Quechua Missions
Proclaiming the Glory of God in Peru
On Belay - Winter 2018
Greetings and Merry Christmas from Peru!
We had a restful break during Thanksgiving week and we are continuing to reflect upon how we have so much to be thankful for! Most incredible is the undeserved grace and mercy of the Lord and His gift of salvation! We are especially thankful for each of you that join with us in this ministry and who enable us to be on the field through your prayers and support!
October marked 19 years since we moved to Peru and it is encouraging to see the sanctifying fruit of God as He continues to work and call Quechua believers to participate in His plan for these isolated people. To have so many dear friends who have faithfully supported us all these years is so encouraging! We are extremely grateful, and we are once again reminded of the blessing of a diverse team that the Lord has put together to help reach the La Union Quechua people for Christ!
Because of Him, we are all working together to magnify and glorify our Lord Jesus through bringing truth and love to the Quechua people.
One of our many Bible Training Seminars over the years.
November 9th & 10 was the weekend Bible training seminar. It is always a good time for believers to gather together for concentrated times to focus on their spiritual growth and encouragement through times of fellowship. Seventeen years ago, we held the first Bible training seminar, and have continued every 2 months with topical teaching according to needs and challenges.
A small church in the village of Chincayapa (pronounced like: cheen-c-eye-yapa)
Most public-school teachers are open to the gospel and interested in our ministry. During our monthly visits to the more remote villages they invite us to teach Bible in the local Quechua dialect. What an opportunity for all!
Many listeners of our radio programs are giving thanks for the Lord’s help in getting back on the air. Even though it is provisional, the current solution enables us to work toward repairing the damaged equipment while continuing ministry. This believer happily received a solar radio receiver so that she can listen to the Christian Radio station. Like many others in her village, she cannot read and has difficulty understanding Spanish. Our Quechua programs with Bible teaching and scripture reading are enabling her to grow in her faith. Pray for a Biblical church in this new area of focus.
Students begin the school day as they line up outside in the court yard. A couple of weeks ago, this teacher worked with us as we taught the gospel with our Christmas program, complete with hot chocolate and sweet bread. We hope to continue visiting and helping these responsive people in this high-altitude area which is so spiritually and physically needy.
After about 8 hours’ drive from home and up over 16,000 feet elevation, our team of Quechua church planters arrive each month to teach the gospel to shepherd families and school children. We must take adequate gear for freezing nights, all our food, camping kitchen, and all the tools and equipment to deal with whatever we might encounter (mechanical problems, getting stuck in streams or mud, etc.). Our current goal is to visit once a month, but during the summer rainy season, roads are often impassable. When the schools are open, the teachers allow us to sleep on the floor of the school rooms. Without reliable places to stay when we visit, we are hoping to build small portable cabins in some of the villages. These can be built from pre-fab kits we can buy in the city and then have trucked into the villages that have established “roads”. Then we can stay longer and minister from these cabin locations.
Example of a prefab/portable cabin available here in Peru.
Flor is a sister in the Lord whose husband passed away several years ago. He was in the process of building them a better adobe house, but only was able to get a rough foundation in place. Since then, she has been living in a deteriorating hut left behind by extended family that no longer live in the village. The Lord enabled our team to finish building her house for her.
Without street access to her lot, heavy construction equipment is not possible in this location.
Building the adobe house using old fashioned techniques including leveling with water in a clear hose.
Jaime, a Bible student, learned how to do classic adobe construction.
Thanksgiving
Safety:
-Our the team has experienced several dangerous situations and close calls on the mountain roads this year. We give thanks for no injuries or serious damage.
Health:
Saturnina’s health has improved, however Santiago continues to suffer.
Leaders – calling and preparation
Several faithful men have expressed more serious commitment toward preparing and serving in leadership within their village churches. Pray for God’s leading and guidance as they study and participate in discipleship.
Jaime, Calip, Fredy, Faustino, Santos, Camilo, and Santiago continue to faithfully serve, learn, and help reach out to isolated villages.
Prayer Requests
Please continue praying for the local Quechua church leaders and their spiritual growth and for new leaders to help reach out to the many isolated villages.
Please pray for God to be glorified in the following ministries: radio, theological training, discipleship, biblical counseling & medical ministry.
Please pray for the different spiritual challenges and temptations that Christians face here. Old customs of mysticism tempt some professing Christians to sometimes trust and participate in witchcraft and other dark beliefs that remain popular in the culture. Please pray for the clear and faithful teaching that our team must have as we admonish, correct, and call for repentance.
Thank you so much for “belaying” us by “Holding the Rope” in prayer and support. This all enables us to serve here in Peru for His glory. Your faith and love for Him and for us are a huge blessing & encouragement to us!
With our love,
Gina & Brad
bradley.shaw@sim.org gina.shaw@sim.org
How to support:
The Cotahuasi Ministry Project is SIM project #91252 and donations can be made through SIM by sending a check to: SIM Donor Care, 14830 Choate Circle, Charlotte, NC 28273.
To give electronically please visit www.quechuamissions.com
Facebook page: Quechua Missions – Cotahuasi
On Belay - Summer 2018
Dear Precious Friends in Christ,
Thank you so much for praying for the ministry here in Peru! Since we last wrote, we have seen some difficult times here in Cotahuasi.
Our sister and friend so dear-to-us Rosa went to be with the Lord on May 9th. She was always encouraging us in her love for Him. She served alongside us in women’s & children’s ministry for many years, until the disease scleroderma made it too difficult for her to get around. She is greatly missed, but we rejoice and give thanks to our Lord for how He called her by His grace, gave her new life, and blessed so many here.
Hermana Rosa
Please pray for her family, her brother, Lorenzo, who faithfully continues working to plant churches in several villages here in the Cotahuasi Canyon. Also pray for her son, Hugo & her very elderly mom, Tarcila.
Santiago had been caring for his uncle over the years. He was hit by a car while walking along the road and passed away May 10th.
In March, a storm passed through the area where our FM radio transmitter site is located.When we visited the site, we discovered severe lightning damage to our brand new electric power line. The remote-control system and two radios were also damaged. It will be a long and costly process to rebuild everything, but we are working to get back on the air as soon as possible. Please pray for wisdom, provision and for spiritual growth during this process. We are giving thanks for this, and that no one was in the building when it happened! Brad & Fredy are spending many hours up at the site (almost 14,000 feet elevation). We are trying to send the radios to the USA for repairs, but they are held up with difficult Peru customs processes.
Camilo
Praise the Lord for his spiritual growth! Santiago & Brad baptizing him in the canal near his farm.
Visiting remote villages can be challenging. This time we got stuck right in the middle of fording the river! We were on our way 20 hours later.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for the local Quechua church leaders and their spiritual growth. Also pray for new leaders to help reach out to the many isolated villages throughout the Cotahuasi Canyon.
Pray for God to be glorified in the following ministries: radio, theological training, discipleship, biblical counseling & medical.
Pray for safety, especially on these very dangerous mountain roads.
Radio station: Pray for the expansion of the reach of our broadcast listening area. Pray that we may get the station running soon.
Please pray for Santiago & Saturnina’s health issues. Santiago needs hernia surgery but is hesitant because his wife Saturnina has never fully recovered from two surgeries she had a couple of years ago.
Thank you so much for “belaying” us by “Holding the Rope” in prayer and continuing support. This all enables us to serve here in Peru for His glory. Your faith and love for Him and for us are a huge blessing & encouragement to us!
With our love,
Gina & Brad
How to support:
The Cotahuasi Ministry Project is SIM project #91252 and donations are made to SIM by sending a check to:
SIM Donor Care, 14830 Choate Circle, Charlotte, NC 28273
To give electronically please visit: www.quechuamissions.com
Facebook page: Quechua Missions – Cotahuasi
On Belay - Fall 2017
Dear precious friends in Christ,
We have just arrived back to Peru and as we settle back into our routine and various ministry responsibilities, we are thankful for the grace and power of God sanctifying His church and growing it for His glory. He is working all over the world, and this summer we saw it as we visited friends and churches in America. And it is a blessing to see it here in Peru also, in the little village churches and isolated families who live in the Cotahuasi Canyon.
Our short 2017 home assignment was quite different this time, with a focus on our own families who needed time for healing, physically and emotionally. Brad’s mother passed away and Gina’s father had cancer and surgery treatment.
In our absence, the church planting and radio ministries have continued. Fredy faithfully led while we were away, serving along with Santiago, Camilo, Faustino, Patty, Lorenzo and Deysi.
Radio outreach
Over the last few years we have been praying and asking the Lord to use us to reach out even further into remote areas and cities of Southern Peru using Christian radio. Hardly anyone here has a way to hear the true gospel and get biblical teaching. There is so much religion, but little is grounded in the truth of scripture. Some new opportunities are being presented to us, including two openings for licenses that could allow us to reach many more. As we look forward and we work to meet the government requirements, please pray with us for honest and competent companies to assist us in the necessary steps, and the financial provision to install and maintain the new stations.
These children attend a public school where we visit monthly to share the gospel and teach Bible. Pray that these kinds of freedoms and opportunities will continue. They have not always been this way.
Youth and Children
We find ourselves in an interesting situation with public schools teaching religion as if it matters. Currently, in most of the rural schools in our region, we are welcomed to come and teach the Bible and freely share the gospel. We could really do more if we had more workers to serve here with us. Each month when we head up into the upper canyon, we stop and visit the village schools.
Women’s Bible study
Gina enjoys teaching a group of friends each Thursday afternoon. With a goal of going slow, some are getting fresh insight and real understanding of basic Bible doctrines of the faith.
Church planting in the highlands
Quechua shepherds isolated in remote areas of the Andes Mountains have little opportunity to learn about the one true God, His love, and His truth. Each month our church planting team goes up into the high-altitude area where we would like to see new believers established into local churches. Our efforts include meeting with families, teaching in small groups, and praying for how to help build meeting places where they can fellowship. Their houses are too small for groups to meet in them.
The only Christians in their area. Neither of them can read but they cherish their Bible and Quechua hymnal. Living in a 6 x15 foot hut behind them at 16,200 feet above sea level.
Thanksgiving
1. Give thanks for the successful importation and installation of the new FM transmitter, which is functioning well.
2. Give thanks for the provision and smooth process in the completion of our mile long power line to the transmitter site !
3. Give thanks for the completion of the Foundations of the Faith Quechua Bible study radio program.
4. Give thanks for the opportunity to compete in acquiring licenses for new radio frequencies that could allow us to reach many more people with the gospel and daily Bible teaching.
5. Give thanks for new and improved internet access.
Prayer
1. Please pray for the process of meeting requirements and the successful bidding necessary to compete for two frequencies made available by the government to the public.
2. Please continue to pray for more workers to serve with us in church planting, discipleship, radio program broadcasting and preparation of Quechua teaching materials. This year, two missionary families have needed to move, and Patty and Deysi will be moving away next month.
3. Please pray for the Lord to send more help with our Bible teaching outreach to children. Now there are many opportunities to minister to children. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send long term workers to help.
4. Please pray for the vision and work teams now preparing to briefly visit in the Spring and Summer of next year.
5. Please pray for the health, strength and also safety of our team as we travel on dangerous narrow mountain roads.
How to support the work and workers
The Cotahuasi Ministry Project is SIM project #91252 and donations are made to SIM by sending a check to: SIM Donor Care, 14830 Choate Circle, Charlotte, NC 28273.
To give electronically please visit http://quechuamissions.com/give or call SIM USA at 1800-521-6449 ext. 1467.
How to contact Brad and Gina:
gina.shaw.peru@gmail.com
Our Cotahuasi ministry web site that shows and tells all about the work: www.quechuamissions.com
Facebook page: Quechua Missions – Cotahuasi
Thank you again for participating with us in reaching the La Union Quechua people through prayer, financial gifts, and all of your encouragement.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Love,
Brad & Gina
On Belay - June 2016
Dear precious friends,
Carefully explaining the Gospel to this Alpaca shepherd family
Recently some of our Quechua church planting team went with me (Brad) way back and up into the high altitude areas north of the Canyon where shepherds live up to 16,000 feet elevation. Along the way we visited seven villages, sharing the gospel and encouraging isolated believers. Even though we already live at about 8700 feet elevation, and are acclimated to high altitude, the exceptionally high areas where we sometimes visit make it hard to breath and sleep. Waking up oxygen starved and trying to catch my breath made one night especially difficult. However, the openness and spiritual hunger of those who are longing for God’s word to be explained in both Spanish and Quechua encourages us. Also, it is a growing experience for us as we strive to respond to the questions, needs and struggles they experience. Seeing God’s word answer their questions and provide wisdom is always a blessing for us.
Besides meeting with the local little churches in the villages, we also shared the gospel with those living in shepherd huts in lonely but beautiful remote pastures. These humble people are often open and eager to listen to God’s word.
Blessing this family with a homemade skirt given by Oakhill Church.
Bible teaching: We had a great “weekend seminar” in May, with people coming from long distances throughout the upper canyon area to hear the word taught in Quechua. The meetings are a way for interested believers to learn the basic doctrines of Christian faith, to get their questions answered, and to encourage one another in their walk of faith. Many come to us confused with wrong ideas from the many religions around them including fears from superstitions and the mysticism of animism.
Recent week-end Bible Semniar
Growing together: Even when things don’t go as planned and there are various difficulties, we know that the Lord will somehow utilize these situations for good. Knowing this encourages us in looking forward with an eternal perspective, knowing that He is completing the sanctifying work that He began when He first gave us new life. Phil 1:6; James 1:2-4
We are learning that growing in trusting the Lord in difficulties is only learned through applying truth in practice. The Lord promised hardships for the faithful follower of Christ in this fallen world, but along with a trusting, steadfast and faithful walk for His glory, there is a crown of life waiting for each of us James 1:12
The town of Cotahuasi
It helps us grow remembering that we have a Savior who has already poured out His life unto death for us. The Lord is making the sometimes complex and painful difficulties of life to become useful instruments in His hands to grow us in trust of Him – that He is indeed working all things after the counsel of His will for our good and His glory. Resting in His promises for His own chosen beloved is the basis for lives stabilized by the gospel. May we realize this more and more.
Our missionary friend Amy George, for whom we asked prayer, passed away this last month. She will continue to be an inspiration to our Peru team. Please continue to pray for her family who are staying in Peru to live and continue to serve.
Prayer Requests
Radio Ministry: for the importation and installation of the new FM transmitter. Pray for the progress of the power line project, honest Peruvian engineers and power company employees to coordinate the design and installation. Pray for the FM repeaters and planning for the short wave designing process along with government permissions. Pray for the Quechua Bible study programs we are preparing to air that could enable a more serious way to study for those who are marginally literate but who can learn by listening.
Children’s ministry: Pray for more help with our outreach and Bible teaching to children. During this time, there are many opportunities to reach children. We just need workers to teach. It is easy to call meetings in the villages and our offers to teach Bible in the schools is usually welcomed. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to help.
Internet connecting and email: Pray for a solution to the poor internet access that keeps us from being able to coordinate and resource information, Bible study resources, radio programing, and often even emailing is impossible.
Vehicle access to remote villages and safety: It is important to have reliable and safe four-wheel drive vehicles for our church planting team to visit as many villages as possible. We are thankful for donations toward this need as well as other gifts toward the other ministry needs. Thank you!
Love,
Brad and Gina
Your prayer requests: please send them to us:
Bradley.shaw@sim.org
Thank you again for participating with us in reaching the La Union Quechua people through prayer, financial gifts, and all of your encouragement.
Answers to Prayer
Radio: We have had some progress with technical aspects of the radio, with the new transmitter now on its way to Peru. We hope to be able to install it within this next month. Also, repairs of our generators, while we wait for planning and government permissions for the power line, is moving ahead a little faster now.
Dangerous roads and travel: We are thankful for better road conditions over the high country to the south of the canyon because of a road improvement project. Even some of the blind curves are being opened up.