Calvary Chapel Iquitos

November, 2006 - Update

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving, I didn't get any turkey this year, but I have been in heaven with mangoes. It is mangoe season now, and I have been eating about 6 a week for the last 2 months.

I want to thank everyone who has supported the ministry this year with their, prayers and financial support, as you know I couldn't do what I am doing down here without the support of you guys.

I am proud of the body of Christ, as I see them giving towards spiritualy things. I am also humbled when I see the names on my monthly report, that so many of you that I know, are giving towards this ministry. I know it's not me, but the Lord touching hearts, sharing the vision of what is going on down here.

We got a lot more done on the church during November. We brought in another truck load of sand and 17 more bags of cement. Just getting all of this and bringing the sand into the church was a half days work. Luckily a few of the guys from the youth group showed up to help, along with Saul and his sons.

Here is what we got done in the church this month:

• We brought in a truckload of sand, and 18 bags of cement.
• We put in a sidewalk in front of the 2nd house.
• We took apart the front wall of the 2nd house and put it back together, adding two windows.
• On 2 different days we finished cementing the floor of the second house.
• We knocked down one of the back houses and rebuilt the fence, adding security with bob-wire.

We also managed to have a little fun, I took the youth group to a water park, (small lake) called "El Encanto", where they all had a lot of fun. Thanks to a donation that came in for the youth group. Little events like this really bind the group together and we have really become a family. The youth are very motivated and they are doing very well spiritually.

Saul putting the finishing touches on the new sidewalk	The completed cement floor of house # 2

The before and after pictures, of the rebuilt wall and sidewalk. You can't tell from the picture, but a lot of the boards were crooked and many needed to be replaced. Of course it still needs a little paint.

Before	After

The kids in the middle of the lake	Lunch time	On the way home after a full day of playing

I am planning on being back in California this January (2007). I'll be attending the Missions Conference at the Murrieta Bible College on the 3rd thru the 6th.

Jose Garate (The River Preacher) visited Iquitos on the 25th, he came to look for a house for him & his family. He should be back in Iquitos permanently around December 20th, ready to start working. He will cover for me and take over while I am away.

Raul; has been Jose's assistant over the last two years in Pucallpa. Raul will take over for Jose, overseeing the three river church's that Jose planted. Jose will be in contact with Raul and visit from time to time to make sure everything is OK. So, please welcome Raul into our family too, he is now a part of our ministry also.

Jose taught three times while he was here, Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night, our mid-week study. Everyone was impressed and really liked the way he taught, they are all very happy that Jose is coming and that he will be taking over for the next few months.

Ministries:

I am praying about spending the first semester of 2007 at the Bible College in Lima. Not only to take classes but to learn the administration, so that we can open a satellite Bible College here in Iquitos. This goes hand in hand with the river ministry that we want to grow, and that Jose will head up. With classes on MP3's we can come along side the river Pastor's and help them learn the word better. They are hungry for training and few are ever visited or helped in any way.

We are also in contact with many young people here in Iquitos who would like to learn the word better. I think this is a key to the future ministry here in Iquitos. Many of the graduates will be the future leaders and Pastor's of the ministry here.

On a sad note, We didn't have a very succesful showing of the Left Behind movie for El Terminal, everything seemed to go wrong technically that night. I think that I didn't ask for prayer soon enough for that event.

Street kids ministry:

The kids are doing good, the current verse they are memorizing is 1 Cor. 10:13.

Praise Reports:

• We finally finished the cement floor in the second house.
• The Lord has provided for my trip to California.
• Jose has been well recieved by the church and the transition will be easy.

• I want to thank the Lord and all of you who supported the ministry financially this year, you were such a blessing to me and to the ministry. I want to let you know that I am very careful in how I spend every dollar that comes in, It is a big responsibility managing the Lord's money.

  I received 95% of what I needed for the month of November, but totalling up all of the months, everything that came in this year, I had enough left over for my trip to California and even a little left over to start the new year. Praise the Lord!! The months that the amount received is over compensates for the months that are low.

  You will see that I added Jose Garate's name at the bottom of this page if anyone would like to send donations for him.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for Lindora and her son Juan Carlos, church members who are both out of work.
• Please continue to pray for Pastor Javier's leg, it is not 100% back to normal yet.
• That the Lord would protect Jose & his family as they move to Iquitos, they are currently under spiritual attack in their last week in Pucallpa.
• That the Lord would provide for Jose & his family as they moves to Iquitos.
• Please pray for Raul; He has been Jose's assistant for the last two years, and will take over the river ministry for Jose in Pucallpa.
• Transportation for Albert, while in California.
• That the Lord would bless the church in El Terminal with a worship team.
• That the Lord would guide us in all decisions for the ministry.

Thank you all for your prayers and financial support.

         and God Bless   

                Albert Smith 

• For more information on the ministry take a look around this web page.
• To help support Albert or Jose financially, please send your checks to:

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