Dear Trusted Prayer Warriors,
This prayer update comes with a note of praise for the Lord´s goodness but also with a note of sobriety and a call to fervent prayer for the work of the Lord. This is an account of what happened as four of us went to do follow-up visits on the 27 stoves that were done by two teams from Pennsylvania and Virginia in three villages during the month of August (these are the teams that you prayed for).

Our trip began with visiting all the homes that received a stove in the first village of Nueva Papaplaya. As we went from house to house we were very pleased to find that after five weeks of use many of the people were no longer using their open fires to cook on but have completely transitioned to use only the chimney stoves for their meal preparations. This is a huge victory because it will eliminate the dangerous smoke that the women inhale on a daily basis that causes upper respiratory problems and fire accidents.

While the success of this project along with the incredible ministry of the Holy Spirit to the three villages while the teams were here were direct answers to our corporate prayers and a great cause for rejoicing I believe that the enemy retaliated because of it through what happened during this trip.  It started this way:

On Saturday, August 21 we started our 11-hour boat ride to the villages on the larger river of the Huallaga and then onto the smaller river of the Yanuyacu where all of these villages reside. The Yanuyacu River has many tight curves and is especially narrow when there is no rain because of the low water level. On the day that we were traveling there was an unusual amount of river traffic and some of the boats were going quite fast for such conditions. This proved true when all of the sudden as we were starting to take one of the turns another boat seemed to come out of nowhere dangerously fast to take the same turn. Without realizing that someone else was there the opposing boat driver had intentions of occupying the same space that we were in until, as he rounded the corner he could see that he was nearly on top of our boat. In a frantic, split-second reaction the two boat drivers grabbed each of their steering handles in both hands and with all their might pulled their 30-foot boats away from each other in just enough time to avoid a collision.

The experience was still fresh in our minds even after we finished the first village visit to Nueva Papaplaya three days later. However, the assaults of the enemy didn’t end there because en route to the second village, while we were not far away, it happened again but this time the outcome was more tragic. Once more we were rounding a tight, right hand curve and once again without warning another boat came rushing towards us at a speed to fast to reduce and at a distance too close to correct. Even though both drivers tried desperately to put space between their boats it was to no avail because within seconds we collided with all the force that 1 1/2 tons of boat can carry.

I braced myself and watched in horror as our boat crashed into the broad side of the other boat and scrapped the head of one of their men named Edwardo, dragging him through his boat before throwing him into the deeper part of the river. By tenacity and sheer will to live Edwardo started moving his bruised and battered body to keep himself afloat and finally make his way to the side of the river where the water was shallower and he could hold on to some river plants until we could get to him.

When we did we found that he had a head injury, bruises on his arm and a very badly broken leg. He was in a great deal of pain but we had to pull his boots off as quickly as possible before the swelling in his leg would make it nearly impossible. We cleaned and bandaged his wounds and even made a splint with a pole that we had in the boat. We then made our way to a nearby village that had a health post where we ran to get the health technician. She came quickly and after doing what she could with the limited medical supplies on hand she advised us that he had to be taken to the hospital in Yurimaguas as soon as possible and so with that we were on our way.

We made it to the hospital six hours later where Edwardo was admitted but not before having one more close call with an oncoming boat. This time however, the other boat driver was able to see us and swerve his boat out of our path in barely enough time to avoid another collision. Passing us just inches away it seemed so unjust that the other driver could appear so detached from the consequences of what a hit would incur. Nonetheless we were enormously relieved to see that we were spared another accident.

Since his admittance in the hospital Edwardo has had stitches in his head and an operation on his leg to have five, 10-inch pins put in to hold it together since it was broken in 4 places. He was told that he would be in the hospital for a month and that he would not be walking for about a year. While this is devastating news for a single, poor farmer supporting his elderly parents I am believing for the divine intervention of the Lord for a quick and miraculous recovery. Already, after just two weeks Edwardo is being released to go back to his village. This could be a very positive motivation for him to heal quickly so that he can resume his life much sooner than expected. Gloriously, during his stay in the hospital my pastor and the pastor from Nueva Papaplaya, Pastor Roger, came to visit him and were able to lead him to the Lord.

Edwardo and Daniel, the other boat driver, are from a village named San Eugenio (St. Eugene) where we had done a water filter project with an evangelistic outreach. It was during this ministry that Daniel, the boat driver, had also accepted the Lord and has shown interest in growing in his faith.  Pastor Roger of Nueva Papaplaya, has had a burden to minister to the villages on the Yanuyacu River with the Gospel including the one where these two men are from. He has since sent teams out to San Eugenio and a neighboring village called Santa Sofia to present the Word of God and disciple new believers. Some have responded very favorably and have even started building a church in their community.

I share all of this with you for two reasons:

1) To let you know that your ministry of intercession for these recent trips has produced a glorious outcome in the lives of many people in these three villages both physically, through the stove projects and spiritually through the work of the Holy Spirit.

2) To remind you that the fight we are engaged in is real and that we are fighting for real souls that could make huge differences in the lives around them when infused by the Holy Spirit.

As intercessors I know that you are very aware of the spiritual battle that rages all around us and of the tactics of the enemy to try and stop the work of the Lord just as he tried to do this time. Therefore, I encourage you to press in with me and claim the ground that the Lord has given us in His Name. Let us join together in praying for the following points and anything else that the Lord would show you.

1) Edwardo’s quick recovery and growth in his new found faith.

2) Daniel’s growth in his faith so that both he and Edwardo will be a powerful influence on the rest of the community.

3) All of Edwardo’s medical and living expenses will be met during his recovery period.

4) That the community of San Eugenio will be powerfully impacted by the Lord through this accident and that everyone will help Edwardo and his parents while he is recuperating.

I want to thank you again and again for your faithfulness to stand with me in this ministry through your intercession. I can’t begin to tell you how much it means to me. I pray for each of you by name and as a team for the Lord to do mighty things in your lives and to meet every one of your needs.

God bless you my precious co-laborers as you walk faithfully before Him in all that He has given you to do.

Standing with you in prayer,
Sharon Malcolm

PERUSING PERU  - Update from Missionary to Peru Sharon Malcolm - June/July, 2010
 (SEE ALL PHOTOS AT BOTTOM)

MINISTRY TO 3 VILLAGES!

A team from my home church; New Covenant Christian Community in Bethlehem, PA and a dear supporting church from Virginia; Winding Creek Community Church came to Peru separately to help me build chimney stoves for 29 of the total families that live in three villages. The stove project was done to replace the open fires that the women in these villages are used to cooking on. The daily exposure to the smoke causes harmful long-term effects on the lungs and eyes of the women as they lean over the fire to cook their meals.  Children are also at risk since they are often near or being carried by their mothers while cooking. With this stove design all of the smoke is piped through the chimney to the outside protecting the user from its dangers while the fire is contained in the body of the unit so that there is no risk of fire accidents.

(Photo below) New Covenant Team building stoves in Nueva Papaplaya. They also cleaned sand to make 6 bio-sand water filters, which purifies dirty river water into clean drinking water.

(Photo below) Winding Creek Team building stoves in the villages of Nuevo Triunfo and Parinari.

BODY MINISTRY AMONG THE CHURCHES
The Holy Spirit's work through the teams to the villages was even more amazing than the dedicated work of the stoves. The teams ministered by sharing the Word of God in several services in the three villages with impacting messages and an altar call that allowed many to receive a personal touch from the Lord. Vacation Bible School and home visits were also used to bring the Gospel, which resulted in several children accepting the Lord as their Savior and many women being personally ministered to.

(Photo below) New Covenant and Winding Creek Teams ministering the Word of God in the three villages of Nueva Papaplaya, Nuevo Triunfo and Parinari.
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BAPTISMS

Two very special blessings were added to the outreach in the village of Parinari.  First, a baptism for three new believers from the community and second, a wedding to marry the pastor of the village and his wife.  A visiting pastor named Pastor Alejandro, was asked to perform both events starting with the baptisms.  When he finished baptizing he asked if there was anyone else interested and surprisingly two of our team members went forward. Jud Stone translated as Pastor Alejandro baptized Jud's daughter Deanna first (pictured left) and then Samantha (pictured right). What an unforgettable experience for both girls and for Jud as he got to baptize his daughter.

AND A VILLAGE WEDDING

Pastor Rufino and his wife Eloisa were officially married in their Shawi Indian village of Parinari on July 31, 2010.  The couple pastor the church in their village which is a church plant by a larger church who also planted the church that I attend in Yurimaguas. Pastor Rufino specifically asked if Greg, the team leader from WCCC, whom he met on a prior trip, and I to be
their overseers (like God-parents to the couple). It was a very special time for me as I witnessed the sealing of my friends' relationship through the covenantal ceremony and what prayerfully will be the start of a new dimension of ministry to the community together. It is my prayer that the Lord will use them mightily to reach their neighbors for the Kingdom of God
and strengthen their church through the power of the Holy Spirit.

SPECIAL THANKS

I want to thank the churches of New Covenant Christian Community Church and Winding Creek Community Church for using their time, money and energy to come to Peru to minister with me to these precious communities. I also want to express my deepest gratitude to each intercessor that stood in the gap to pray for these teams as they came and for the work of the Holy Spirit through us to touch hearts and lives as we ministered.  It is because we have all joined together in our different roles that the work of the Lord was accomplished and His Name was lifted up. I am trusting that the results of these outreaches will be evident for years to come as the Holy Spirit continues His work in the people. May the Lord richly bless you all in
every part of your lives.

Financial contributions to Sharon`s work can be made by sending a one-line note with a check made out to Go To Nations to: Go To Nations; P.O. Box 10305; Jacksonville, FL 32247-0305 or contributions can be made online by contacting www.gotonations.org.

Dear Faithful Prayer Warriors,

I am writing to ask you to please keep us in prayer for the upcoming two
river trips. The first will be on July 2-12 with a team of 8 people from
New Covenant Christian Community, two people from my local church, Josè the
boat driver and I. We will travel on the Yanuyacu River to work in a
Spanish village named Nueva Papaplaya. During our time there we will be
making 12 wood burning stoves and about 6 water filters for some of the
families as well as ministering to the church that is there with the Word of
God and prayer for the congregation afterward.

The second trip will be with another group from a church in Virginia called
Winding Creek Community Church. We will be going on the same river as the
first group but to two villages named Nuevo Triunfo and Parinari. There
will be 12 on this team including two families, the same two people from my
local church, Josè the boat driver and I. We will be doing 17 stoves and 2
water filters and ministering in the churches there as well.

The prayer for both trips is:

1) Be as open as possible to the leading of the Holy Spirit so that the
Lord can accomplish all that He wants to do in the people and in the teams
that come.

2) Complete the stove and water filter projects in each of the communities.

3) Strong unity and bonding within the team so that the enemy cannot
interfer with disunity and stop the work of the Lord.

4) For safety and protection for all of us that are traveling for ourselves
and everything that we will bring.

5) Anything else that the Lord shows you.

In each community we will only have about 5 or 6 days to minister to the
villages so what we do while we're there must count. This could be a
life-changing experience for everyone involved and so please join me in
prayer for all of these prayer requests and believe God for a huge harvest
of souls and a glorious outpouring of His Holy Spirit on the churches where
we will be ministering. God bless you mightily as you pray.

Standing With You in Prayer,

Sharon