I hope that all of you are enjoying your summer and I wish all of you a happy Fourth of July.

So much has happened over the course of the past month that it’s tough to know exactly where to start. Let me begin by sharing some great news. As you’ve read in prior e-mails, once a week members of the El Alfarero team and I evangelize at a university. During this time of evangelism we share about all of the various ways that El Alfarero can meet students’ needs. In the last few months, this has resulted in 13 new university students going to our Christ-centered counseling services. Many of these students are facing family crises and/or a history of sexual abuse, so this is a major praise as the Lord is bringing them to a place where they can get help.

Evangelism at a local university.

More evangelism.

The second module of English classes recently finished and I’m very excited about how the course went. We touched on numerous biblical themes and verses throughout the course (like 1 Corinthians 9:24 “running the race”). Each student recited a memorized verse in English as part of his or her final presentation. In the last week, we ended on a high note when one of the students inquired about how Christianity and Jesus are different from other religions and religious leaders. Some of the Christian students and I were able to share our personal reasons for following Christ and why we believe Jesus is the only way to the Father. Please continue to keep my students in your prayers.

A few of my English students. Back row: Carlos, Fernando, me, Rubi, Sergio. Front row: Jenny, Gabriela, Judá.

Some students and I chatting in the café.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Sucre, Bolivia to visit the El Alfarero ministry there. While in Sucre, I helped out in the cafe, met many of the staff members and volunteers, and also had the opportunity to explore the city. Sucre is the constitutional capitol of Bolivia and is full of history. It has on display the Bolivian declaration of independence, personal items of Simón Bolívar (who is considered the George Washington of South America), and the first flag of Argentina. Sucre also has a syncretistic society with Catholic churches in the valleys and images, altars, shrines, and Satanic animal sacrifices in the high hills. These high hills are reminiscent of the Israelites’ high places in the Old Testament.

Standing in front of a statue of General Sucre who was instrumental in throwing off the yoke of the Spanish empire in the 1800s.

The city of Sucre behind me.

A statue of Jesus on top of a very high hill. If you look carefully, you will see bottles of alcohol on the steps. In the surrounding area one can find the burnt remains of animal sacrifices.

A can of beer next to a small image of Mary.

Eating breakfast with Graham Frith, a national director of El Alfarero.

Sucre has a large indigenous population. It’s quite common to see women carrying their young children in a colorful blanket called an “aguayo.”

Answered Prayers:
~ Praise God that more students are coming to the counseling services.
~ More students are discussing the gospel in the English classes and the relationships are growing stronger.
~ Praise God for traveling mercies as I made my trip to Sucre and back.

Prayer Requests:
~ Continued prayer for the students in my classes and those with whom we evangelize.
~ Safe travels for a few of my friends from the U.S. who will be traveling to Bolivia in early July.
~ Pray against the spiritual oppression that exists in Sucre and especially for our El Alfarero team that works there.