Las Tablas Madrid

Almost there – 15% left to raise

McMillans & Muhas — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:31:06 +0000

A year ago, we did not know that we would still be here in the U.S.A. But after Paul and Barnabas’s 1st missionary assignment they stayed in Antioch a long time with the disciples, reporting all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. We are not finished reporting yet and challenging churches to be concerned about a corner of the world called Las Tablas. When we leave for Spain, the Lord will have tripled the number of people who are praying for this work! At present we are up to 84.5% support. We are in the process of generating, certifying, and translating various documents like police clearance, medical clearance, and marriage license. After we receive the letter of invitation from Spain we must take all of the documents and the applications to the consulate in D.C. After Spain’s Consulate receives our requests for working visas, it will take about two months for them to be approved. By this time the remaining 15.5% of support needs to be in place before we can purchase plane tickets.

—————————————————————————–

18: Number of occasions since January 1st that we have shared with churches and individuals who already support us.
30: Number of occasions since Jan. 1st that we have shared the Las Tablas Project to prospective churches.
48: Total number of presentations since January 1st.

———————————————————————–

Prayer requests:
1. That our letter of invitation will be processed quickly at the Dept. of Justice in Madrid
2. That we would be renewed at each new presentation with enthusiasm and zeal.
3. That our remaining needed support will be pledged by the time our visa is approved.
In Philippians 4:14-20, Paul thanks the church in Philippi for their financial gifts that assisted him in his time of need … “not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to you account…. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” Several have asked how they can contribute to helping complete what is lacking in our support.

Upcoming Speaking Engagements:
August 1- a.m. Calvary Fellowship near Asheville, N.C.
August 3-4 The Molero family will accompany us on our final visit to our home church, Faith Presbyterian in White Rock, S.C.
August 8- a.m. Guilford Baptist Church in Sterling, Va.
August 11 – p.m. Summerset Baptist Church in Roxboro, N.C.
August 15 – a.m. Creekside Bible Church near Charlotte, N.C.
August 19 – early September – Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York.

Muhas Arrive in Madrid – Apartment hunting

McMillans & Muhas — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:23:38 +0000

Hey, everybody! Are you praying for an apartment for us in Madrid? If not, get goin’! If you are, “Thank You!” and please keep it up!!! We saw another apartment this evening and we really liked it. It’s around 1000 sq.’, 3 bdrms., 2 bths. (perfect for church planting and visitors!!!), tankless hot water, includes 1 parking space, the condo costs, a storage space off the garage, AIR CONDITIONING(!!!!) and the appliances. It has laminate wood floors, is in a fairly new building (just 3-yrs.old), decent views, updated windows that are more energy efficient, bathrooms with marble, a great front door that couldn’t be broken into without removing the entire wall, crown molding in the living room – this may be way too luxurious for missionaries!!! We have an offer written up and hope to send it tonight if we get the “OK” from the powers that be. Please pray that if this is the building and apartment where God wants us to live that the owner would accept our offer. Thank you so much for all of the prayers and responses we’ve received. You are too sweet! All our love, Scott and Lorna P.S. We miss you!

Thank you for all of the inquiries about the apartment! You have been super faithful in praying for us, writing us, encouraging us and just being there for us. We appreciate your love so much. So, do you want to know what happened with the apartment situation??? We goooot it, we goooot it, we goooot it, we goooot it (you have to say that with rhythm and a little hip action) !!!!!!! God is so good!!! When times get tough here in Spain, please remind us how many prayers He has answered and how He has confirmed His plan for us here. We met with the owners of the apartment Monday morning before leaving for Seville and they wanted us to be their renters as much as we wanted to be their renters. Did that change the amount we’re going to be paying? No, not one dime or should I say, euro . . . but it did change the date we’ll be moving in. They decided to move out so we could move in the beginning of August. We’ll stay one more week with Samuel and Viviana, one week on a mini-retreat with TEAM-Spain missionaries (camping!?!? Yikes =( Please remember to pray for me!!!) and then one more week back with Samuel and Viviana. Then we’ll be in our own apartment and on our own. Isn’t that greeeeaaaaat!!!! Thank you so much for your prayers. It’s been so fun house hunting with you, thanks for your help. And it’s been amazing to see God’s hand at work in the process.

Speaking of “God’s hand at work”, we went to Seville Monday to turn our papers in to the government for residency. In the afternoon we boarded the bullet train (very cool), arrived within 2 hours (normally, a 6-hour drive) and were in line on Tuesday morning with our documents. We planned 3 days for the process . . . just in case, but by noon we had already received our residency!!! In 45 days we’ll need to return for the official, more permanent card. God did it in record time, what a huge blessing! Again, thanks for your prayers . . . that weren’t specifically for our residency, but God knew.

We’ll write more about our first impressions of Spain and the “World Champions” later, but we wanted to let you know how gracious God has been in the last ten days. Has it only been ten days since we left?????? Guau (wow)!!!

Thank s again for your prayers! Love you all!

Scott and Lorna

Las Tablas Church Picnic – May 23rd

McMillans & Muhas — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:09:18 +0000

Last weekend the Las Tablas Bible Study went to Parque Robledo near Segovia to visit an area called Boca del Asno.

Thought that you may enjoy some of the pictures.

Muha May Update

McMillans & Muhas — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:44:03 +0000

I heard the sound of the whip cracking as I cowered fearfully in the corner, “WE NEED ANOTHER UPDATE WRITTEN, SO SIT DOWN AND GET IT DONE NOW (!!!), WOMAN,” yelled my irate husband, Scott. I desperately tried to appease him by reminding him in my most humble attitude and with a meek voice, “But Milord, I believe God has one more prayer yet to answer . . . that of my visa.” Another crack thundered close to my head and I trembled, “OKAY, BUT AS SOON AS THAT ANSWER COMES IN, I WANT THAT EMAIL OUT TO ALL OF OUR FAITHFUL, PRAYER SUPPORTERS, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, WENCH?” to which I whimpered, “Yes, Milord, as you wish.”

Well, here I am writing to tell you our faithful God answered our prayer and my visa to Spain has also been approved. How miraculous is that!!! Normally, a husband’s visa is granted within 2-3 months of applying. Scott’s was granted in one (for some unknown reason, he has also received his temporary residency, work permit and I.D. number, which is normally given after you get to Spain and apply for it). The wife’s visa usually takes another 2-3 months. Mine was approved in 3 weeks. So

“here I am to worship, here I am to bow down,

here I am to say that You’re my God,

You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy,

altogether wonderful to me . . .”

We have train reservations to Chicago for May 11th where we’ll pick up the visas and we’ll then have three months to arrive in Spain. I guess it’s time to start packing – we really don’t have that much stuff to take; a lot was left in Venezuela and that will be replaced at IKEA in Spain =) We’ll need to finish up raising the remaining $300/mo, in support. Last, we’ll be setting a farewell date and buying the tickets

Thanks for your faithful prayers, your love and encouragement and your generous support.

Love,

The slave driver and his wench, aka. Scott and Lorna

Muha’s April Update

McMillans & Muhas — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:00:34 +0000

Happy Spring!

Yes, I know winter is still hangin’ around and so are we. But we’re hoping both will be gone soon!!! We’re thinking maybe May would be a good time for a farewell celebration.

Okay, I’m not sure I’ll be able to do these answers to prayer justice on paper without facial expressions or being able to use my hands, so you’ll just have to imagine how excited we are. You know how it goes when you’re looking to do God’s will and you don’t really see, hear or feel His direction. You read the Bible, you fast and pray, you seek wise counsel and still you’re not sure, so you make a decision and pray God would “be a light to your path.” Then, God, who was patiently standing by waiting, watching to see if you have the faith to trust Him, starts to fill in the blanks. All of a sudden you see answers to prayer and then you “hear” God’s voice through a verse in the Bible and WOW (!!!), that gets you excited and BAM (!!!), you’ve got the feeling you were looking for when you first started the journey. Well, that’s what He’s been doing since our decision to go to Spain. We didn’t have a vision or hear the bells and whistles. We didn’t feel this tremendous peace. We just felt we needed to make a decision, so, with the knowledge we had, we did. And then we proceeded to get our papers in order.

On the way home from a Biblical counseling seminar in Indiana, we drove to Chicago to drop off the necessary documents for our visas to Spain. We got into Chicago, no problem. YEAH! We found parking, no problem. YEAH! We located the Spanish Consulate, no problem. YEAH! We turned our papers in, BIG problem!!! No yeah! We needed translations that we didn’t have and we needed an Apostille Seal (I won’t even go into what that is). Okay, we could find a Spanish speaker who could translate our health and police clearance forms and our marriage license, but we’d have to get the seal . . . in Venezuela! We would have to send the original documents to Venezuela, talk to someone at the church in Caracas to find out if they could get a power of attorney for us without us being there, and see if they could get the seal in our absence. Or we could fly down and do it ourselves. At $1200./ea., we decided that that wasn’t gonna happen! And it didn’t have to, because God took care of us as he always does. For anyone who has ever been frustrated with bureaucracy and how slowly it works, especially in a third world country, you will really appreciate this. There “just happened” to be a power of attorney on file for when our car was stolen in Venezuela eight years ago. There is only one person still in Venezuela, out of seven, qualified to be that power of attorney and she “just happened” to be in Caracas last week. The day she went to turn the documents in for the seal it “just happened” to be the day they were allowing people with her I.D. number to do business. Just as she stepped up to be helped another person “just happened” to arrive with the documents she needed to hand in. Both Scott’s and my papers were accepted, both seals were granted and both official documents were received today in order to be mailed Fedex tomorrow.

In the mean time here in the States, we received a phone call from Jorge, an official at the Spanish Consulate in Chicago asking where our translations were, because without them our visas couldn’t be processed. There was no mention of the seal. So we quickly sent the three, translated forms overnight mail. Jorge called the following day to inform us they had been received and would be en route to Spain the following day. Yeah! Should they call back and ask for that seal, we’ve got it. If not, we’ve still got it, plus a great story of how God answered prayer and lifted the spirits of our church in Venezuela.

Now, to let you know what God is doing concerning our support. We are at 91%!!! That’s excellent in this economy and we’re super thankful to those of you who have responded to this need, but the truth is, according to Team-Spain we can’t leave until we’re fully supported. So, again if you or a church you know would be willing to give on a monthly basis or even a one-time gift, please let TEAM (P.O. Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60189-0969) know. If you can’t contribute at this time we totally get it, but we’d ask you to pray with us that the rest of our support would come in so we can be on our way as soon as our visas arrive. Thanks!

Thank you, too, for your prayers for Zachary. He doesn’t seem as overwhelmed and frantic as when he first began his MBA at the University of Florida. He’s had to rearrange his schedule. Instead of lunch with co-workers, he often-times has to find an empty conference room and study. In the evening there’s less TV and more Skyping with project partners. And on the weekends there are fewer activities and more papers to be written. But he’s also come to the realization that he doesn’t have to make all A’s. He can do his best in the marketing classes where his expertise lies and make the A’s. But sometimes he’s got to be content to do his best and just pass the finance classes. He seems to be saving himself a lot of stress and unnecessary worry. He’d appreciate your continued prayers.

Addison would also appreciate your continued prayer support. Recently, a past employee of the doctor’s office where she works and a friend of the boss’s wife stopped by asking about getting her old job back . . . Addie’s job. Upon hearing that, the office manager talked to Addie and told her maybe it would be wise to begin looking for another job. Nothing is concrete yet, but please pray for a permanent, 40-hour a week job for her. Another request would be for a permanent place for her to live. We’re trying to arrange something for her before we leave. It would give us much needed peace to know she’d have a stable roof over her head. Yet our concern is that it be God’s plan. Please pray that we’d be sensitive to what God wants for her and for us.

Thanks so much!

Scott and Lorna

Holding the Ropes for Las Tablas

McMillans & Muhas — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:18:25 +0000

One day in 1793, William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions and some friends were discussing the need for foreign missions. Andrew Fuller, a fellow minister who was at that gathering, recalled, “We saw there was a gold mine in India, but it was as deep as the center of the Earth.” Fuller asked who would venture to explore that mine. Carey spoke up and addressed his friends: “I will venture to go down, but remember that you must hold the ropes.” By “holding the ropes,” Carey meant consistently praying for him, financially supporting him, and regularly communicating on his behalf with the churches in England. His friends agreed.

Since 1988 many of you have been our faithful “rope holders” and we want to thank you for the time and effort that you have put into bringing us and our ministry before the throne of grace, and for faithfully supporting us. It has been an honor to be serviced by you. However, to get to Spain we will need more “rope holders”. The expenses are higher and the spiritual battle will most like be harder. We live in a day when “holding the ropes” is considering just praying and sending money. Holding the ropes also includes staying in contact, providing feedback, constructive criticism, and maintaining lines of accountability

(The following is a interview between the McMillans and a potential “rope holder”)

RH: What is a “Faith Mission” and how does that relate to a “rope holder”? Mc: A “Faith mission” is a term used among evangelical Christians to refer to a missionary agency with an approach to missions that encourages its missionaries to “trust in God to provide the necessary resources” These missionaries are said to “live by faith” as they trust the Lord to provide “rope holders”, those who commit to hold the ropes.

RH: How does TEAM assist the McMillans as faith missionaries? MC: TEAM assists us, our sending church and “rope holders” by handling our finances, providing tax deductible receipts, medical insurance, a retirement program, and on the field helping with documents, orientation, supervision, training and encouragement.

RH: How does a “faith promise” and “rope holding” fit together? MC: A “faith promise” is set between a potential “rope holder”, God and the missionaries. By faith you will trust the Lord to enable you to give that amount over a period of time. This amount is generally give on a monthly basis but can also be given quarterly or once a year.

RH: Do you need more “rope holders”? MC: Yes, since we left for the mission field in 1988 we have needed replacement “rope holders” as some have gone to Glory and others have ceased to give for various reasons…. plus the “load” or “weight” has increased! We will need “rope holders” for about 15 more years until we retire.

RH: How can our church or a family “hold the ropes” for you? MC: First of all you can pray. This is the hardest to do. We will provide you with updates with specific ways you can pray. Secondly, you can make a commitment to help support us financially. Thirdly, you can be a part of a work team that travels to Spain.

RH: What is the financial support level that TEAM has recommended for you? MC: Each TEAM missionary is responsible to raise his own support from churches, family, businesses, organizations and friends. TEAM has recommended that we raise $8090 a month. When commitments equal the support level set by TEAM we will receive final clearance for departure. This support includes: salary, housing, medical insurance, retirement plan, social security, taxes, MK Education, travel expenses, ministry funds (office, documents, phone, internet, materials, resources, etc) and 8% to TEAM for their expenses.

RH: How many supporters do Peter and Sharon have now? MC: We currently have 515 people who receive our prayer updates. Each month we have 34 families giving a combined average of $2307 and 14 churches giving a combined total of $2935. This total of $5242 makes up 65% of our total recommended level of $8090.

In January of 2010 our salary was cut to 51% until our income goes up again.

RH: How can a “rope holder” send their support into TEAM? MC: Missionary support can be sent via check, on line or electronic funds transfer. Gifts and commitments can be made online using TEAM’S web page. http://www.teamworld.org/give/give-online-now.html. Or by sending a check for the McMillan’s to: TEAM, P.O. Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187.

RH: When do you plan to leave for Spain? MC: Our original target date was June of 2010. However we cannot apply for our visas until we have 80% of our support pledged. If 7 additional churches would give an average of $300 a month and an additional 20 families would give an average of $50 a month we would be at 100% and could leave this summer.

We are currently at 65% of the $8,090 recommended for TEAM Spain. Here’s how this looks on a graph:

Upcoming schedule for visiting our old and new “Rope Holders”

Sunday a.m.: April 11: Salem Baptist, Richmond VA

Sunday p.m.: River’s Edge bible Church, Hopewell, VA

(Mon. – Thur., 12-15: Together For the Gospel Conference in Louisville, KY)

Friday 16: May’s Chapel, Huntington, WV

Sunday 18: Grace Church, Gainesville, VA

Wednesday, 21: Marvin Newsom, Littleton, NC

Thursday – Friday 22, 23: Rich and Libby Unverzagt, MS

Saturday – Sunday 24, 25: Harvard Avenue Baptist, Siloam Springs, AK

Monday –Wednesday the 26^th-28^th: The Newmans, Jonesboro, LA

Wednesday p.m., 28^th: Siloam Springs Community Church, Jonesboro, LA

Sunday a.m. and p.m. May 2: Providence Baptist, Asheboro, NC

Sunday a.m. May 16: Missio Die Church, Asheville, NC

Sunday p.m.: Flat Creek Baptist, Lynchburg, VA

We are excited to visit each one of you as we share what we know about 2 corners of the world where God is building and will build his church. Not only that, but we get to be encouraged as we hear how God is working in your corner! We have faith and confidently expect that we will soon begin to work in Madrid and be able to send you more interesting reports!

Muha update

McMillans & Muhas — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:32:01 +0000

Last Monday evening Scott talked me into going to the disaster movie, 2012. It’s not the type of movie I would normally choose, but being the submissive wife you all know me to be, I said, “Sure Babe, whatever makes you happy, makes me happy!” I think that sounds more Stepford Wife, than submissive wife, but . . . off we went. When we got home, I promptly forgot about the movie, but poor Scott relived it all night long.
The world, as we know it, was about to end. Miraculously, our family had received tickets to escape the devastation and impending doom. The countdown was on and we had precious little time to get the few things they would allow us to bring and meet at the “ship.” Frantically, we packed necessities and only the most valued of memories. It was time to go. We took one last look, hoping to capture in our minds all we had experienced and all we would be leaving behind. As we rushed out the door, Scott looked back to see Addie sitting in a pile of her junk and yelled, “Come on Addison, there is no time left. They will not wait for us; we have to go . . . NOW!” “But Dad,” she cried out, “I can’t find my ticket!” Scott woke from his nightmare with a start. His heart was pounding, panic had set in, he had broken out in a sweat, and his hands were around my neck!
The nightmare really happened. Okay, the “hands around my neck” was a bit of an exaggeration and the scenario isn’t as frenzied, but it is true that the “world” as we’ve known it for the last 18 years has ended. The countdown is on, even though it’s a little less frantic, to the time when we’ll again be packing up needed items and some valued memories and be on our way. We’ll take one last look, as we pass through Venezuela, hoping to capture in our mind all we had experienced and all we’ll be leaving behind. Then we will make our new home in Madrid, Spain. We had wanted to leave in Feb. but with living inside the city limits of the capital, close to a subway stop and a strong Euro, we’ll have to raise an additional $1,000/mo. in support. We would love to leave in March, but we’re leaving it in God’s hands and know we’ll get there when He wants us to get there. One of our supporting churches has increased their monthly amount by $150.00, another missionary talked with us about transferring $200.00/mo. from their already full account into our’s. Scott has written ten churches where we have contacts, to ask if they would consider taking us on. There are two advantages to supporting us: 1.) We’ve been on the field a lifetime and are persistent (some would say stubborn, I prefer persevering), meaning, we’ll stick-to-it despite the difficulties, and 2.) Because we’ve been on the field a lifetime, we only have about 10 more years until retirement, so even though it’s a hardy commitment, it’s not a huge commitment of 40 years or so. If we had just 7 churches giving $100/mo. or 14 individuals giving $50/mo. or 70 people giving $10.00/mo. (okay, you get the idea) then we’d be on our way and out of your hair. Please think about it, pray about it and if you feel God nudging you to give in faith, please respond. He’ll provide the resources necessary. Send any donations or pledges to: TEAM, P.O. Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60189-0969, Scott and Lorna Muha-Madrid Account. Thank you so much for whatever you can do! All of our love, Scott and Lorna

P.S. To those of you, who prayed for Zach, thank you so much!! And to those of you who prayed for him and wrote us a note (which, by the way, encouraged him greatly) thank you too so very much. This is what he texted us today, “I passed!!! I am officially part of the MBA school (at the University of Florida) now, woohoo!!!” Thanks, everybody!!!

Sunday Evening Meetings in Las Tablas

McMillans & Muhas — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:56:49 +0000

On Sunday January 10th the Las Tablas Bible Study group switched their meeting time to Sunday Evening as many were not able to make the Friday evening meetings. For the last two weeks they have had great attendance. On Sunday January 17th TEAM missionary Mark Johnson led the Bible study. You may enjoy looking at some of the pics from the evening as they also celebrated David Chamorro’s 5th Birthday. Check it out at: http://nuevaiglesialastablas-madrid.blogspot.com/

McMillan family get together

McMillans & Muhas — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:29:29 +0000

Grace and Peace be yours in abundance to you who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours…

First we’ll share a few ways that Grace and Peace have abounded in our lives: Sharon had the follow-up visit with the surgeon on Nov. 11^th but had to wait an additional week for the complete pathology report. She has DCIS (ductile cancer in situ) which is not invasive and the tumor was small, 7mm. This is all good news as far as cancer goes. She is still doing therapy stretching exercises with her right arm to combat the effects of the surgery. The next step is an appointment with an oncologist on Dec. 22 to determine what further treatment will be recommended.

Thanksgiving gave us a week to be with Melissa and some time with Sharon’s side of the family near Charlottesville, Va. This is final exam week for our daughter, Melissa who finishes her 1^st semester at James Madison University and has adjusted nicely. Heather is in Hopewell, Va. with grandparents, working as part time church secretary for West End Presbyterian Church while preparing to leave in February to teach English as a second language in Seoul, Korea.

Getting better acquainted with brothers and sisters in Christ at both Occoquan Bible Church and Capitol Hill Baptist Church has been a priority. Besides having people in our home, we participated in a 7:00 am Tuesday morning class on counseling entitled, “How People Change”. We attend a home group which has been reviewing the book, Respectable Sins. The Sunday School class is studying I and II Peter. Besides this, we listen to lectures from a course called Islam Through Christian and Muslim Eyes. Sharon read the book by Orson Wells, Homage to Catalonia in which the author makes the observation back in 1936 that Spain seemed to be the most atheistic European country. We both helped out at the 2 evangelistic Christmas Teas offered at CHBC. Together with the Muhas we have been developing brochures and info packets to distribute to our supporters. Peter and Scott are also contacting new churches to see if they would be interested in pursuing church planting in Madrid. We are so grateful for the input of everyone who gives us ideas and helps to push our info technology ability to higher levels! We are trying to blog and twitter to help the younger generations keep track of us.

The hand of God is evident as events take place to prepare for the Muhas and McMillans to begin working in Spain. 5.84 million people live in the greater metropolitan area of Madrid, the 3^rd largest city in Europe. Las Tablas is a new housing development on the northern side of Madrid comprised of various nationalities. Already a Friday evening get together has been established by a few local believers who gather with interested guests for a study through the book of Mark.

About 100 people attended the recently held marriage seminar. We communicate back and forth on issues relating to doctrine and practice as well as personal matters, to begin the process of team building since we have not worked together before.

The following is an excerpt from a church planter already working in a different area of Madrid:

“There were about 75 present (at the Thanksgiving dinner), a little less than half non-Christian, including multiple nationalities. At one table of 8, there were 6 different ones! That´s indicative of the reality of immigration in Europe that is changing the cultural landscape, and the way ‘church’ is done in Spain.”

As we prepare to serve the Lord in a new church plant in Spain one of the challenges we face is the need for additional financial support. Our monthly financial need for Spain is $8090 a month. That amount includes; salary, insurances, transportation, ministry expenses, retirement, and other services. We do not have a guaranteed salary with TEAM, just the amount that comes in through those who partner with us. Our present monthly income is an average of $4075, which means that we are at 50% of the level we need to leave for Spain in June of 2010. Please be in prayer with us as we contact those churches and families who will want to invest in the church plant in Madrid, Spain. With the additional medical expenses we have been stretched more than usual. When we move to South Carolina in January we will look for part-time jobs to offset recent expenses. We anticipate grace and peace to abound in our hearts as we follow and trust the Lord.

Another move is approaching: #19. We love everywhere we go, but it hurts to leave from wherever we are at present! New address as of January 5th: 137 Haywain Drive,Chapin, SC 29036

Joyfully in Christ,

Peter & Sharon McMillan

Meet the McMillans

McMillans & Muhas — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:07:29 +0000

In September of 1989 after a year of Language School in Costa Rica, Peter and Sharon along with their two children, Ben and Heather left for a camping and church planting ministry along the coast of North Eastern Venezuela. They were assigned by TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) to work with the national church organization to find land and develop a camp and lay training center. A 50 acre farm was purchased in December of 1990 and the development began. Over the next eight years 21 work teams from the USA and the regional church organization worked together to build 8 buildings to house the 200 plus campers and staff

During those years at the camp Peter and Sharon also served as church planters. Rivers of Living Water Church started off as a children’s ministry. Gradually adults began to attend the church services. After taking 17 adults through a two year Bible training program, Peter was able to appoint 3 of them as elders. When Sharon was not homeschooling the children or attending newly born daughter Melissa, she was helping out with the church music or teaching and training teachers for Sunday School. In 1995 the church assigned a team to begin a new church plant which they supervised for about two years. Then, in 1998 they began another church in the mountain village of Gran Pobre as well as work with the youth. With a ‘67 Ford Pick-up truck they hauled helpers up the mountain and picked up eager children each Sunday morning. During those ten years Peter had a part in helping the church organization change to a elder ruled leadership. In 1999 Camp Chuparipal was turned over to the regional church organization, with its own camp director and board.

After home assignment Peter and Sharon began a church in the city of Lecheria. For the next 10 years Peter was the team leader for Metropolitan Bible Church. Along with his role as an elder, Peter was in charge of Bible Institute program and the overall administration of the church plant. Sharon again played a key role in the children’s ministry, training, teaching, planning children’s programs, discipling ladies or teaching English class as an outreach. Together Peter and Sharon would visit and counsel couples. In any given week they might attend a group baptism conducted at the beach or a river, respond to the security alarm at the church building, read by candlelight at night during one of the numerous power outages, visit a member or relative of a member in their home or in the hospital, spend hours texting people by cell phone. The Metropolitan Bible Church now has a Venezuelan full time pastor and two elders to lead over 200 in attendance.

After twenty years in Venezuela, the Lord has now called Peter and Sharon together with fellow TEAM Venezuelan missionaries Scott and Lorna Muha to a new church plant in Madrid, (Las Tablas) Spain. They will be partnering with the Chamorros, an Argentinean family and the Tablante family who were former members of the Lecheria church in Venezuela. Spain is less than 1% evangelical with 7000 cities with no established church. Together we are trusting the Lord for much fruit as we endeavor to plant a church in an area of more than 100,000 inhabitants where there is no established evangelical church.

Peter and Sharon are presently in the USA and working on their transition to Madrid. Pray that all needs will be met so that they can begin this new ministry by June of 2010. Ben is married to Hannah, Heather is preparing to go to Korea to teach English and Melissa is a freshman at James Madison University.