Mike and Cher Riepma never dreamed in their lifetime of ministry, that one day they would see a growing N.T. church established in every Ese Ejja village in Bolivia with maturing (not perfect) spiritual leadership who are able to teach and lead/shepherd a local group of believers. ”God is on the move” (even during a global pandemic)! He is building His church among the Ese Ejja people and the gates of hell will not prevail against them.
Although currently living five thousand miles away in the USA, Mike and Cher, are so encouraged to hear daily, via the internet how God is working. They never thought that they would have the technical capability to stay engaged in this way. For instance driving, to the shops, an Ese Ejja pastor calls on the mobile phone asking Mike a question about some issue he is facing. Mike and Cher watch videos of their church services, hear about special needs, and see young people singing specials accompanied with instruments in a packed church building. Wow! Recently they saw pictures of nine new believers who were just baptised in their home village and two more baptisms are planned in other villages. Thank you for standing with them and praying for this advance. To God be the glory, great things He is doing!
Pray with Mike and Cher for the elders in each church to be men of integrity, faith and conviction with a servant’s heart. With the pandemic spreading in Bolivia, and the health system collapsing, causing much fear and death, pray the spiritual leaders will anchor their hearts in God’s Word and encourage one another.
In 1980 at the Maranatha church Mike was commissioned for missionary work in Bolivia. Several years later in 2005, he was presented with a special gift for printing 3,000 Ese Ejja New Testaments. They had just finished translating the N.T. after ten years of work. It was a joy for Mike and Cher to visit for a weeklong Bible and missions conference and see partners in their ministry who for four decades have prayed and supported the work. The excellent Bible teaching and worship during the week was inspiring.
Now back in Midland, they are hoping to help to do follow up with some of the home owners who made professions of faith in Jesus through the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. Pray with them for open doors and hearts. They are advised to wait until late September before making any plans to return to Bolivia. They are watching to see how the pandemic will affect their return.
Thank you for your prayers.