August 31, 2002

Dear Friends,

Sorry about not having a letter in last month's Mission Sheet. I was trapped in the jungle town of Yurimaguas due to a strike by the rice farmers. They had taken over the roads between Tarapoto and Yurimaguas so we decided to fly to Yurimaguas from Tarapoto. The problem was that after we arrived in Yurimaguas they took over the airport the next day and we couldn't fly out. We were stuck for a few extra days but I finally arranged for some Missionary pilot friends to fly us out. I went out on a float plane from the Paranuara River. It was quite an experience! They flew us to their base camp in Pucallpa and from their we took an eleven hour car ride over the worst road in Peru to get to Huanuco! But the Lord brought us home safe and sound.

We were in Yurimaguas for our annual nationwide conference of our churches here in Peru. The conference was not as well attended (only 500 people) as we had expected due to the transportation problem with the strike I mentioned. But there was a very good spirit among those that did come and we always meet a lot of new Christians at these conferences. Thank you for your prayers.

All the mission works are doing well. Huariaca had its third anniversary service last week and it was a real encouragement to the folks there to have the great turn out of people that came.

Huaral is still in need of a lot of help for their building project. So far we only have the footers dug. I can't start to build until we have a least five thousand dollars ($5000). This will buy the steel, rock and cement we need to fill the footers. I hope the Lord will lead many of you to help us in this project.

Chasqui has new benches and tables for the children in Sunday School thanks to the VBS offerings of the Rosemont Baptist Church in Winston Salem, North Carolina. They work is growing and Brother Marcelino Cierto, the worker there, is doing well and is very encouraged in the work.

Here in Huanuco, all is well. I performed a wedding last night here at the Central Baptist Church. A young lady from our church married a young Baptist pastor of another Baptist church on the west end of Huanuco. Anita and I worked with this church for a year before coming to the Central Baptist Church. Anita worked hard decorating and coordinating and guests remarked it was the "prettiest" wedding they had ever seen. Thanks to Anita!!

I will be traveling to Iquitos for another Institute class the 9th of September. The class will last for four days. I'm looking forward to the time with the brethren there.

Let me briefly share with you a short account of God's wonderful blessings and provision. Geronimo is a seventy year old brother in Christ that has been attending our church for several years. He is always in pain and sometimes can't walk due to the nerves in his legs being damaged from a long life of "wrong living." Geronimo trusted the Lord late in life. He is one of the most faithful Christians I have ever known. In spite of his constant pain he would walk six to seven miles from the mountains where he lived to come to church each Sunday. He had no family that we (or he) knew of and so the church has been helping him for years with his medicine and food. One Sunday last month a family from Lima came to church in the morning and came early. We found out later this family had come to Huanuco to look for a long lost brother the father had not seen since he was five years old. They are members of a Baptist church in Lima and so while in Huanuco they looked for a church to attend. They came early to the service and while waiting here came Geronimo walking to church. The man asked Geronimo if he knew anyone named Geronimo Ponce. And our Geronimo answered, "I'm Geronimo Ponce!!!!" A few questions later they discovered that Geronimo was the long lost brother from childhood. Needless to say there was great celebration that Sunday morning. They stayed for a week and then took Geronimo to Lima to live with them. Geronimo was overjoyed that he had family. A family that was Baptist and wanted and loved him! Until next month.

Serving Jesus in Peru,

Sheridan and Anita Stanton