Mark and Lori Berry
Mission to the World
JUNTOS
"Together"
 
Update        
October 2003

 

Dear Prayer Warriors,

We've been anxious to write you and solicit your prayers for a number of areas of our team's ministry. It is so encouraging to know that you are praying regularly for us. There is nothing more important to our ministry than your prayers, and we are super grateful for you!

Please pray for:
1. Evangelism Explosion training. Oct 10-18 (what's still ahead this week is 7-9:30pm every night this week and all day Saturday the 18th. On Wed, Thurs and Fri nights we do home visits to share the gospel). Our whole team, Sean, Julie, me (Mark) and Andrew, as well as two leaders from the San Pablo church, are going through an EE clinic taught by EE of Latin America. Woody Lajara, the vice president of EE Latin America, is the lead teacher. Its all in Spanish, and the purpose for our team is to become more proficient in our evangelism in Spanish. It has already surpassed my highest expectations. We've had a great time networking with other leaders and pastors from here in Lima who are taking or helping teach the clinic. We're getting a great model in Spanish for sharing the gospel as well as a great model for evangelism, that I think has great potential for becoming a core part of our future church planting efforts here in Lima. The wonderful thing about EE is its emphasis not just on evangelism, but on training others to become soul winners. For that reason, I believe it can be a very valuable tool that we can use to help the existing national churches with which we want to connect as well. So, praise the Lord for this great connection and also pray for us all, as its really stretching us too, in faith, in our Spanish, etc. Pray especially for our visits Wed--Fri nights.

2. I (Mark) am getting lots of opportunities to teach and preach in local churches which invite me. I preach Sunday in Surco, one of two MTW planted churches here in Lima. Pray for my preaching and teaching in general and especially Sunday, that it would be full of Christ and the gospel, and that it would be clear, bold, and would bear fruit.

3. We're super thankful to the Lord that Julie Murphy, who is one of 3 two year missionaries on our team, has decided to extend her time with us another year. We've been praying with her about her decision for many months, and are excited that the Lord has led her, and that he's led her to stay, as she is a tremendous team member and missionary. Pray that Julie's support will be there to do this, as that is now the next step to determine if she can indeed stay.

4. Keep praying also for Sean Galton, whose 2 years is up in March, who is also praying about staying. We would dearly love for him to extend also, as he likewise has been a tremendous blessing to the team and the ministry.

5. Pray for Andrew Halbert, our new 2 year missionary who arrived a week and a half ago. Pray for his adjustment.

6. Pray for the Frank and Suzanne Matthews and their family who arrive Dec 28. They are finishing up language school early November, will head back for a quick visit to the US, then come join us here in Lima. Pray that God will lead us to a house for them, and that they'd finish strong in their language studies. Pray also for the saying goodbye process in Costa Rica, which is not easy. They will be leaving many dear and special friends from an important stage in their lives.

7. Pray for the continued transition that we are undergoing as an MTW field here in Peru. We are encouraged by the direction we're moving in as a mission, but there are still many things related to the restructure that has and is taking place that require a lot of wisdom and just hard work. Pray especially for the Peru Leadership Team, who has been given the responsibility to oversee this transition and give direction to the future ministry of MTW here in Peru. The team is made up of Mark, Keith Powlison, Charlie Davidson, Bill Yarbrough and Craig Gahagen. We meet Nov 3-5 here in Lima, and will be together again to work on vision and long term planning, together with the whole of MTW's field leadership, at the LEAD Conference in Atlanta, Nov. 7-13. Please keep both these meetings in your prayers.

8. Pray for Lori's family, and especially her Grandmother, who is 96 and in failing health. Lori was able to visit her for a week the last of Sept, first of Oct, and had some great time with her. She met Abigail for the first time and got priceless time with her 5th grandchild. Her Grandmother is a believer, so we are deeply sad at the prospect of her passing, but with the sure hope the gospel provides. Pray especially for Lori, as she is especially close to her Grandmother, who God used to pray her into the Kingdom.

9. Pray for Mark as he continues to work on the vision for the team. Pray for him as he works with Sean, Julie, Andrew and the Matthews when they arrive on their job descriptions.

10. Pray for Santos and Tom Stewart, MTW's director of street child ministries, as they lead a medical team to Iquitos next week, Oct 18-25, to minister to female teen prostitutes. This is an exploratory trip to see if God would be leading Santos to develop such a ministry there in Iquitos, so please pray for him, for Tom and especially for the young women they will share the gospel with and minister to during that week. Pray that the Lord would show us if he is calling us as a mission to work in this area in the future.

11. Finally, please pray for God to lead our team. We are seeing God's hand leading us, like this contact with EE, and it is exciting. We also have on the prayer table: an opportunity to help a church reach street kids in Huaycan (east side of Lima), an invitation to visit a ministry to female child prostitutes in San Juan de Lurigancho (north side of Lima), and talk about ways to partner with them, and numerous church planting opportunities. Pray for wisdom and the Spirit's leading. In general, but as a team drumbeat, we are praying for revival in Lima through the power of the gospel, and a corresponding outpouring of mercy and justice towards the poor and a movement of new churches being planted. Will you join us in praying for this big, God-sized goal? HE is able.

Thank you for the valuable, indispensable part you are playing in advancing the Kingdom of God in Lima and in Peru through your prayers.

In Christ,

Mark and Lori

Mark and Lori Berry 
Apartado 1529  Lima 100,
Peru 
mberry@mtwla.org 
011-511-435-6637


Mission to the World (MTW)
1600 North Brown Rd. Lawrenceville, GA 30043