Dear Praying Friends,

I wanted to thank you for your prayers for me and our team last weekend in Cuzco. I believe the Lord blessed our time there both in the teaching times and in our team's visit with our sister team there in Cuzco. We learned a lot from them that will be helpful as we are putting together our vision and work plan here in Lima. Reconnecting with the Peruvian leaders as well as MTW missionary team there was a highlight for me, as well as having the privilege to be teaching the gospel and seeing folks opening up and grasping it more fully--that is a real joy.

Our team was invited to teach this same material at the Ayacucho presbytery's April 1-2 meeting, to all the pastors and presbyters in attendance. We have been praying for revival and renewal in the church here through the power of the gospel , and seeing strategic doors like this one open up within the denomination is exciting. I'll let you know if it works out for us to go.

Some other things you can be keeping in prayer:

1. "Joanna" and her sister "Cloe" came to us a week ago asking for help. Cloe is a 5 year old girl with cerebal palsy, Joanna her 20 year old sister. Their parents abandoned them 5 years ago when Cloe was born and Joanna has cared for Cloe since that time, alone. Joanna tells us she is in a dangerous living situation, working as maid for a man who runs a drug and prostitution ring. She tells us he has begun to make threats against Cloe, wanting her out of the house, we believe in order to perhaps force Joanna, a very pretty girl, into the prostitution (easier without a child to care for). Joanna has asked us (Berry's and Good Shepherd Church in Huaycan, Pastor Adrian and wife Reyna) to take her sister in or help her find a shelter for her, for a temporary period of time, until she can make her own escape. We are working with the local government officials to walk with her and Cloe, and would ask for your prayers for the situation, especially for safety for all involved and for wisdom for me and Lori as we consider receiving Cloe into our home.

2. As we were meeting this week with the local government officials there in Huaycan (about 100,000 people, district of metro Lima), they asked us, pleaded with us really, to consider starting a home for handicapped kids there. They told us they have many cases like Cloe's in the community and there is no place to send them. We are praying with Adrian and Reyna about starting such a home, possibly beginning with this situation with Cloe. Pray for this.

3. Julie Murphy and Lori are doing research on the possibility of starting a home for the children of women in one of Lima's womens' prison, called Santa Monica. The children can stay with their moms in the prison till they are 3, then have to go to a shelter/orphanage or with family. There is a high probability that many of these kids will have no place to go when they turn 3, and thus we are praying about the possibility of starting a home for them.

As you can tell, the need here in Lima is tremendous. There is so much opportunity to make the love of God known. These two possibilities I've mentioned are just two of so many. Please pray for the Lord to raise up both missionaries to come and join us in our work here, as well as Peruvian leaders to partner with, invest in, and walk in fellowship with as a broader mission team here in Lima.

4. Our church planting projects need your prayers too. In Santa Anita, Adrian is organizing his small group and we are in discussion with him about how we as a mission team can get behind him there to plant a vibrant, healthy and multiplying church in that district.

In San Juan de Lurigancho, Progreso community, we are praying for a national leader who might step up to lead a subteam of Peruvians and missionaries to plant a church in what is a very poor and needy area, with lots of people and kids. Please pray for both the Santa Anita and San Juan de Lurigancho church plant projects which are in initial stages. We need wisdom to start well. Pray for timing, wisdom, the right people and ultimately, for God to give us a harvest and churches that endure and flourish in the gospel's drawing power.

5. Please pray for our family. We are scheduled for two weeks vacation starting this coming week. We'll be here in Lima, so pray we will be able to have good time as a family, grow closer together, and be renewed as Dad gets some needed time home just "being".

6. We want to report some sad news too. Lori's grandmother Bebie Nixon died 3 weeks ago. It had been expected, as she was in her 90's, but still a great loss for us. She was a fine lady, knew Christ, and prayed for years for Lori to come to know Jesus, which she did in college. Lori was able to go and speak at the funeral, for which we thank the Lord, but would ask that you keep Lori and her Mom, Melanie, and entire family, in your prayers as they continue to mourn for Bebie.

7. We have a medical team coming from Memphis Feb. 21-27. Pray for their work to help us advance the church plant in Santa Anita, the Good Shepherd Church in Huaycan, and encourage a sister evangelical church in San Juan de Lurigancho. They will also attend the inmates at the Santa Monica prison mentioned above, and their small children. Pray for doors to open for the children's home project and above all for the kingdom to advance through their work with us.

Thank you for praying for us. Your prayers are precious, and we know our Father is moving here in Peru through them. May the Lord bless us as we work together for his harvest.

Mark for all

Mark and Lori Berry  Apartado 1529  Lima 100, Peru  mberry@mtwla.org  011-511-435-6637