September 2016 Update

Dear Family & Friends,

Laurie, Lyndi, and I returned to Peru almost a month ago. The transition back has felt like we never left. We were welcomed back to our jungle home with many familiar critters greeting us on our walkway and around the house.

Laurie is once again teaching at the SAM Academy here in Pucallpa. This semester she has the 8th grade English class of six students with three of those being ESL. Ironically, her class meets in the very classroom where my mom once taught us and pointed us to Jesus. Pray for “Mrs. Porch” as she teaches English and models Christ-likeness … pray that these students will hear the voice of Jesus through Laurie.

I continue to meet every Saturday morning from 7-9 with a group of pastors/leaders from various churches in Pucallpa to study and fellowship together. These men have become friends. These relationships are encouraging for us as we seek to connect the follow-up ministry of Scalpel with local churches who could reach out to patients and their families with evidences of Christlikeness in a strategic time of recovering from surgery.

Lyndi is back at school … running for student body president … beginning to sing again with her Peruvian group … and enjoying a new friend at our house … “Pip,” our German Shepherd puppy. She celebrated her 17th birthday here and is looking forward to a busy senior year with AP and on-line classes. Even though she has a small senior class (3 total) in the midst of a small high school, there is an abundance of opportunity to be salt and light. Pray for her that her life will reflect the beauty of Jesus to others.

We have a medical team arriving on the 16th of this month … just one week away. We were praying for this group during our Wednesday evening prayer gathering. I thought I would pass along to you the requests so that you might join with us in this opportunity to point team mates and patients to the One who is able to truly bring healing and wholeness to our lives. (See page 2)

Thank you again for standing with us in prayer and support. It continues to be a unique opportunity to use what God has given to us for the benefit of those around us. We often shake our heads and ask one another … we are living where? Pray often that God will shape our hearts around his own. Pray for greater ability to use Spanish well in this context. Oh, and pray for renters for our home back in MN!

We thank God for you,
Dan … for us all!

Prayer Requests for Scalpel
1. Medical Team at Hospital Amazonico September 16-21 … a 10 member medical team with a focus on hip replacements and a few other follow-up surgeries for already designated patients. Reflect on Matthew 8:1-3 as you go to prayer … both the power to heal and the willingness to heal.
2. Names of team members Jason, Peggy, Peter, Luzmila, Dennis, Tyler, Clayton, Christina, Catherine, Alina. Reflect on Colossians 1:9-14 as you pray for this team and the individual needs they will bring with them.
3. A film team will be creating a video during the days of surgeries. Reflect on 1Peter 2:9 as you pray for the process and outcome of this work … pray it will reflect the
glory of God and not the glory of a ministry… oh that the finished product will proclaim the excellencies of our God … ask for this.
4. The follow-up of each of these patients and their families … healing of surgical wounds and opportunities to bring these families into contact with the church of Jesus here in Pucallpa. Reflect on Mark 5:18-20 for prayer direction in what we desire to see in every case.
5. Our dear friend and Peruvian medical doctor, Dr. Rosa, and her family are now in the USA adjusting to a new life there … learning English. Pray for a good transition for them to their new life … and a healthy transition for us here as new personnel fill her many roles. Reflect on 2Thess 1:11-12 as you pray for these transitions.
6. Isaac … is now becoming the point person on the ground here in Pucallpa for Scalpel. This is a large learning curve for him. He is working closely with staff at the hospital and local pastors in seeking to create a follow-up network/ministry with the medical staff and local churches of Pucallpa. Reflect on Daniel 2:20-23 … seeing the example of Daniel and his friends and the power of God.
7. Dan, Laurie, & Lyndi … wisdom in a ministry of encouragement and helps for Scalpel teams, the staff at the hospital, SAM Academy, local pastors, and the missionary community. Reflect on the words of James 3:17-18 that gives definition to ‘wisdom’ as you ask the Father for help!