Getting Settled: The Blockout Zone
Much like a spacecraft re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, missionary families often experience a “blackout” period during the first couple of months on the field, where communication is lost or limited due to the intense work of adjusting (or, in our case, re-adjusting) to the new culture. Praise God, this term’s “blackout” wasn’t too long, though it was rather full. Even during the flight coming here, God’s hand was evident. Further aid in making our transition back to the field easier was the fact that we found the house mostly ready. Praise God for all the work the local church and our friends did to prepare it for our arrival. Even with those steps out of the way, there was still a lot of work to be done to get settled - tasks such as organizing the kitchen, reinstalling screens on doors and windows for the upcoming summer season, and reintegrating into the local church. We appreciate your prayers during this season of flux.
A Healing Hand
“What are you going to believe?” That was the question the Holy Spirit gave Jason as he was hit by three suspiciously close health battles. First, he was stung on the ankle by what was likely a bee at a U.S. zoo, a couple of days before boarding the plane. The sting had developed into cellulitis by the time we arrived in Peru, leaving him on strict rest for the first week. Then his back went out on him while doing the slightest of bending. And finally, he had a midnight battle with stomach issues that threatened to cause vomiting. However, the back and stomach issues went away within a few minutes of Jason declaring the truth of God’s Word over his body. Although slower, complete healing came to his ankle as well. Thank God He is faithful to His Word!
Unseen Fruit
During our year of itineration in the States, Jason often mentioned that Christians don’t always see immediate fruit of their eternal labor. We experienced just such a case. When we arrived back in Peru over a month ago, we quickly learned that God was doing more than we expected behind the scenes. One young man encouraged Jason greatly, saying that he came back to church and a sincere walk with Jesus because of what God said through Jason (the young man is pictured to the left). A pair of unbelieving brothers to whom Jason often testified through an ESL class were so radically different in their demeanor upon return, we couldn’t help but attribute it to our Lord Jesus Christ. We are thankful that God allowed us to see some fruit in its due season. Praise God!
Preaching, Teaching, Praying
A large portion of our time so far this term has been spent doing just that: preaching, teaching, and praying. Catrina has had the privilege to preach at our main Sunday service, an all-night prayer vigil, and during a corporate fast. Both Jason and Catrina have also had teaching sessions. God gave Jason an increase of grace with which to teach a prayer class, entirely in Spanish, as well. A big victory for us! Catrina has been greatly involved in teaching classes for the Awakening, including a weekend conference in Argentina.
Renovation
Jason was blessed to be part of the renovations to the church’s sanctuary at the Peruvian Conference Headquarters. It was a severely messy and physically trying affair, but very much worth the effort. We thank God for the men and women who gave the second-mile effort at the cost of precious little free time.
Residency and the Holidays
We have ninety days from September 24 to acquire a change of visa from tourist status to resident status. We praise God that our national, inviting organization is now able to extend to us the necessary invitation required to complete this process. We have already completed a couple of the initial steps, and the legal translation of our U.S. documents is now underway. Before Thanksgiving, we hope to have all the documents submitted to the national authorities to await their approval. With our hope being to receive our residency no later than the end of the year, we ask that you please pray that this process be blessed by God and done at His pace. This is just the first of many steps needed to establish ourselves here and make the move to the mountains in the coming year. As we approach the end of this beautifully productive year for the Kingdom of God, we pray that God’s presence will be evident during your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year celebrations. We also pray that the Holy Spirit would comfort those who experience grief during this season. Blessings to you all and your families!
The Bickets
Prayer Points
• Please pray for favor regarding the residency process (long-term visa).
• Continue praying for details concerning our plans to move to the mountains of Peru.
• Pray for Vivi and Nora regarding their education, spiritual development, and character.
