Max & Debbie Harmon
BBFI Missionaries to Perú since 1982
October 2009

Dearest Prayer Warriors,

          Our Baptist church with the "white collar" class has proven to be a challenge,  but at the same time a very real need.
          A few years ago, when the Lord literally opened this social level door, we made contact with one particular prosperous family.
          One of the families sisters accepted Christ in her heart and began to immediately make some drastic life changes that were readily noted by the rest of the family.  She had a daughter who visited our church a few times (against her will) and let it be known that she had no spiritual interest of any kind.  A few months ago I made a follow up call on the wayward daughter.  The mix of cocaine and beer made her and her now husband friendly enough, but there seemed to be little interest and no conviction of sin on her part.  We parted with a word of prayer, trying to leave the door open for the future.  
         A week ago she called desperate to talk, so I and my associate pastor met her at a restaurant.  The following Friday, my wife and I went to visit her at her successful wholesale business.  There she  bowed her head and prayed inviting Christ into her heart and life.  Like we saw in her mother (who is still faithful to the Lord), are seeing works on her part as evidence of true repentance.  She came to church on her own Sunday morning and soon will begin discipleship classes.   She has already mentioned her need to be baptized and that her young daughter needs to be in church as well.  

         The following quote (from the blog of a successful and now retired baptist pastor in the USA),    struck a cord in my heart and has a parallel with the work we are doing here in Perú with the Iglesia Biblica Bautista  La Molina.

"... we live in a general area of sharp, well-planned sub-divisions, lovely homes and multiple garages.  Several miles to the Southwest of us there are homes that are often sub-standard and even patched together.  It is obvious where the greatest economic needs are, but where are the greatest spiritual needs?  Are they not the same in both places?  ...  We put a lot of effort - and we should - into reaching the “down-and-outers.”  What are we doing to reach the “up-and-outers,” or are they responsible for reaching themselves because they appear to have so many more resources?"

          Poverty is everywhere in Perú.  Most of the BBFI churches  have been planted in the poorer areas, some of which have developed to areas above the national poverty level, many have not.

          The church plant here in La Molina, can be described as slow but sure.  Keep praying that as we continue to sow that God will give us a harvest.  We have a potential of an economically strong church that could do much for the cause of missions in the world.
          Just last week, we held special lectures in the public school closest to our rented church facilities.  As a result, over 200 young people in 4 different groups, heard from Gods word, planting the seed in their  still tender hearts.  Other schools have opened their doors as well and we hope to get into the private schools in our area as well.

Your missionaries to Perú and the World,

Max and Debbie Harmon
BBFI since 1982