Please pray for the people of Cancejos and Ambo.

Over the last weekend Jeff traveled to an area of Peru devastated by heavy rains and landslides. The International Mission Board has released a generous amount of funds to help the people who lost family members, homes, and possessions. The great state of South Carolina sent a team of volunteers to assist with disaster medical care. This team was able to provide medical examinations, free medicine, and grief counseling to those living in 'tent cities' around the disaster area. Over 30 people were killed in this disaster including one area pastor. Another pastor in the area was in Lima while the mudslide buried his wife and children. We saw many physically wounded people who told stories of digging themselves out of the mud. So many people were having a hard time dealing with their loss.

Please pray for the people of this area and pray for David and Cameron Olson, members of the REAP NORTH Peru team who are directing the IMB response to this disaster.

REAP NORTH Training Conference is coming soon...

The REAP NORTH Training Conference is coming to First Baptist Church, Oxford, MS on April 27-29, 2010. We would love to see you there. You can find conference details HERE.

10 April 2010 Update.

Another good busy week here in Peru. It seems this week has been 'crisis' week with so many things that we've had to help with...broken down vans, stolen passports, helping hurting people, trying to make sure our teammates are receiving the support they need...and that was just yesterday. God is good to use us in so many good ways.

Our week started off Sunday morning in Iquitos, Peru where we boarded an early flight so we could get back to Lima for church. A friend preached at our church for Easter Sunday and threw the hammer down in Spanish. He did an excellent job. Our church here has a big breakfast and then a worship service around the tables and it was great time with our Peruvian brothers and sisters...and our gringo friends, too.

Sunday afternoon we went to a fellowship in honor of some of our missionary friends who are moving to Mississippi to pastor a church. They have been in Peru for over 20 years and it was a sweet time of celebration for them. Jeff carried them to the airport on Wednesday night and they are now safely in Mississippi beginning their new ministry.

Brian and Felicia Henderson lead the REAP NORTH Peru translator ministry. On Monday night their home folks came to Peru for a Vision Trip in the Amazon Basin in northeast Peru. Brian was with them all week and you can find stories from their adventure HERE. It was good to have more Mississippi folk in Peru this week.

We are gearing up for a great summer with a ton of high school and college students coming to Peru. You can keep up with what is going on with our student ministry HERE.

We have a team pray blog where our team members are able to post prayer requests. You can check that out HERE.

Haylee and Jackson have had a busy week. Jackson has started playing at the soccer club in our neighborhood after a few months off for summer (in Peru) vacation and swimming classes in March. He is also busy with school work and playing the Wii whenever he can. Haylee is busy with school and keeping up with her guitar lessons and socital calendar. They are both excited about our visit to Mississippi in a couple of weeks.

Thank you to all of you who pray for us. Your prayers are so important to the work here. Please join us in praying for these things:

• The REAP NORTH training conference in Oxford, MS on April 27-29. We want to provide the training that our churches need to be able to have success in church planting here in Peru. You can find details about the conference HERE. There is still room for churches and individuals to attend.
• Jeff will be traveling with a team this week to provide some medical care for folks recently affected by a mudslide. This is a disaster relief project and the IMB has provided some emergency funds to buy medical supplies and other needs these people may have. A team from South Carolina will be coming in to minister to these folks.
• Pray for good health and safety for Jeff, Liesa, Haylee and Jackson.
• Pray for wisdom as we make plans for upcoming International World Changer projects. We are hosting a total of four projects in Peru in June, July, and August.

Thank you so much for your prayers. We'd love to hear from you! Send us some updates on your life at lholeman@samregion.com.

Quick trip to Iquitos and the Amazon River...

Haylee and Jackson were able to go with Liesa and Jeff on a trip up to Iquitos to visit with our teammates who work in the Amazon Basin area (the Glovers and Nelsons). There is so much good work going on up in the Amazon area. Please pray for the work there.

We were able to have some fun on Saturday while we were there. We visited with some of the Amazon wildlife and had a great time.

We're back from a trip on the Amazon...

We'll have a video posted real soon.....

1 April 2010 Update.

Thank you to all of your for your prayers for us. We are strengthened each day through the prayers of so many.

We are looking forward to a great weekend visiting our teammates in Iquitos. Jeremy, Crystal, and Karis Nelson and Jake, Dodie, Hannah, and Abigail Glover serve with our Strategy Coordinator church/association partners who work in the Amazon Basin region of northern Peru. They live and serve in Iquitos, Peru which is a port city on the Amazon River. They live in a challenging place and we are glad to be able to go and visit with them. We'll fly to Iquitos this afternoon (Thursday, April 1) and return to Lima on Sunday, April 4.

This week please offer prayers of Thanksgiving to God for:

• Amazing ministry work during the month of March. We have some outstanding strategic partners who have deep levels of commitment to the work that they are called to do.
• God's protection over our family. Through hundreds of miles traveled during March God protected us.
• Good health for all of us!

Please continue to pray for:

• Our REAP North Equipped for Missions Conference in Oxford, MS on April 27-29, 2010. This will be an important time of training for our ministry partners. Many are traveling long distances so pray for safety.
• Ten churches coming to Peru during April to work in Peru.
• Planning for 4 International World Changer projects that we are hosting this summer. A WHOLE LOT of stuff needs to be done.

Thank you all so much for your support!

25 March 2010 Update...

Hola amigos!

Thank you so much for your prayers for us during the past week or so. Things have been busy. Jeff was with a team from Oxford, Mississippi working out in a jungle area (SEE VIDEO BELOW.). Then, Jeff and Liesa, along with some teammates, went to Huancayo to make some arrangements for an upcoming International World Changers project.

Haylee and Jackson have been busy as well. Jackson is keeping his class laughing at his corny sense of humor and trying to find bugs to feed to the class pet...a scorpion. Haylee has been studying hard and left today for a retreat with the middle school and high school students at her school.

We continue to need your prayers. Please pray for...

• Haylee as she is away on a retreat with her school. Pray for a good time with the Lord and her friends.
• The whole family willl be traveling to Iquitos, Peru for some meetings with our teammates who live there. We'll also make some time for some fun things. Iquitos is on the Amazon River so we're excited about seeing that part of our world.
• April is going to be a busy month with 10 mission teams coming to work with us here. Pray for all of these volunteer teams to have great ministry work while here in Peru.
• Also, we have our REAP North Equipped for Missions Conference in Oxford, MS on April 27-29. We need a good representation by our Strategy Coordinator churches at this meeting.

Enjoy this video with some of the sights of the work of North Oxford Baptist Church...

This incredible group of students were able to train believers in church planting methodology using the book of Acts, teach English in the village school along with bible stories, lead men's and women's bible studies each afternoon, and play soccer with the men of the village each afternoon. They did a tremendous job continuing to build relationships and provide discipleship training in this village.

Updated Newsletter.

Scroll to the bottom of the page or click HERE for updated news from the REAP North Peru team.

12 March 2010 Update!

Hellooooo out there!

Thank you for praying for us and your financial support of missionaries around the world.

We've had a good week here in Peru.  Right now, teams from the following churches in the U.S. are either heading back to the U.S., working here in Peru, or are on their way to Peru in the next few days...

• Grace Community Church, VA.
• Woodland Hills Baptist, NC
• Immanuel Baptist, CO
• College Street, SC
• South Carolina Baptist Convention
• Wedgewood Baptist, TX
• North Oxford Baptist, MS
• Manna Ministries, Canada
• New River Baptist, GA
• Morningside Baptist, GA

As you see these are busy times for the REAP North Peru team.  We have prayer requests listed on our TEAM PRAYER BLOG.  Click HERE to go there!

We are especially excited to work with North Oxford Baptist Church this week.  These are our some of our friends from our hometown of Oxford, MS.  Jeff will be traveling with them this week to a village of the Ashaninka tribe.  Pray for a good foundation to be laid for a church to be started in this village.

We've had the blessings of having our friends, The Pennington's, here with us this week.  They have been staying at our house with us while they are in Lima.  It has been a great time with them here.

Here's some photos from our trip to the Water Park here in Lima, Peru (You can click on them for a bigger photo.)...

Updated Newsletter.

You can scroll down to the bottom of this page for our updated newsletter!  Or you can click HERE!

6 March 2010 Update...

This has been a good, busy week for us here in Peru.  Haylee and Jackson are back in full swing with school.  Haylee and Jackson are both taking a swimming class two days a week and Haylee has resumed her weekly guitar lessons.  Liesa and Jeff are trying to get prepared for some busy times coming up in the next few weeks.

Jeff and our teammate, Brian, made a trip to the village of Chirani to arrange for some upcoming ministry projects there.  It was a long drive, good meetings, and good fellowship.  Chirani is an Ashaninka village with no church and few Christians. On the right is a photo of how we have to cross the river on a zipline to get to the village. Over the next few months several mission teams from Mississippi will be coming to minister to this village.  You can pray specifically for some village leaders by going to the REAP North Peru team prayer blog at www.pray4reapnorth.blogspot.com .

We were blessed to have Jeremy, Crystal, and Karis Nelson here in Lima this week.  They are our teammates who live in Iquitos, Peru and we don't get to see them often enough.  You can pray for them and read about their work at www.loscoffeelovers.wordpress.com .

We are gearing up for a busy March with 10 teams coming to work with us.  We are most excited about North Oxford Baptist Church coming on March 12.  Jeff will be out in the high jungle village of Chirani with this team.  (Photo to the left is Jeff and Romera taking a walk through the village.)  We'll be teaching the village bible stories from the Book of Acts.  Pray for the work in this village to result in a strong, reproducing church.


We are so grateful for your prayers and your financial support through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  Thank you for your friendship!



P.S.  We'll be in Mississippi in April to lead a conference in Oxford, MS.  ALL of you are invited to come and hear about what is going on in Peru and other REAP North countries.  Here are the details...

REAP North Equipped for Missions Conference

April 27, 28, 29    Oxford, Mississippi 

Host: First Baptist Church, Oxford, MS 

This conference is for church leaders who:

·         Are interested in becoming Strategy Coordinator church partners.

·         Are currently working as Strategy Coordinator church partners with REAP North.

·         Want general information about leading your church to become more involved in missions.

Cost is $59 per person for the conference. Fee DOES NOT include lodging.

Airport transportation to/from Memphis is available.  Please schedule airport transport at reapnorthperu@gmail.com.

Conference Hotel… Downtown Oxford Inn & Suites  (662-234-3031 or 800-606-1497) will provide standard rooms (double bed) for $89 per night.  The event to identify the rate is “Missions Conference – First Baptist Church”

Website -- http://www.downtownoxfordinn.com

Conference begins at 5:00 p.m. on April 27 and ends on April 29 at Noon.  (Oxford is approximately 1.5 hours from Memphis airport.)

DEADLINE FOR CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS APRIL 2, 2010.

To register or for more information contact Jeff or Liesa Holeman at reapnorthperu@gmail.com .   You may also call 601-914-6705.

Pray for this team from Southwest Baptist coming to Peru.

This team is led by our former student, Courtney Hunter.  Please pray for them!

Emily Knox sure picked a winner.

Since the first day I met Emily Neal Knox I knew that the Lord was going to use her in BIG, BIG ways.  She has beautiful children and has a great ministry.  But, what makes me so proud is her husband Steve wearing an Ole Miss Hat.  Good Job Emily!

 

Pray for Chile.

Although Chile is our neighbor to the south, Lima was not affected by the massive earthquake this morning.  However, please pray for the people of Chile and the effort to minister to them during this disaster.

21 February 2010 Update.

Hello world,

We are so thankful for all of you out there who pray, give, and come to Peru to help take the gospel to lost.  This week your prayers have kept us safe on mountain roads, given us a clear ability to speak truth in a foreign language, kept us healthy, and have opened the doors for new ministry opportunities.

Two churches from the United States began their ministries in Peru this week.  First Baptist Jesup, GA and First Baptist, Hesperia, California both were there this week to begin church planting work among the indigenous people of Peru.  Thank you for praying.

We have a busy week ahead as Haylee and Jackson return to school after their summer break.  Also, things are beginning to get a busier as March approaches.  Spring Break begins what we call our 'busy' season which lasts until Labor Day in September.  We are so thankful that we have a team of missionaries who work so hard.  We are so blessed to have co-workers who are more than that...they are family and dear friends.  Not every missionary has the teammates that we have.  We know we are blessed.

There are several things you can pray for this week...

• Please pray for the large number of student projects we have coming up in the next few months.  We have so much that has to be organized.  Pray for Mindy McCord, our student project coordinator, as she has so much responsibility.  The great news is that she can handle it.  Pray for her and the planning that needs to be done.
• Please pray for Roebuck Baptist Church from South Carolina as they work with the Ashaninca people on the Tambo River this week.  They are out there teaching woodworking skills to them so that they will have another way to support themselves.  More importantly, they are sharing the gospel and discipling new believers among the Ashaninca people.  Pray for safety, good health, and open doors.
• Please pray for our mission organization, International Mission Board.  There are so many important decisions that must be made over the next few months. We know God is faithful and will take care of us like He always has been faithful to do.

Our house in Lima.

Our street in Lima.  The hair salon, vet, little hardware store, and bakery are

right across the street.  Fruit and veggie market is right around the corner.

The first utility pole on the right is where the taxi drivers stop to pee.

A good Word for today...

Some friends from Yungay, Peru.

This is Pastor Joel and his wife Hilda from the Bible Baptist Church in Yungay, Peru.  We were blessed to work with them this week as they seek to see their new church grow in a very difficult place.

Please pray for them!

We've been out in Ancash Peru this week...

We've had a great week working with FBC Jessup, Georgia and also visiting some of our friends who live in some remote areas of the Ancash Department (sort of like a state in the U.S.) of Peru.

Jackson standing on top of the Lottie Moon truck.
 

 

Liesa, Haylee, and Jeff with a glacier in the background.

Some recent photos...

6 February 2010 Update...

We have had another good week here in Peru.  Here's a recap...

• Monday...Team meeting with most of our REAP North Peru team.  We are blessed to have such an outstanding group of team members.  
• Tuesday/Wednesday... Office work and planning. Phone calls.  Answering emails.  Meeting about student ministry projects.  
• Thursday/Friday... Visit to Canta with our new team members to show them some of the villages where there is great work going on.  Explore future International World Changer sites.
• Saturday... A little housework.  A lot of watching basketball.  

Here's some prayer requests for this week...

• Please continue to pray for the financial condition of the International Mission Board.  Pray for increased giving by Southern Baptists so that the work of your missionaries will be strengthened.
• Pray for our REAP North Peru team as our work begins to speed up as more teams arrive to work here in Peru.
• Pray for First Baptist Hesperia, CA and First Baptist Jessup, GA as they work in Peru this week.
• Go to our team prayer blog at  http://pray4reapnorth.blogspot.com.

Thank you so much for your prayers!