Top of the Hill II

¨So Moses said to Joshua, `Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.`¨

We are finally headed to Pocoata, my base camp, and from there we are headed out to do various investigation trips. My partners still don´t have their promised money from their churches, but we are going to focus on the work until we have to return to Peru for our Xtreme Team reunion. We are leaving the money situation in the hands of God and while we are out we are hoping for some opportunities to present themselves.

This trip is very important for so many reasons. We have to investigate the area for how to travel in the future, know where the communities are, and study the culture in order to know how to present the Word in stories being sensative of the bridges and barriers.

Our first objective is to find a ¨Man of Peace,¨ someone that we can stay with and work for in order to earn our keep. We hope he will be the key to the community and we can make great contacts for future engagements.

In my partners´ last investigation the people were very suspicious of them and many were afraid because they are foreignors in this land. They did not know the meaning of the word, ¨missionary¨ so they assumed they were ¨Kelecheri,¨ which are people that steal blood from others in order to use it against them. They are a very suspicious people and we are just praying they will be open to a Gringo and two Peruvians, and we will be accepted.

We are also learning Quechua right now, Javier and I. This is of the upmost importance because most of these communities speak only Quechua. Caleb is Quechua, but being from Peru there is a lot of difference between the two dialects. We want to be able to communicate in nothing but Quechua and tell all the stories in Quechua so they have their own church, own Bible, and not just a religion of foreignors.

So, these are our prayer requests:

1. Find a man of peace.
2. Open doors to communities
3. Learning Quechua
4. Safe and Healthy travel
5. Support for Caleb and Javier

As Moses interceded on behalf of Joshua and the Israelites, I ask you now to do the same for us. In so many ways the fight is won by those on Top of the Hill and not those on the battlefield. We need the prayers of you faithful ones, and something we cherish with all our hearts. ¨

¨Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.¨

Top of the Hill

In Exodus 17, Israel faces Amalek. Joshua was chosen to pick the men and be their commander and to fight against the enemy. All the while Moses went to the top of the Hill with the staff of God to intercede on behalf of Joshua and Israel. Whenever, his arms were raised, the Israelites started to overcome the enemy, but when Moses grew tired and lowered his arms, the Israelites began to fall. I believe this to be so true on so many levels. That Joshua did not gain the victory, nor even the Israelites, but only through God. He allowed the victory through the intercession of Moses on top of the hill. I honestly, without a doubt, know that I cannot face the enemy unless I have intercession. Unless I have people on top of the hill. My hope is that you will remember me, so that God can have the victory in whatever He asks me to do. Your prayers are so greatly appreciated and I need them so desperately.

Just some prayer concerns for the next two to three months:

1. Obedience in whatever He asks us to do
2. The Chayahuita in their training and that they will be able to reach their cousin people groups
3. Health and Protection for me and my partner Jeff Hill (Diego on my Fellow Sojourner)
4. Learning Spanish for me and Chayahuita for both Jeff and me
5. Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional endurance through the heat, the bugs, the work, the hunger
6. Being able to adapt to the culture and be sensitive in that way

Thanks for all your prayers. I already feel them giving me more and more grace to do what He has called me to do. I am confident that your prayers will be answered by the end of this brief journey and that I will be able to share with you in each and everyway that He showed Himself faithful.

¨But Moses´ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.¨
-Exodus 17:12