Dear Friends and Family
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support. These past few months have been both busy and full of unfortunate surprises. The following are a few specifics.
Grateful to be Alive
Upon returning to Peru in December, we dove back into local church ministry in Lima, as well as teaching and mobilizing young people in various parts of Peru for missions. We had big plans for the Spring (South America’s Autumn), but the Lord knew otherwise.
The crashed truck from Ben and Ariel's accident.
As you may have heard, my daughter Ariel and I were in a major car accident on March 14. We are blessed to be alive. Although on our way to recovery, extensive rehab remains for both of us (my right wrist/hand and her hands and left foot). Although it is sad to be sidelined temporarily, it is encouraging to see the Lord use others to do much of the work we had hoped to be a part of.
Pray that God would raise up more laborers to reach all of Peru and many other strategic places around the world! And continue to pray for our recovery, especially for Ariel’s left foot which could need a follow-up surgery if it doesn’t heal properly!
Eyes on Asia
We are still focusing on Asia (including China) in several important ways.
1) On my Facebook page (FB.com/Pray4Gansu), as well as Instagram and Twitter (@chinaadventures), I share a new prayer profile of a (previously) unknown Chinese city each day. Visit PrayforChina.us to learn more. Let's intercede for China together!
2) Our Mexican teammates, the Mendezes, with whom we served in China for 10+ years, are still trying to get settled in Thailand. Pray for guidance! Also, pray for healing as both parents (Jose and Eloisa) are facing potential gallbladder surgeries this summer.
3) Deivy and Karen Marquez, originally from Venezuela but serving in Peru, are expecting their second son in late June, all while preparing to be sent to serve in Asia. Pray for a healthy baby, and for wisdom, as their precise ministry target location is still undetermined!
4) The Cuello family is hoping to return to China later this year for the first time since before the pandemic. They still have many of their personal things in storage there and do not feel that their time in China has come to an end. Pray for open doors and easy visas!
5) We continue to pray about where to make our home for the next few years. Peru has been amazing, but we are feeling drawn back to Asia going forward; in part because many of our teammates are also heading that way, and the church in Peru is preparing to send young interns soon. Pray for wisdom!
Creating New Missions Resources
Amidst frequent ministry trips and preparing to preach and teach, I have locked myself away for days at a time to read, research, write, and edit the stories of some of my missionary heroes, in order to share them with new generations both on the field and back home. The following three projects have just been published in 2024, including the story of my own deportation in 2018.
• Unbeaten: Confronting the Lies (and Laughter) of the Chinese Communist Police - The story of my arrest, interrogation, and deportation from China on May 25, 2018, which you may have read on my blog when I first wrote about it during the pandemic. Available on April 30, 2024, which was the 6th anniversary of my arrest. Get it on Amazon at Unbeaten.vip.
• Borden of Yale: No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regrets - The true story of William Borden, the millionaire missionary who died in Cairo en route to his (and my) beloved NW China. I wrote the Introduction to this new edition of his classic biography which was released on Jan 1, 2024. Get it free on Kindle or buy it online at BordenofYale.com.
• Tears for Tanna: The Perseverance of John G. Paton and the Transformation of Tanna - The autobiography of the “King of the Cannibals” who lost everything but his life during his first few years on the forsaken island of Tanna. I reformatted and edited this classic book, which was officially released on May 24, 2024, John G. Paton’s 200th birthday. Find it at JohnGPaton.com.
Final Thoughts
As my daughter and I continue recovering from the accident, we hope to begin traveling again this summer. My wife and I plan to visit Peru in June, and we really need to make a follow-up trip to Malaysia-Thailand in late summer or early fall. Please ask the Lord to give us grace to grow in godliness each day, wisdom to face what comes ahead, and open doors for the Gospel to flow freely in both Peru and Asia. Thank you once again for your prayers and faithful support!
The West Family
To Stay in Touch:
• Call/Text: 405-265-5695
• Email: china.myadventures@gmail.com
• Blog: China Call Substack
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Pray4Gansu
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/chinaadventures
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/chinaadventures
