August Update in Treinta y Tres....

Wow another month gone...even though it has seemed to pass slowly due to the cold, it actually passed by fast. The ministry has been a bit slow as well. We still are driving two hours south to attend and encourage a new start in Minas. I've posted some stuff on them in some earlier post. They are doing well and Walter definately has a vision for his church. As we continue to build relationships with our friends we are finding oportunities to share one on one. We are looking at investigating some other areas of work in towns near by. Along with Minas, we are traveling every two weeks to a small town 1.5 to 2 hours west of here. There are three believers there and we have had two worship services with them.
I am still teaching English classes on Thursdays with anywhere to 14 to 20 kids.
Our Saturday youth nights has come to a halt. With the kids going off to school and others participating in sporting events Garret has been the only one available. Please pray for direction in that area.
As we look to September, it looks to be busy. We are preparing for the "Mi Esperanza". (My Hope) This is a mass Billy Graham event. It is in short, a 3 day event that will be broad casted over the television. It is reported that they have had many decisions in other South American countries. All the churches are looking forward to this event.
The kids are doing well. Both got started with their home schooling at the beginning of the month. Garrett is using the same system North Star Academy. CoraBeth is using something new. It is all on DVDs. It is like she is sitting in the class. She seems to like it so far. Only time will tell.
Teresa is managing all the homeschooling stuff. Working with their homework and administrating their test and cracking the whip when needed. She is doing a great job just taking care of us daily. That is a major ministry task in its self. I am thankful every day even though I probably don't show it enough. She is also taking care of herself quit well as well. She has been going to an aerobic classes everyday of the week. Making friends along the way.
Thanks you for all your prayers....
The kids are counting down the days till stateside...till next month keep dropping by, I try to post updates every so often.
Michael

Disaster Relief efforts by Southern Baptists

Here is some updates from the disaster relief efforts in Peru.
Go to the this site for updates and photos.

The church in Minas, Uruguay...

This the newsletter that Walter sends out to his prayer warriors and I thought I would send it out as well. For those that can read Spanish. God is really working with this family. Several of you have came down to work with this church. For those that don't know this is a new work or a restart. I'm not sure how many times that it has restarted but I feel that this couple is ready for the challenge that lays before them. Please pray for the family of Walter, Vicki, Camila and Abigail Saavedra.

Iglesia Bautista de Minas

Minas, 27 de agosto de 2007

Estimados hermanos: Que Dios les bendiga y la paz de nuestro Señor Jesucristo este sobre usted!!Les escribimos para saludarles y hacerle llegar el informe de nuestro ministerio aquí en Minas, Uruguay.

Gracias a Dios se están restaurando poco a poco los diferentes ministerios de la iglesia. Hace ya un par de meses que el trabajo con los niños, principalmente a través de la escuela dominical, está marchando y podemos decir que en forma estable.
Hemos aprovechado las fechas especiales como la semana de vacaciones de invierno y el día del niño para llevar a cabo actividades especiales.
En la semana de vacaciones se tuvo una escuela bíblica de vacaciones por tres días. Gracias a Dios contamos con el apoyo de algunos comerciantes de la zona y pudimos darles una rica merienda cada día, además de juegos y enseñanzas bíblicas. Fue bueno ver niños carenciados divertirse sanamente cuando de otra forma no hubieran podido acceder a las posibilidades de entretenimiento de la ciudad.

También en el día del niño preparamos una fiesta especial con títeres, regalos, y chocolatada ,lo que les encantó. En todas estas actividades además de los niños que habitualmente asisten también se acercaron otros por primera vez.

Como iglesia entendimos en estos últimos tiempos que Dios quería ahora restaurar el ministerio a la juventud, entonces comenzamos a orar para que Él levantara un líder para ello. No paso una semana en que recibimos la llamada de un joven misionero que está trabajando en Villa Española con la intención de apoyar la obra aquí en el trabajo a la juventud. Poniéndonos de acuerdo con sus pastores comenzó a venir los días jueves y en tan solo dos reuniones ya hay un grupo de siete adolescentes reuniéndose con él por las noches.

Las damas de la iglesia han comenzado a reunirse también, este sábado pasado ha sido la primera reunión informal en la casa de una de ellas y seguirán los sábados haciéndolo.

También, preparándonos para la campaña de Mi Esperanza, comenzamos los miércoles a tener día de ayuno como congregación ya que a la noche terminamos en el culto de oración.

Gracias a Dios las clases de escuela dominical para mayores y las de estudio entre semana cuentan con asistencia de los hermanos ya que ha través de ellas buscamos la madurez de los mismos.

Oración
Ruego que usted pueda estar orando por:
-que Dios abra puerta amplia para la predicación del evangelio
-salvación de las almas
-derrocamiento de las fuerzas del mal
-restauración de la iglesia y su testimonio
-economía familiar
-la iglesia en Pilar, Paraguay
-los niños de la escuela dominical
-el trabajo con los adolescentes
-campaña de Mi Esperanza

La salud, la economía y los estudios de la familia están bien, gracias a Dios. Ruego sus oraciones también sobre una puerta que Dios ha abierto hace ya un tiempo para ministrar la Palabra a través de un espacio en internet. Me ha sorprendido el que todos los días muchas sean las personas que consultan los artículos bíblicos allí escritos y ya algunos hasta se han comunicado conmigo pidiendo consejo.

Les agradezco muchísimo a aquellos que se preocupan por nuestro sostén económico y que no tengamos necesidad, pido a Dios que haga realidad sobre ellos las bendiciones de Malaquías 3:10-12.

Sin más y agradeciéndole que haya leído este informe, me despido en Cristo...


Walter Saavedra

P. D.. Usted ha recibido un informe de los misioneros Walter Saavedra y flía. que están como pastores en la iglesia Bautista de Minas, Uruguay. Para contactarnos por favor escribir a: wsaavedr@ internet.com.uy
Si usted quiere enviar una ofrenda para el proyecto de reapertura de la obra aquí puede hacerlo a través de las oficinas de la Convención Bautista en Montevideo.
Sitio en internet para leer comentarios : http:// articulosdewalter.obolog.com

Some Air Time for CoraBeth!!!

CoraBeth seems to not get the air time that Garrett gets so...here she is home schooling and gymnastics. She is growing up fast.

My Dad's Birthday

Today would have been my dad's 59th birthday...I'm thankful for the time I had with him here on earth. I love you dad...I pray you are praising our Lord as I type.
Your Son
Michael

1 A David song, which he sang to God after being saved from all his enemies and from Saul. I love you, God— you make me strong.
2 God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout.
3 I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty, and find myself safe and saved.
4 The hangman's noose was tight at my throat; devil waters rushed over me.
5 Hell's ropes cinched me tight; death traps barred every exit.
6 A hostile world! I call to God, I cry to God to help me. From his palace he hears my call; my cry brings me right into his presence— a private audience!
7 Earth wobbles and lurches; huge mountains shake like leaves, Quake like aspen leaves because of his rage.
8 His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke; his mouth spits fire. Tongues of fire dart in and out;
9 he lowers the sky. He steps down; under his feet an abyss opens up.
10 He's riding a winged creature, swift on wind-wings.
11 Now he's wrapped himself in a trench coat of black-cloud darkness.
12 But his cloud-brightness bursts through, spraying hailstones and fireballs.
13 Then God thundered out of heaven; the High God gave a great shout, spraying hailstones and fireballs.
14 God shoots his arrows—pandemonium! He hurls his lightnings—a rout!
15 The secret sources of ocean are exposed, the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered The moment you roar in protest, let loose your hurricane anger.
16 But me he caught—reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled me out Of that ocean of hate,
17 that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning.
18 They hit me when I was down, but God stuck by me.
19 He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!
20 God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start.
21 Now I'm alert to God's ways; I don't take God for granted.
22 Every day I review the ways he works; I try not to miss a trick.
23 I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step.
24 God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
25 The good people taste your goodness, The whole people taste your health,
26 The true people taste your truth, The bad ones can't figure you out.
27 You take the side of the down-and-out, But the stuck-up you take down a peg.
28 Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life; I'm blazing with glory, God's glory!
29 I smash the bands of marauders, I vault the highest fences.
30 What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him Makes it.
31 Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock?
32 Is not this the God who armed me, then aimed me in the right direction?
33 Now I run like a deer; I'm king of the mountain.
34 He shows me how to fight; I can bend a bronze bow!
35 You protect me with salvation-armor; you hold me up with a firm hand, caress me with your gentle ways.
36 You cleared the ground under me so my footing was firm.
37 When I chased my enemies I caught them; I didn't let go till they were dead men.
38 I nailed them; they were down for good; then I walked all over them.
39 You armed me well for this fight, you smashed the upstarts.
40 You made my enemies turn tail, and I wiped out the haters.
41 They cried "uncle" but Uncle didn't come; They yelled for God and got no for an answer.
42 I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind. I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.
43 You rescued me from a squabbling people; you made me a leader of nations. People I'd never heard of served me;
44 the moment they got wind of me they listened. The foreign devils gave up;
45 they came on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.
46 Live, God! Blessings from my Rock, my free and freeing God, towering!
47 This God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back.
48 He rescued me from enemy anger, he pulled me from the grip of upstarts, He saved me from the bullies.
49 That's why I'm thanking you, God, all over the world. That's why I'm singing songs that rhyme your name.
50 God's king takes the trophy; God's chosen is beloved. I mean David and all his children— always.
Psalms 18:1-50 (MSG)

Providing info on the earthquake relief effort from the International Mission Board missionaries serving in Peru

Here is a LINK for all those interested in the relief efforts going on in Peru.

The Message

I was reading this morning I was so encouraged, once again, by God's word. So many times we get discouraged by our circumstances and forget what God has already done for us.
May God bless you today...

2 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 4
1 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times.
2 We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
3 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention.
4 All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get.
5 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we're proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you.
6 It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.

2 Cor 4:1-6 (MSG)

Update from our friends in Peru...

This was an email I received from our friends in Peru. thank you for all your prayers.
Michael

Dear friends and family...
We are fine!
As you may know, Lucas, Noah & I travelled to Lima on Wednesday night to spend the rest of the week and weekend car shopping. We left Pucallpa on a flight at 6:50 p.m. and arrived in Lima around 8 p.m. - an hour after the major earthquake hit. (which, by the way, also actually was felt in Pucallpa over 500-600 miles away - just not too strong). As we were waiting for our bags to come through, I started talking to this woman who had a son that Noah was chasing around. She mentioned something in passing about the earthquake, and I had no idea it had just happened - we had been in the air! Evidently our flight was one of the last allowed to land for awhile though because of the fear of "replicas" (aftershocks). All passengers were quickly ushered out of the airport as soon as bags had arrived and there was not a SOUL in the rest of the airport. As we came out of baggage claim, we noticed several ceiling tiles had fallen from various spots and there were already men there on a scissor lift taking down the remaining ones that were dangling. We walked outside to a mass of people either waiting for friends/family to arrive or waiting to be able to enter the airport to start their trip. It was chaos. And cell phone service was non-existent for several hours. We were being picked up by friends of ours - they got there late because of horrible traffic. We had planned on having dinner, but almost every place of business was closed so that people would not be caught in their building in case of another big one. Another effect seen in Lima was no electricity in some sectors, one of which happened to be where our friends live. So we were without electricity for about 24 hours. Interestingly enough though, we didn't see a whole lot of other effects in Lima - just the coastal highway was shut down for 2 days until rocks and dirt from the cliffs could be cleared.
Thank you for your prayers - we were not around Internet to be able to check/send messages while in Lima. Just got back home today, Sunday, to Pucallpa. But please continue to pray for the thousands of survivors who have been displaced from their homes and towns - and for family members who have lost loved ones and are still looking for loved ones. Last I heard there were over 500 dead.
Safely home,
the Bishops

Earthquake in Peru...

This was posted yesterday on the BP. As we pray for our IMB missy's please pray for all missionaries in Peru. Not only for thier safety and health but also that God would bring many more to the Kingdom. We have some dear friends their that we haven't heard from Lucas, Krystin and the 6 o 7 month old son. Thank you so much for your intercession.

Earthquake toll passes 400 in Peru

Posted on Aug 16, 2007 | by Kristen Hiller

LIMA, Peru (BP)--Missionaries Pam and Kevin Shearer were sitting down to dinner with their daughter when the Aug. 15 earthquake struck Lima, Peru, and nearby regions.

"We went out in the backyard ... and it felt like the ground was moving in waves, like you were standing on a boat," Pam Shearer recounted. "We could hear neighbors just screaming and panicking and it lasted about two minutes -– which seems like an eternity when everything is shaking."

News reports Aug. 16 from Lima indicated 437 were dead, 829 injured and more than 80,000 affected by the earthquake during the early evening of Aug. 15.

All International Mission Board personnel serving in the affected areas have been accounted for.

The earthquake's epicenter was 90 miles southeast of Lima, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Many have been left homeless in the towns of Ica, Chincha and Pisco near Lima.

"Many spent the night outside in the parks because they were afraid to go inside or because they didn't have a house to go back to," IMB missionary Judy Hughes said.

While the three towns sustained the worst damage, residents of Lima have experienced power outages, phone service disruptions and some structural damage to buildings.

IMB missionaries serving in the area planned to meet Aug. 16 in Lima to discuss possible relief efforts. Meanwhile, Southern Baptists are asked to pray for those affected by the quake.

July!!! Wow!!!

I wouldn't have guesses that July flew by so quickly. We have been going and going especially now that the kids have started home school. We started with CoraBeth this year using the ABEKA DVD program. So far she seems to like it. Garrett is marching on with the North Star Internet program. The first year of it was the worse. Last year he did better. This year he can see us going home in a less than a year so he see a light at the end of the tunnel. Taaalking....about the light at the end of the tunnel. We have started our preparations already on going home for our first Stateside Assignment. So many things to think and pray about. So many questions arising about our future. All first termer's will tell you the first four are the toughest. And all first terms are different. To try to compare is an impossibility, just because every situation is different as well as personalities. The devil has seen fit to attack our family (for us) in most weakest points. We have fought depression, health and spiritual battles like never before. And without a doubt I'm sure all missionaries can testify to all this. So when we say we are excited about coming home for a "descansa" is an understatement.
I've started the process of looking for us a place to stay when we get home. We would like for it to be close to Teresa's moms and the kids school. As well I will be looking at acquiring a vehicle for the time we are home. I will also start booking dates for sharing what God is doing here in Uruguay. I guess that is what excites me the most. Not just sharing but being able to share in English.
I posted a few pictures below of our College summer interns, some of the house bible studies and CoraBeth. Garret is still racing, I just haven't made any pictures as of late. We thank all of you for your prayers. We would appreciate it if you would continue praying for the following.
--The home schooling.
--New believers in Santa Clara
--New believers in La Charqueada
--The new work or restart in Minas. the familia de Walter Saavedra.
--that all people in the Department of Treinta y Tres would come to know the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Check out my Slide Show!

A good example to follow!!!

Just to clarify this is not my little girl, even though I would be blessed to have her.