July Newsletter

“Give us this day our daily bread”

Thanks to several small experiences, I’ve been seeing this familiar verse from the Lord’s Prayer in a different light recently.

Our first week in Lima, we were taken to the grocery store for a lesson on shopping. I thoughtlessly questioned why the packages of sanitary napkins were so small. “Why Julie, that’s all they can afford! They buy only what they need when they absolutely need it.”

We stopped in at an office supply store (not that common) to buy some mechanical pencils. When I sent Shaw to the register with a box, we managed to mess up the entire computer system. How so? Because they don’t sell pencils by the box. In that store, they only sell them one at a time. “They only buy what they need when they need it.”

If you hire a maid, you pay them daily, because otherwise, their family might not eat that day. “Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.” (Deut. 24:15)

Did I mention that I am finding this slightly convicting? If you really want to up your conviction level, check out James 5:4-5.

Peru is a culture in which most people live on a day to day basis. And I am not even talking about the poorest of the poor. Dear Lord, give them this day their daily bread.

How are we doing?

Language school: In the next week Shaw and I will finish language school. (Lydia continues on for some weeks yet.) Then we will work with tutors to fully integrate what we have learned into our speaking and listening. It is quite a challenge.

Present Ministry: We continue to help Bishop Godfrey lead a
“Life in the Spirit” course for the seminarians. Next week we will pray for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Please keep this in prayer. In addition, Shaw will celebrate and preach his first sermon in Spanish this Sunday, July 19th. Please pray for him.

Residency papers: Over the next month, we will be filling out forms, visiting government offices, standing in line, etc. in order to get our carnets (our residency cards for foreigners.) This allows us to stay in the country. It is very important to get this right.

Prayer Requests:
• Listening and Speaking skills
• Life in the Spirit Seminar
• Continuing adjustment and good health
• Residency papers process

Blessings! – Julie, Shaw, and Lydia