and also 3 smaller Churches in Shantytown areas, which Latin Link are involved with. Last Saturday I gave a message to the youth group in Jesús’ Church, on John 13:34-25, ‘Support and fellowship between believers’. I was able to join in the worship and a game in the meeting, getting to know people, and then felt more relaxed giving the message! I will most likely be travelling to Moyobamba on the 27th of July for a short visit. A group from a Church in North Carolina will also be visiting, and investigating how they can help support a number of projects, including water projects. On the 29th we will be visiting the villages of Guillermo and Nuevo Milagro to look at the needs in relation to water, and meet with the village leaders. I would be very grateful for your prayers as I prepare for the visit and buy my flight (for the day before Peruvian independence day on the 28th!) Thank you very much for all your prayers and support, Yours in Christ, Martin Bone |