September 2003 News

Bob & Betty Whatley
Prayer & Praise
Dear Relatives, Prayer Warriors, and Personal Friends:

I want to start this news briefing by thanking all of you who have given sacrificially and to those who have prayed for us all these years. In looking back, I am a bit surprised to remember that we were received by Baptist Mid-Missions as missionaries 44 years ago, we left the States for Language School 43 years ago and have now been on the field in the mountains of southern Peru 42 years. Where did the time go? What happened to youth? It is comforting to know that God's people have kept us going all that time. It is with mixed emotions that we remember so many who are now with the Lord who first helped us come here. I recall with vividness one old timer who I suppose was fairly well off financially. He helped us with passage money and supported us on a monthly basis until he went home to Glory. I can almost see him now as he pointed a crooked 92 year old finger at me and said "Bob, God would have more rich children if He could trust them with money". That statement and the man's attitude, made an impact on my life and made me want to be as faithful with God's money as that old man was. Thanks to all of you for your understanding, friendship, and help in general for all these years.

PRAISE ITEMS

1. An open door. We have more opportunities than ever to preach to the lost and to teach believers, both new ones and those who have been saved for years and seem to have missed the boat when it comes to sound doctrine. Oh the doctrinal ignorance that we have encountered lately.

2. Praise be to God for so many who are having their lives turned around by learning Bible doctrine and principals. They act like sheep who haven't had good feed for some time and now are turned loose into good pasture.

3. We are thankful for sufficient health to carry out our responsibilities.

PRAYER ITEMS

1. Pray for the 170 Baptist Churches to the south of us who have fallen on hard times doctrinally. We here in the Cuzco area have been asked to take charge of their "Christian Education". By that, they are referring to the new Bible School in that area. It is a branch of the one in Urubamba. They are also referring to pastoral training, and oh how they need that! Here are a couple of statements made by one of the pastors at a baptismal service about a month back. Get a load of what he said to those getting baptized, "you are now getting saved". Also, "this river is the blood of Jesus". I say this guy can out do the local priests hands down, they turn a cup of wine into blood with a bit of magic, but this Houdini can do it to a whole river". Brother, give me a break.

As I mentioned in a previous letter, of the 16 new students in the new branch school some 14 made a profession of saving faith the first week of classes. Talk about changed lives and attitudes, these young people have changed. Frankly I was shocked. I asked the president of churches "where have these people been eating"? "What have their pastors been teaching them"? His answer was actually alarming, "Brother I am afraid a lot of the pastors themselves don't know what salvation is." After spending a good bit of three months in the area, I have to say he was probably right. Since that time I have had three leadership training sessions in the area, and invariable several pastors make professions of faith. I have tried to find out what they were trusting in for salvation and I get different answers. Some seem to think that just leaving the state church would do it. Others think an emotional jag fixes things up. Most think that baptism has a major part to do with their eternal destiny. The example of the thief on the cross who was obviously saved in the last moments of his life generally helps them understand that baptism doesn't save.

Another problem is that these are the most "yo yo" people I have ever seen. Yeah, they are up and down all the time. They think they are lost more often than they think they are saved. To so many of them the Bible is more a book of doubts than assurance. Please pray for the people and churches as we try to help them out of the darkness in which they live.

2. In about a hour, I will be taking part of the students from here to the boarder of Bolivia where many Baptist from Peru and Bolivia will be having their yearly reunion. Ruben Quispe from here and I will have part in the teaching responsibilities. Pray for us, I am nervous about preaching to so many. It is said that in some years they have had as many as ten thousand people present. Pray that we will be able to present truth with clarity and conviction. Also pray for safty during the 10 hour trip over and back.

3. Continue to pray about our land predicament. The lawyers say we are closer than ever to the point of taking possession of the land that we paid for over two years ago.

Que Dios les guarde.

Robert L and Betty Whatley

September 2003

Baptist Mid-Missions first entered the mountains of Peru in about 1937. The center of the work there has always been the city of Cuzco. his was the capital of the ancient Inca Empire. The ministry was very slow in the beginning with obstacles hard to imagine today. By 1960 there were only 3 small church plants to show for all the years of a decade of wonderful expansion of Independent Baptist churches throughout the region of Cuzco. By 1990 there were over 100 churches and mission works in the fellowship. With only two missionary couples working in the area, God used new believers among the Peruvians to bring about much of the church growth. Along with the problems, there were new problems. It became impossible for two missionary couples to keep up with the educational needs of the new churches. For the most part, the churches were pastored by men with minimal Bible knowledge.

Some ten years ago two radio stations were established to maintain contact with pastors and churches spread out over this vast region. At about the same time a Bible school was started to train national leaders. These two ministries have always been understaffed and underfunded. In spite of untold difficulties the radio stations are sending out the Word in a way unthought of back in the 30's. The Bible school has some 70 resident students in the Urubamba Valley an hour's drive from Cuzco. There is a branch school in the southern region of Puno with another 10 students.

The goal of the training school is for it to become self surported. God has given us a good wood shop. Students have continually worked there to surport themselves during the 4 years of their studies. We also have a welding shop. This usually has work for 3 or 4 students. We have some 12 sewing machines. This is an area that has to be developed. Also to be organized is our shoe shop that God has provided through a good friend and donor from California.

After 3 years of litigations we are in possession of a new property with room to expand. Within a short time we hope to build new shop buildings as well as classrooms and dormitories. This new land is a 5 minute walk from the other property.

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR THE CUZCO MINISTRIES.

1. Teachers for the Bible schools.

2. Personnel for the radio stations. There is a need for technecians as well as those to work in programing.

3. Church planters. We continually receive invitations from those who ask us to start a church in their town or village.

4. Those to direct and teach in our shops. This would include the following:

A. Wood shop

B. Welding, car repair, and body fender shop.

C. Taylor and seamstress shops.

D. Print shop.

E. Shop for our radio maintenance.

F. Personnel to run the radio stations.

We hope to press forward in all these areas as God sends us the people and the funds. Please pray for us.