Pray For Puchana

From Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson.  Perú Amazon River's Water Level Could Endanger 53 Thousand People...
More...

2012 Perú Mission Trip Meeting

The 2012 Mission Trip to Huanta, Peru promises to be one of witness and service to Jesus Christ. Do you feel God’s call to participate in this year’s trip?

Informational meetings will be held at Sharon Presbyterian Church, 5201 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC  28210, on Sunday, February 12, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. in the Annex basement and Sunday, February 19, 2012, promptly after the 10:30 a.m. worship service in the Heritage Room.

The trip is open to adults and a limited number of youth. Youth participants must be at least a rising high school junior this year. At least one parent or legal guardian of each youth participant must also participate.

The trip is scheduled to take place from Friday, August 3rd through Monday, August 13th.

Trip information and application forms will be distributed at the meetings. Forms will also be available from the Peru Mission Trip mailbox (located on the top row of mailboxes in the hallway just outside the church office) on Sunday, February 12, 2012, or by contacting Randy Ross at 704-552-5573 or mrandallross@aol.com.

Trip applications, deposits and passport copies are due Sunday, March 11, 2012. Please contact Randy if you are unable to attend either meeting but are still interested in participating or learning more about the trip.

La Oroya Health

Our environmental study of La Oroya was finally published! It is the only independent study done in La Oroya since the plant stopped operating -- showing the continued and extremely high public health risks the contamination continues to present to children.

Jed Hawkes Koball

Lead, Arsenic, and Cadmium Contamination and Its Impact on Children's Health in La Oroya, Peru.

Roberta News!

Sarah and I Skyped with Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson this evening. Guess who is recuperating in the apartment next door? Yes, none other than Roberta Tello! She looked great, good color, great spirit and big smiles. She sends her love and gratitude for all the thoughts and prayers and is looking forward to seeing everyone in Huanta in August.

Randy

From Yesenia Montes!

Hi my dear friends!

I write this little letter to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, is already a bit late, but I could not write before because I was traveling with my family during this time, we will spend incredible!

We were visiting my grandparents and enjoyed it very much!

At Christmas we went to visit my grandparents, they live in a small community Huayllay an hour north of Huanta, very cold and snows although there was much fog, so it was a white Christmas! Cook chicken, sang, prayed and walked around the farms of my grandparents, it was fun!

In the new year, we went to my paternal grandfather, who lives alone in a small community Ccaranacc geographically located in the department of Huancavelica, but is two hours west of Huanta, but cars do not come to the same community had to walk 8 miles to get there, but it was great fun, from there you can see the beautiful valley and the mountains Huanta! It's very nice! These days we had our first meeting of the Montes family cousins, we went almost all the grandchildren of my grandfather and prepare a special meeting of reflection and communion between us. We barbecue, a typical Peruvian food is prepared in special moments and hope the New Year with lights and campfire songs and everything! It was very nice!

You see, I really enjoyed this time, and I learned and understood many things that were on my mind, I realized that to achieve our goals we can not stop one bit, we can slow down when we get tired, but never stop to reach the goal, and I'd like to share this with you, to encourage them to do that this year, not detain us achieve our dreams, maybe we can slow down when we get tired, but we do not stop until our goals, we appreciate much to pray for me and my dreams and encourage me when they think I am tired.

Thank you for your friendship and brotherhood!
I'm really happy to know friends who are like brothers ... to feel your love, your presence, your support makes me understand how great is the love of Christ for us, thank you very much for that!
I hope this new year is a great blessing to you and their families.
Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

With much love and appreciation,

Yesenia Montes Ñaupa
Int. Psicología - UNMSM
Cel: 945234204
Huanta, Ayacucho

Happy New Year From Samuel

Dear brothers in Christ.

Please receive my greetings.  I hope with the coming year that we will do well under the grace of our Creator.  I just want to tell you some very important actions that have taken place.

At the end of the year, we had the renewal of the Huanta Presbytery Board.  Thanks be to God that a decision for the new Board for 2012 - 2013 was decided after much discussion from the leaders;

• President - Ps. Orlando Bell
• Vice President - Ps. Huicho Gaspar
• Secretary - Ps. Samuel Montes
• Treasurer - Pb. Bellido Moses (father of Orlando)

After the election, we immediately had a meeting and agreed on the following key things:

1. To strengthen our task of training for church leaders through the Presbyterian Bible College as a strategy to reinforce peace and deal with the uncertainty of our young people today.  (beginning with the preparations for the monthly cycle February).
2. Developing a strategic plan as a priority to guide Presbytery IEPRP institutionally - Huanta.
3. Rekindle a relationship that is intended to increase again the Presbyterian Churches of the Andes in partnership with Radio Amauta, other Presbyteries, Synods and PCUSA friends.  (many people need the Word of God).
4. Reinforce the twinning or union with friends, PCUSA churches, PCA and GZB.  It is our hope to further strengthen the ministry of Christ in the midst of a society that suffers a crisis of values.  Work with the faith in Christ by following his example and by being open and honest.

We have completed a year and started a new one as a family together.  We spent Christmas in the mountains with the parents of my wife.  They are in good health so far.  For the new year, we had planned to visit my father with all of his grandchildren.  He lives 80km from Huanta in the region of Huancavelica.  With all of the grandchildren, it was a very happy time to be with him on Saturday, December 31 and Sunday, January 1, 2012.  We had many activities with the children.  Their grandfather told stories, we sang, we prayed, burnt dolls before the new year and had barbecue for lunch.

With much appreciation.

Ps. Samuel Montes