One Sunday morning in July, Oscar brought another friend to church, a teacher named Leo.  Oscar had already been witnessing to Leo, and following the morning service, Leo trusted Christ as Savior!  We are excited to see Leo’s desire to grow, and Oscar’s desire to see his friends come to know the Lord.  Since then, Leo’s wife and 2 children have visited with us and we are praying for their salvation as well.

Praises and Progress

◆  Our church Missions Conference at the end of June went well.  Missionary to N Africa, Renzo Zuñiga, brought several great Bible messages, and our people were challenged seeing someone just like them whom God is using on the foreign field.  We had the opportunity to hear presentations that church members prepared to help us see the need for the Gospel in other countries.  The conference was finished out by a banquet featuring foods traditional to Peru’s different regions.
◆  In the past few weeks, we have begun a second children’s Bible club that meets on Saturday afternoons.  It has been a blessing to see the people of the church getting involved: leading music, preparing refreshments,  knocking on doors in their community,  and bringing children to hear the Gospel.
◆  At the end of July, we had the opportunity to travel to Peniel Baptist Church in the town of Ilo.  We were there about 5 years ago, and it was a blessing to see how the church has grown and how God is using Pastor Samuel Huaman and his family.  God blessed in their Missions Conference, and I was privileged to have a part.
◆  I was able to travel to Lima and pick up my visa in July.  Now we are in the process of working on getting visas for Sara, Josiah, and Lydia.  Please pray for the process to go smoothly.
◆  In the next 3 weeks, we have 2 couples from our church who will be getting married.  We thank the Lord that in a country where living together is the norm, these couples have decided to take this step and get things right.  Please pray that God would bless these couples as they desire to please Him.
◆  Recently, our people have seen the need to make some improvements to the church building.  A group of men were able to lay tile in our church kitchen this week.  We have seen folks getting involved giving, teenagers taking time to make and sell baked goods, and other fundraising activities to better God’s house.  Praise the Lord for a servant-like spirit in our church!
◆  We thank the Lord for the growth we have seen in the new believers in our church.  On Friday nights, I have the privilege of meeting with and discipling several men who have a desire to learn more about the things of the Lord.  Please be praying for the spiritual growth of Oscar, Leo, Manuel, and John.  
◆  Lately we have seen how Satan desires to attack and weaken Christians.  The Bible gives the solution to this in James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  Please pray for God’s help and strength in this area.  We know that “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I Jn. 4:4)

Family Update:

The children continue to grow up way too fast!  Josiah is now in 2nd grade, and Caleb is in kindergarten.  Joshua is learning new things every day, and Lydia sings Bible songs and hymns in both English and Spanish.  Zachary is a jolly little fellow with a big smile and laugh (but no teeth yet).  Sara stays busy with the kids, teaching piano lessons, playing the piano in the church, and is a constant blessing to me in the ministry.  Overall, we can definitely say that God’s been good!

Thank you for having a part in what God is doing here in Tacna through your prayers and sacrificial giving.  Let’s keep on until Jesus comes!
En el Amor de Cristo (In the Love of Christ),
Robert, Sara, Josiah, Caleb, Joshua, Lydia, and Zachary Stover