I have been in Cotahuasi, Peru for almost two months now – it has been an incredible summer! Britalia is now back in the states and has started her senior year at Grace Bible College. I sent out a newsletter in late July and am going to start writing another soon. If you would like a copy of either newsletter, comment below with your e-mail address.

A typical week in Cotahuasi looks like this:

Everyday, I cook Breakfast, read my Bible, and occasionally work on media for the ministry and do small chores. We often play volleyball in the early evening.

Monday: In the afternoon, we sometimes visit the Hogar (Boy’s Home) and help with homework. Monday night, Brad teaches an advanced Bible/Theology study to some of the brothers.

The Hermanos studying at the Advanced Bible Study.

Tuesday: In the morning, I study for Bible study. Brad teaches the Men’s Bible study in the morning and Gina teaches the Woman’s Bible Study in the afternoon. I take part in the Woman’s Bible Study. We are studying “La Verdad Del Hombre” or “The Doctrine of Man”.

Wednesday: Janelle calls it “a day for visiting people”. In the afternoon, we visit the Hogar to help with homework. At night, we have prayer meeting at church.

The Boys from the Hogar making monkey faces 🙂

Thursday: We have Club de Niños (Kid’s Club) in the afternoon. Lately, we have been leaving on Thursday morning to visit villages. Last week, we went to Maghuanca, a village 2.5 hours up canyon, and spent the night at the school there. At night, the hermanos (brothers) ministered to the community, sharing the gospel, singing, and showing a few video clips of Christian testimonies. Other times, they have shown the Jesus Film in Quechua. We spent the night at the school. This Thursday, we are going to Charcana, a village a few hours down canyon.

Me with some of the kids at Club de Niños

Friday: Here in Cotahuasi, we have youth group in the evening. If we spent the night in a village like last week, we usually do kid’s club in the morning. Janelle does the main teaching, but I have been helping more and more each time as I learn more Spanish. We have been teaching on and making the “Wordless book bracelet”, which tells the story of the gospel by the colors of the beads on a bracelet. We sing songs, tell the story, have them color pictures, and make the bracelets. Last Thursday, Brad also taught the children about the importance of the Bible – being the very word of God. Occasionally, we leave on Friday to go to villages instead of Thursday.

Janelle and I teaching in Maghuanca

Saturday: This can be a day to relax or visit people. We sometimes come back from villages or make day trips to villages on this day as well.

Visiting on the Shaw’s Front Porch

Sunday: We have church in the morning and in the evening. We have gone to Huillac on Sunday morning as well – Hermana (Sister) Rosa goes to Huillac every Sunday morning to teach kid’s club and to have a Woman’s Bible Study there.

Sunday Morning Kid’s Club in Huillac

Please pray for the Shaw’s ministry in the Cotahuasi Canyon, and pray for me during my time here. I go home on January 9 so I can attend the Spring semester at Grace Bible college. Please comment with your email if you would like the newsletters, and feel free to write me at r_kieda@yahoo.com. If you would like to check out the Shaw’s facebook page: click here, or their website: click here. Thank your for your support in prayers!

† Raquel Gozo