January 7, 2008

Dear Friends,

Anita and I hope that all of you had a very blessed holiday season. For us, the year of 2007 has flown by too quickly. However, it was a year of great blessings for us. First of all our grandson, Jackson, was born on January 24 to our daughter and son-in-law, Leah and John Puckett. Then our son, Captain Joshua Stanton USAF, after five years in the Air Force was finally accepted into the pilot training program. This has been his lifelong dream and we rejoice with him. We also had the opportunity to help in the beginning of the Calvary Mission Church here in Huanuco. We have helped new missionaries Jayson and Andrea Minix get this work started (their first in Peru). We have been helping the Minixs in this work throughout the year. In October I had one of the best classes ever since I started the Baptist Institute of Biblical Studies twelve years ago. Anita has been very busy in teaching many of the adult women here in Huanuco how to read and write. She also has completed two more books of children’s Sunday School lessons.

We will be coming to the States on furlough from the end of January until the first of July and we are looking forward to visiting as many of our supporting churches that invite us to come. Several pastors have responded already and the dates are filling up with a few three-day special meetings, and two Mission Conferences already scheduled. Furlough is a time for us to return to the States and give a report of the work here in Peru and hopefully be an encouragement to those we meet. Furloughs are always an exhausting time for missionaries, but on the other hand, they are a time of great blessing because you get to make new friends, renew old acquaintances, and share with everyone the great work God is doing in Peru!

I would also like to mention that we have another mission team coming down 2 – 14 of August. This team is sponsored by BFM Mission Adventures and hosted by Randy and Barbara Jones. This will make the third team they have brought to Peru in the past several years. They have always been a great blessing and help and we are anxiously looking forward to the time with them in August. They still have some spots to fill in this year’s mission trip so contact them by email at jones5053@juno.com. Why not consider coming on a trip to Peru with Mission Adventures and see one of the most beautiful countries in the world! We would love to have you! Our next letter will be written from the States. See you soon!

Serving Jesus in Peru,

Sheridan and Anita Stanton