From Trails to Joy

First off we would like to apologize for not updating so regularly. So much has happened in the past months but we would like to just share a few highlights with you all.

Our precious Eliya is now 1 yr. old and is walking all over the place, she is growing up so fast. She is such a sweetie, one of the things she loves to do is smile and wave at every one when we are out.

Well if you haven’t heard already just this past month our house got broken into as well the Bible College which is where we live. They pretty much took all electronic things; our laptop, hard drive, camera, iPod, and a portable dvd player. One of the things that hurt the most wasn’t that we lost those things but it was all the pictures (which is why we have no pictures for this update), video’s, and etc. that we had on them. We were sad but at the same time we knew that God had a purpose for all things and we knew that He was by our side along the way.

Now with good news… The Lord has blessed us with a new laptop, thank you so much for those who blessed us with one. We are very grateful for it…!!!! But it doesn’t stop there…. Just this last week we heard from the Embassy and they accepted Sandra’s visa, which means we will be going to the States for Christmas!!!! We cannot believe it, we were not suppose to hear back from them until 6-9 months but through prayer and fasting and God’s faithfulness we heard back in only 4 months. God has been speaking to Sandra through prayer, and she had peace that God was going to respond in a quick way. She was doing her devotions in James 5 where it speaks of the effective prayer of a righteous man avails much, it said that Elijah prayed “earnestly” for rain and God gave him rain, and then he prayed “earnestly” for no rain and God gave him no rain. God was faithful and continues to be our Faithful One. The same day we got a call from the Embassy. God responded in a quick way, and we give Him all the glory. Praise Him when He takes away and Praise Him when He gives!!!

Thank you all for your prayers and we look forward to seeing you all when in the States!

Love to all and we will keep you all up to date as time goes,

The Swans

Ps. Please check out our prayer requests as well…!!!!

Changed Website!

http://www.peruvianway.com

My Welcome Home Present’s!

My welcome home presents, but first I need to start out with how I got these wonderful presents. So on December 17, 2007 I had the opportunity to go and visit my family for the holiday’s after being in Peru for a year and a half, with excitement and nervousness I finally arrived to the US. My first stop was to Austin, Texas where some of my family and friends live. It was a great visit seeing all of them and the work that the Lord is doing there. As well seeing how much my niece and nephews have grown up and having a fun time playing with them. Also I was able to cook a Peruvian meal for them with the help of my oldest sister, which it turned out great, praise the Lord! Then

On Friday the 21st me and my brother made a road trip to Amarillo, Texas to visit the rest of my family. After an 8 hour ride we finally arrived home 2:30am. And with my first welcome home present well of course seeing my parents, and then wokiong up to snow as you can see in the picture above; I was so happy I jumped on my brother. Then another welcome home present came, my parents just moved into a new house not to long ago this year so me and my brother helped my mom move some furniture into the house, how nice of us uh, what are kids for!

Then Sunday came, the day where the Big present came. As I woke up with excitement ready to go to church and see everyone, I came across this pain in my stomach which living in Peru I am so used to so I didn’t think of anything about it. But then during the whole time while at church not being able to consentrate I was still in pain, thinking to myself, “OK this is not normal.” After talking to one of the doctors that attends our church he recommended taking medicine for parasite’s. But when getting home the pain was different from this morning and telling my mom that this is usually not how I feel when I have stomach problems. So as my parents went into doctor mode (both are nurses) they did some tests to see maybe if it was my appendix. And sure enough after waiting 7 hours or less in the hospital waiting for results to come back I found out I had appendicitis. Which just last year during this time too my brother had his taken out as well. And so at 9:00pm I had an open appendectomy (surgery). At 10pm I was in my room all drugged up and feeling like I got bet up. As the the next day came which was my Birthday, what a present uh, a day in the hospital. Anyways after waiting for the Doctor visited me to see if I was ready to go home I developed a large Hematoma (bleeding from on the inside where they did surgery) almost the size of a baseball, and yea it hurt. So waiting longer for the Doctor to come back in and reopen the incision, but this time I was await and watching him. (Might get a little detailed here) Getting stabbed several times with two different needles, getting blood sucked out of me where the bleeding was on the inside causing the hematoma, having a BBQ with my flesh, as the Doctor said (used some kind of burner to close the whole where I was bleeding from), and getting stitched up again. Yea, hello pain all over again. But praise the Lord everything went good and I finally got to go home Monday night at 8:30pm.

So all to say thanks for your prayers and all your emails I have gotten since in the hospital. As soon as get around to it I would love to email all of you back from the emails I have received. But first I just wanted to let you all know I am doing good. I did have a good Christmas, went over to my sister’s and watched some of my niece’s open there presents from Santa Claus and then had a Christmas dinner at our house and opened presents from my parents.

I am very grateful that I was able to be here for all this and not in Peru far from my family, but being able to be close to my family and to see the love they have given me through all this, and for all of you as well, Thanks.

Prayer Request:
1. My recovery
2. My time in the states
3. For the ministry in Iquitos, while Albert & I are gone

Much love to all, & hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,

Jeremy

Iquitos News!

II Thessalonians 3:13
“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”

It has now been 6 months being in Iquitos and I have seen the Lord do amazing things in ministry here. I remember from the first day I got here, not really knowing anyone, walking around with Albert on the streets, at the plaza, the boulevard, and the church and him introducing to people and all that time wondering to myself, “What I am doing here, am I really suppose to be here.” And to now look back and see from then till now at all the friends I have made and the great times we have had. But the coolest thing is seeing the Lord work in there lives, to watch them mature in the Lord, and know Him more. Not to say that Albert and I are something but it’s neat to see the Lord work through us, and that is only by the Lord because I know the Lord loves to us the nobody’s of the world.

Well all this to say I am finally going home for Christmas and to visit family. “Praise the Lord!” It has been 1½ year now since I have been home, during my time there I will be visiting family, friends, and Lord willing going to the mission’s conference in January at the Bible College in California. I will be home for about a month and a half and back in Peru February 6. And this is my prayer for this last month here, II Thessalonians 3:13.

A couple of highlights these past few months:

1. Had a great time visiting in Lima back in September. Great fellowship and of course great food from Juanita at the Bible College and all the home cooked dinners I had. During my time there I got to share with the men on campus during there men’s meeting, I had the opportunity to teach the youth group at the church, and missions class at the Bible College, and for believers night (Sunday night service) I learned and performed a drama. Even though I was busy studying, learning a drama, and visiting friends I had a great time.

2. After coming back from the College in September we had Brian and Beth (interns at the College), and Ben and Tess (Living Hope Church) visit us for a few days. They had a great time of playing with the kids, going to Panguana, Brian teaching the youth, and Ben teaching Wednesday night service; as well they were able to be here for when we had our second Viligia (all night prayer and worship).

3. Every semester the students take a week off of school and go on a mission trip. We had a team of 16 from the Bible college come and be apart of the ministry here, and my good friend Matt who is a teacher at the Bible College lead the team. “Matt you did a good job!”

We did street evangelism, dramas, youth group, women’s ministry, kid’s ministry, a little concert for the youth with the kids on the streets, Panguana (river trip), and ministry w/ the kids in Belen (floating city, poorest city in Iquitos). For me it was a blessing to see all my friends and for them to come and see the ministry here and be apart of it for a week, and to see the Lord us them with all the different gifts that the Lord has gifted them with.

4. Charles from Tallahassee, Florida was here for a month helping in a big way with the kids. He has learned some dentistry work back in the states and for several years has been doing dentist ministry in different parts of the world. And it was blessing for him to come and work on the teeth’s of the kids at the church, Panguana, Belen, and at Pastor Javier’s church (Baptist pastor here, one of Albert’s real good friends). The one prayer of Charles with his ministry is that that love of God would be shown, and that is what we pray.

Sorry for being so long and late in updating, I pray that this finds you well and that the Lord blesses each and every one of you. Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Praise report:

1. The Lord provided for a plane ticket home
2. For all the teams that have came these past few months and the help they have given and the seeds that they have planted.

Prayer Request:

1. To finish strong last month here
2. Youth Group-Purity and a true desire to follow the Lord
3. For the entire ministry; when Albert and I leave for the states that the work would continue.
4. My time in the states to be fruitful

With much love,

Jeremy

P.S. Check out recent pictures as well!