Hello Everybody,
Here is our February, 2022 update;
This will also include the update from December of 2021.
And I want to thank those who blessed our youth who wanted to go to Bible College. Your blessings made it possible for 3 of our youths to go to their 1st semester at a Calvary Bible College.
Our Youth Group, led by Gaby, organized and raised funds to give the children of our church a Christmas party. All the children who regularly attend were given an invitation to a special night of entertainment, dinner and each child received a Christmas present.
I am really proud of our youth group, they came up with the idea on their own, raised funds all year, cooked a meal, had silly songs for the kids to move to, and they found something to give each child. The gifts were not expensive, but no one was left out.
 Kindergarten table with teacher Elizabeth |
 Kindergarten table with teacher Elizabeth |
 Intermediate class with teacher Loraine |
 Intermediate class with teacher Loraine |
 Older kids table |
 Gifts handed out to her students by Elizabeth |
 Gifts handed out to her students by Marbelita & Eli |
 Gifts handed out to her students by Loraine |
 All the children |
 Our Youth Group (teachers) |
 Everyone |
On a sad note, one of the young men we met when he was a boy was shot dead by the police in December. We met Julio when he was a shoe shine boy, he was 1 of about 30 boys who shined shoes around the main plaza back in 2004. He learned how to play the guitar and other instruments, at another ministry that was reaching out to the street kids. The street kids, were kids who worked to eat, and were out on the streets all day and till late at night.
After Julio accepted the Lord, he was baptised by us Albert & Nick (a missionary who was here for about a year). He became good friends with Jeremy (a missionary who was here for a few years), he attended our church and helped with the worship at our church in El Terminal. he seemed to be on the right track. But after Jeremy left Iquitos, Julio stopped coming to the church and started a life of crime, as so many of the boys who grow up in the low income areas of Iquitos do.
Julio would visit the church from time to time, especially after he had a daughter, he would ask for prayer to help him change his life, and even started to work construction for a union here in Iquitos. But those union jobs come and go, and he would fall back to stealing when he was out of work.
Well, all that to say that Julio made a lot of bad decisions. He was a very outgoing person and had many friends of all types. Good friends in the church and other friends from the dark economy of Iquitos. When Julio was shot dead by the policeman, he had a gun on him and had a shoot out with the police man.
I was asked by his mother to speak at his wake and at his funeral. It was a sad few days, and because of the way he died, they did not want to release the body as quickly as they usually do, so the wake lasted 3 days. I wasn't there the whole time, but because of the type of people Julio had met, there was a lot of drinking, some fights, and even a few shots fired one night. I just pray that these people understood my message of salvation and that they would repent of their sins and the way of life that they are living.
 Juio playing the panpipe |
 Julio & his brothers |
 Julio & 2 others baptized |
 Julio & Jeremy |
 Julio & Albert |
 The procession leaving Ucayali |
Once again I want to thank those who blessed our youth who wanted to go to Bible College. Your blessings made it possible for 3 of our youths to go to their 1st semester at a Calvary Bible College. Enough even came in so that we could purchase 3 laptops, one for each of the students. Only 3 went because 1 dropped for personal reasons. But the funds also paid for the air fare from Iquitos to Lima and from Lima to the 2 locations.
Gina & Tatiana went to the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Trujillo, a fairly new Bible College started by missionary Cory Cilgus. Gina is Pastor Javier's daughter and Tatiana is Pastor Raul's daughter, they are both 18. They both were blessed with full scholorships from the Bible College in Trujillo.
Jeins, of our boys from the Youth Group in El Terminal went to the Bible College in Cajamarca, where Pastor John Bonner is the director there. Jeins had a partial scholorship, so some of the funds will go to his stay there.
The classes started around January 18th and all 3 students have gotten used to the routine and are doing well. Some of the funds received will also go towards a monthly allowance for the students personal needs.
Thank you and God bless those who gave generously towards these future leaders. It you would still like to contribute, we might be able to bring them home for the semester break, if not they will come home in December for the Christmas break.
 The girls on their first plane ride |
 The 3 students in Miraflores |
 Gina & Tati in front of the church in Calvary Trujillo |
Continued support for the students at the Bible College.
Pastor Raul would like to replace the front of his house that is wood, since the wood is now rotted, wood does not last long here in Iquitos, due to the sun rain. He would like to replace it all with brick & cement. the cost would be about $1000, if you would like to contribute towards this you can send to his account, (the info.is below).
Thanks to the monthly blessing we receive from "At the Cross", (which I have been saving), we started the costrucion at the property next to the church, we want 3 stories there, but we started with the kitchen on the first floor. That will serve our church for the many social and ministry needs we have. Luz-mila, Pastor Raul's wife and the youth prepare breakfast for the children every Sunday morning for the children after Children's Church. It was on her heart to pay and raise funds for that. We would like to raise funds to continue building the first floor, (About $5,600).
For a projector for the church in El Terminal, about $700.
"Calvary Chapel Iquitos" (There are more pictures there than I can send in an update)
Omar & Luana moved to a city outside of Trujillo to work, they were struggling financially here and living with her parents was not the ideal situation for them. It is their wish and we We will pray that they will return someday and hopefully help with the ministries once again.
If you would like to contribute to any of the following ministries\expenses:
Harvest Alliance International P.O. Box 4550 Oceanside, CA 92052 Memo: "62414 - XXX"
(62414 is our ministry number) (Where XXX = General Fund, Children's Ministry, etc...)
*Note: The dollar is currently at 3.90 or 390 soles for every $100 (U.S.).
The highest it has ever been since I have been in Peru.
Thank you all for your prayers and financial support.
and God Bless you
Albert Smith
Calvary Chapel Murrieta
24225 Monroe Avenue
Murrieta, CA 92562
Memo = Peru, Albert Smith
Or for Jose
Memo - Peru, Jose Garate
Pastor Javier & Pastor Raul's offerings go through Harvest Alliance International (above).