Ladies Conference
The first week of August the ladies had a great time of teaching and fellowship with 80 ladies coming from 5 churches in our city and from Arica, Chile. The Lord greatly used the speakers, and 2 women trusted Christ as Savior. Thank you for praying for this meeting.
Evangelism Training
August 23-24, we had a time of training in personal evangelism. A good group of people came out for this training including many teens. We rejoice in the new generation of young people that God is raising up to serve Him. We continue to visit and share the Gospel with the families of our teens and appreciate your prayers for their salvation. September 7, we are organizing a youth meeting for the 5 churches that we work with. Please pray for Pastor Alan Vega as he comes from Moquegua to preach for this special event.
Blessings
What a blessing to see a young couple in the church accept Christ as Savior this month! They have a desire to learn more, and we have begun discipleship with them. Another lady for whom we have been praying for years has finally decided to get her life right with God. Our daughter Lydia, who is 7, trusted Christ as Savior. Another couple in our church who have been living together, got married. We praise the Lord for the way He is working in lives here!
Tickets bought
Many times while buying plane tickets online we have seen the price go up during the buying process. Never have we seen the message we did this time: “The price has gone down. (several hundred dollars) Would you still like to purchase?” We had been praying specifically to be able to purchase our furlough tickets at a certain price and for those flight times to be convenient ones for traveling with small children. God worked in a specific way that left us marveling in His goodness to us and thanking Him for answered prayer. Thank you to those who have prayed and given towards our tickets! We have been able to schedule about half our furlough meetings. If you would like to schedule a time for us to come by your church (January-May 2020) please contact us at rstover22@yahoo.com or 330-238-4944. We appreciate your prayers as we look for a van to use during this time as well.
We so appreciate your prayers for our family.
Serving the Lord with gladness,
Robert & Sara Stover and Family
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Building in Viñani
We are thankful for the way God has been working in the ministry in Viñani (an area of one of our van routes). Thanks to your faithful support, we were able to build a small temporary building which will serve as a meeting place for the Saturday children’s Bible club, Saturday youth group meeting, and also the adult Bible study we are working to restart in the month of August. It was a blessing to see several church members give of their time to do much of the labor. We are excited to be working with a key family in our church in this area of town. The new space has been a blessing as there have regularly been 20 or so young people at the youth meeting. (The house we had used before was full!) Recently a group of ladies from the United States came and did some special meetings for the children and young people, and also we had some tables and benches donated. Praise the Lord!
Church Update
We were able to have special outreaches for both Mother’s and Father’s Day. Several mothers whose children come on the bus route came for the first time on Mother’s Day. Would you pray that God would allow us to reach these families with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Upcoming Furlough
We have been busy scheduling meetings for our furlough this December-May 2020. We are excited to have the opportunity to visit with many of you as well as be in several new churches. If you would like to have us visit your church, please feel free to contact me at rstover22@yahoo.com or 330-238-4944. Please also pray that the Lord would give us a good price on our plane tickets as we are looking to buy them in the next few weeks.
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We are thankful that I was able to renew my 5-year visa without a problem this month.
We thank you so much for your intercessory prayers and support of our ministry. It would not be possible to do what we do without you.
Rejoicing in His goodness,
Robert & Sara Stover and Family
]]>Evangelistic Campaign
We were able to hold an evangelistic campaign Friday-Sunday of Easter weekend. As a church we passed out more than 1000 invitations in the area around the church, and we were blessed to have several first-time visitors. The plan of salvation was clearly preached and we pray the Lord would continue to give increase in the hearts of the hearers.
Baptism
Easter Sunday was an exciting day as an entire family (dad, mom, and teenage son) made the decision to follow Christ in believer’s baptism. This is the same couple who we mentioned in our previous prayer letter who were recently married. We are thankful for this family and their desire to serve the Lord.
Praises
-Michelle, who we had mentioned as having a cyst in her mouth was able to have successful surgery to remove the cyst, which ended up being benign.
-Michelle’s mom, Rosa, continues a slow recovery with her severely broken leg, but we are thankful that during her time bedridden, she made the decision to accept Christ and has been receiving discipleship. She was able to be in attendance for a service of the Easter campaign. Please continue to pray for her husband Alfonso to be saved.
-Mr. Jose, who we mentioned before, visited the church for the first time. Please pray for his salvation. His daughter, who is a Christian, continues to attend faithfully and has been bringing her sister who is deaf. We are so thankful for missionary Bethany Homan who is working with the deaf here in Tacna and that our church is able to minister to this young lady.
-It is a joy to see a faithful young lady step up to begin to help in the children’s class. This is an answer to prayer as we have been asking the Lord for more laborers. The family from our church at Bible college in the north have settled well and are busy serving and studying hard. We are encouraged to see God providing for them as they follow Him.
-We thank God for the opportunity we had to travel as a family to the jungle city of Iquitos to minister in the Peniel Baptist Church. Our eyes were definitely opened and our hearts touched to continue to pray for those who minister in this needy area.
Furlough Plans:
We are planning to take a furlough from December 2019 – June 2020. We are excited to see family, visit supporters (some of whom we have not seen in quite some time!), and present the ministry in new churches. Please feel free to contact me (rstover22@yahoo.com or 330-238-4944) to coordinate a visit to your church. Please also pray that we would be able to find a good price on airline tickets.
Thank you so much for being a key part of the ministry here in Peru through your prayers and financial giving!
Serving the Risen Savior,
Robert & Sara Stover and Family
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VBS
God blessed with a great 3-day “Jungle Adventure” VBS held in 3 locations February 7-9. Each location had a team of people working, and over 100 children attended and heard the Gospel presented. Please pray that the Lord would continue to work in the hearts of the children and their parents we were able to minister to during this time.
Youth Camp
Thank you to those who prayed and gave to help with our youth camp. Due to heavy rains and mudslides that took out roads and bridges, several churches were unable to attend. Still we had about 45 campers from 6 different churches in our region. The theme of the week was “Meetings,” focusing on the life of Jacob in Genesis 28-33. Many decisions were made, and it was a great time of fellowship. Please pray that God would raise up a generation of young people who know, love, and serve the Lord.
Wedding
We were excited to see a couple in our church make the decision to get married after living together for more that 13 years. Since they have begun to attend our church, the wife has gotten her life right with God, and the husband and teenage son have both been saved. It has been a joy to see God working in their lives and them choosing to be obedient to Him. Father and son are going to be baptized soon, along with 2 other young people and another lady. Your prayers are appreciated for this new family and for other new converts in their spiritual growth.
Salvation Needs and Praises
We praise the Lord that the 19-year old young man to whom I have been witnessing for several months made the decision to trust Christ as Savior! Please pray that he would grow and be obedient to God’s Word. Mr. Novo, the Buddhist man I had been witnessing to, clearly heard the Gospel several times, but seems to have rejected Christ. We pray that God would use what he has heard and soften his heart. Also please pray for Mr. Jose, whose daughter has been visiting our church. His saved children are burdened for their dad who has Parkinson’s and is losing some of his mental capacity. Please pray for wisdom and for him to hear and understand before it is too late.
Please pray…
-For Wilson and his family as they get adjusted to life at the Bible seminary in Trujillo, and that God would meet each need.
-That God would raise up more laborers for His service
-For the salvation of visitors we have had over these last few months
-For our family as we travel to Iquitos at the end of March to visit the Peniel Baptist Church for their church anniversary
-For Easter weekend activities that we would be able to share the Gospel with many in our community
-For our family as we begin our 8th year of homeschool in March
-For the Thursday evening Bible study
Thank you so much for the kind Christmas gifts and cards that many sent to our family. They were such an encouragement and blessing to us!
Serving the Lord with gladness,
Robert & Sara Stover and Family
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Christmas Cantata
The Lord blessed as we presented the cantata, “The Colors of Christmas,” December 16. There were many visitors in attendance, and the Gospel was clearly presented. We thank God for the beautiful evening and pray for the salvation of lost souls who heard the message that evening.
Youth Camp Preparations
We are looking forward to our 3rd annual youth camp February 12-16. The theme this year is “Encuentros” (Meetings). Please pray that God would touch the hearts of young people in this week and that many would make decisions- to trust Christ, to rededicate their lives, and to surrender to God’s calling. If you would like to help a young person go to camp (approx. $20) or contribute to the cost of food and supplies (approx. $800), please feel free to send your gift to MWBM marked, “Robert Stover, Special Fund—camp.” Thank you for your prayers for this upcoming event.
Salvation Needs
Please continue to pray for the salvation of a 19-year-old young man I have been witnessing to over these past few months. Also please pray for Mr. Novo to be saved. This is a 77-year-old man God brought into our path. He is a former Buddhist who is dying of cancer and is searching for truth. Please pray for God to open his eyes before it is too late. This is a 77-year-old man God brought into our path. He is a former Buddhist who is dying of cancer and is searching for truth. Please pray for God to open his eyes before it is too late.
Ecuador Trip
The second week of November, Pastor Henry and I had the privilege of traveling to Macará, Ecuador to visit the Richard Macedo family, missionaries sent out of our church. For years Macará has been a bastion for Catholicism, and God is using this family to spread the Gospel in this needy area. The Emmanuel Baptist Church is growing, and we felt the presence of God in each opportunity we had to teach and preach. God has provided a piece of property for their church, and little by little they have advanced on the construction of their building. Men from the church have done much of the work to cut costs. Right now the church owes $3,365 from the first phase of construction. They need to pay this off to be able to continue. Any gift to help this needy church with their building project would be greatly appreciated. You can send your gifts to MWBM, “Robert Stover-Building Fund.”
Pray for Laborers!
We are excited that two of our faithful families have surrendered to God’s calling and will be heading to Bible college in March to train to serve the Lord full time. Please pray for José and Wilson and their families as they take this step of faith. Please also pray that God would raise up more laborers for His harvest.
May you have a very blessed Christmas. Thank you for the many kind cards and gifts sent our way. We are so very grateful for each of you!
Serving the Newborn King,
Robert & Sara Stover and Family
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Family Conference:
We had a blessed time during our Family Conference in September, which was highlighted with a vow-renewal service during which 7 couples renewed their vows. Later on in September, we were privileged to be a part of another family conference at Vision Baptist Church. The Spirit of the Lord met with us in a special way, and we thank Him for what He did in hearts. Please pray that the Lord would raise up Godly families here in Peru and around the world.
Bible Institute:
In September, Pastor Darío Pérez from Lima came to teach a modular on reaching children with the Gospel and developing ministries in the church to teach them the Bible. It was a real blessing. Please pray for me as I teach the November modular class on Contemporary Theological Issues.
Youth:
We praise the Lord that our son Caleb followed the Lord in believer’s baptism in September. After celebrating his 11th birthday, Josiah was excited to be moved up to the teen class. The Lord is truly working in this ministry, with more than 50 young people participating in youth meetings and/or church services. We are praying for more laborers, as one family heavily involved with the youth will be heading to Bible College in March. Another family is also making plans to go. We are excited to see them preparing to serve the Lord full-time and know God will provide laborers for His harvest if we ask Him. Please pray specifically for the salvation of one young man with whom I have been meeting, and that he would follow the Lord with his life.
Missions:
We were privileged to have Missionary Ivan Chacon from Santiago, Chile, to preach our annual missions revival October 19-21. The passionate Bible messages he brought forth were a great encouragement. Please pray that the Lord would use us as we go to take part in the missions conference at Grace Baptist Church with Pastor Willy Pari on November 16-18. We also ask your prayers for Pastor Henry and I as we travel to Macará, Ecuador, November 6-12 to visit the Richard Macedo family, missionaries sent out of our church.
Upcoming Events:
-We praise God for the faithful work Missionary Beth Homan is doing with the deaf. They will have a Deaf Conference Nov. 9-11 with a missionary speaker coming from the north. Already, 3 have put their faith in Christ. Please pray for this ministry!
-Please pray as much preparation is going on now for Christmas and summer outreaches: Christmas Cantata (Dec. 23), teen camp (6 churches signed up to come so far), VBS, and others.
Thank you so much for partnering with us to minister here in Perú. We couldn’t do what we do without your prayers and faithful support.
In Christ,
Robert & Sara Stover and Family
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Church Attendance
It is wonderful to see the Lord building His church. Over the past several months we have seen a marked increase in attendance. The bus routes have been bringing more and more children and teens. Thank you to those who prayed and gave toward the purchase of the two church busses! We have had new people coming from Venezuela, Chile, and Colombia. Praise the Lord for His hand of blessing! Please pray that we would be used of God to be a blessing to all that He brings us in contact with.
Salvation Decisions
In several of our recent prayer letters we have asked for prayer for the health needs of Michelle, and for prayer for her family to be saved. Her mom, Rosa, suffered a bad fall and had to have an operation to repair her broken leg. Praise the Lord that during her time in the hospital she prayed to accept Christ as Savior! She is now using her time still bedridden to study the Bible and has begun to be discipled. Please continue to pray for her recuperation and for her husband, Alfonso, to be saved as well. In addition, 9 young people made professions of faith in the youth meetings last week. Please pray as we follow up and continue to work with these precious young people!
Other Blessings
The young lady who accepted Christ during the special meetings at church in January has been receiving discipleship and recently made the important decision to follow Christ in believer’s baptism. The Lord has also allowed our church to start a Thursday evening Bible study in the home of one of our families. Please pray that many would be reached with the Gospel through this outreach.
We have enjoyed having family visit around the time of Melody’s birth (Sara’s mom and my mom and brother David).
We made a trip to the embassy in Lima in July and were able to get all our paperwork taken care of and do some fun family activities.
Please pray for our Family Conference coming up in September.
Thank you so much for your support and faithful prayers for our ministry. We could not do what we do without your help.
Yours Sincerely for Souls,
Robert & Sara Stover and Family
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Thank you for your prayers for a safe birth for both mom and baby. Everyone is doing well. Please pray for strength for Sara and that Melody would continue to grow strong and healthy.
Prayer Needs
Michelle, the young lady from our church mentioned in our previous letter, was able to travel to Lima for further treatment on the cyst in her mouth. Some progress was made, but due to lab negligence, she did not find out a final diagnosis. She will have to travel to Lima again in October to continue her treatment. We have been praying for the salvation of her family. Several weeks ago, her mom had an accident and suffered a severe fracture of her lower leg. She is in the hospital awaiting surgery, and will have a long recovery. Please pray for Michelle and her mom, Rosa, in these health situations they are facing.
Brother Lorenzo’s Home-going
A little more than 2 years ago, I had the privilege of being present as a 70-year old man (the husband of one of our faithful church ladies) trusted Christ as his Savior. During the past year and a half, I have had the privilege of discipling Lorenzo as his health permitted. This past week, he went home to Heaven after a short battle with pneumonia. Praise the Lord that the Gospel reached him in time! Please pray for his family, his wife Marcela, and for his children, many of whom still do not know the Lord.
The Lord blessed my trip to Iquique, Chile, during the month of April. I had great liberty while preaching and a wonderful time of fellowship with missionaries Curtis and Debra Couch and the people of their church. Please pray that the Lord would raise up more laborers to reach the country of Chile with the Gospel!
Thank you for all you do to help us do the work that the Lord has called us to do. We could not do what we do without your prayers and financial support.
In Christ,
Robert and Sara Stover and family
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Evangelism Conference
We appreciate your prayers for the Resurrection Week meetings we had. The Lord blessed with close to 20 first-time visitors in attendance. Each one heard a clear presentation of the Gospel. Please pray with us that the Lord would even now continue to work in people’s hearts and convict them of their need of a Savior.
Children and Teenagers singing special music during the conference
Salvation Decisions
Sara was able to speak with a lady who has come to our church for awhile about her salvation. At the end of the conversation, the lady bowed her head and received Christ as her Savior.
I also praise the Lord that several weeks ago during a Sunday morning invitation, I was able to share the plan of salvation with a 13-year-old young man named Christian. He has been coming to church on one of our bus routes for about 3 months. Praise the Lord that he also chose to put his faith and trust in Jesus as his Lord and Savior! The following Sunday, he came up and gave me a big hug and thanked me for having shared the plan of salvation with him. What a blessing to serve the Lord!
Prayer Requests
Please pray for one of our most faithful young people, Michelle. She was recently diagnosed with a cyst in her mouth (chin bone area) and will be traveling to Lima to see a specialist on April 28. The plan of action is a biopsy and probably removal and reconstructive surgery. We are thankful to see God working in her life and providing through her university health insurance and other fundraisers to help toward costs. Please pray for her and her family during this time, especially for the salvation of her parents.
Please also pray for Sara and the baby who is due to arrive around May 23. We are thankful for a healthy pregnancy, and appreciate your prayers for a safe delivery and recovery time.
I appreciate your prayers for me as I travel to Iquique, Chile, at the end of April to visit missionaries Curtis and Debra Couch and preach in their missions conference. Please pray for safety in travel and that the Lord would fill and use me there.
Your kind prayers and giving are a continued blessing to our family.
In Christ,
Robert, Sara, Josiah, Caleb, Joshua, Lydia, Zachary, and Elijah Stover
Team Ladies Meeting
Deaf Bible Study
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We had a great time celebrating Calvary Baptist Church’s 19 years of preaching the Gospel here in Tacna. We were privileged to have Bro. Fred Kindhart from MWBM here with us during this time and his messages and fellowship were a great blessing to us. We were excited that Estefani and her entire family were able to come on Sunday morning of the conference, and that one teenage girl from our church trusted Christ.
Deaf Conference
The following week, we had our first Deaf Conference/Training for both hearing people wanting to learn sign language and deaf people wanting to learn more about the church and the things of God. Esteban Ramirez from Arequipa was with us during this time leading the classes. We were encouraged to be able to meet many deaf people from here in Tacna. The Lord has opened doors for our fellow-laborer Beth Homan to begin a deaf ministry out of our church. Please pray that many deaf people would be reached for Christ.
Youth Camp
February 13-17 we held our 2nd annual youth camp with about 50 campers. Pastor Juan Pacheco from Arequipa came to preach for the night services. The theme for this year was “Decisions,” and many young people made decisions to follow and serve Christ with their lives. At least 3 also made professions of faith in Christ. Praise the Lord!
Vacation Bible School
This year we formed 3 teams of workers and were able to conduct VBS in three different locations at the same time. There was a great spirit among the workers, and with fewer folks at each spot, much more opportunity for people to step up and serve. More than 100 children were reached, and some new children have already come to church on the bus routes. Many of our church’s current youth group began coming to church through this ministry. We are praying for fruit and growth as we continue to work to teach and train these young people.
Coming up…
-In March we begin our new semester of Bible Institute. This term with be held in modular form. Please pray for me as I teach in April.
-The final week of March leading up to Easter Sunday we will be having an evangelistic conference. Please pray for salvation decisions to be made.
-Please continue to pray for Sara as she is in the home stretch. Our baby girl is due in May.
Thank you for your kindness through prayers and finances.
Your Servants for Christ in Tacna,
Robert, Sara, Josiah, Caleb, Joshua, Lydia, Zachary, and Elijah Stover
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