Street Preaching

Efrain Tello is a young preacher that we have gotten to know really well during our time here in Arequipa.  He is Katie's Sunday school teacher, and he works with the young people at our church here.  Rodney asked him to spend the afternoons with us.  His job is to help us practice our Spanish and to correct our Spanish.  A couple of weeks ago, Rodney & Efrain were talking about his plans for working in the ministry.  Efrain expressed a desire to work in Evangelism.  Rodney encouraged him to start an Evangelistic outreach right here in Arequipa.  After talking about different areas of outreach, they decided to begin a street preaching ministry, and Rodney built a platform for Efrain to stand on while he preaches.

Efrain encouraging the people to come forward to listen.

On Wednesday afternoon, nine people including Rodney, Katie, Josie & I, went to the district of Zamacola.  This location is a hub where many of the farm workers meet to get paid each afternoon.  It is also a hub for the bus lines.   When we arrived, Efrain set up his platform asked the people to come forward for an event.  He began by playing a game, and then he proceeded to give the Gospel while painting a picture.

Alvaro sharing his testimony.

The people listened intently, and after the gospel was given, a young new Christian, Alvaro, shared his testimony with the crowd.  Again the people listened intently.  It is amazing to see so many people focused and listening to the Gospel on the street.  After the presentation of the Gospel and the testimony, we began to circulate through the crowd passing out tracts and New Testaments.  Many times in the States, while passing out tracts, it is hard to get people to take the tracts.  Here, people will walk up to you and ask for a tract and immediately start reading it.

Young lady reading the tract she had just received!

They beg you for Bibles.  We gave out all of the Bibles that we had, and sadly we had to tell those who didn't receive one that we had no more.  This has burdened my heart for providing Bibles to the people of the city we are going to work in.   I am not sure if we can get Bibles in Merida, Venezuela or if we can ship Bibles in to the country, so please pray with me about this burden.