Ministering WHEREVER to WHOMEVER!

Sometimes one's mind may think that he or she can see the road plainly laid out before them.  They feel that they see the plan God has purposed and they delight to do HIS will.  Yet there are times confusion may arise when all those well "understood" plans take a God-ordained detour.  The Flings have learned that in whatever state God places us in, there to NOT only be content but to minister.

Last January, I (Michele) took a fall in a park in Lima.  Thus began months of painful walking, hiking, climbing 17 floors to our apartment, and ministering without realizing that I had fractured my leg and injured my knee.  In late May, I (Michele) flew into Florida to lead a TLC team back to Peru, where Bryon and Samuel were anxiously waiting to join us.  We flew into Cajamarca (a beautiful mountain village) and ministered faithfully for 2 very full weeks.  The young people that comprised the TLC team were exceptional!!!  They had a true heart for loving and ministering to the precious Peruvian people. 

I can honestly say that we had never worked with young people that were not interested so much in shopping, touristic sights, and fun, but had an unquenchable thirst to minister to others.  Before we could fly our of the airport in Florida, one of my young people had already cornered TSA agents to give them tracts and tell them the change Jesus had made in their life.  Consistently throughout our two weeks, they ministered.  God opened two universities in Peru.  We were invited by a professor to minister during their class time.  At another university we were invited to hold open air services right on campus!

Public schools opened their doors to us, enabling us to speak at a parents' day to around 200 families.  In one village the mayor invited us to hold open air services there.  He himself went around inviting precious Peruvians to come and be ministered to through God's Word.

Bryon and I are finding that no matter WHERE God sends us, there is always someone that needs ministered unto.  When I (Michele) flew the TLC team back to Florida, I had the opportunity to visit some doctors in the States.  I was informed that I needed to return to America for a knee surgery, because I had damaged my knee from the fall many months before.  With sad hearts we prepared to fly home to follow through with the doctor's demands (for he did indeed demand!).  However, right before flying home we traveled 14 hours north to visit and minister in a coastal church.

 Ministering in a coastal church that pleads for us to come any time we are able.  We have special services scheduled again soon at this church.

 Our Peruvian family that graciously opens their home to us each time we pass through the area.

 On this trip North, we were able to meet Pastor Dionisio who had come down from the mountains specifically to meet us.  We had been sent with a gift of funds from another short-term missionary, Craig McGlouflin, to help pay for Dionisio's very much needed surgery.  We have services scheduled soon in the mountains to visit Pastor Diosnisio's church.

Enjoyng a Sunday dinner with Jose Chilcon and some of the brethren.  We are appreciative of the kindness and open doors of ministry that God is leading us through.

Upon arriving in the States, we wondered where we would live during the recovery time after my knee surgery (for our house is rented.)  However, God had already gone before and we were asked by the Brookside Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Church to fill in for any amount of time that we would be in the States. 

After surgery, I began a regiment of physical therapy.  Though the knee does not seem to be as well as it used to be, I am thankful to God that I have healed as well as I have.  Now both of my knees have been operated on and one knee carries some fine hardware. The doctor informed us that hills, steps, and uneven ground need to be removed from my life.  I chuckled to think of Peru without uneven ground!

In late October we began the packing process to return to Peru, however, God had other plans.  That very week my (Michele) father was admitted into the hospital for heart failure.  Thus our plans were set upon a shelf as we began to minister more to my father and to the church here.  God in His mercy brought my father through by-pass and valve replacement surgery last Wednesday.

Praying with Daddy before surgery!

We covet your prayers as we begin to make plans to return to Peru in late January.  Our mission director, Mark Becker, and fellow missionary, Phillip Dickinson, are scheduled to fly to Peru in mid February.  We are planning weeks of traveling to at least 4 churches that are spread many, many hours apart.  Our desire is also to return to a little mountain village to hold a prison service again there (look for story in soon arriving Fling Flier)!  We continue to pray that God will use us to minister to WHOEVER WHEREVER HE chooses.  We are trying to remain faithful to reach out for lost souls whether in Peru or the States.  God has blessed our ministry for the short time we have been in the States.

The basement was filled with church goers and our hearts were filled with rejoicing at being chosen to minister for HIM!

We were so thrilled when a Guatemalan family came to church because of Bryon's invitations.  He had met and helped them in a parking lot when their car was broken down.  What a privilege to minister WHEREVER HE plants us and to WHOMEVER HE brings into our path!!  We are His servants and are so blessed to be so!!