Festival Callao 2014!

I am very excited to announce that I will be returning to Peru this summer for the third time. My first mission trip to Peru was in 2008 and it completely changed my life. God used that trip to change my plans for the future. I am amazed at where I have ended up. I have been serving in the Latino Ministry at Grace for the past three and a half years as a Sunday School teacher and as part of the leadership team and youth leadership group. I graduated from Northwestern College in December of 2012 with a degree in Intercultural Studies with the intent of going overseas as a missionary, preferably to Peru. However, even within this past year, God has continued to guide and direct my path and I have now chosen to stay in Minnesota and continue to serve in the Latino Ministry until God tells me otherwise. I am at peace with where I am at, and I know God doesn't waste any time of our lives. I am excited to return to Peru this July to work shoulder to shoulder, "hombro a hombro," with our sister church in Callao. I want to briefly share one of my favorite memories from the last mission trip to Peru in 2011: The highlight of my week in Peru was getting to know a man named Jose. A group of ten people, both Americans and Peruvians, were going door to door when we met Jose on the street. After talking with him for only a minute or two, he invited us into his home. We learned he is a bodyguard and had recently killed three people while on the job. He told us he was not going to heaven and God could not forgive him for what he had done. Every night he would wake up sweating and seeing the faces of the men he had killed. We talked with Jose for about half an hour, explaining just how much God loves him and can forgive him. One American man that was talking with him had his hand on Jose's shoulder, and at one point removed it. Jose told him to put his hand back because he could feel a power surging through this American into Jose's body. That brought tears to my eyes. Jose agreed to let us pray for him, so we gathered around him and we each laid a hand on him and began praying simultaneously for him. I could feel such a burden on his shoulders and a deep sorrow I have never witnessed before. I could see the pain in his eyes and the longing to be freed. My prayer was that God would open his eyes and soften his heart and that Satan's grip on his life would be released. And just that happened. While we were praying for him, Jose broke down and cried out to God for forgiveness and gave his life over to God. After praying with him, I could see the peace in his eyes. He was exhausted from the experience, and his whole countenance changed. God did an amazing work in his life in those short 45 minutes we spent with him. Both Jose and the group of us Christians were changed by this experience, and it is one I will never forget. I hope to have many more of these encounters with Peruvians on this upcoming missions trip. Peru and its people hold a special place in my heart and nothing can describe the feeling when you see someone turn from darkness to light. We will partner with our sister church in Callao to reach out into communities with evangelism, medicine, compassion, marriage, business, music, youth, puppetry, sports and children’s ministry. Our theme will be focusing on the families of Callao with the love and truth of Jesus Christ and His loving care to hundreds of hurting Peruvians. If you would like to support me in my upcoming trip, please visit my personal webpage for the missions trip here: https://gracechurch.managedmissions.com/MyTrip/laurencritzer where you will find a green "Donate" button. Please also be in prayer for the entire team, as well as myself as we prepare to go. Pray that we will be equipped with the tools we need to be effective, pray for boldness and humility, and ultimately, for the hand of God to be at work in all that we do. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support! ~Lauren Matthew 28:18-20