Don and Sue Gahagen founded Jungle Air in Peru, which would eventually be grafted into SAM as SAMAIR. Seeing the need for mission aviation in Bolivia, they started SAMAIR Bolivia in 1973. Here is an article about SAMAIR Bolivia in the 1978 edition of Amazon Valley Indian:
Bill and Harriet Pencille joined SAM as missionaries in 1943. Here is one of their prayer letters about meeting the Guidaigosode, a part of the Ayore tribe.
REMEMBER…A simple concept with powerful potential. Remembrance is a key concept throughout the Bible. God’s people are called to remember His promises, His commands, and His mighty works. The Psalmist declares in Psalm 77:1, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.” We see the power of remembering in Lamentations chapter 3. In verse 18 he writes, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.” Yet in verse 21 his attitude changes completely when he chooses to remember the goodness of the Lord in the past. He says, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Just like the Psalmist and the writer of Lamentations, we can choose to remember and meditate on difficulties, obstacles, and afflictions that will cause our hearts to become cast down and can even lead to depression. Or, we can choose to remember and meditate on the goodness and faithfulness of our Lord in the past which has the power to fill us with hope and faith for the present and the future.
This month we are remembering and celebrating 100 years of God’s faithfulness and mighty works since the first SAM missionaries entered Bolivia in 1922. Those first missionaries faced many trials and some were even persecuted. Others made first contact with certain tribal groups in Bolivia. They preached the Gospel and established churches and schools, and God was faithful. Now 100 years later, as Field Director of SAM Bolivia, in the midst of political unrest and other challenges, I am choosing to remember and concentrate on God’s mighty works in Bolivia over the last century, and I’m trusting Him to continue to do amazing things in and through South America Mission in Bolivia in the coming years. I am excited that our SAM Bolivia team is now working alongside an indigenous church association made up of believers from those same tribal groups that SAM missionaries made first contact with decades ago. It fills me with joy to see our team helping Bolivian churches planted by SAM missionaries decades ago, to train and send their own people as missionaries to take the message of salvation around the world to some places that have never heard, just like those first SAM missionaries brought the Gospel to Bolivia when many in that nation had never heard. These are only a few of the areas where we are seeing fruit from 100 years of service and God’s faithfulness, and we are expecting to see much more as we move forward in His power and for His glory.
As we pray together this month for the needs of our missionaries and ministries, let God’s faithfulness motivate us and renew our hope and faith for tomorrow.
1. Pray for the Bittners. Micah and Haley serve in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Micah is a mechanic with the SAMAIR team. They worship and serve at their local church, Iglesia Antioquia, joining a couples small group and serving the youth group. They are transitioning from short-term (1-2.5 years) to long-term (3+ years) service with SAM. Please pray for an upcoming support-raising trip from October to December.
2. Pray for Proclama. Proclama desires to see churches in Bolivia contribute toward the completion of the Great Commission by being a strong gospel witness in their communities and beyond. The Proclama team works to mobilize and equip the Bolivian Church to send Bolivian missionaries to the unreached around the world. Please pray for Proclama to become registered as a legal Bolivian entity and for finances to sustain this ministry, either through donations or through new potential “business as mission” ventures.
3. Pray for Jeff HAuse and ReFocus. ReFocus, a ministry aimed at helping churches discover the vision and niche God has for them in their community, first came to Bolivia in February 2020. At that time COVID restrictions and distancing were just gearing up in Bolivia so the first conference had only a limited live attendance. Jeff HAuse was able to translate for pastor Scott Foshie, who continued meeting monthly with the local pastors via Zoom. Jeff translated those follow-up sessions throughout the year. In September a team will travel from the U.S. to Bolivia to host the ReFocus seminar. It will again be held for a wider audience. The team will also be doing an evangelistic outreach. Please pray that God will use ReFocus ministry to help churches focus on the ministries that would prove most helpful in the areas God has placed them.
4. Pray for Natalie Suff. Member care for missionaries involves walking alongside fellow servants offering encouragement, friendship, and guidance. The goal is building and supporting spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and physically healthy missionaries. In Bolivia, Natalie is cultivating the ministry of member care. As she develops and expands member care, please pray for opportunities to encourage and disciple local Bolivian friends as well. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for Natalie and that the Lord uses these relationships for His glory.
5. Pray for Greg Dahl and SAMAIR. SAMAIR Bolivia partners with local churches and ministries to serve the spiritual and physical needs of isolated communities in the northern and eastern lowlands. Providing air transportation and other logistical support, they help with a wide variety of needs, from medical support to Bible training. Greg, a pilot and mechanic, leads the ministry of SAMAIR in Bolivia. Pray for Greg, his family, and the ministry of SAMAIR Bolivia.
6. Pray for the Millers. The Miller family is preparing to serve in Bolivia with the SAMAIR team. Please pray for them to have clear minds as they study Spanish and open hearts as they study the Latino culture at Rio Grande Bible Institute in Texas. Pray for their three children who are attending bi-lingual preschool and daycare on-site.
7. Pray for the Shanks. Mike and Marina arrived on the Bolivia field this past spring. They are still in a process of discernment and orientation to the ministry areas and culture. Please pray for wisdom and resilience as they explore their new community. Pray also for good health and patience as they continue to adjust to a new climate.
8. Pray for the Weigners. Jason and Jenna serve in eastern Bolivia with the Indigenous Rural Outreach team. Jenna is a midwife to the surrounding communities, and Jason is an agronomist collaborating with the Torre Fuerte Indigenous Discipleship Center leadership team. Their four growing boys attend a local school and also homeschool. Please pray for the upcoming indigenous women’s conferences this fall at Torre Fuerte. This year, they will host three smaller conferences for three different indigenous groups: the Ayore, the Chiquitano, and the Cavineño.
9. Pray for the Ryans. Eric and Zola are preparing to serve in eastern Bolivia with the Torre Fuerte Indigenous Discipleship Center. They have hearts for discipleship and look forward to participating with students and staff in economic and agricultural development initiatives. Please pray for their support raising efforts and to receive full funding soon. Pray also that their house will sell in a timely manner so they can get to the field as soon as possible.
10. Pray for the Ortiz family. Dalmiro and Laura serve in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. They are currently on Home Ministry Assignment in the U.S. During this time, they are visiting supporters, friends, family, and churches. Their kids are adjusting to a new school. In Bolivia, some needed renovations are underway on their home. Pray for the Ortiz family during this time of travel and transition.
11. Pray for the Netzlaffs. The Netzlaff family has served alongside SAMAIR Bolivia and Bolivian missionaries since 2018 making contact and building relationships with the Araona tribe. They currently have various projects to reach the Araona people in rural northern Bolivia, including a radio station and finishing the translation of the Bible in the Araona language. They recently joined SAM as missionaries. Pray for the Netzlaff family as they raise support and work to reach indigenous people for Christ.
12. Pray for the Smiths. The Smiths are preparing to serve with SAMAIR in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. They are currently in Spanish language school in Costa Rica. When not in class, they are hoping to serve with the ministry of Young Life. Please pray that, in both class and ministry, God will give them language proficiency, sweet fellowship, and a great love for Latin America. Pray for their three girls who are attending bi-lingual preschool and childcare on campus.
I love that in both Spanish and Portuguese, the verb “esperar” can be translated to both “to wait” and “to expect/hope.” It makes me question if we have the proper understanding of waiting within the English language.
As I reflect on this season since completing my candidate orientation and preparing for moving to the field, I would say that in many ways I experienced the all-encompassing “esperar.” While there were many times when I desired to just hop on a plane and move back to Brazil ASAP, there was this quiet voice reassuring me that He had a plan in the waiting.
Throughout the year, God was faithful to me in reminding me of the ministry He has called me to. Whether it was through conversations with my future team, making Brazilian friends in my hometown, or through a vision trip to my future neighborhood, God always timed things perfectly. In seasons where I felt stagnant, God graciously reminded me of my longing for Brazil.
With this longing before me, however, I also knew God had much planned for me to heal and prepare before my move. Through investing deeply in my sending church, God revealed to me how works-based my faith had become, and reminded me of the joy and freedom I have in serving others for Christ. I also experienced a lot of practical preparation, through online courses I completed and being able to serve alongside a community development nonprofit in my neighborhood. As I’m nearing the time for my move to Brazil, I can see the unique ways God has been at work throughout this past season, teaching me that in the waiting I can also balance this unique expectation of what is to come.
Ultimately, this year has reminded me of the lifelong “esperar” we are called to in Christ. While we are living in the here and now and actively a part of God’s work of reconciliation in the world, we hope and long for the full restoration He has promised.
1. Pray for the first week of classes at Ammi. Ammi Training Center in Brazil celebrated their last semester with a musical conference where students planted trees, played music, and used other forms of creativity to bring glory to God. Please pray for their new semester that began on August 1. Please pray for the beginning of classes and guest teachers that will be traveling to teach at the campus. Pray that Ammi will continue to seek creative ways to teach its students about glorifying God in all they do.
2. Pray for the kids from the Creciendo con Jesús (growing with Jesus) project. In Santa Maria, Colombia, the kids involved in the Creciendo con Jesús project just started their semester up at school again! The project is led by the 1st Presbyterian Church of Barranquilla.
Pray for the students as they transition back to school- pray for their friendships, their safety, their teachers, and them as they enter back into that environment. It can be a tough place for them in terms of safety and often challenges a lot of the values they are learning in the project.
3. Pray for the San Fernando community in eastern Bolivia. Last month, SAMAIR Bolivia flew two dentists and a doctor to serve for two days in the community of San Fernando in eastern Bolivia. Alas de Aguilas (Wings of Eagles), a ministry started by students at the school SCCLC in Santa Cruz helped sponsor this trip. Praise God for all the hands that served. Pray for the people of San Fernando to know and experience Christ’s love and care for them.
4. Pray for Paolo Villanueva in Pucallpa, Peru. Paolo Villanueva works as an administrative assistant at SAMAIR Peru. His job is vital for the smooth operation of the aviation ministry. He praises the Lord for his job and asks for prayer for good health for him and his family.
5. Pray for the ministry of Ammi Training Center in Brazil. One of the Bible classes at Ammi is called “Termos Chaves” or Key Terms. Most students only have portions of the Bible in their language, so a primary need for the students is to learn how to translate natural, accurate, and clear explanations of basic concepts like God, life, death, angel, or grace. One example from the Key Terms class is the word forgiveness. Most of the students’ cultures do not practice or understand the idea of forgiveness, so there is no word for it. The students shared that when someone wrongs another person in their village, it is typical for the recipient to hurt the perpetrator back in the same way that they were hurt or to ignore, isolate, leave the village, or try to forget, always seeming to carry the weight of bitterness toward the person who wronged them. The translation process requires an entirely new phrase to be developed in each language explaining the process of receiving forgiveness from God and extending forgiveness to others. Pray for the ways this class allows the students to develop new language to share the gospel in their home cultures. Pray for the ministry of Ammi and for God’s Word to reach all the tribes of Brazil.
6. Pray for Latidos de Esperanza in Pucallpa, Peru. Latidos de Esperanza (Heartbeats of Hope) is a pregnancy center in Pucallpa, Peru. They praise the Lord that after many months of waiting for renovations to be done and for a water issue to be fixed (after not having water for several months), they will finally be able to reopen the office for service to the public. Two young ladies, Paula and Georgyna, are being discipled by some of their volunteers. Paula is currently attending school to be a nurse tech and has the support of her parents to help care for her baby. Georgyna is a university student planning to finish her studies with a law degree in December so that she can get a job to support her child. Georgyna lives with her mother, and they are in a very difficult situation financially and emotionally due to issues with her father. Please pray for protection for them and wisdom for the center to know how to best help. They are in a safe place for now.
7. Pray for the Smiths. Dave and Katrina Smith and their three girls moved to Costa Rica yesterday to begin their language studies. After they complete their studies, they will be moving to serve at our SAMAIR Bolivia location. Please pray for their family as they settle into their new home in Costa Rica and begin studying Spanish.
8. Pray for Granito de Amor ministry in Pucallpa, Peru. Granito de Amor is an evangelistic children’s ministry in Pucallpa, Peru. Before COVID, Granito de Amor mainly ministered in the pediatric ward of the hospital. They hope to start hospital visits again soon but have done two programs for the community so far this year. Several missionary kids (MKs) have joined the ministry along with eight Peruvian youth.
9. Pray for Mike and Marcy Brown. Home Ministry Assignment (HMA) is a time for missionaries to return to the United States and spend time ministering to their partners, churches, or spend time furthering their training and education. Please pray for Mike and Marcy and their kids as they spend this summer on HMA. They serve at SAM Academy in Pucallpa, Peru, and the new school year starts in September.
10. Pray for the Ballew family in Barranquilla, Colombia. Joel and Angel and their girls live in Barranquilla, Colombia. With a background in business and entrepreneurship, the Ballews are reaching out to professionals as a means of developing leaders and sharing the gospel. They have hearts for mentoring and hospitality. Pray for the Ballew family as they serve in Barranquilla.
11. Pray for IBC Ciudad de Dios in Arequipa, Peru. IBC Ciudad de Dios, a young church on the outskirts of Arequipa, Peru recently celebrated its first baptism service! Jason and Sarah Sheets, missionaries with TEAM, serve with this church. Praise God for new families and for consistent attendance at the Sunday service. Please pray for the Nueva Vida en Cristo (New Life in Christ) class that will begin this month. Please pray for the group of young people and their spiritual growth.
12. Pray for the ministry of IBIENA in Peru. IBIENA, the Bible Institute for the Evangelical Native Churches, serves many ethnic groups from the jungles of eastern Peru by training pastors and their spouses how to pastor a local church, disciple others, and share the Gospel effectively in their home communities. In July, students from 12 different groups celebrated finishing the first block of studies. The theme was 1 Corinthians 15:57-58. SAMAIR Peru plays a role by bringing many couples into the city for classes.
13. Pray for the transitions of Tracey Culley and the Callahans. Tracey will be moving to Brazil tomorrow to serve with the Recife Redemptive Ministry. Please pray for her as she says goodbye to friends and family, for safe travels, and for her as she transitions to her new home in Brazil.
Tim and Mindy Callahan have been in Brazil for one year, studying Portuguese in the city of Cuiabá. They moved to their new home at the Ammi Training Center this week. Pray for them as they settle into their new home and begin serving in the ministry at Ammi.
When I read these prayer requests and see these photos each month, I stand in awe of our missionaries and team in South America. They are doing good works for Jesus and sharing the gospel in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. I think of them as ambassadors for Christ as they represent Him in a foreign land. Then I think about how I’m representing Jesus in my home country. Am I an ambassador for Christ? Are you?
When we accepted the free gift of salvation, our hearts changed for Christ. We were reconciled to God and given eternal life. We also became His representative in the world. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Paul says, “We implore you on behalf of Christ.” This is what an ambassador for Christ does. Implores people…requests in a sincere or urgent manner…on behalf of Christ. Be reconciled to God. As a follower of Christ, I am Christ’s ambassador. Scary thought!
It’s a lot of responsibility. It’s a lot to live up to. When people see me, they are supposed to see Jesus. When people hear me speak, they are supposed to hear Jesus. When I interact with people, they are supposed to know that Jesus loves them. That He died for them. That He wants to have a personal relationship with them. That’s a tall order for someone like me who prefers to hide in the corner at social gatherings.
As I process this great responsibility, I realize that many of us may need a change in perspective. Maybe God hasn’t called us to serve in South America. Or maybe He will. But He has sent us to that city where we live. He sent us to that community, that neighborhood. He sent us to that office, that job. He sent us for a reason. Wherever we find ourselves right now, we have opportunity to implore others to trust in Jesus.
His power and grace open the doors for us to share. We don’t need to feel scared of representing Christ. We don’t need to worry about what to say or how to say it. Or what others think about us. As we live, love, and help others for Him, we naturally build relationships with others. It’s in those relationships that we can share our faith and encourage others in their faith journey. That builds my confidence as Christ’s ambassador. Because it’s not about me. It’s about Him.
1. Pray for Mike and Marina Shank. Mike and Marina are settling into their first term of service in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. They are learning how God is already at work around the city as they go through orientation, meeting missionaries, pastors, leaders, and new neighbors. Pray for discernment as the Shanks find a local church family as well as for guidance as they work with the SAM Bolivia Team to see how they can serve God in Santa Cruz.
2. Pray for IBC Bustamante Church and the Malec family. Seth and Jessica live and serve with TEAM in Arequipa, Peru. Seth pastors a church plant, IBC Bustamante. God has been growing this young church and has opened doors for the church body to serve the spiritual and physical needs of two under-resourced communities. Pray for God to raise up a local pastor to lead and serve this congregation.
3. Pray for Seed Projects in Recife, Brazil. Seed Projects are small, holistic outreach projects through which churches and missions demonstrate God’s love in practical ways in their local community. South America Mission / Missão SAIM in Recife had the opportunity to collaborate with local friends and churches to build a much-needed bus stop on a neighborhood street. This bus stop is used daily by many people. The new structure will protect friends and neighbors from Recife’s blistering sun and rainy season downpours as they wait on the public buses to arrive. Praise God for all the hands who worked on this project, and pray for more opportunities to serve the community in this way.
4. Pray for children in Armenia, Colombia. It was Christmas in April! Churches in Armenia received Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes in April after a long delay due to Covid. Chris and Cristi Haylett serve with Iglesia Nueva Esperanza alongside Pastor Jorge and his wife Kristina. Their church received 80 boxes and hosted three events where they presented the gospel to children and their parents. What a joy for the children! Many children responded to the message and indicated a desire for a relationship with Jesus. They loved the gift boxes and many seemed to receive “just what they wanted.” From art supplies for a girl who loves to draw to a boy receiving a few dollars that he used to help feed his family, the kids were overwhelmed with the gifts. The church serves an impoverished community, so it was exciting to see God bless and provide spiritually and physically through the shoeboxes. The Sunday after the evangelistic events, two new families came to church. Praise God for bringing them. The church is now following up with a 12-week discipleship curriculum from Samaritan’s Purse called La Gran Aventura (The Great Adventure).
5. Pray for the indigenous peoples of Brazil. In April, the Ammi training center in Brazil celebrated Day of the Indian. This was a great time of fellowship, dances, and a cookout celebrating the rich diversity of these cultures and peoples. Pray that God will use Ammi, the staff, and the students to glorify Himself in each tribe.
6. Pray for Dalmiro and Laura Ortiz. Dalmiro and Laura live and serve in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in teaching, pastoral care, and administration. They will be in the U.S. for eight months this year on Home Ministry Assignment (HMA). HMA is a time for missionaries to connect with churches, supporters, and family. They may also use the time for training, rest, and renewal. Please pray for this time for the Ortiz family, that God would give them rest and opportunities to share their ministry. Pray that God will fill the temporary holes they leave in Bolivia while they are gone for several months.
7. Pray for Iglesia Biblica Gracia y Verdad’s mission trip. Iglesia Biblica Gracia y Verdad in Lima, Peru will be taking a mission trip to Ecuador from June 14-29. This will be a medical mission outreach to a Quichua community outside of Riobamba, Ecuador. The team of seven will be joining a team of 13 from Volunteers in Medical Missions from the U.S. Pray for these two teams as they work together to serve the Quichua people with physical and spiritual needs.
8. Pray for the Wayuu in northern Colombia. Praise God for the fruitful work of the Wayuu people and Wájaro Foundation. A picture of 6 books may not excite you, but these are all a part of the literacy program that now enables +800,000 of the Wayuu community to learn how to read and write in their own language (and very efficiently at that)! This may be the first well-done and extensive workbook created by Wayuu for literacy in their own language (Wayuunaiki).
9. Pray for new baptisms. In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, due to virtual church and then restricted in-person meetings, many new believers have been waiting for an opportunity to be baptized. Praise God that in the past few months, many have been baptized, giving testimony to their faith in Christ. Pray for these believers to grow in the knowledge of God and to be witnesses to the work of Christ.
10. Pray for Oscar Sinuiri. Oscar works as the groundskeeper for SAMAIR Peru. He and his wife are raising their grandchildren. Oscar asks for prayer for wisdom, strength, and the Lord’s provision as they take care of their grandkids.
11. Pray for Kaylee and Nilton Solier in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Kaylee and Nilton met and married in Peru while Kaylee was serving in Ayacucho with SAM. They are now serving in Guatemala City for a few years while Nilton is completing a church-planting and discipleship training program. They also work with an initiative of the local church, Iglesia Reforma, called MANOS. In the impoverished neighborhood of Bethania, MANOS runs a tutoring and after-school program for kids. They provide homework help to kids who need it, but they also give them opportunities to develop their other talents and abilities with classes in geography, gardening, English and other areas of interest.
12. Pray for City to City in Medellín, Colombia. In the city of Medellín, Julián Arias has been getting to know other pastors and ministry leaders through connections with SAM and City to City, a ministry that seeks to connect churches and local ministries to help reach the city with the gospel by working together. He coordinated logistics for City to City’s two day incubator meetings in Medellín with pastors from across the city. Please pray for wisdom as Julián and fellow leaders continue to seek how they can serve together with City to City in Medellín.
It all began with a bus ride up the mountain to a little Peruvian town. Rick and I were on our way to hike in order to get some exercise and fresh air. Plus dropping off a New Testament to a Quechua lady that Rick prayed for after her husband broke her arm in a fuss. While on the bus, the young gal seated in front of us turned and began talking to us in very simple English! English!! We were surprised, of course, and continued to talk with her, asking her simple questions. We discovered that her name is Samy. And she is in her preparatory time to enter the University.
We all got off at the bus stop in this little town and began walking in the same direction. We continued walking and talking together. As we came near a bend in the road, I saw a surprisingly lovely house and asked her if she knew who lived there. She said, “Oh that’s my house! Would you like to come over for a coffee?” Rick and I both thought, “Sure! What an ‘open-door’ opportunity to share with someone!” So, we went.
The house we entered was NOT the lovely house that I noticed, but rather a humble, adobe structure made with poles, dirt, and a tin roof over a dirt floor. (It was interesting to me how Samy thought that HER house was the “lovely house” of my comment.) Her shaggy dog greeted us on our way down the embankment. We met her two little nieces, 5 and 8, who appeared to be home alone. She served both of us a cup of powdered coffee. We visited and talked. Rick asked her some questions about Jesus and began to share the gospel. We had the New Testament with us, plus a spare one (Thank the Lord!). Rick read some verses and left the New Testament with her. We also shared our contact information in case she wanted to talk with us again. We left and went on our way.
Over the next several months, Samy began to text us occasionally. Rick and I asked her over to our house for some coffee and cookies and she came. We saw her in the main Plaza in town at times. We invited her to our church services. She came every now and again. She especially enjoyed our Christmas service last year (2021) when we had fellowship time and a fun “photo booth” with props to take crazy photos together! Every time we were with her, we tried to share with her about the Lord.
When Rick was sick with COVID, we were in quarantine in our apartment. Samy bought bread for us fairly regularly and dropped it off. She is a real sweetheart and very willing to help others in their time of need.
Samy is lonely, seeking friendships, and opportunities for success in life. Her parents work in a village that is a three-hour drive away. She lives in Ayacucho with her sister who works long hours. Samy is often left to herself.
During one conversation, she mentioned that her birthday was coming up in January. She didn’t know what she was going to do. Samy was turning 21. She mentioned it several times during that visit. I told Rick, “I think she’s kind of ‘fishing’ for us to have a party for her!” We decided to plan a party for her birthday and welcomed her to invite some of her friends over too. We talked and planned the menu and time together. She only invited one friend, Edith, whom we had also met in the Plaza with Samy on one of our chance encounters. In talking with Edith at that time, she seemed to be a believer. We were glad to know of Edith’s friendship in Samy’s life.
What a fun celebration with Samy, Edith, and Edith’s two little boys. We had a great time of food, fellowship, and fiesta together as those boys were most entertaining!
A few Sundays after that birthday party, Edith and her two little boys, along with Edith’s mother, Lydia, came with Samy to our worship service. What a beautiful surprise! We were so glad to see them all.
Rick began to think of ways that he could include Samy in our worship service in order to promote more regular attendance. He asked her if she would change the PowerPoint slides for our worship singing time. She agreed.
On Palm Sunday (April 10, 2022), Samy came early to help us set up equipment for worship and to practice changing the slides for the worship songs. We practiced and she did great! We got done “early” so I (Donna) left the room to go work on my children’s Sunday School craft. When I went back into the main room, Samy was sitting down reading a tract, “How to Have Peace With God.” As we began to gather for our prayer time, Rick asked her what she thought about the tract. She said that it promoted the need for reflection and that many people tend to reject God. She said that she would have to think about it more.
Then she asked, “How does one have peace with God?” Rick began sharing verses from another tract that he had with him. This tract had pictures depicting man’s sinful separation from God and his inability to “work” his way to God with his own attempts. It showed Jesus as the “bridge” to bring us to God. Rick shared several verses from that tract explaining the pictures as he shared. At the back of the tract was a sample “sinner’s prayer.” He read over that prayer. Then told her that if that prayer represented what was going on in her own heart, if it was something that she wanted to say HERSELF to God, that she could. He asked her if she would like to pray that to God, and she said, “Yes.” She then prayed, aloud, that prayer to God! Afterward, she commented on how emotional it was!
How thrilling! After many, many times of sharing Christ and the gospel with Samy, she went from death to life. Praise the Lord! We told her that the angels in heaven were having a big party over her too. What a joy to have a new sister in Christ! And it all started during a “holy moment” when she turned around and started talking to us on a bus ride up the mountain.
Rick and Donna Martin serve as SAM missionaries in Ayacucho, Peru. Their passion for evangelism and discipleship brings great energy to the church planting team in the Ayacucho region. They desire to see beautiful churches planted that help bring God’s shalom to broken cities and lives.
