4/16/99 - Charlie left for Peru today. The rest of the group were meeting and leaving from the church, but since he had to come from work, I just dropped him off. It's been hard for me to sit in the Spanish refresher classes that he was doing at church for the group and help him pack knowing that I won't be going. Even though my heart yearns to go, it's been so hard to go on other missions trips and come back not knowing if we'll ever be able to serve. His plane hadn't even left the ground, when I had car trouble. I miss him already.
Sunday morning, 4/18/99 - I was running late for church this morning, and the phone rang. I almost didn't answer it! It was Charlie telling me the most incredible news. Apparently at dinner last night, missionary Ron Mask was telling Pastor Hogan about how badly he needed some help. Serving as missions director over the Peruvian district, he has to be gone a lot. He told Pastor that he needed someone fluent in Spanish, able to preach and translate, able to lead in his absence, and able to work with the missions building teams that come down. "You're not going to believe it," Pastor Hogan had told him, "but I think the man you want is sitting right at the end of this table." Pastor told him about Charlie's background as a missionary's kid in South America, our ministry, etc. Charlie said that Pastor told him to call me so that I could be somewhat prepared. Rev. Mask will be watching Charlie this week!
I hung up the phone an was absolutely overwhelmed. Honestly, my first reaction is that I was 8 years old when God called me to missions, and now here I am, 45 years old, with two grown children I'd have to leave behind. "Lord, how can I leave my children behind?!?"
Monday, 4/19/99 - I'm still numb, but this morning I sense that this is really going to happen, and I'm overwhelmed at waht a mighty God we serve! I'm awed to be right in the middle of God powerfully working to fulfill a calling in our lives. I e-mailed Rev. Mask to let him know I was in prayer for the group. Goodness--I wouldn't want him to think my absence meant I didn't have a heart for missions!
Thursday, 4/22/99 - I have an e-mail from Rev. Mask waiting for me when I get to work. It reads in part, "Please be in prayer about the possibility of coming here. Just remember, if it is God's will, THE DOOR IS WIDE OPEN. You would not only be working with me here, but you would be involved in several activities in the region (District) as well. Such as: marriage seminars, Bible Schools, Crusades, etc. God bless. Just remember, I will also be praying for God to have His will in this." I'm absolutely sitting there reading it with tears flooding down my cheeks. God has finally moved at a totally unexpected time. The door is open. I e-mail him back, "I've always known that God's calling hadn't changed just because our circumstances had. After all these years, it is hard to believe that such a wonderful opportunity is set before us. I can tell you that tears have flowed off and on all day today, as God has made Himself so beautifully manifest in your openness to us. We will be in fervant prayer, for we must know beyond a doubt that this is God's dirction and not our wishing. Nevertheless, my heart has been singing all day, "Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord! Yes!" I know He is more than able to work out the details. We will be in touch."
Friday, 4/23/99 - Charlie calls and tells me that the Masks have a family emergency and will be coming to the States for several months. Joyce will be preceding Ron, and she needs someone to pick her up at the airport and take her over to Hobby for her flight out. Wonderful opportunity for us to meet! I'll be there!! At this point, Charlie and I just need to see each other face to face. We can scarcely believe the developments.
Friday, 4/23/99 - I talk to Mother, and her voice wavers. I can tell she's almost crying . . . and I know it's sadness. Daddy passed away 13 years ago, and then both my sisters moved away. I've always been so far away, and after all these years, I'm probably going to the mission field. By the time we finish talking, she says, "Yes, it's overwhelming, but it's EXCITING, too! I know she's going to be fine.
Saturday, 4/24/99 - The first group from church arrives home, and I go to the airport to meet Joyce, and there's a big mixup! I spent nearly 2 hours trying to find Joyce--thinking they were caught in customs. The flight came early, and Pastor Hogan asks someone to take Joyce to the airport. I don't know what's going on, but get to the car and call Pastor's cell phone from mine. He catches the driver and tells him where to meet me so Joyce and I can visit. Thank you, Jesus! In spite of being flustered, and she had to be exhausted, we had a wonderful time getting to know one another. Christian and Benji hit it off, and Christian is SO excited to already have a friend in Peru!
Saturday, 4/24/99 - Charlie calls, and I cry. I need him home. It's so much--so fast. We need to be together for this.
Sunday, 4/25/99 - We left church to make it to the airport in plenty of time! Charlie sure looks good!!! Everyone on the team is hugging me and just beaming. They've seen this miracle unfold before their eyes!
Sunday, 4/25/99 - We talk and talk. He pulls out his souvenirs, and I can almost taste the country. We prayer together. We feel like we're standing on holy ground. Charlie tells me that before the plane ever touched the ground in Houston, that various people on the team had pledged the following:
Flight fare for the Houston to Lima leg of the trip;
3 people pledged $50/monthly support;
One man from another church pledged to purchase our range and refrigerator in Peru;
One man offered to buy our house, and another said he'd maintain and rent it for us if that's what we want to do. God is so obviously already working to provide our needs. Everywhere we look, we see His hand.
5/1/99 - Joyce and I start e-mail communication while she's on the road. She's great, and she's telling me all the things a woman needs to know about such a transition.
Sunday, 6/20/99 - We get home late from revival services at the church in Cleveland we've been helping with, and we get a call from the Masks. They're in Houston! We were told the wrong dates that they'd be here, so we do a quick change to get off work part of tomorrow and spend time planning.
Monday, 6/21/99 - I went in to work and told my boss. She's so great; she understood this was my time to be with them. They came over and we spent the rest of the day together. By the time they left, we felt like family. Good thing! We'll be staying with them until we get a place of our own.
Tuesday, 6/22/99 - We bid the Masks goodbye; Pastor Hogan is taking them to the airport. We all just wish we were coming now.
Friday, 6/25/99 - Ron Mask e-mails us that the house next door is available for rent. They're going to check it out tomorrow.
Monday, 6/28/99 - Home! Ron e-mails that they've rented the house and will use it for the ministry teams until we get there. What a blessing! We have a home, and we're not even there yet. God just knows what a "nest-er" I am. He said the yard is wonderful, but the house isn't much.
I ask Joyce about the house and ask if the kitchen has cupboards, shelves or less. Joyce e-mails me and tells me about everything else first before the kitchen. The yard is wonderful!!! The house is simple, and the kitchen is "less." It only has a sink. Well . . . guess I'll be getting creative until we can get things redone a bit. She was worried that I'd be discouraged. Discouraged?! We've been on trips to Mexico, and this house is heaven compared to what I thought we'd have to accept if we went to Mexico.
Wednesday, 7/14/99 - Internet Money! This morning I was really seeking God about the debts we need to liquidate before we leave, and it was looking pretty dim. I just said, "Lord, I know you must have a plan. You are unfolding this wonderful plan, and you wouldn't leave this part out. We're not asking for handouts; just, please, give us the means to provide for this need. Less than 2 hours later, I called my sister in Kansas to get a phone number, and she asked if her son had called me. "A strange thing happened to him this week at work," she said. She then related that someone had come into his Texaco Mart, and after seeing his name tag, asked him if he knew my sister. "Yes, she's my Mom," he said. "Why?" The man told him that he had been on the internet and seen a some unclaimed funds on the KPERS website. "They're looking for your mom," he said. "It has something to do with an S.R. Wedel." When my nephew told my sister about it, she said, "S.R. Wedel is your Aunt Sharon!" I was just dumbfounded when she suggested I had some unclaimed funds. Within 2 minutes after we ended our conversation, I had gone to the website and located significant funds which were due me from a retirement system in Kansas from when I taught school there briefly! I would never have thought of it. Hallelujah! What are the odds of a total stranger walking into my nephew's store (of all the available places in Kansas City), seeing his name, remembering the names on the website, and telling him about it? IT'S JUST LIKE GOD! He sort of tapped me on the shoulder that day and said, "Sharon, I've got money in places you've never even thought of. You just trust me."
Sunday, 8/1/99 - More Blessings!While teaching at a Prison Fellowship Instructor Training Conference, a number of participants expressed a desire for us to come to their churches when we begin itinerating! Melanie received another $800 scholarship! Little by little God is taking care of her college expenses. The contractor for a column fence at our home church announced that he is donating the labor fees to our ministry to Peru! God is gracious to keep meeting our needs. We will get there!
Tuesday, 8/3/99 - News from the Masks!
PLEASE be in PRAYER for Joyce, as she has been sick for three weeks now. Actually she was sick and could hardly talk while the teams were here. She has had bronchitis and congestion that she just can't seem to shake, as well as laryngitis. She is on the second round of antibiotics and the Dr. has ordered complete bedrest and NO TALKING!! Also, over the last week, her blood pressure has gone up. It was up so much this evening, that her Dr. gave her blood pressure medicine to take immediately and set an appointment for tomorrow with a cardiologist. Also pray for Benji--he has had a cold and bad cough too. (We are in winter here--in case you are wondering!! The seasons are opposite!)
Once again time seems to be flying!! It's hard to believe that August is already here!! On July 5th, a MAPS team from the Full Gospel Korean Church--Assembly of God, in Flushing, New York arrived. Their first week was spent working on construction at the church--laying brick, digging ditches, etc. The metal roof on the big sanctuary is almost completed! Praise God for that! Now we are putting in the windows but we still need a floor! Please PRAY and BELIEVE God with us to send in the funds for a floor. We are having services in the big sanctuary--as is--dirt floor and all and God is still saving souls! In nearly every service, souls are receiving Jesus!!
The beginning of the second week, the Korean young people and young people from our church went out into the streets and neighborhoods passing out over 45,000 flyers for the FIRE OF GOD Crusade which was July 15-18 in the Coliseum of Arequipa. The 73 member choir and children's ministry group from Faith Assembly of God in Orlando, Florida arrived on Tues. July 13, so we had nearly 100 people here from the States all at the same time!!! The Fire of God Crusade was wonderful--the choir was awesome and the evangelist, who came from Lima, preached under the annointing of God. Many souls were saved. At the same time, the children's ministry group was doing children's services in the AG church just a couple of blocks from the coliseum. During the day, we visited and ministered in several childrens' homes, a hospital, and a youth detention center.
Once the teams left, we began preparing for the Regional Assembly of God Conference which was to be held the following week (last week) in Ilo. Ronnie was in charge of both the youth services as well as the children's services. Some of the young people from our church went and helped him with the children's services, as Joyce was not able to attend.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY for the work here. We have so much going on. Pray for the construction, as well as the church and school. It seems like there are constant battles we have to fight. Please pray that God will give Ronnie a lot of wisdom and the mind of God in the decisions he constantly has to make. Once again, we need a miracle in the construction. We need approximately $10,000 to be able to put in the floor and the lights of the sanctuary and to finish out the five classrooms and bathrooms. At this time, we do not have any funds or MAPS groups coming in to help us with this construction and the funds are depleted. Right now, we desperately need the floor and lights but we know that God will provide somehow.
We love you all so very much and we really do DEPEND on YOUR PRAYERS!!
Sunday, 9/19/99 - EXCERPTS OF MASKS' NEWSLETTER: August and September have been busy! Three weeks ago, I traveled to Cusco and Albancay (7 hours by bus outside of Cusco) and held two Conferences on Missions and Evangelism. The following week, I traveled to Juliaca and held another one. There were about 125 pastors and leaders who attended each conference. This past week we helped with a dental team who came down with Missionary Ventures and worked with a fellow missionary here in Arequipa. This afternoon, Joyce went to northern Peru to spend a week to help translate for a Medical team with Health Care Ministries. She will return to Arequipa on Friday.
The church continues to grow. God is really blessing. Last Sunday morning we had 7 who accepted Jesus and today we had another one. We had 182 (all Peruvians) in church this morning. Joyce had 89 in Children's church. We have started our Bible Academy in the church. We are offering two classes at this time. In the English class there are 17 enrolled, and in the Book of John class we have 15. We are using the English class as a means of attracting non christians to the church. We are going to be using the bi-lingual Bible as one of the textbooks. We have been bringing in children, youth and adults in our van and also in my pickup. Today, I brought 30+ in my pickup. WE REALLY NEED A BUS!! God will provide!! Many of these children have accepted the Lord. A few months ago, a young nine year old boy named Mario started coming in the van. He accepted the Lord during Sunday School one morning and started sharing with his friends and parents. He told them that they needed Jesus as well and needed to come to church. Mario had an oversized heart and about 4 weeks ago, he went to be with Jesus. I am so thankful for a lady in our church named Rebecca Cruz who invited him to church and then for his Sunday School teacher, Vicky Guerrero, who led him to Jesus. Because of them, Mario is in heaven today and we have been able to minister to his family. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT RESULTS YOU WILL HAVE WHEN YOU INVEST IN THE KINGDOM!!! Last Saturday, one of our prayer warriors in the church, Eva Rivas, also went to be with the Lord. We spent all day Saturday with the family at the hospital. It was my first funeral here, and it is a lot different than the states. However, God helped me and we were able to minister to the family. Today, two of her children and their families were at church.
Sunday, 9/19/99 - FROM THE MASKS; ANOTHER ITEM: the Lord is leading us into starting some new works in some new areas of Arequipa. These are areas where squatters are invading and settling. There are areas to purchase, and my idea is to go into these areas and purchase a piece of property now while the prices are low, build a temporary building to start services in, and then later build a permanent building. I want to try and purchase land in four different areas. If you and your church would like to be involved in these new church plantings and would like to help us purchase some of these properties, the cost is between $3500 and $5000 for each lot. I will send you a picture of the property, plus the temporary building that we will build to start with. Then I will keep you updated as to the progress of your church. ALSO, we will try and name the new church after the sponsering church in the states. Let me know if you are interested. If you want to be involved but cannot afford the complete price of the land, we can possibly combine different ones to make the purchase possible.
Keep us in your prayers as Joyce & I continue to be the National Director of the Dept. of Missions, Regional Youth Director, Pastor, Bible School Professor, plus other things. We need God's Wisdom,Direction, and Annointing (plus health) to do it.
Monday, 10/18/99 - We received word from the Masks that they've had to lay off all workers because funds have run out. They still have the electricity to install, paint, put in floors, lights, finish the stucco, plus much more. [If you wish to send money for the completion of the church building, the Mask's DFM account is 2199867 and the project is 7272. Any offering will be appreciated.]
Monday, 11/8/99 - Received an e-mail from Joyce Mask telling us, "We definitely DO need you here ASAP!!!!! The church is growing so fast!!! We are both really tired and overworked! Keep us informed on any news!!! We are waiting on "pins & needles!" We just got home from Cusco on Saturday, and Ronnie left again early this morning for Tacna. He sent the tent down and he had to get there to get it set up today. Tomorrow they start seminars and Revival services in the tent--through Friday night. Three pastors from North Carolina are arriving in Tacna today to teach and minister. Ronnie will be doing all the translations. We will see how his voice holds out--he may call me to catch a flight down on Wed. night to help with translations on Th & Fri, if he is having problems with his voice.
Tuesday, 11/9/99 - Our training has been delayed, and this has impacted our projected departure date. At this point, it will be a major blessing if we can leave by the end of January--although that would probably take a miracle. As you can see by reading the updates below from the Masks, they are anxiously awaiting our help! Please be in prayer with us that we can go soon. God has His perfect plan; His ways are not our ways. Please be in prayer with us for His way and our willing sumission.
Saturday, 1/29/00 - NEWS FROM THE MASKS:
EXCITING NEWS!! HABITAT FOR HUMANITY has just approved to GIVE us a piece of property in an area called Nazareno. This is a very poor area near our church. We are actually supposed to take possession this week!!! We plan to use it to start a feeding center for poor children, an annex of our church, a child care facility and even a school a little further down the line!! They have given us a house on one side of the street and property on the other side. In all, the property is about ¼ acre and includes a storage building and a large patio! We will convert the storage building into the kitchen, etc. At one end of the property, there is a Catholic church and the people of the area suggested to Habitat that we could probably use it as well, SO, it was approved, and they are giving us that too!!! Is that awesome or what???? In the next few months we plan to start 10 outreaches/annexes of our church in the areas, similar to Nazareno, that are near the church. PLEASE be PRAYING about this. We are looking for places to begin them and as God opens the doors, we will be start them!!! Pray that God provides workers too. SCHOOL We are currently hiring new teachers and enrolling students for the new school year which begins the end of March. PLEASE be in PRAYER that God will bless and supply every need in this area. It appears that we are still in need of some ENGLISH teachers too. Normally we try to get teachers to come from the States as volunteers to teach for a year, raising their own support from friends, family and their church. We need strong christian teachers who feel called to work in missions. Please pray with us about this as well. CAMPS The year 2000 has gotten off to a great start with camps. The first week we held the first ever pastors' kids camp. We tried to furnish everything. We had 16 kids. It was a lot of fun and we also had some neat times in the Lord. We rented the Rotary Club Camp at a beach-front town near Tacna (close to the border of Peru and Chile). The camp was a block from the beach. The second week we had the first ever Regional Youth Camp. We had 49 in attendance. A large group of them were from the church we pastor here in Arequipa. We had a mighty move of God each night in the services. Many of the young people were touched, and some were filled with the Spirit. During the day, we had a lot of fun in the sun. Please pray with us as last year I was able to purchase 1/2 acre of land on the beach to build our own campground. We need to build it as soon as we can. I estimate that it will take about $25,000 to build some dormitories, bathrooms, kitchen and a dining room. Also, there is a possibility of purchasing another 1/4 acre for $6200. Our land is just behind the Rotary Club Camp, about a block and a half from the beach. It would be great to have it completed so that we can do camps, retreats, etc. AS you can see, January has been interesting, full of work, but BLESSED!!
Tuesday, 2/8/00 - Much has happened (and in some cases, not happened) since our last journal entry, but we now have a revised target departure date of mid-April, 2000. If our required funds are raised prior to the March 22nd Missions training, we will be allowed to attend that session and leave shortly thereafter. The Area Director of the Andean region officially placed us with the Masks and their work in Arequipa during January. The budget requirements have now been filed with the Dept of Foreign Missions, so now our fundraising has begun in earnest. Praise God! Things are likely to happen quickly now.
Click here to see the Mask's website for the school and church. Friday, 2/11/00 - WOW! God is good! We received a letter last night from the Department of Foreign Missions officially inviting us to the March training. The final signature is not on our paperwork, but they feel certain this will happen shortly, so they have opened the door for us to proceed for March training! Praise the Lord! There are still many financial things that must fall into place in order for an April departure, but it's obvious that God is moving in our behalf! We are rejoicing as we make plans for March training! Thank you so much for all your prayers and support!Monday, 3/6/00 - Exciting things are happening! We're receiving all the official paperwork and busy taking care of details. We even have our field address now. Training is just two weeks away. Please continue to pray for us as we get busier with preparations and maintaining our current jobs. To God be the glory!
Sunday, 3/19/00 - We heard from Joyce, and there is a bilingual nurse who is going to Arequipa in April to teach English at the school. Additionally, her primary responsibility will be to tutor Benji (their son), Christian, and one other American boy who don't learn as well in Spanish. Lupita even lives in Houston, so we hope to meet her before she leaves. What a blessed answer to prayer!! We had been concerned about how I would manage to supplement Christian's education while handling so much at the school. God is our provider! Glory!
Thursday, 3/30/00 - We've just returned from our pre-field orientation (PFO) in Springfield, and we are PUMPED!!! After having gone through PFO, we understand why they didn't waive it. It was just an AWESOME time of learning, spiritual renewal, and fellowship. In addition to getting to know the leadership, we also met some other who will be working in S.A. and just really feel like we made some neat contacts this week, too. I guess you could say we really feel like we're part of the team now. Sunday,April 9th, is Miracle Day for the Stefflers at our local church. We also have a number of other services set up. Funds are starting to come in. At this point, we're taking one day at a time and just trying to be instant in season. We're ready to go as soon as finances work out.
Monday, 4/10/00 - Our hearts are full as we stand in awe of the miracle that God has truly worked for us in our Miracle Sunday at our local church. Cash base amount HAS BEEN RAISED, and monthly pledges are nearly there! God is so good to show His mighty hand in such a tangible way! Friends and family came to join us for this special day, and we were so blessed to have them with us for such special fellowship and rejoicing! We cannot praise Him enough for the awesome friends and family He has given us--for the awesome love and support. GOD IS SO GOOD!
We were also privileged to meet Lupita Torres on Friday. She is the woman who will be tutoring Christian and the other American boys at the school. She is such a sweetheart and a godly young lady! Christian loved her! He even learned some Spanish from her father! It's a blessing to have such a fine young lady called to help in such a tangible way. Thanks again for all your love and prayers. We have a lot to do, and it can seem a bit overwhelming at times. Please continue to pray for us.
Friday, 5/19/00 - A few brief updates. Our projected departure date is July 5th. Ronnie Mask will be in the States for several weeks in June and preferred we wait until he returns before we come. As things have developed, this works out well. We have extended our work here to accommodate for this, and it will also allow us to see our daughter when she returned from her studies in England on June 27th. We look forward to spending some time with her before we leave! Please pray for the sale of our house. We need this to pay off some remaining debts in order for the Dept. of Foreign Missions to give us final financial clearance to book our flight tickets. God has worked so miraculously every step of the way that we know He has this all worked out to the most minute, wonderful detail! Nevertheless, please join us in keepin this before Him in prayer.
We will be able to spend some time with Ronnie Mask, the missionary we'll be working with, when he flies into Houston on May 27th. After some services here and a visit with his family in San Antonio, he'll be in Florida working with a group that will be coming to assist with the pastor's school in Peru. Pray for his safe travel and a productive time of working/planning during the time he is with us.
Friday, 5/26/00 - Tomorrow Charlie will be meeitng Ronnie Mask at the airport, and we will be spending some time planning and preparing with him for our work there. Please be in prayer for Ronnie's safe travel--as well as the protection of his family who remain in Arequipa. Violent riots and protests broke out last week throughout Peru's larger cities--including Arequipa. The Masks were in the Plaza when some of this was going on. Please pray earnestly that this situation will resolve peaceably and soon.
Thursday, 6/1/00 - Ronnie Mask arrived safely in Houston on Saturday, and we spent the day Sunday with him in services at Buno and Mt. Belvieu. Wonderful services and people--wonderful opportunity to see pictures and hear stories and testimonies of all that God has done in Arequipa since Charlie was there last April! Click here for updated pictures of the buildings. Click here for pictures of the area.
The political situation doesn't seem nearly as tense. The U.S. has lightened up its rhetoric against Peru, and the OAS did not deem the election to be a violation of Resolution 1080. What they ended up doing (putting it on the agenda of the foreign ministers' meeting) was so UNcontroversial that even Peru voted for it! Keep the matter in prayer, but things look much better at this point.
Thursday, 7/6/00 - Our revised departure date is July 26th. We had hoped to leave this coming Saturday, but things did not go through on the sale of the house. We are preparing an arrangement to lease the house if necessary, so we can leave. Please be in prayer with us about this matter.
Sharon has finished her time with North Harris College and is now at home making preparations for our departure. She will also be making a trip to Kansas to be there for her mother's surgery on the 17th. While we are disappointed about the delay, God's ways are best, and we believe He wanted Sharon to be there to help. Sharon will be helping her mother prepare the house to be closed during a long recovery period. Please be in prayer for her safe travel and for her mother's health.
We are also dealing with the new restrictions imposed on travel to Peru. We will not be able to take any excess baggage, so we are having to make great adjustments on what we take.
We continue to maintain close contact with the Masks and look forward to beginning our time there. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and loving support!
Tuesday, 8/22/00 - When God moves, things happen quickly!! We left Houston on 7/26/00 in a whirlwind of activity and arrived in Arequipa, Peru on 7/27/00. A wonderful group of people from the church here greeted us at the airport with banners, balloons, and whistles!!! What a welcome!! Pastors Ronnie and Joyce Mask opened their home to us in a beautiful way, and we knew we were welcome as long as we needed it. About the third day there, we began to look for a place of our own, and God was truly faithful!!! For a very reasonable price, we were able to rent a 2-story townhome--3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, 1.5 baths, and a 'kitchen.' We were also blessed with wood parquet floors instead of the concrete we expected!! The kitchen is sparse on cupboards, but a wonderful pastor here is also a gifted carpenter, and he has begun the process to make that kitchen more usable! Little by little, it's becoming homier. God is so good! We truly feel like he had this place handpicked for us--knowing exactly when we would be arriving!
In addition to numerous duties with the large church body, Charlie is in charge of a little fledgling body of believers in Ciudad de Dios (City of God). It's actually one of the most desolate little places we've ever seen--nothing but dirt and dust--grey, dingy hovels and such. But God's love is not limited by such places!! The work is growing there, and we hope to see big things happen. Charlie regularly preaches there; souls are being saved, and the body is growing. It consists largely of children who wander in alone at night. When Christian asked us in disbelief where all the parents were, we reminded him of the story of Jesus calling the children unto him when his disciples scoffed. These are precious souls, who may just bring their parents to Jesus, too. On one of our first nights there, a little boy named Cesar asked Jesus into his heart. Please be in prayer for him, since he has very little direction from home. Pray for us as we minister to these largely forgotten people.
Sharon is teaching 2nd and 3rd grade English and sitting in class with Christian the rest of the school day to help him understand his assignments. For now, Christian's adjustment is her number one priority. (The tutor we had expected has become engulfed in various ministry efforts, so we're adjusting as needed.) Christian's beginning to pick up some of the Spanish language. Be in prayer that this will happen quickly, so that his adjustment will be complete. Sharon finds opportunities for ministry in the school as well. Be in prayer for one little girl, Carla, who's mother abuses her. Pray for her mother, too, that she might surrender her life to Christ and let Him make it anew!
We've been busier than ever, but it is an amazing thing to be in the center of God's will and watch His plan unfold before you! Tonight, as we type this brief update, the words of "Tu Fidelidad es Grande" play in the background, and we remember the preparations for the Spring First Assembly Team that came to Peru a year ago April--we remember all the anticipation--and yet we had no idea just how grand His plan was. Perhaps we truly didn't understand His faithfulness in its fullest. Every day that we're here, we can echo the words of that wonderful chorus. "Yes, Lord. Your faithfulness is great, and it is incomparable! Great is Your faithfulness!" Our lives are testimony to that. We can see the radiant glow of Theresa Cain's face as she sang that song . . . and of so many others who truly know the wonder and marvel of His faithfulness . . . His miraculous power to restore lives! That is why we're here in Arequipa. We're here to share the lifechanging power of Jesus Christ with a hungry people!
There are things we truly miss (like HOT bath water for one!!!), but somehow our hearts are so full of spiritual things that the physical things we lack pale in comparison.
We have learned that in Arequipa everything is "manana!" We thought for a week that we would have internet access the next day! Now that we're online and life has a bit of a routine, we hope to be in better contact with all of you.
Please note that although our juno e-mail accounts are still good and excessible, it's more cost effective for us to use our new e-mail addresses:
chassteffler@planet.com.pe
ssteffl@planet.com.pe
Snail mail would be great, too, as long as you realize that it may take a few weeks to arrive:
Charlie & Sharon Steffler
Cassillo de Correo 244
Arequipa, Peru S.A.
A bit at a time, we'll get our website updated, and we'll try to get some postcards coming, too! God bless you all for your part in our ministry here. Every day we think of our wonderful church body in Spring, Texas!!!
Monday, 11/6/00 - Praise God! We have just finished two marvelous weeks of medical clinics by day and revival meetings by night! God blessed our work with two American medical teams back to back, and what a wonderful work we have seen! Over 800 received Christ in the first week of revival! This past week over 1,000 people received medical care and were counseled for salvation. About half received Christ at the medical clinic alone--not counting the revival services. We have seen the power of prayer and fasting--with a miraculous touch of God in the services EVERY evening! We've seen healings; we've seen people slain the in the Spirit and wake up with hearts healed and changed lives! And very special and dear to our hearts, our son, Christian was called to the ministry this week! What a precious story that is! We've seen wounded people restored in their spirits, and we expect to see things change dramatically around here! We have a people on fire to change the city of Arequipa!! We were also blessed to have an ordained sister, Linda Moose, minister to the women's group here. What precious women they are, and what great needs they have! Sharon had been ministering to them on how precious they are in God's sight and on the power of prayer and the dynamic role they play in God's plan for their families. As the Holy Spirit does, Sister Linda's messages emphasized God's love for them, their value in His sight, and His special calling on each one of them with gifts of the Spirit for ministry. WHEW! It was POWERFUL! She is especially gifted with prayer and words of knowledge--you'd have to see it to understand what a mighty work God did in these women. Sister Linda, a nurse, would stay and teach the women after a long, gruelling day with the medical clinic--often missing the evening meal with the team--and certainly having no time for rest before the evening service. Oh,but what blessings she will receive in Glory for her sacrifice to minister to our dear Peruvian sisters. Pray for Sharon as she continues to work with this group.
Forgive us for not making entries as regularly on our web page--it has certainly been a busy 3 months here in Arequipa--especially the past two weeks, but we are busy doing what God sent us here to do. Thank you for being His hands and having a part in our ministry here! How we thank God for you!! Pray that this wonderful move of God continues here. Allelujah!
Thursday, 2/8/01 Friends are graciously allowing us to stay in their vacant home until we depart. This has been such a blessing to us to be able to live privately as a family during this recovery. We can be reached at 21323 N. Tangle Creek Lane Spring, TX 77388 281-353-9047 until our return to Peru. Please call us if you would like for us to speak at your church. We would be delighted to share with you in person what God is doing in Peru!!
Thursday, 2/8/01 - So much has happened in the three months that have passed since I last updated this section of the website. A short 11 days after the last update, Charlie became severely ill with viral encephalitis. We began our saga with this illness with a very normal Friday. Charlie, Chritian, and I had gone to school--Christian and I to the classroom--Charlie to the roof to assist the construction crew with the second floor of the new wing to the school. About 11 a.m., Charlie told me he was going downtown to check our mailbox and take care of a few other errands. He did mention that he felt a little funny, and might stop by the house to rest if he wasn't feeling better. When Christian and I arrived home from school at about 2:30 that afternoon, Charlie was in the bedroom sleeping--a very deep sleep--and wasn't responsive at all. Later, he tried to get up to use the bathroom, and barely staggered to the bathroom. His speech was slurred and illogical. He did convey that he'd eaten at a very "typical" Peruvian place, so we began to suspect bad food or some kind of plot to rob him that included drugs being slipped into his food. But the next morning he was not better and got progressively worse throughout the day. He was very easily agitated and forbade me to take him to the doctor. "I just need to sleep; leave me alone!" he'd insist. By that evening, he could not feed himself, could not stand, could not speak, and still didn't want to go to the doctor.
During the night, he steadily slipped closer to a comatose state. I finally called Pastor Ronnie Mask, our supervising missionary, and asked for his help to get him to the hospital. He and another young man from church came and helped me carry him to the car. (We don't have 911 in Peru!) His symptoms seemed to me to be indicative of stroke or encephalitis, so I asked for a neurologist and asked for him to be checked for those two illnesses. He was admitted, but testing didn't begin until the following Monday morning. We spent a week in the hospital there.
After conversing with Dept. of Foreign Missions doctors in the States, we concluded that not enough was being done. He was being treated largely as if he only had a congestive cough. Any other tests were inconclusive EXCEPT for the EEG, which they dismissed. Our Medical Evacuation Insurance arranged for a hurried flight out of Peru on Friday evening. We arrived at Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas on Saturday morning. Within 30 minutes of our arrival, testing had been scheduled for all the things which had seemingly been ignored in Peru. Almost immediately, they began to adminsiter the drug for a strain of Viral Encephalitis. He responded quickly. Finally, test results did confirm that strain of encephalitis.
Then we were dealing with the results of the disease. It is an inflammation of the brain, so many bodily functions controlled by the brain are affected by the damage. We were told it would take 6 months of physical rehabilitation for him to learn to walk againg, speak well again, and write again. That was a grim reality. Some of you began to fast and pray with us.
The next morning when the doctors came in to check his ability levels, he was walking, talking, and writing normally!!! Everyone was amazed! Charlie was released the same day and has not suffered any further physical disability! Praise God! What a miracle! The drug helped combat the disease, but God's touch restored his body! Since then his recovery continues. Our Dept. of Foreign Missions requires that we wait awhile before returning; relapses are rare, but usually occur within the first few months, and they don't want to take any chances.
Charlie does still, however, experience some occasional disorientation and some consistent fatigue problems. Doctors are evaluating these problems to help us overcome them. The fatigue issues are pretty normal when a body is recovering from such a traumatic illness (80% mortality rate). Residual effects of encephalitis can be lifelong, but we believe God is restoring him completely. Please be in prayer with us about this. We long to get back to Peru. Our hearts are there, and this waiting is so difficult. Please keep us in your prayers as we wait for God's time to return.
4/01 - Charlie's recovery was sufficient that we were able to return to Peru in April of this year. Through God's direction, we were able to discover what had been causing his periods of disorientation, and medication now prevents this from occuring. Although he still has some fatigue issues, he has recovered almost 100%. Thank you for our prayers!
3/1/02 - Return to States for treatment of Sharon's breast tumor. [More details later.]
4/16/02 - Due to the need of followup tests and possible treatment and related issues, the Assemblies of God have considered our appointment to Peru completed. We are very saddened by this development, but we have temporarily settled in Oklahoma. We can be reached at 1024 S. Miles El Reno, OK 73036 or 405-262-6438.
7/08/03 - Now that Sharon's medical issues seem well under control, we are pleased to announce that we have been accepted as Missionary Candidates with World Indigenous Missions, a non-denomination, full-gospel missionary organization based in New Braunfels, Texas. We were privileged to attend Orientation in June and are now awaiting news of the physical location of our assignment. We are so grateful to God for His blessings to us in this area!As a final footnote on Charlie's health, during our time in Oklahoma, God has continued to restore him in physical strength and mental concentration. We are so grateful that God did not stop with a partial healing, and Charlie is as strong as ever--now working a job that requires great mental stamina. He would not have been able to handle this job when we arrived back in the States in 2002, and it is SO evident that God continued to heal him. Thank you so much for continuing to pray for him.
8/11/03 - After much prayer and discussion WIM has assigned us to work with and train under John & Patti Schmid of Cuernava, Mexico. They live in a beatiful city about 1 hour south of Mexico City and are precious couple. They work with a network of churches and will assist in our church planting training process. Please be in prayer with us as we make this transition. While our hearts still long for Peru, we know that God has a wonderful way of always putting us in the right place at the right time. For information about our missions assignment and WIM, please see our primary web site, www.oocities.org/ssteffler
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