Update of the Mission and Ministry of Bud and Laura Lenz and Family

Other communities are more encouraging. In one such, they were talking one night about those "evil evangelicals" who are spreading lies. After hearing quite a bit of this, brother Abelardo finally broke in and told them that if that was the way they felt, then maybe he should just leave, because he was one such evangelical. They strongly protested and told him that he must continue to come and teach them the Word. That particular group is constantly delaying progress in Firm Foundations because they have so many questions! They are upset about being deceived by the priest, and are coming to their own conclusions about God and themselves by seeing what the Word says. In some towns, many have given into pressure from the priest in the district where they are located, who has threatened that we will steal their salvation and if not, then he will cut off the groceries that he gives them. In one town, the few faithful believers told him to keep his groceries, they wanted the Word, and asked him why he and the catechists never use the Bible. The next time the catechists came to town, they carried a Bible, but never opened it…

The Lord has shown me that I (Bud) should dedicate less time to actual work in the communities (at one time I was going to 6 communities a week, plus the men’s meeting in Poroy, plus counseling, plus…). I now spend more time on Saturdays pouring into the men going out from Poroy (there are currently 3 main men and a couple of others that go regularly, being discipled by the principal men), and more time in the children’s home. In the men’s meetings, we study through the Word, talk about what is going on in the communities, answer questions and solve problems based on the Bible. We are also going through child training with the men, who not only want to be better fathers, but need to be better witnesses in that regard as they go out.

We just said goodbye also to a medical team of 22 – the largest we have ever received. We were able to divide the group during three days and cover more communities that way. In 9 days we visited 11 communities, treating hundreds of medical and dental patients and preaching the gospel as we went. As usual, our children went along to translate and help in any way possible. Even some of the younger ones got in on the act with Joshua and Joseph translating for gospel bead presentations. Alex even translated once for one of the visiting team members! The group was wonderful, working well together and adapting well to the "situations" that just normally happen. They really blessed us with some much needed items including sheets for our ever increasing number of beds. They made sure that all of the children at El Arca got their teeth fixed (one had 12 cavities!). Towards the end of the trip, they also took ALL of the children – all 20-something of them – and bought them new shoes! The money that was left over was donated to buy Bibles for the communities.

Slowly but surely, God has moved us into working more with abandoned and abused children. This time two years ago, we had one other child with us. After a few months, we had been awarded two of his siblings by the courts, and the fourth came to us while I was in the States last year. Also during that trip, the courts awarded us Daniel, an abandoned new born, left in the hospital by his mother the day after he was born. At this point, we are up to 20 people living with us, making thirty two in all. The greatest need of them all, second only to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, is a papa. These children, even the best of them, come from homes with drunken, abusive (physically, verbally and sexually), or absent fathers. That is probably why God has brought me more into the home and less into the field (although I still visit the communities and pastor the church in Poroy).

We are currently seeing the need to open a small school for the children in the home who have special needs (for instance, one 17 year old girl that is just now learning how to read and write – she had to dictate her fathers’ day card for me to another girl in the home). We have hired a private tutor to teach several of the children, but our other girls who are currently in public school want to come home as well, because they are constantly harassed (even by some of the teachers) for their Christian faith and since they are all girls, are constantly harassed by hormonal teenage boys. We have also found the available education lacking in several aspects – the children just don’t learn that much. We are praying for not only the funds to purchase land and construct and equip a building, but two teachers capable of teaching (in Spanish, of course) to multiple age levels; someone familiar with home schooling, for instance… one for the elementary level, and one for the upper level.

We also see the need to expand facilities. We are maxed out in our home. As it is, five of the smaller children sleep with us in our bedroom. We hope to be able to add three rooms onto our current home this dry season (the next few months). But for long term needs, Laura and I went recently to look at a piece of land that we heard is available. It is several acres and would serve to help supply food, firewood (we often have to cook with firewood to be able to cook enough for everyone – including visitors that come daily), and room for the animals we are raising, to also help provide food. There is a river that runs along one side that would provide drinking and irrigation water year round as well as supplying water for raising trout and tilapia, two prolific food fish. The area is tranquil and has plenty of room for facilities, including home and cottages. We are considering and praying about using our current home for the school and boys’ home. There is such a need for young men to come and straighten out their lives, but we are not willing to have them in such close proximity to the girls. We need two separate facilities, plus "home parents" to live with and love the boys. Laura and I feel that we should stay with the girls as we expand. We also believe the Lord has led us to not open an institutional home, but rather invite children into our home and our lives. With the great necessity (we have lawyers and individuals contacting us at least once a week!) it is difficult, but we believe that God will continue to guide us as He places the solitary in families (Ps.68.6).

It has become my greatest joy (besides enjoying Bible Study with my Peruvian sisters) to watch as the Lord brings frightened, silent, rejected young girls out of their shells in a loving and accepting environment. To me, it a such a miracle, and that is why we are here. There are also some "tough cookies" that would rather fight than switch – which is also why we are here. We have seen the Lord do some miracles with these also! Many times we are feeling our way through the dark – but the Lord is ever faithful to lead.

Kevin has been with us for two years. He was a street kid, used to freedom and playing on the pity of others to get what he wanted. After several attempts to run away and much prayer, he is a completely contented and obedient "son", at 14, cheerful, helpful, receiving instruction in the Word – who now shepherds our animals in the mornings until after lunch when his teacher arrives.

Beronica is his older sister who never felt wanted by their alcoholic parents. She came from Lima early last year at age14 with much disdain for adults and a driving ambition to use others for her own success and material gain – full of bitterness – and is now a leader in her class, very submissive, helpful and trying hard to be a loving and forgiving person.

Gabi is their younger sister who came to us scarred physically and emotionally (in more ways than one). As a young girl, she had been "sold" to a woman in Cusco in order to bribe a policeman to not arrest their drunken dad and send him to jail. In Cusco, she was beaten and treated poorly. We found her and returned her to her mother, from whom the government eventually took her and her little brother, turning them back over to us. She is now in the top of her class at school, outgoing and full of deep, godly convictions (which isn’t always appreciated by her classmates who have sometimes ganged up on her when the teacher left her in charge while she went to a meeting somewhere else in the school!) She is a real trooper and daughter to us now.

Alex is their younger brother who is now a normal 8 year old, running around pretending to be William Wallace liberating Scotland and our laying hens from the threatening hoards of Edward the Longshanks, and the neighbors’ dogs. He is so glad to be alive, and not always so glad to have to help with the dishes.

Angélica is a 14 year old girl whose mother was unable to control her, whose desire to find love took her to all the wrong places. Just in time, she came to us and, after a rocky start, we are happy to announce that she is determined to be a chaste, godly young lady. In her quiet, gentle manner, she helps the new girls to get adjusted to the routine.

Marie and Roxanna (6 and 8 years old), along with their older sisters, Indira and Bielgui (12 and 15), came to us several months ago with lies of their parents’ deaths. The truth finally came out: that their older brother committed suicide and the parents were put into jail under suspicion of murdering him. They have since been released, but may have to go back at any time. The little girls are dolls and adjusted right away – they are my little helpers along with our Rebekah and Charity (3 and 6 years). At first the older ones were divisive, rebellious and flirtatious, so we put Indira in Sarah and Hannah’s room (they have a healing, calming effect on difficult girls) and she is blooming, smiling and obedient now. But we had to send Bielgui back home for a while, because of continued rebellion and divisiveness. We have left the door open for her to return when the school year ends in December. This is the second girl that we have had to dismiss and I feel so badly!

Carla has "graduated" and are not in the program, but still receive discipleship, along with the other young mothers who come around often. She also works around the garden to earn a little extra money for her young family.

Lizeth continues to live with us along with her two young daughters, growing in the Lord. She has really come a long way and is learning to be more responsible and patient with her children. She is the mother hen in the girls’ room, keeping order and reporting on those who don’t turn off their mouths after they turn off the lights. She is planning on returning to Quillabamba soon.

Abigail came to us a few months ago, an emotional three year old in a 17 year old body. She rarely spoke, and couldn’t even read or write her name. Her alcoholic parents had always abused her and called her "stupid" and shipped her off to the homes of friends or relatives. The first few times I saw her as a visitor in our church, I asked God to bring her to our home – and He did! Now she is constantly talking and calling me "Mamá", helping me around the house and learning to read and write along with the younger children. She recently asked Bud for a Bible, saying she could read it, she really could! Sometimes at night, she goes into the bathroom to be alone and talk to God, and prays so loudly that we hear her anyway, begging God to change her and make her "normal" like others. God is listening. When we took her to get her birth certificate, she learned her birth date and that she had a middle name for the first time. She now prefers to be called Kati, wanting to leave behind the bad memories associated with Abigail.

Merita came with her older epileptic sister (who has since left) in order to help take care of her. She had been abandoned, and was recently reunited with her sister following years of subjection to witchcraft and abuse. In fact, her method of "taking care of her sister" was by using witchcraft. They were both led to the Lord, but they are still very, very new to Christianity, and very needy.

We also have a couple Walter and Matilde and their young daughter Flor Sheyla with us. The parents were alcoholics who have struggled even since being here, but are coming right along.

Finally, my little Daniel is doing very well, though he remains very small and slightly behind his age level due to being premature and malnourished at birth. He calls me "Mama" and Bud "Papa"! We are delighted that the Lord has blessed us with him!

We have made quite a few changes, led by the Spirit of the Lord, which has really helped the believers in Poroy grow. One of the first that we made was to stop leading worship. Instead, we begin with prayer and then everyone shares a song, a hymn, a testimony, a praise report as the Lord leads. During the worship, the men that are being raised up to go to the communities may also share something from the Word that God has shown them throughout the week. Finally, I or one of the other brothers will share a message, with others free to add on if the Lord shows them something during the message. This is helping everyone to see that they have a part in the ministry of the Lord, giving them more confidence out on the streets, and preparing them to be workers in the harvest.

One week we had a rather large baptism down at the river while much of the town was at a weekend "feria" nearby. A "feria" is when people come from all around to sell produce they have grown or things they have made, get drunk and play soccer. We did the baptism similar to a wedding ceremony and many of the unbelievers came over to see what was happening, and as a result, heard the preaching and singing about our precious Savior.

The brothers have learned to be ready in season and out! They must be prepared for anything at any time, always ready to fill in and preach the Word. Sometimes I have shown up and asked them if they had something to share, believing that the Lord had given them the message for the day. Once, I just didn’t show up for church! (I did warn them in advance that it might happen some day…) Before, if I got held up in a different community, they would just sit and wait for "the pastor" to get there. Now, they begin on time, knowing that it is "Thee Pastor" that counts and that He can use them as well!

For Father’s day, we staged the "First Annual Fathers’ Day Olympics" after a service of praise and glorifying God. We invited unsaved fathers, uncles and neighbors and held fun-filled competitions (such as sack relay races, three man horse relays, tug-o-war across the river, etc) afterwards, with lots of good food. Instead of "surf and turf" we had "punas y playas" – high mountain tops (alpaca) and sea food (grilled mackerel). Laura planned it all to outdo what we had done for the women on mothers’ day – she won! Everyone is looking forward to next year’s event.

Laura also continues raising children, (warming up with hot tea every hour! – Laura’s note), home schooling, counseling, women’s meetings and child training outreaches. Seeing the need, she increased the child training classes to twice a month, and the women are now meeting in three different cells, with an initial and final joint gathering. She has also started a "Dorcas circle" in the home on Mondays, where the women and young girls can come and learn to sew, knit or crochet and relax together. (Laura herself just learned last month to knit and is making some warm pants for Daniel, and finally feels like a "real" mother, because all mothers here know how to knit very well and provide for their children in this cold climate.) One of the areas of her responsibility that needs much prayer is the organization of a school for those who are living with us in our home. Many come lacking much in the area of education (for instance, one 17 year old that couldn’t read when she came to us, yet she was enrolled in school at a higher grade level!).

Last year, Hannah, Rachel, Gabi, Rebekah and sometimes Charity were taking ballet in Cusco. After we moved to Poroy, it just got too difficult and dangerous (due to the schedule) to get them into Cusco for their various classes. But before they had to quit, the older three got to travel to Lima (Gabi’s first time on a plane) to perform along with ballet troops from all over the country. Their Peter and the Wolf – in my unbiased opinion – was the best. The director of the National Institute of Ballet told their teacher that she would have to travel to Cusco to see how she taught in order to get the girls to do so well. So you see, my opinion IS unbiased! Although the girls flew, I drove with many of the other children and for some of them, it was the first time for them to see – and play in – the ocean. We caught sand crabs and cooked them on the beach, sang around the campfire and roasted sand covered marsh mellows.

The boys are in Boy and Cub Scouts. We discovered a Lone Scout program for remote areas where there are not enough boys to form a troop and they have really taken off. The younger ones are already working on Wolf rank, and the older ones are almost Tenderfoots (Corban, at 17 going on 30 – and who is now taller than I, by the way) has sort of a mental block about being called a "Tenderfoot", but he is working on it nonetheless.

Sarah just turned 20 and is praying about going to Scotland for a Discipleship Training School in January. Afterwards she plans to return here, train to be a midwife and continue in the ministry with us. Meanwhile, she is an integral part of coordinating the home and school. Please pray with us regarding God’s will for the DTS and for her needed support.

Corban, who is also considering the DTS in Scotland, recently completed a computer editing course with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (Wycliffe Bible Translators) and the trainer was very impressed. During the course, students had to "listen" and tell the trainer how many different sounds they heard – background noise, etc. Corban got 6 out of the 7 possible, and the trainer said that the only reason that he himself knew there were 7 is because he knew the men were working down the street and specifically listened for their noise. He said that most would only have heard three or four, and that Corban has a very good ear for the work.

We also have many animals now: five sheep (make that four, we just ate one), 4 milk goats and one kid, a borrowed male goat (in hopes of increasing the herd), two alpacas (make that one, a neighbor just killed one), two dogs, 6 rabbits (no, 5, we just ate one also), who knows how many guinea pigs, 21 chickens (with one of those about to enter the pot if she doesn’t straighten up), two geese (which could also change as the female just laid some eggs), 6 ducks, two boxes of earthworms and honey bees (from which we just harvested our first 8-10 liters of honey!). It has really been good for the boys to learn to take care of the animals, as well as for the children to learn that someone has to kill that meat they eat! Papa has become somewhat of a folk hero within the male ranks of the family.

• The growth we see in the churches in Poroy and the other communities.

• No major illnesses or problems – God is our Protector

• His faithfulness to provide and redeem our mistakes!

• For direction for Sarah and Corban and the financial needs for the DTS

• For open doors and more workers to pass through them into the communities

• For land and construction needs to expand the facilities of El Arca

• For much needed on-going finances – during vacation months, things tend to drop off.

• Plans for an upcoming trip to the States for Bud and Hannah, mid January to mid March of 2006. Please pray that God will provide necessary finances, speaking engagements and new ministry friends for Peru and Beyond.