Heart transplant

Valita’s situation appeared hopeless. The estimated $775,000 in anticipated transplant-related expenses was not even coming close to being raised.

Then EsSalud, the national health care network of Peru, has reportedly made a last-minute decision to assume the remaining cost and, with her parents, Valita flew aboard a charter ambulance plane on the 10-hour journey to the university hospital in Minnesota

After a series of complicated preparatory surgeries, Valita could only wait for a donor heart to become available. Three months later, one did.

The operation began Monday night, June 6th, at 9 p.m., El Comercio reported, and continued for 11 hours until Tuesday morning.

It's inspiring to hear good news of giving hope and life to one another. Can you imagine how the parents felt to hear their daughter would be given an opportunity to receive a miracle in which they were unable to give themselves? It required the love of another and the willingness to receive such a gift that could never be repaid.

Of course, this reminds me of our ministry of sharing the Gospel (the good news) to those who will die in their sin and be destined for hell but have a way to be saved. God gave His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) to take sins penalty and has offered it to you. You must be willing to receive the gift of salvation and ask Him to be your Saviour. There is such a joy given to those who have been given eternal life.

June Prayer Letter

To Our Faithful Prayer Partners and Supporters,

Psalm 37:5, “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

After completing one of five books in our Spanish curriculum, our teacher recommended some time away from the books. Jon took theopportunity to go visit Andahuaylas where he was able to preach and serve in the church there.

Spanish continues to be our main focus. It can be frustrating at times because we want to understand and speak it now and fail to remember that it’s a process that will take time. We are committed and ask you to continue to pray that we’d have clarity to retain what we are learning.

Peru’s newly elected President, Ollanta Humala, assumes office on July 28^th. Only time will tell what changes will be made in the country.

It is winter now in Peru. Very different than the winters we’ve experienced in the States. The sun seldom shines and there is usually a mist that covers the city ofLima. Could make one feel dreary if you let it. So thankful we have the promise of the Son to brighten our days!

We’d like to thank all of you for faithfully praying for us. There have been times in the past few months that we have been encouraged knowing we have had people back home supporting us through their prayers.

We praise the Lord we, Jon and Nisha, have been able to get our visas (carnets)! This now enables us to start processing the kids. Please pray as we seek to do this in the next week, that there would be no delays and we can get their visas promptly.

We ask for wisdom while transitioning our homeschooling year into Peru’s school year, which happens to be March thru November. Our children are now finishing their school year and are looking forward to some time off. We have different groups from the States bringing more school curriculum down for us. Please pray for safe arrival of the school supplies.

Serving the Lord in Peru,

The Harris Family

Peru Presidential runoff for 2011 has been decided

On Sunday, June 5th, Peru elected Ollanta Humala as their next President after narrowly defeating Keiko Fujimori by 51.5% to 48.5%. He will officially take office on July 28th, Peru's Independence Day. The country is in anticipation to see who he will elect as his board and if he will keep his word concerning helping the poor, lowering gas expenses, and helping Peru's economy to continue to grow. Although very close to Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, Ollanta has said that he will not follow Venezuela's type of government but many in Peru fear that he will. Ollanta was heard saying after the election, “It’s not possible to say that the country is progressing when12 million people are living in miserable conditions without electricity or running water,” he told cheering supporters. But he also promised “a government of national consensus” that would “promote investment and the free market,which is the consolidation of the internal market”.

Once again, I'm reminded to pray for those in government so that we may live peaceably and honestly.

Appreciation for my wife

All in a typical weekday, my wife finds herself going from being a student for four hours with Spanish classes to being a teacher with our four children in elementary classes. My wife is such a blessing to our family. I am amazed with her work ethic in taking care of the home. I'm so thankful for a Godly wife and a terrific mother to our children.

Visa Approval

After much anticipation and patience in getting our paperwork processed over the last two months, Nisha and I now have our "carnets" (visas) for residence in Peru.

It took a long day of waiting in lines to get the final process completed at immigration but was successful. We can now begin the process for our children to get theirs as well.

The lamb destined for slaughter

We just celebrated the Resurrection Day in remembrance of our Savior giving His life for our sins and raising from the grave three days after His death. I'm reminded in the Scriptures of the parable of the Lamb that is given for the forgiveness of sins and how that Jesus is the Lamb of God who made it possible for us to have a direct relationship with God.

It was sad to see so many people in Peru following the catholic rituals during the Resurrection Day remembrance. I witnessed many waiting in line and paying money to receive a cotton swab that was rubbed on the statue of Jesus or to have their flower arrangements touch the statue to receive extra blessings for their homes. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to walk and talk with God without having to earn it.

There was a lamb, called Mateo, being raised in the ministry here in Peru. Our children enjoyed the time playing and feeding Mateo these last few months. They slaughtered Mateo, the lamb not my son, in order to have a feast for the orphans at this ministry. The kitchen workers will find a way to use as much of the lamb for food, including putting the head in a soup. Even though the food will be enjoyed by many here at the ministry, it doesn't last too long.

The Lamb of God was slain to offer eternal life to whosoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God and ask Him to forgive them of their sins.

Peru Presidential runoff for 2011

On April 10th, Peru had the Presidential elections between 10 candidates. Since neither one received the needed 50% of support there is a face-off between the top two candidates on June 5th. The two candidates are Ollanta Humala and Keiko Fujimori.

Humala, closely associated with Hugo Chavez, plans to amend the Constitution and allow the state a much bigger role in the economy, terrifying the business community as well as many Peruvians who believe the country has changed for the better in the past 20 years. He is not in favor of missionaries being in the country of Peru.

On the other hand, Keiko Fujimori will obviously continue the free market economy her father, imprisoned ex-President Alberto Fujimori, applied in his 1990-2000 government. But many fear that she could usher in a new era of the corruption and strong-arm tactics used by her father. Her congressional slate is rife with her father’s former adherents who rubber-stamped his anti-democratic measures.

Please continue to Pray for freedom to evangelize in Peru and God's Will to be done.

Traffic Accident Article

It has often been told of the bad driving conditions in Peru. The following article has been copied to my blog from the Peru News. This serves as a reminder to share the Gospel and to thank God for the safety He gives each day on the road where you live.

The following links are video of bus crashes in Peru on Youtube.

http://youtu.be/21UlPJCIH00

http://youtu.be/C5OwTU4xkgc

Twenty-one dead, numerous injured as bus plunges 200 meters in southern highlands

April 4, 2011 by Rick Vecchio · Leave a Comment

At least 21 people are dead after an inter-provincial bus racing through Peru’s southern highlands went over a cliff early Friday, daily El Comercio reported.

The accident occurred at 5:00a.m. when a bus belonging to the Virgen del Carmen transport company plunged down a 200 meter abyss after losing control on a higway between Paucartambo and Cusco.

The accident, which also left some 47 people injured, was a result of excessive speed, authorities say.

In Peru – where the high number of severe car and bus accidents is notorious – many of the vehicles are old, drivers reckless, and the roads often in a bad state. In the past several years, an average 3,500 people have died and 40,000 are injured every year as a result of car or bus accidents.

April Prayer Letter

Dear Fellow Supporters,

We have been in Peru three months and have seen God do miraculous things that only He can do. I stand amazed when I witness those who receive Christ as their Savior and begin to see the transformation take place in their life.

On April 10^th, Peru will have their Presidential elections between eleven candidates. Although, as missionaries, we cannot vote or interfere with the politics of another country, it does not stop us from praying that God’s Will be done. Peru’s politics change many times according to who the President is. This could affect the freedom missionaries have in staying and preaching the truth of God’s Word in Peru. Please pray with us concerning these elections.

To all those who are or have been students, you can imagine how our language training is going. It has its difficult and rewarding moments. We find ourselves praying more for God’s help in understanding and applying the new language than ever before. We are thankful that we are in a ministry with so many willing to be patient and assist us in learning. Our children are learning the language at a rapid pace and are able to interact more efficiently with other children. They are learning scripture verses and songs in the children’s choir and have already been able to do special music. We seem to be adjusting to a routine by homeschooling our children while we are in language training each weekday. Please continue to pray for us to learn the language effectively.

We have run into a delay with our visas (carnets) due to improper paperwork and are currently waiting to receive a call in order to be approved. After my wife and I are approved for our carnets, we then can process our children under us. Please pray for our visa approval.

We thank those who have sent packages, mailed us letters of encouragement, and sent love offerings these last two months. You can’t imagine how excited we were as family to receive things from the States that we can’t get here! We are still making improvements to the apartment and getting ready for winter, which is June through August because we are south of the equator.

Thank you again for your prayers and support of our ministry.

God's animals great or small

After worshiping God at church on Sunday, I was walking to our third floor apartment when I noticed a baby pigeon needing some help. I put it into a box and gave it some food and water. It didn't take long before our children were treating it as their pet. It acquired a name (B.B. for Blue Beak) and attracted much attention. After a few days, it had gained strength and was able to fly. We turned it loose back on the porch where we found it and after a little while passed, it took flight. Even though our children were sad to see it leave, we each agreed that it would be best for the bird.

Luke 12:6-7 reminds us that even the smallest of birds is not forgotten by God and that we are of more value than many sparrows. It's nice to know that we have a God that watches over us and knows what is best for our lives.

Back to School

Coming into Peru brought excitement and completion of deputation. We spent a few weeks getting settled and making adjustments but now find ourselves starting school. With two weeks of spanish classes behind us now, we have officially recognized the struggle it is to return to school. We feel we've entered Kindergarten all over again. We still need to learn the Spanish alphabet and word sounds. We spend our first hour each day just practicing our reading to each other for pronunciation. No easy short cuts but rather hard work. It does a good job of humiliating and humbling an individual. Language training can drain you mentally very quickly. Our love for God and the calling He has given to us, drives us to do our best and keep pushing forward.

It was a blessing to see Gary Greenwood, Marcos Lindsey, Buddy Fitzgerald, and Tim Chapman at a camp in Lima. We rejoice with them in seeing evidence of the Holy Spirit working in hearts throughout the week and hearing of the many decisions made of salvation, dedication, and confession of sin. I can't wait to be able to communicate my heart with the people here in Peru.

While out soul-winning on Saturday, I witnessed my partner lead a lady to Christ. That same lady along with her husband and daughter were baptized today. Praise the Lord!

In Peru, they are coming out of their summer break which is December-February. The children will be returning to school sometime in March. There is a mad dash at the stores for school supplies for their children. The compound at EFATA will be even busier and louder with the school children returning. Our children will continue to be home-schooled with us.

Please pray for our language training in the spanish language.

February Prayer Letter

What an exciting letter to write, our first from Peru! We praise the Lord for calling us to the people of Peru. We arrived on January 6^th and have learned many differences between the USA and Peru.

Red lights and Green lights: When exiting the airport in Peru, one must push a button for baggage inspection. If the light turns green, the individual can pass freely without their bags being checked, but if the light turns red, that individual must take all of his luggage to the side for a thorough investigation and is usually taxed for many items. We received a red light but were able to get all thirty-six pieces of luggage through without paying anything. God was good to us once again! While riding in vehicles in Peru, I have noticed that the traffic lights don’t mean that much. We’ve seen vehicles go through red lights and even faster when they are green. Two lane roads become four lanes of vehicles and the horn is a natural way of communicating while driving. It has scared Nisha from ever wanting to drive in Peru.

Sols and Souls: Sols are the currency used in Peru. We have learned how to exchange our currency and locate proper stores to supply furnishings for our apartment as well as get supplies. Having said that, it has been encouraging to see many souls come to Christ for salvation and dedication. The Holy Spirit’s presence is evident at each alter call. What a joy to see God working in the hearts of Peruvians. The ministry of EFATA, where we are currently receiving our language training, hosted a pastor’s conference in January and we’ve been able to participate in soul-winning, prayer times, and services.

Word differences: One needs to be careful when you attempt to speak Spanish to not communicate the wrong thing while learning new words. For instance, the word “enfermo” is the word for sickness which we’ve had our share of ( we learned the hard way not to order ice), but the word “infierno” is the word for hell. I tried my best to let them know I was sick and not going to hell.

Conversions: We are not only looking to win souls to Christ, but have learned the necessity of converting measurements to meters and weight to kilograms. Nisha and I went to Interpol to process our paperwork for our religious visas. When converting my height, I wrote it incorrectly on my paperwork as 5’4’’ rather than 5’11’’. The Peruvians laughed at me for thinking that I was only 5’4’’ and told me I didn’t have to be the height of a Peruvian to be approved for a visa.

Weather and Holidays: We’ve learned that Peruvians take their summer break in Dec.-Feb. rather than June-Aug. because Peru is south of the equator. Lima’s weather is the same everyday during the summer: hot during the day and cool at night. Lima celebrated it’s anniversary as the capitol on January 18^th ,but Peruvians enjoy firing off fireworks whenever they have opportunity. We hear them each night and during all hours.

Football and Futbol: While many in North America watch the Super Bowl or play football, it doesn’t take long to realize that the Peruvians love to play Futbol (soccer). Three of the four sides of our third floor apartment have futbol courts which are used throughout the week, many times until three in the morning and then start back up at six in the morning. In Lima, each sector (which is only a square block) has a park with a futbol court.

We’ve appreciated having Jon’s dad with us our first month in Peru. He has assisted us in the completion of our apartment, furniture building, and has been encouragement to us.

Please pray for God to be glorified in our lives while we seek to do His will and pursue to be faithful to His Call. Please pray also for physical health and safety, visa approval, language training, and homeschooling.

We’ve installed Vonage in our apartment. We’re able to make and receive unlimited calls to and from the states at no extra cost to those calling us. Our number still remains 734-244-6567.

Our Peru Address: Nisha Harris

Apartado 18-1280

Lima 18, Peru

South America

For those who wish to send mail, it is best to send it by regular postal service rather than UPS or any other delivery system. We’d ask that you put Nisha’s name only on the mailing address because she goes to town most often and it is easier if there is only one name on the package. Many of you have requested a list of items difficult to find or items that are more expensive in Peru. We have attatched a list on the next page.

Thank you for your prayers and support,

The Harris Family

Jon, Nisha, Matthew, Nathan, Becca, and Katie

· Onion soup mix

· Peanut Butter (what they sell is $6 for a small jar.)

· Kool-aid packets (any flavor)

· Chocolate Chips

· Garlic salt

· Onion powder

· Pot roast seasoning with bag

· Cinnamon

· Oven Fry (for chicken or pork)

· Dryer Sheets

· Zip Loc Bags

· Oregano

· Basil

· Italian Seasoning

· Taco Seasoning

· Tea Tree Shampoo (helps get rid of lice, which we haven’t had yet praise the Lord! I usually would buy the generic brand at Sally Beauty supply. Only place I could find it.)

· Paprika

· Jiffy Muffin Mix (corn, blueberry, raspberry, banana)

· Hidden Valley Ranch packets

· Lotrimin

Children's Motrin

Immodium AD

Tums

Peanut Butter M&Ms

Animals and Children

Animals and our children are quite a combination. Some would say that they can't tell the difference at times with looks and behavior. One of the blessings of living on the compound in Peru is that there are many animals. There are dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, turtles, canary birds, lamb (named Matthew), and even a horse at the compound. Of course our girls were sad to hear that most animals are raised for the purpose of eating but that doesn't stop them from playing friendly with them until there appointed time.

The picture of the llama was taken at the shopping center where our children saw their first llama while here in Peru.

Shave and a haircut two bits

Well our boys didn't need a shave but they definitely needed a haircut. Just down the road two blocks there is a market where there are a group of vendors for haircutting. I took the boys down and watched them get their hair cut and it only cost three Soles which is about one dollar. A hair cut in the States would cost me over ten dollars each. One more example of Peruvian culture.

Sunset from our apartment

One of the advantages of being on the third floor is to see the beautiful sunsets each night. The Pacific Ocean is only a mile and half west of our apartment. The weather here is usually always sunny and not like Michigan. Creation reflects the greatness of our God.

Moving upward in Peru

We have moved into our apartment that is on the third floor on the EFATA compound. We have taken the last couple of weeks putting finishing touches on the apartment so that we could begin moving our furnishings and getting settled. We are thankful to those at EFATA ministries who have worked on the apartment and helped us adapt to the culture. We have been using our luggage containers for living room furniture, closets, desks, shelves, tables, etc... for the last couple of weeks but now have mattresses, living room furniture, refrigerator, stove, and a washer/dryer in our apartment. Thank you to those who generously gave toward our transition fund. We are looking forward to getting bed frames, kitchen table and chairs, food pantry, and end tables made out of wood in the near future.

On January 25th-27th, the ministry here had a Pastor's Conference, where it was encouraging to hear the preaching throughout each day and see the Holy Spirit working in hearts. Please join with us in praying that the decisions would be sincere and steadfast before God. We rejoice with those who accepted Christ as their Savior as well as those who obeyed God's leading for their life. The Saturday following the conference we went out soul-winning where two ladies received Christ as their Savior. On Sunday, the church rejoiced together when David, one who they have been praying for many years, came forward during the invitation to get saved. Praise the Lord! What a blessing to see God working in hearts in Peru.

We have begun the process of paperwork for our resident visa's and will need to be patient for the next two months. We are praying that there will be no complications and that we will be approved to stay.

Thank you for your interest in our ministry and for reading about what God is doing.

May God be Glorified always!